Author: Jeff

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 116

Ramesses II, Abu Simbel (Nov. 2025)

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.42

The seeds for this themeless were 20 Across and 50 Across.  I’ve lived by 20 Across plenty of times, and taken 50 Across in many places around the world.  The advice in 18 Across comes from a jazz band director I had in college; unfortunately, I’ve used it plenty of times as well.

I got back last night from two phenomenal weeks in Egypt on a trip booked through Smithsonian Journeys.  If you’d like to read about it and see lots of photos of pyramids, temples, and colorful royal tombs from 4000 years ago, please check out my Puffinless Travel blog.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed Travel Midi

Solve Like an Egyptian

Illustration in a tomb at Deir el-Medina near the Valley of the Kings, Luxor (Nov. 2025)

Words: 42

Average Length: 4.71

I’m nearing the end of two phenomenal weeks in Egypt, during which I’ve gotten to see the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the new Grand Egyptian Museum, Abu Simbel, and the temples and tombs of Luxor.  The sights have been spectacular and the Egyptian people warm and welcoming.  Here’s a puzzle celebrating this wonderful country. 

I’ve been blogging about the trip on my PuffinlessTravel blog – please stop by to see photos and read all about it.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Full Inbox

Set-up for a Japanese [12 Down] ceremony, Soo-in Temple, Takayama, Japan (Mar. 2025)

Words: 76

Average Length: 4.97

I strive for Inbox Zero, and sometimes attain it for as long as four minutes or so.  This grid is a long way away, as you’ll see when you solve it.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Uncategorized

Stars Crossed

Nothing to do with the puzzle – our dog, Mia, trying to get into the house with a slice of pizza she found in a trash bag left by some contractors.

Words: 14

Average Length: 5.29

I started with the grid shape and 8 Across and then looked for some interesting stuff to go around it.  The result has a bit of an unintended celestial theme.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 115

Purple corn, [36 Down] La Carolina, Quito, Ecuador, Sept. 2022

Words: 70

Average Length: 5.34

The seeds for today’s puzzle were 33 Across (snarky clue included) and 8 Down (a “wrong” answer in a trivia game a few months ago, the same game that gave me the clue/answer to 42 Down).

By the way, Flossie and Freddie in 16 Across come from the “Bobbsey Twins” series of children’s books, which were all the rage around 60 years ago.  (Their older twin siblings were Bert and Nan.)

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini

Apparently So

Words: 18

Nothing to do with the puzzle – just an interesting sidewalk display in Zurich, Switzerland, from my trip there earlier this month

Average Length: 4.56

I read something Friday morning that included the phrase in 5 Across, and then 9 Across popped into my mind, which tells you how insufferable my mind can be at times.  Then I came up with 1 Across (which I might have seen in a puzzle before), and decided I had to make the grid work with those three entries as the top three acrosses.  After I finished a draft, I came up with “Herr apparent” as a clue, but couldn’t think of a corresponding  answer.  Perhaps you’ll see it in a future grid!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Hits the Spot

See 7 Down. The statue in the back is Cristo Rei; photo taken in Lisbon, Portugal, Oct. 2022

Words: 73

Average Length: 5.10

Today’s puzzle is clued very gently (for me) – guess I was in a particularly mellow mood when I constructed it.  I figure it’s a good tonic after last Thursday’s jeremiad.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

King? Tut!!

Sign at the October 18 No Kings rally in Rockville, Maryland

Word: 78

Average Length: 4.64

Trigger warning: if you think the current occupant of what’s left of the White House is doing a bang-up job running what’s left of our country, this puzzle will upset you.

Apology: There’s no online option for today’s puzzle because, in the current political environment, I didn’t want to risk bringing haters’ wrath down on other distribution outlets.

Disclaimer: The puzzle resembles a word ladder, but it’s really not – turns out I could connect 1A to 67A by changing only 3 letters.

puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themed

A Garden-Variety Puzzle

Sunrise on the Douro River (Oct. 2022) (see 10 Down)

Words: 18

Average Length: 4.67

The seeds for this puzzle, which you’ll identify while solving, originally were ideas for a cryptic puzzle (for obvious reasons).  Having said that, 15A, a non-seed entry, has my favorite clue. 

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 114

The 38 Down of the Pantheon, Rome (2014)

Words: 68

Average Length: 5.74

35 Across and 5 Down were the seeds for today’s puzzle; they came from two terrific books I’d recently read, Rick Steve’s account of his decision to become a travel writer and Catherine Nixey’s Heretic: Jesus Christ and the Other Sons of God.

Apologies – it was just brought to my attention that 5D in the originally posted puzzle was misspelled. I’ve fixed it in the puz and pdf version but haven’t been able to do so yet in the online version.

online | puz | pdf | solution