Author: Jeff

Categories
Themed

Themeless 63

This has nothing to do with the puzzle, but I saw this while food shopping yesterday. I absolutely do not want to know what happened!

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.28

It’s too bad this wasn’t Themeless 42, as you’ll understand once you’ve solved the puzzle.  I called this a themeless even though the one of the two seeds (1 Down/8 Down, with 17 Across the second) and a few other entries relate to a hysterically funny, warm-hearted Douglas Adams series that I would make compulsory reading if I were 1 Down/8 Down.  Constructor’s prerogative – if it’s 72 words or fewer I get to call it a themeless, especially if the related answers aren’t placed symmetrically.  (There’s also a bit of a baseball mini-theme.)

Note: please excuse the poor wording of the clue for 40 Across. The answer is plural.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themed

Crossword Cuisine

Words:  32 (9×9)

Average Length:  4.00

Some crosswordese comes from architecture (OGEE, APSE, EAVE), some from geography (ARAL, URAL, RIA), some from the arts (ASTA, SMEE, IAGO).  And then there’s food and drink, perhaps the richest source of this less-than-nourishing fill.  I usually try to eschew these stale words, but for this week’s mini I stuffed as many commonly-used, calorie-laden words as possible into the  grid.  Bring an appetite, and come back Sunday for a meaty, well-seasoned themeless.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Car-aoke

See 31 Across (wine-producing area; this one is in Favaios, Portugal)

Words:  79 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.16

I do my best singing in the car.  It’s still not good, mind you, but the enclosed space and built-in vibrato from the road have a salutary effect.  So, having crafted puzzles about music and food, music and plants, music and reptiles, music and transportation, music and weather, music and aging, and various other “music and” topics, it’s time for a puzzle about music and cars.  Put it in gear and solve away!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themeless

Hang Ten

Words:  17

Average Length:  5.18

This is probably a moderately challenging puzzle, especially for a mini.  I started with 1 Across, plugged in 6 Across beneath it, and then went with far too many grid configurations before finding one that worked.  I hope you enjoy it!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 62

Golbac Fortress (in the country referenced in 1 Across), photo taken July 2023

Words:  68

Average Length:  5.68

A terrific constructor, Tim Croce (club72.wordpress.com), often creates grids around a 12-15-12 stack in the middle.  It’s not a trivial undertaking, as I learned in trying his architecture here.  He also includes lot of common-but-not-too-common expressions in his grids, so I figured I’d up the constructing challenge by making all three answers in the middle stack “in the language” phrases.

Enjoy, share, and please check out Club 72; you’re in for a treat.  (I don’t know Tim, and I’m sure he has no idea who I am. I just like pointing solvers to other constructors whom they might appreciate.)

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Six to Ten

Words:  28

Average Length:  4.64

After posting One to Five last week, I figured I had to do Six to Ten this week.  I think that’ll be the end of the series, which I assume will get much harder now that we’re in double digits.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Rejection Letters

We’re teaching our granddaughter to think for herself, learn tolerance, understand history, and cherish people’s differences. Take that, DeSantis!

Words:  77 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.40

A gardener, an insurance agent, a calculus professor, a low-cost lender, and a baby food executive submit novels to a publisher.   All are rejected.  Why?  Solve and find out!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini

One to Five

Words:  17

Average Length:  4.59

Here’s a straightforward mini based on a simple concept.  It’s perhaps not as easy as 1-2-3, but if you can fill in the blanks from 1 to 5 you’ve got a decent shot at solving the puzzle.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 61

Tyn Cathedral, Prague (see 33 Across) (Photo taken July 2018)

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.42

I’m not usually one to pat myself on the back – for one thing, I’m not that flexible – but I’m really pleased with this grid.  It’s packed with juicy answers, including Taylor Swift lyrics, two historical French scandals, some schmaltz, and jeans from the ‘70s.  I hope you enjoy it!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themed

Why English Is Hard

Words:  11 (5×6)

Average Length:  4.73

The inspiration for this puzzle came from a Brian Bilston poem, “Hear, [1 Down], and Everywear.”  If you’re not familiar with him, Brian Bliston is an English poet who is funny, sharply observant, self-deprecating, and brilliant at exploiting the weirdness of the English language.

online | puz | pdf | solution