Categories
Midi

For Brian and Sly

Reykjavik, Iceland, July 2024. Nothing to do with the puzzle.

Words: 41 (12×11)

Average Length: 5.41

We lost two more rock icons in June – Brian Wilson, the creative force behind the Beach Boys, and the incomparable Sly Stone, producer, bandleader, songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist who created some of the catchiest, funkiest,  most socially powerful  hits of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.  I picked one well-known song from each of these geniuses as the seeds for this puzzle. 

If you’re intrigued by Sly Stone, there’s a terrific documentary from Questlove about him: “Sly Lives! A/k/a the Burden of Black Genius.” And if you haven’t seen it yet, please check out Questlove’s “Summer of Soul,” a documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival with some of the greatest music you’ll ever hear.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 106

Krka National Park, 15 Across. Photo taken October 2024.

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.42

The seeds for today’s puzzle were 1A and 38D, both of which have clues I’m pretty tickled about. 

The answer to Tuesday’s meta is “Willin’,” by Little Feat.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Meta Midi

Show Me a Sign

Delos, with 2 Down in the background. Photo taken July 2014.

Words: 42 (11×11)

Average Length:  4.81

I’ve never tried constructing a meta before, and this is a pretty basic one as metas go.  The answer is a classic rock song from one of my favorite groups.  If your classic rock knowledge is, um, underdeveloped, feel free to search online – or just click on this link for the music video.

I’ll reveal the answer in Saturday’s blog post.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

What’s the Matter?

Nothing related to the puzzle – just another fun sign from the No Kings rally in Charlottesville

Words: 74

Average Length: 5.03

Three predicaments and “comforting words” from a fictional (as opposed to theoretical) physicist.  Enjoy!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini

Royal? Flush!

Sign at the Charlottesville rally, June 14, 2025

Words: 19 (7×7)

Average Length: 4.63

This puzzle celebrates and honors the FIVE MILLION Americans who took part in rallies across the nation last Saturday opposing the Trump regime.  I attended the one in Charlottesville and wrote about it on my travel blog.  Here’s a link if you’re interested; in addition to the essay, there are photos of some of the amazingly creative signs.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 105

Mostar, 38 Across. Photo taken October 2024.

Words: 68

Average Length: 5.38

The seeds for this puzzle were 19 Across (a book I found helpful in learning to write clearly), 31 Across (a concept needlessly occupying scarce mental real estate from a bio course 50 years ago), and 49 Across (a lyrical, beautiful, slim, fictional thought experiment).

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Faux Modesty

This has nothing to do with the puzzle – I just thought it was funny. Guess the car’s a “shift.”

Words: 55 (12×13)

Average Length: 4.73

The clue/answer pair for 21 Down popped into my head and I went looking for other possible theme answers.  I couldn’t come up with enough good ones for a full-size puzzle, so here’s a large-ish midi.  Enjoy!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Pi and Phi

See 61 Across. Photo taken July 2011.

Words: 75 (17×13)

Average Length: 5.17

I’d been playing around with this theme idea for a while and decided it was time to quit dilly-dallying.  The grid’s not real pretty and placement of one theme answer breaks with symmetry, but hopefully all is forgiven for the sake of entertainment.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi

Of Birds and Bees

Reykalt, Iceland – bees kept to fertilize tomato plants. Photo taken July 2024.

Words: 28 (9×9)

Average Length: 5.07

I had a bunch of bad puns hanging around and figured I’d inflict them on innocent solvers.  Hence this midi.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themeless

Themeless 104

See 27 Down. Photo taken in Positano, July 2014

Words: 77 (16×15)

Average Length: 5.25

The seeds for this grid were 21, 41, and 57 Across – the first book in my favorite crime fiction series, an extremely rare baseball feat, and a brilliant music mockumentary, respectively.  Throw in a bit of T.S. Eliot and some more terrific books (“All the Light We Cannot See,” “Nickel Boys,” “Tremor”) and a couple other baseball-related clues, and you have a fair idea how I spend my free time.

online | puz | pdf | solution