Words: 66
Average Length: 5.76
This is a tough one, for sure. For solving assistance or just because it’s a great song, here’s a link to the Bob Marley recording referenced in the clue to 5 Down. I hope you enjoy it – come back Wednesday for a gentle mini (as yet unconstructed, but I promise it’ll be gentle, or at least reasonably so) and next Sunday for a medium-difficulty themed puzzle entitled “Gorp.”
Words: 68
Average Length: 5.74
I set out to make a low word-count themeless with very few 3-letter entries and a minimum of crosswordese. I hope you like the result – there are quite a few misdirects, so this one is likely to play on the difficult side.
As I say in the clue for 37 Across, I encourage everyone to read anything that Alan Lightman writes. He’s a physicist with the pen of a poet. His latest book, The Transcendent Brain, is a lyrical, personal exploration of how science leaves room for spirituality.
Words: 16
Average Length: 5.00
This one probably plays tougher than usual for a midi – I clued it at roughly the difficulty level of a full-size themeless. Enjoy!
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.57
One thing (of many) that I love about crossword construction is that I learn stuff – sometimes “neat” (e.g., 21 and 49 Across) and sometimes silly (11 Down, which is hilarious in an I-shouldn’t-find-this-funny kind of way). As much as I enjoy filling a grid – thinking three steps ahead to consider whether a word will work with the rest of a section – cluing is more intellectually challenging. How difficult do I want the puzzle to be? What’s a good misdirection? Are there any interesting factoids I can work into a clue? Are the references that come to my mind head-scratchers for younger solvers (i.e., 90% of the audience)? (The last problem, among many others, is dealt with by my test-solver, son Adam. Thanks Adam, again and again!)
Words: 66
Average Length: 5.67
The 1A/4D pairing formed the seed for this one. It was followed quickly by 10D, which popped into mind during a nostalgic discussion about Rocky & Bullwinkle. This cartoon (along with its show-mates Mr. Peabody and Sherman and Fractured Fairy Tales) set the bar for all future cartoons nominally aimed at kids but slyly winking at adults.
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.25
I recently heard someone say 1 Across and thought: (1) You rarely hear 1A 1A. (2) 1A could be a decent seed for a themeless, especially because I’d just listened to Buffalo Springfield (seminal ‘60s band) and 1A is the first word of the title of one of their signature songs. The other four words of the title are scattered through the puzzle, as are the names of the song’s composer/lead singer and one of his bandmates. So maybe it’s not really a themeless, but whatever it is, I hope you enjoy solving it!
Words: 66
Average Length: 5.85
I enjoy cluing well-known people’s names with obscure facts, as in the clue for 21 Down.
Spaceballs (see 53 Across) is one of my favorite all-time comedies, Mel Brooks at his irreverently silly finest. Prince Valium, Princess Vespa, 53 Across, Lone Starr, Barf, Dark Helmet, and of course, “just plain Yogurt.”
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.36
CORRECTION: THE CLUE FOR 68 ACROSS SHOULD READ “THREE MAKE AN O”, NOT A T.
The three seeds for this grid were 20, 36, and 57 Across. I started with 20 Across and then 36 Across immediately popped into mind. I had to find a third entry to complement 20 Across and continue the mini-theme, and a couple of minutes’ thought produced 57 Across.
By the way, if you ever get a chance to visit 36 Across, it’s a charming place to spend a few days. I was there last summer after a week hiking in Wales – you can read about it and see additional photos on my PuffinlessTravel blog here and here.
Jeff's Puzzles