Words: 16 (7×7)
Average Length: 4.75
I guess I’m still stuck in outer space after Sunday’s tribute to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. No worries, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to solve this one.
Category: Themed
Categories
Themeless 63
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.
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.
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!
Categories
Rejection Letters
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!
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.
Categories
Your Call Is Important to Us
Words: 77
Average Length: 4.86
Some time back, I passed a frustrating morning trying to get through to a live person at various institutions, each of which robotically reassured me of my valued status. A couple of hours later I figured out a way to create a puzzle around the statement beginning at 20 Across. (I don’t believe the statement generally is true, but if it is, why does it keep happening?) Any way, I hope you solve this in less time than you normally have to wait on hold.
Words: 42 (11×11)
Average Length: 4.81
This puzzle is my entry to the Crosshare monthly midi contest (theme: music; I promise I didn’t pay anyone to choose that, but thanks, Sommersmith!). If you’re not yet familiar with Crosshare (crosshare.org), it’s a wonderful online community for independent crossword constructors, as well as for people who enjoy solving puzzles by independent crossword constructors.
Categories
Silly Soundalikes
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.34
Like some subatomic particles, crossword-worthy words or phrases sometimes pop into existence in my head and quickly vanish. (This usually happens either in the bathroom or while walking my dogs.) Occasionally, one will leave enough of a trace to make its way into my “crossword ideas” spreadsheet. 20 Across was one such phrase; the other theme entries were manufactured in what passes for an internal brainstorming session these days. I hope at least one of them triggers a snicker/giggle. Enjoy and share!
