Words: 30 (9×9)
Average Length: 4.60
Here’s a “cryptish” puzzle – a mish-mash of silly anagrams, Dad jokes, puns, and tortured English.
Tag: Difficult crossword
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Themeless 100
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.40
A century of themelesses! (Hopefully it doesn’t feel like it takes that long to solve them ….) The seeds for this one were 6 Down (a joke I heard an Australian comedian tell last year) and 17 Down (I don’t remember where I came across the term, but I love it!).
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Themeless 99
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.36
I couldn’t construct my 99th themeless without using 20 Across as a seed! Then came the parallel entries at 4 Down and 26 Down and at 11 Down and 33 Down. Have fun!
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Themeless 95
Words: 75 (16×15)
Average Length: 5.33
Here’s a straightforward, somewhat international (Japan, Ireland, India, Russia, Italy, Iceland, Oman, England) themeless. The seed, however – 52 Across – comes from America, where every 800 number leads to automated hell.
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Themeless 93
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.63
16 Down wasn’t one of the seeds, but I’ve wanted to work it into a puzzle ever since I found out it was a thing that I had. I’d always thought “mind’s eye” was just an expression; I never realized that 96-99% of people, if told to “picture an apple in your mind’s eye,” would more or less see an apple. Not me. It’s hard to believe I made it 66 years or so without knowing I was missing out on this!
I’m flying home today after a wonderful 3-week cruise through the South Pacific. If you’d like to read about it and see some photos, please check out my travel blog, Puffinlesstravel.com.
Also, I just compiled a list of my favorite books that I read in 2024. If you’re interested, the list is here. I love getting recommendations, so feel free to share your favorites in the comments or via email at Jeffspuzzles@gmail.com.
Thanks!
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Themeless 91
Words: 70
Average Length: 5.51
For a couple of years now, the trend in themeless puzzles is for long answers to be “in the language” expressions. I’ve never been accused of being a trend-setter, so this puzzle hews to that, but I had to add my own stamp with some silly cluing (my default, or just plain fault, depending on your point of view).
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Themeless 90
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Themeless 89
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.44
Let me crow: I’m really happy with the way this grid turned out: only 29 black squares, a bunch of cool fill, and several clues I’m rather proud of. I hope you enjoy solving it as much as I enjoyed constructing it. If so, please share widely, and if you’re not already a follower of this blog, please take that step!
I’ve been on a wonderful trip this past week and a half – if you’re interested, visit my PuffinlessTravel.com blog or click on any link that sounds good:
Venice and boarding the Azamara Quest
Šibeniki and Krka National Park, Croatia
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Themeless 88
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Darn Head Pin
Words: 10 (5×5)
Average Length: 5.00
Way back in high school, I used to go bowling every weekend, reaching a greater level of success than in any other sport (it’s a low hurdle indeed). I had my share of 1 Acrosses, but got pretty good at converting the smaller ones. Difficulty-wise, I’d put today’s puzzle in the category of knocking down the 10-pin for a spare: quite doable but not a slam dunk, to mix sporting metaphors. (Dunking a bowling ball is not recommended.)
