Words: 68
Average Length: 5.50
There were 4 seeds for today’s themeless: 8 Down (a factoid from a shipboard trivia game), 21 Across (I can still name the starting line-up, subs, and pitchers; they were my boyhood team), 27 Across (no thanks), and 33 Across (a refugee from a themed puzzle that wouldn’t come together).
Words: 12 (6×6)
Average Length: 5.33
This was a weird puzzle to construct. I had two seed entries, neither of which survived the filling and editing process. Then I spent far too long trying to come up with a clever title before deciding just to literally bestow a title upon the puzzle.
Words: 69 (14×15)
Average Length: 4.93
I constructed this puzzle back in August and figured that, given the theme, it was worth waiting until the first icy breaths of winter had appeared, which they did early this week, at least in the D.C. area. If you’re so inclined, the online version contains the appropriate color for the circled squares.
Words: 11
Average Length: 4.73
Here’s a mini puzzle covering anatomy, biology, fashion, natural history, literature, pop culture, and advertising. Never say you don’t get bang for your buck at JeffsPuzzles.com (especially since it’s free)!
Words: 68
Average Length: 5.62
The three grid-spanners were the seeds for today’s themeless. Actually, I’m not sure how “themeless” the puzzle is, given that all three grid-spanners are temporal in nature, but, to quote the great Kurt Vonnegut, “so it goes.”
Words: 22
Average Length: 5.09
I always found the 1A/20A relationship both satisfying and, particularly when chocolate is involved in 20A, effective. (And if those chocolates happen to be of the edible variety ….)
Words: 74
Average Length: 5.16
Several years ago, I posted a Thanksgiving puzzle (“I’ll Never Be Your Feast of Burden”) that was chock-full of Thanksgiving-related entries. (I’ve slightly updated that puzzle, but it still shows my relative construction inexperience back then, particularly with so many 3- letter answers.)
This year, I wanted to try something different. Today’s grid has nothing related to the holiday in it – but if you read down the first letters of the Across clues, you’ll see my heartfelt expression of gratitude to everyone who solves my puzzles.
Speaking of gratitude, I need to single out fellow constructor Jeanne Breen for special thanks. Because of the constraints imposed by the Across cluing, some of those clues were a bit clunky as first drafted, to put it kindly. Moreover, the original version of the SE corner was drecky, which isn’t a word but should be. I asked Jeanne if she had any ideas, and she not only greatly improved the most troublesome clues, but came up with a whole new SE corner that is leagues better than the original.
Jeanne is a talented constructor of all manner of word puzzles, which you can – and should! – match wits with on her site, In Pursuit of Puzzles. Follow her, and while you’re at it, follow me if you’re not already doing so! The more followers we constructors have, the more visible our puzzle sites are in search results.
Words: 15 (6×7)
Average Length: 4.53
Here’s a simple theme that came to me at 5 a.m. Monday while my jet-lagged body was trying to decide whether it was time to wake up. (It wasn’t.)
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.
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.
Jeff's Puzzles