Author: Jeff

Categories
Midi Themed

Get Your Beer Here

Enjoying a Beer Lao on the Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos, March 2024

Words: 42 (11×11)

Average Length: 5.05

Whenever I travel to a new place, I try a local beer – solely as research for my travel blog, of course!  I keep an online photo album of the beers; currently there are 53 pictures, and I intend to add to that on my upcoming trip to the South Pacific. 

Cracking a cold one isn’t necessary to enjoy this puzzle, but the grid might put you in that kind of mood.

I just found out I misspelled 19D – it’s short one “n”. This was due solely to negligence, not to over-imbibing in any of the theme answers. Just think of it as a light beer. Forgive me!!!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

One Round

Sydney (see 39 Across), Jan. 2024

Words: 76

Average Length: 4.97

Nope, not golf.  Not drinks, either.  Math.  Don’t let that scare you away – the puzzle should play on the gentle side.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themeless

Cavendish Calling

Mercado La Carolina, Quito, Ecuador (Sep. 2022). See 1 Across, duh.

Words:  18

Average Length:  5.00

I’ve been constructing for several years now, with several hundred puzzles under my belt (keeping all the gelato, chips, etc. company).  For the first couple of years, I focused mostly on learning how to construct a grid with minimal dreck and interesting fill.

Now, I feel like the greatest challenge in crossword construction – and one that is not often enough met in major outlet crosswords – is coming up with clues that exploit the vagaries of the English language, entertain, educate, and reflect the constructor’s personality.  (I promise I have one, though it’s sometimes well-hidden.)

This puzzle is an example:  7 of the 18 clues (1, 8, 10, 14, and 16 Across and 1 and 5 Down) might not or definitely wouldn’t be seen in a major outlet puzzle – not because of failing a “breakfast test,” but because of quirkiness.  I hope you like them!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 90

Prague (St. Vitus Cathedral seen from the Charles Bridge), Aug. 2018. Prague was the site of a famous 49 Across.

Words: 68

Average Length: 5.44

I sprinkled lots of playful clues in this one; I think 7 Down is my favorite.  Have fun!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi

Of Courses

Machu Picchu (Sept. 2022) (see 17 Down)

Words:  30 (9×9)

Average Length:  4.60

This is not the puzzle I’d hoped to post today. Feeling optimistic a couple of days ago, I had a midi ready to go celebrating my country’s stepping back from the brink. Instead, we jumped feet first.

So here’s an anodyne puzzle with no political content. Life, for now, goes on.

Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Before and After

Before and After 2

Valletta, Malta (Oct. 2024)

Words:  74

Average Length:  5.11

Here’s another Before and After puzzle featuring an American revolutionary firebrand, a noted early 20th century novelist, a film rebel, a Rat Pack singer, and a famed writer of Theses.

The photo has nothing to do with the puzzle – it’s from my recently concluded trip on the Azamara Quest from Venice to Rome by way of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Greece, Malta, and Sicily. If you’d like to read about the trip and see lot of photos, please visit my travel blog, PuffinlessTravel.com.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi

In Rare Farm

See 21 Across. Photo taken in Kaituna Ridges, Havelock, New Zealand, Jan. 2024

Words: 28 (9×9)

Average Length: 5.07

I’d been saving 11A and 21A for a full-sized themed puzzle but couldn’t come up with other good themers, so here they are in a large mini or small midi, depending on your definitions.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 89

See 21 Across. Photo taken in the Lofoten Islands, Norway, June 2017.

Words:  72

Average Length: 5.44

Let me crow:  I’m really happy with the way this grid turned out:  only 29 black squares, a bunch of cool fill, and several clues I’m rather proud of.  I hope you enjoy solving it as much as I enjoyed constructing it.  If so, please share widely, and if you’re not already a follower of this blog, please take that step!

online | puz | pdf | solution

I’ve been on a wonderful trip this past week and a half – if you’re interested, visit my PuffinlessTravel.com blog or click on any link that sounds good:

Venice and boarding the Azamara Quest

Koper and Ljubljana, Slovenia

Zadar, Croatia

Šibeniki and Krka National Park, Croatia

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Budva, Perast, and Kotor, Montenegro

Corfu, Greece

Categories
Mini Themed

Clue Done It

See 19 Across. Santuario Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, Lamego, Portugal (Oct. 2022)

Words:  23 (9×8)

Average Length: 4.87

Let’s get the obvious out of the way:  this is by far the ugliest grid I’ve ever designed.  Alas, after far too much time trying to fit what I wanted into a symmetrical, esthetically pleasing mini-midi grid, I gave up and settled for what you see. 

Having said that, I hope you enjoy solving the clues, just like 9 Across and 3 Down.  And if crime fiction is your thing, I can’t recommend Ian Rankin’s Rebus series highly enough.  He just released the 25th book in the series, and they’re all terrific.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

A Little Dot’ll Do Ya

Statue of 16 Across in front of the Archeological Museum in Constana, Romania, where he was exiled after seducing various nobles’ wives with his love poems. Photo taken July 2023.

Words:  76

Average Length:  4.74

Here’s a mind-expanding puzzle, including a little dirt on an ancient Roman poet, some Yiddish, Weird Al, and – oh yeah – a potential acid trip.

I’m posting this a day early because I’m getting on a cruise ship this afternoon and have no idea what the Internet access will be like.

If anyone’s interested, I’m on yet another trip – so far I’ve visited Monaco and Èze (France); the links are to write-ups on my PuffinlessTravel blog.

online | puz | pdf | solution