Category: Themeless

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Themeless

Themeless 75

See 42 Across (“Blooms”) (picture taken in Hanoi, March 2024)

Words:  72 (17×13)

Average Length:  5.22

The seeds for this puzzle were 22 Across and 52 Across.  Originally, I was going to use 22 Across in a themed puzzle set among the stacks; the clue was going to be PG-rated (you can reverse-engineer any number of possibilities once you solve the puzzle).  I didn’t have enough good theme answers, though, so here it is in a themeless.  52 Across is something I don’t believe at all, at least with respect to individuals.  People in groups are an entirely different matter: 

“In individuals insanity is rare, but in groups, parties, and epochs it is the rule.”  (Nietschze)

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Themeless

Themeless 74

7 Down (or possibly Poseidon). Photo taken in Athens, Greece, July 2014.

Words:  70

Average Length:  5.46

I had a lot of fun constructing this one.  It started with 20 Across (a pun I’ve had in mind for a while) and 19 Down (a joke I heard from one of my fellow travelers to Australia and New Zealand, the incredibly nice and funny John C. from Ft. Worth, Texas, who along with his wife Charlotte and friends Urbin and Gay were wonderful travel companions).  Next came 6 Down, crossed with 44 Across.  Have fun!

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Themeless

Themeless 73

See 56 Across. Photo taken in Vukovar, Croatia, July 2023

Words:  70 (17×13)

Average Length:  5.46

35 Across was the seed for this grid, and having just finished listening to some Bowie, I decided to cross it with 8 Down.  10 Down and 61 Across are attempts to clue common crosswordese in a fresh way.  Enjoy!

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Mini Themeless

Minsk No Words

See 11 Across (photo taken in the Vatican Museum, July 2014)

Words:  18 (7×7)

Average Length:  5.00

As you can probably tell, the seed for this puzzle was 1 Across, which I first heard from a fellow traveler on my recent trip to Australia and New Zealand.  (The female counterpart is “werewife.”)  The puzzle’s title, by the way, is a pun on the capital of 4 Down.

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Themeless

Themeless 72

See 9 Down (photo taken in the Mercado de Santander, Oct. 2022)

Words:  66

Average Length:  5.76

The seeds for this grid were 18 and 50 Across, but the clue I’m “proudest” of (in a that’ll-make-them-groan sense) is 3 Down.   As an extra treat, here’s 1 Across singing “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins.”

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Mini Themeless

Hide the Roaches

Me feeding a cassowary. This has nothing to do with the puzzle. I was amazed at how utterly prehistoric the creature is.

Words:  10 (5×5)

Average Length:  5

The title comes from Pre-Road Downs, a CSN deep cut with the line “hotels and midnight coaches/be sure to hide the roaches” – obviously a different kind of roach than in 1 Down, but apt nonetheless.  Other than that, I tossed in some Jewish cuisine, a Beach Boys reference, and that white fluffy stuff that ends up all over the house after my dog has finished destroying a chew toy.

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Themeless

Themeless 71

Sign outside the Wellington, NZ airport. It has nothing to do with the puzzle.

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.19

Themeless, semi-tough, a bit scrabbly (hopefully in a good way), with nods to Stevie Wonder, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Simon & Garfunkel, and William Royce Scaggs (a/k/a 45 Across).  Enjoy!

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Themeless

Themeless 70

Polly wanna coffee! This has nothing to do with the puzzle – just an amusing photo from my recent trip.

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.36

20 Across was the seed for this one, for obvious reasons.  Then came 45 Across, just because I think it looks cool in a grid.  I hope you enjoy the result – come back Wednesday for a midi puzzle inspired by my recent visit to Australia (I’ll get to New Zealand the following Wednesday).

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Themeless

Themeless 68

Carnaby Street, London (see 44 Down). Photo taken June 2017.

Words:  68

Average Length:  5.36

Greetings from Melbourne, Australia.  I landed not long ago, some 28 hours after leaving home.  Fortunately (and uncharacteristically) I had the foresight to write this post ahead of time so all I have to do is hit “Publish” before falling into bed.

I titled this a themeless because of its low word count and high difficulty level, but there’s a mini-theme among the grid-spanners.  20 Across was the seed; after I found out they’re going to play a game at Nationals Park next summer I had to put them in a grid.  I can’t wait to see them!

ERRATA: IN THE CLUE FOR 37 DOWN, FRK SHOULD BE FRA, NOT THAT IT AFFECTS THE ANSWER. IT’S CORRECT IN THE ONLINE VERSION BUT NOT THE PUZ AND PDF FILES.

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Themeless

Themeless 67

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.25

20, 37, and 54 Across were the seeds for this one, although my favorite clue might be 58 Down.  Today’s author recommendation, courtesy of 9 Across, is Christopher Moore.  Read him, laugh, and marvel at his imagination.

online | puz | pdf | online