19 and 52 Across were the seeds, 19 because it exists and is funny, and 52 for the clue. (The 52 Across answer was going to be part of a themed puzzle with the clue as the revealer, but I couldn’t come up with enough theme entries.)
Kon Nichiwa! Or, if you’re solving this in the morning, ohayo! There’s lots of scrumptious Japanese fill in here, kind of like a 15×15 bento box. Chopsticks optional. Matane (see you soon – in this case, next Wednesday for a midi puzzle entitled “Puns, Anagrams, and General Goofiness”).
If you’d like to read all about my Japan trip, please visit my travel blog, PuffinlessTravel.com. I also just posted an essay there called “Thoughts onTWA (Traveling While American)”. Please check it out if you’re interested.
See 4 Down. Construction workers doing calisthenics before their shift, Hiroshima, Japan, March 2025. Photo credit: Y. Jastrow.
Words: 14 (7×7)
Average Length: 5.14
It’s been a while since I posted a Mostly Musical Mini. The last couple, alas, marked the passing of musicians I grew up and grew old(er) listening to (Jimmy Buffett, Robbie Robertson). This one, thankfully, isn’t a memorial, though it definitely skews toward Dad (or Grandpa) Rock.
Tea ceremony equipment (Takayama, Japan, March 2025). This has nothing to do with the puzzle, but it was a wonderful experience.
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.40
A century of themelesses! (Hopefully it doesn’t feel like it takes that long to solve them ….) The seeds for this one were 6 Down (a joke I heard an Australian comedian tell last year) and 17 Down (I don’t remember where I came across the term, but I love it!).
Here’s a super-sized, pun-filled, meaty (especially 33 Down) puzzle for your solving pleasure.
I just got back from two weeks in Japan. I’ve got posts about Tokyo, Hakone, Takayama, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Hiroshima on my travel blog. Please check them out if you’re interested!
See 5 Down. Photo taken in London, England, June 2017
Words: 38
Average Length: 5.53
19 Across was the seed, but the puns don’t stop there. I’m really happy with this grid design – it’s wide open with no 3-letter fill. You might well see it again!
1 down, 98 to go (see 20 Across). Photo taken near Queenstown, New Zealand, Feb. 2024.
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.36
I couldn’t construct my 99th themeless without using 20 Across as a seed! Then came the parallel entries at 4 Down and 26 Down and at 11 Down and 33 Down. Have fun!