Words: 70
Average Length: 5.34
4D and 24D were the seeds for this puzzle. As always, I had a lot of fun with the cluing and, as I always hope, learned something along the way (see 42D).
Categories
Themeless 120
Author: Jeff
Words: 16 (7×6)
Average Length: 4.88
I learned about the seeds of this puzzle, 1A and 3D, while reading a remarkable book called The Arrogant Ape, by Christine Webb. The book’s subtitle, “The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters,” captures the thought-provoking, insightful, often maddening contents perfectly. It impressed me so much that another word I learned from the book is the seed of a themeless puzzle I’ll post in late March, so if you finish the book by then you’ll have a guaranteed correct answer off the bat!
Categories
Spread the Word
Words: 11 (6×5)
Average Length: 4.91
As you probably guessed, 1A was the seed for this puzzle. Why seed the puzzle with an answer that only a couple of solvers are likely to have heard? Because, as things get increasingly fractious and belligerent, the word captures the sort of awareness we could use a great deal more of right now. So spread the word!
Categories
Themeless 119
Words: 55 (11×14)
Average Length: 4.45
After a year of strife, here’s a peace-focused puzzle.
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My puzzle-making colleague, Jeanne Breen, published a terrific acrostic puzzle yesterday based on a passage chosen by the incomparable Frank Bruni as one of his favorite bits of prose from 2025. You can solve it here, and you should, unless (as she put it) “you’re a proud supporter of POTUS 45/47.”
Words: 78
Average Length: 4.69
1 Across-6 Across-9 Across, everyone!
I posted 107 puzzles in 2025, with nearly 8000 visitors from 62 countries, accounting for more than 18,000 views. Thank you all – I wish each of you a year filled with health, happiness, meaning, and lots of “aha” solving moments.
If you’re interested, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite books that I read during 2025. I love to read and would enjoy getting book recommendations from all of you brilliant and worldly solvers. You can put them in the comments or email me at Jeffspuzzles@gmail.com.
Categories
Two for Tuesday
Words: 10 (5×5)
Average Length: 4.40
I constructed a cryptic mini and, when I finished it, decided to provide a version with American-style clues as well. (Each version has the same answers.) So solve either, both, or mix and match.
If you like the idea of parallel cryptic and American-style minis, let me know. It’s a good exercise for me as a constructor and may help solvers who are cryptic neophytes. Plus it gives me twice as many chances to mess with your minds and funny bones!
There’s only one online link because I combined both sets of clues into a single puzzle on Crosshare. Each set is blacked out, so you just need to click on either the first clue (cryptic) or the second (American-style) for each entry.
online | cryptic puz | cryptic pdf | American-style puz | American-style pdf | solution
Categories
Things Could Be Traverse
Words: 74
Average Length: 4.95
I apologize in advance for the clumsy wording of the clue to 66 Across, which is the key to understanding the theme answers. That said, I hope you enjoy the puzzle – I’m pretty pleased with several of the non-theme-related clues.
Words: 14 (7×7)
Average Length: 5.29
2 Down and 8 Across were the seeds. Apologies that 6 Across will leave you with an earworm, assuming you know the commercials (consider yourself fortunate if you don’t).
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