Words: 30 (9×9)
Average Length: 4.60
This is not the puzzle I’d hoped to post today. Feeling optimistic a couple of days ago, I had a midi ready to go celebrating my country’s stepping back from the brink. Instead, we jumped feet first.
So here’s an anodyne puzzle with no political content. Life, for now, goes on.
Ω Ω Ω Ω Ω
Words: 28 (9×9)
Average Length: 5.07
I’d been saving 11A and 21A for a full-sized themed puzzle but couldn’t come up with other good themers, so here they are in a large mini or small midi, depending on your definitions.
Words: 48 (12×12)
Average Length: 5.08
“Before and After” is a time-honored Jeopardy category. This puzzle introduces a twist, as the clue to 17 Across explains: the last word of 17A and the first word of 31A together satisfy a part of the clue. I hope you like it – I have another puzzle in this vein coming up in a few weeks.
Words: 36
Average Length: 4.67
My wife loves to bake (I specialize in consumption), and we watch a lot of baking shows. My favorite is the Kids Baking Championship, where 9-12 year old kids make me feel like at least part of our future is in good hands! In addition to creating spectacular treats, they toss around terms like 11 Across with abandon. After looking it up, I figured I’d create a midi around a basket of French pastry. (Best solved with a strong coffee or some 26 Across.)
Words: 28 (9×9)
Average Length: 5.29
I didn’t start out intending to make a plea for equitable pay for teachers, but it’s a message that can’t be emphasized strongly enough. Teachers are front-line workers facing steep odds, including the risk of being fired for informing children about any number of issues that shouldn’t be controversial but somehow are in our narrow-minded nation. They are life preservers and life enhancers, and they should be compensated accordingly!
Words: 42 (11×11)
Average Length: 4.57
Australia is magnificent; New Zealand is magical. Plus, the indigenous (4 Down) language is vowel-heavy, making commonly used names for various fauna, flora, customs, etc. wonderfully crossword-friendly. Enjoy the puzzle and visit PuffinlessTravel.com for photos and my write-up of New Zealand – I promise if you read the posts you’ll get past any unfamiliar 30 Across content!
Jeff's Puzzles