Amsterdam – Jeff’s Puzzles

Words: 10

Average Length: 4.40

Explanation/spoilers below the break

Bike (see 6 Across) on a rainy day in Amsterdam, Oct. 2019

1A: SPARE is a score in bowling and an emergency tire

6A: PEDALs are used to ride a bicycle and to stop a car

7A: ATOMS have nuclei, and Thom Yorke/Flea’s band was Atoms for Peace

8A: DEBS is short for debutantes and also the surname of Eugene V. Debs, a 5-time Socialist candidate for US President

9A: ERE is contained in both Where and There

1D: SPADE is a suit in a deck of cards and also a garden tool

2D: PETER Cottontail was Flopsy and Mopsy’s brother; a famous Tsar was Peter the Great

3D: ADOBE is a type of clay brick as well as the developer of Acrobat software

4D: RAMS are pick-up trucks from Dodge and an NFL franchise in Los Angeles

5D: ELS (elevated train) are operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and Ernie Els is a noted member of the PGA Tour

Words: 76

Average Length: 4.87

Difficulty: Harder than the average themed puzzle, though you’re probably smarter than the average bear, so maybe not so hard?

Stroopwafels, Amsterdam. They’re way more addicting than what’s sold at 45 Acrosses.

puz | pdf | solution

While wandering the aisles in Safeway a few weeks ago – pretty much the extent of my travels for the past too many months – 10 Down occurred to me. By the time I checked out I had 25 Down. Two more theme answers (17 Across and 61 Across) and voila, the bones of a puzzle. In the fill, I was happy to work in one of my favorite musical groups (30 Across), favorite soft drinks (47 Down; it may be an acquired taste), and favorite noshes (48 Across). I’m also particularly pleased with the clue for 1 Down. The clue on 57 Down is a nod to Mike Graczyk, whose Pun of a Kind puzzles are always fresh and entertaining.

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