Words: 75 (16×15)
Average Length: 5.12
Here’s a straightforward themed puzzle, which you don’t need a perfect report card to solve.
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Category: Themed
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Jazzy You Know Who
Words: 78
Average Length: 4.74
You don’t have to solve crosswords for long before figuring out that some names come up over and over again. Well, more accurately, some first or last names (ENO, ISSA, ALOU, ESAI …).
One of the most commonly used names – a first name, in this case – belongs to a wonderful singer who deserves to have her full name, along with the song that is often used to clue her, contained in a puzzle. This puzzle, in fact. And, because that song can be read as an imperative, I decided to take its instruction to heart in more than two dozen of this puzzle’s entries.
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Streaming Tunes
Words: 79 (16×15)
Average Length: 5.01
Every so often, when angling for a theme, I cast my line once again into the musical deeps. For today’s puzzle, I landed four tunes (18, 25, 41, and 52 Across) whose titles fit nicely into a piece that premiered three centuries ago (66 Across). I hope the solving experience is smooth sailing!
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In the Beginning
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.14
I set myself a construction challenge on this one – come up with a grid where the revealer crosses all four theme answers. I succeeded in doing so, but at the expense of including a passel of 3s. Have at it, and enjoy!
If you’re a fan of all manner of word puzzles – crosswords, Rows Gardens, acrostics, snake charmers, spirals – do yourself a favor and check out Jeanne Breen’s brilliant new puzzle site, In Pursuit of Puzzles.
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Cook the Books
Words: 91 (17×17)
Average Length: 5.32
A super-sized collection of silly literary puns – how can you resist?
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What’s the Matter?
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!
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Pi and Phi
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.
Words: 53 (13×13)
Average Length: 5.03
This was going to be a regular-sized (15×15) puzzle, but I only came up with three theme answers, so I downsized a bit. If you’re not familiar with the poem cited in 32 Across, here’s a link. I think it’s simply beautiful.
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Global Theatre
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.17
The revealer (50 Across) was the seed for this one, then it was just a matter of finding suitable theme answers. Three of them popped into mind almost immediately; the fourth required a bit of searching for something suitable. Enjoy!
