Words: 77 (16×15)
Average Length: 5.30
It’s a themeless puzzle, but the two seeds, 40A and 10D, are both “words of the year” for 2024. I find 10D particularly apt.
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Tag: Medium Difficulty
Words: 40 (11×11)
Average Length: 5.15
The seeds for this midi were 20 Across (for giving new meaning to “political science”) and 5 Down. The latter came about because a couple of days ago, I heard an achingly beautiful cover by Kelly Clarkson, which you can listen to here. (I couldn’t resist the title, which is a mash-up of 5 Down and 15 Across.)
I know that politics is creeping into my clues, but with the creeps currently in charge of our country, I feel justified in shooting metaphorical barbs from time to time.
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Like PB&J
Words: 42 (11×11)
Average Length: 4.86
Constructing a puzzle using A and I as the only vowels, it turns out, is not a trivial undertaking. This grid is my third attempt – the first two tries (a 7×7 and a 9×9) were fatally fill-compromised, to put it politely. I bumped the grid size up to 11x, and that did the trick; there’s only one truly unfortunate entry (3 Down) and, I hope you’ll agree, lots of good stuff.
Once I had the fill where I wanted it, the second part of the challenge – writing clues whose initial letter alternated between A and I – proved almost as difficult. May you find the end result amusing and informative!
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Themeless 96
Words: 85 (17×16)
Average Length: 5.32
Today’s super-sized themeless features advice for authors from Mark Twain and a mechanistic view of the cosmos that I don’t share but makes for an interesting seed. Throw in some Blink 182 and a couple of retro office items, et voila!
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Mere Anarchy
Words: 66
Average Length: 5.42
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” I constructed this puzzle shortly after the US presidential election. The poem that underlies the grid’s theme – considered one of the most important poems of the 20th century – was written just after the first World War. It precisely captures the anxiety and dismay of the current moment. You can read the full poem here.
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UFOs and the SATs
Words: 18
Average Length: 5.00
This grid started with 1 Across because I’ve been watching the NFL playoffs, but then when I went to clue it, I kept remembering the brilliant opening credit sequence of Airplane!, which you can see here.
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As Dr. King Said
Words: 71 (14×15)
Average Length: 4.96
On Sunday afternoon (Jan. 19), I sat down to construct a basic word ladder puzzle. When I started to clue the puzzle, I realized the quote from Dr. King referenced in 1 Across and 62 Across would be a good framing device. Originally, I thought I’d post this puzzle in late March, since I’ve got several other grids lined up already. But given that today commemorates Dr. King, whose message was founded in 62 Across, and is simultaneously the inauguration of a man whose message fosters 1 Across, I decided to rush the puzzle out the door, so to speak. Let’s all do our best to turn 1 Across into 62 Across!
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I Pity the Thule
Words: 28
Average Length: 4.79
Laugh about it, cry about it, construct a crossword about it: the incoming imperialist-in-chief has threatened to wrest a certain large North Atlantic island from a long-time ally. Let the fun and games begin.
Jeff's Puzzles 