Category: Themed

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Mini Themed

A Python Menagerie

See 3 Down. Photo taken at Birdworld Kuranda, Kuranda, Australia, Jan. 2024

Words:  16 (7×7)

Average Length:  5.25

Among my many useless talents, I can pretty much quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail (and many other Python offerings) word for word.  Here’s a puzzle built around some of my favorite bits (and links to each of them).

3 Down: here

5 Across: here and here

9 Across: here

15 Across: here

I’m returning home today after three wonderful weeks in Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. I’ve been writing about the trip (and posting lots of pictures) on my travel blog, PuffinlessTravel.com. Please check it out if you’re interested!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Flour Power

Not 9 Across. Steam engine, Isle of Man Railway. Photo taken July 2022.

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.)

online | puz | pdf | solution

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Themed

Smooch

See 15 Down. Photo taken at Fusterlandia, Havana, Cuba, Nov. 2023

Words:  78

Average Length:  4.79

This one was a bear to construct!  I actually tore up (digitally) the first version and refilled a fair amount of it.  There are still a couple of clunkers (56A, 64D, e.g.), but it’s now presentable.  Solve with someone you love!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Pay Them!

See 1 Down. This is Max, one of our two pups.

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!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Trig in a Bottle

See 14 Across

Words:  40 (11×11)

Average Length:  5.10

I never quite understood why people use 26 Acrosses – you basically look like you’ve been bathing in Cheetos – but here’s a puzzle about them.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

Calm

See 7 Down (photo taken in Kinderdijk, Netherlands, Oct. 2019)

Words:  75 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.12

As the mugs say, “Keep Calm and Carry On,” which could have been another theme entry except that it’s too long and then I’d have had to retitle the puzzle.  While there’s no guarantee that solving will produce a feeling of well-being, it couldn’t hurt! 

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Mini Themed

Play Ball!

I like Davey Martinez a lot, but I miss Dusty. Happy retirement!!

Words:  18 (7×7)

Average Length:  5.00

February is finally ending (save for one quadrennial last gasp tomorrow), which means Opening Day is just a few weeks away.  Here’s a grid welcoming the new season, including my predictions for the NL, AL, and World Series champs.

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed

In All Honesty

See the clue for 15 Across (“Posh”). Photo taken outside the Budapest Ritz Carlton, July 2023.

Words:  74

Average Length:  5.24

The phrase that seeded this puzzle apparently goes back to an 18th century play by Oliver Goldsmith entitled “She Stoops To Conquer.”  It’s also been used in songs by Bing Crosby, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others, as well as books by Charles Dickens and J.K. Rowling. 

63 Across is one of my all-time favorite songs by one of my all-time favorite groups.  Here’s a link, which can double as a hint if you’re stuck on the lyrics.   

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Midi Themed

Kia Ora

Milford Sound, New Zealand (photo taken Jan. 2024)

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!

online | puz | pdf | solution

Categories
Themed Travel Midi

G’day!

Words:  42

Average Length:  4.52

Here’s my 2 Down to the fascinating, magnificent country of Australia, where I was fortunate to spend ten days in early January.  I visited Melbourne, Sydney, Queensland, Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef and loved all of them, notwithstanding rainfall befitting construction of an Ark.  If you want to see some pictures and my travelogue, please visit my travel blog, PuffinlessTravel.com and search for Australia.

online | puz | pdf | solution