Words: 17
Average Length: 4.94
Where can you solve a puzzle with some Shakespeare, classical music, classic rock, and disco, all in 3 minutes or so? Right here, right now!
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Author: Jeff
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They Could Be Verse
Words: 76
Average Length: 4.82
I’ve read a lot of poetry this year; some of you might say “too much” after solving today’s grid. That’s the excuse for the theme of this puzzle: the almost certainly misguided idea to merge movie titles and poetry terms and clue them with verses that illustrate the terms. For those of you who weren’t English majors, the terms are defined below.
- Anapest: A meter of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable
- Couplet: Two lines of verse, often in the same meter and normally rhyming, that form a unit
- Dactyl: A meter of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables
- Iamb: A meter of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable
- Stanza: A grouping of lines (often, but not necessarily, four) in a standalone unit within a poem
I promise Wednesday’s MMM will be rhyme-free!
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Mostly Musical Mini 25
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Themeless 39
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.46
This one started with the clue/answer pair at 18 Across. 23 Down went in shortly thereafter, and it’s one of my favorite clue/answer pairs in any of my puzzles, if you’ll excuse the self-pat on the back.
51 Down’s clue (“Altamira or Lascaux, e.g.”) references something on my bucket list that I’ll never be able to fulfill. I’m fascinated by anthropology and archeology, and the ancient art in these locations could illustrate the dictionary definition of “evocative.” Alas, they’re closed to the public, so I’ll have to content myself with listening to the second track on The Royal Scam (link here), where Steely Dan captures a bit of the magic.
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Mostly Musical Mini 24
Words: 20
Average Length: 5.13
This week’s MMM may be a bit more challenging than usual. I worked in a French composer many of you probably haven’t heard of, who wrote what I think is the most beautiful flute sonata of the 20th century. In addition, I was forced into 6 Down, who’s a not-very-well-known rapper and thus gets a perhaps less-than-helpful alternative clue after the music-related one.
Here’s a link to the flute sonata, which is filled with sinuous, gorgeous lines and delightfully dissonant harmonies.
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Garden-Variety Names
Words: 79 (16×15 grid)
Average Length: 5.06
Housekeeping note: the clue to 70 Across should read “One who might assist in the birth of a 64 Across.” Thanks to Sommersmith for pointing out the need for an edit – and be sure to check out his puzzles over at Crosshare.org; they’re excellent!
I think this is one of the easier puzzles I’ve ever constructed. It’s a straightforward themed puzzle clued at a Monday/Tuesday level. There are a lot of proper names, but they’re all reasonably well-known. Enjoy the respite: next Sunday’s grid will be a tough themeless. First, though, come back Wednesday for MMM 24.
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Mostly Musical Mini 23
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Themeless 38
Words: 74
Average Length: 5.00
Shameless plug time: if you’re at all interested in travel, check out my PuffinlessTravel blog. I’ve added several write-ups and dozens of photos from my just-completed trip to Machu Picchu, Cusco, Quito, and the Galapagos.
This grid began with the entries at 20, 37, and 50 Across, which sort of go together despite the “themeless” label.
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Mostly Musical Mini 22
Words: 24
Average Length: 4.67
White Rabbit (see clue for 8 Across) is perhaps the best psychedelic rock song ever. Using imagery from Alice in Wonderland and a structure reminiscent of Ravel’s Bolero – including a mesmerizing drum part and a slow, steady crescendo – the song captures the spirit of late ‘60s San Francisco in a bit more than two minutes. Here’s a link.
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Celebrating Democracy
This is a straightforward themed puzzle celebrating the United Nations International Day of Democracy, which is September 15. Enjoy, and vote!!!
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