Tag: Themed crossword

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Themed

More Today Than Yesterday

Walter Scott Memorial, Edinburgh, Scotland (see 53 Across). The circled letters in this structure are narrow, steep, and crowded, but the view from the top is spectacular. Photo taken March 2012.

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.22

Listening to Sirius XM’s ‘60s channel a few months ago, the title song came on.  [Yes, the ‘60s were more than half a century ago.  Yes, I’m still shocked when I’m told that some album I remember running to Korvette’s to buy is now 50 years old.  Yes, I am approaching ancientness.]

It’s a pretty catchy song, and after singing along for a while (making sure my windows were shut to avoid any road rage incidents) I realized that the band’s name was 15 letters long.  Not only that, the name suggests an architectural feature that could work as an organizing theme. 

A few days later I crafted this puzzle, only to realize when preparing today’s write-up that the band spelled its name rather creatively.  So it goes – the puzzle remains unchanged and I have been chastened, yet again, to check those things I’m certain of.  Sound advice, no?

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Holiday Themed

Happy New Year 2024

View from the Port Erin train station, 28 Across (photo taken July 2022)

Words:  72

Average Length:  5.25

As the title suggests, today’s grid offers my heartfelt New Year’s wishes to those of you who take the time to solve my puzzles.  I really appreciate it, and I look forward to tossing another 100 or so puzzles your way in 2024.  Please feel free to comment or email me (jeffspuzzles@gmail.com) if you ever have a question, suggestion, reaction, correction, whatever. 

If you’re thinking of traveling in the new year, check out my travel blog, PuffinlessTravel.com. In 2023, I added several posts about France and Spain (visiting caves with paleolithic art), Luxembourg, Andorra, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Hungary. Next week I’ll be traveling to Australia and New Zealand and will be adding lots of posts and pix from that experience.

You might also enjoy my poetry blog, It-Could-Be-Verse.com. 

Happy New Year!!!

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Categories
Themed

You Can’t Fool Her

See 19 Down: Granddaughter Ella enjoying a bagel from our favorite bagel store, Ize’s

Words:  77 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.19

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!  The author recommendation for today is Kate Atkinson (29 Across clue).  She’s stylish, thought-provoking, clever, and wonderfully creative.  Pick anything she’s written – you can’t go wrong.

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Categories
Themed

Hammer Knows

See 50 Down. Picture taken in the Escambray Mountains, Cuba, Nov. 2023.

Words:  76

Average Length:  4.87

I hope you nail this one!  As always, thanks for solving.  I really do appreciate it.  If you ever have questions, comments, suggestions, or even complaints, please share them!

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Categories
Themeless

Themeless 66

Casks in the Saint-Émilion cellars (see 37 Across). Photo taken April 2023, Saint-Émilion, France.

Words:  66

Average Length:  5.50

As an avid reader/book hoarder, I often include books or authors I’ve particularly enjoyed in my theme answers or (more often) clues.  This puzzle has two book recommendations:  Isabel Wilkerson’s “The Warmth of Other [20 Across],” a brilliant account of the Great Migration (her recent book, “Caste,” also is terrific), and J. Ryan Stradal’s novel, “The [25 Down] Queen of Minnesota,” which is sympathetic, humane, funny, and evocative.  (I’ve loved all of Stradal’s books!)

The seeds for this puzzle were the pairs at 3 Down and 31 Down, and 11 Down and 33 Down.  Building a puzzle around them required some architectural experimentation, and I’m happy with the ultimate grid design, which flows vertically and diagonally.

Finally, I recently finished posting about my recent Cuba trip.  if you’re interested (you might pick up some intelligence about future puzzles!), head over to PuffinlessTravel.com.

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Categories
Themed

Color Meld 2 – Books

See 39 Down. Photo taken near Cusco, Peru, Sept. 2022.

Words:  75 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.33

I hope all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving had a meaningful and enjoyable holiday.  In today’s puzzle:  more fun with colors, and a pangram to boot!  The third puzzle in this series (involving food) will appear in a couple of weeks. 

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Categories
Themeless

Themeless 65

View from the tower of the Museum of the Fight Against Pirates, Trinidad, Cuba (see 15 across). Photo taken November 2023.

Words:  75 (16×15)

Average Length:  5.39

The seeds for this moderately challenging themeless were 22 and 37 across.  22 across is a question I hear all the time (the answer usually is “no”).  I first heard 37 across while on one last fall; it fits!.  Finally, if you aren’t familiar with Jason Isbell (see 55 across), check him out.  I think he’s one of the best songwriters working today, and his music kicks ass, to use the technical term!

I’ve published several posts about my recent trip to Cuba. Please visit my PuffinlessTravel blog if you’re interested.

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Categories
Supersized Themed

Place Names

One of Cuba’s famous old American cars. I rode in this one, which was beautiful on the outside but had no working gauges (speedometer, gas, etc.)

Words:  88 (17×17)

Average Length:  5.30

I’m writing this while sitting in the lounge at the Houston airport on my way from Cuba (land of scarcity) to Washington DC in the super-size everything USA.  Hence a supersized puzzle.  Enjoy!

Cuba is a fascinating place whose wonderful people are suffering greatly as a result of the Cuban government’s regressive policies, the ill effects of which are exacerbated by the US government’s nonsensical and inhumane embargo.  I’ll be posting write-ups of my trip all week on my PuffinlessTravel.com blog – check them out if you’re interested or just want to see some pictures of what life is like 90 miles from Key West.

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Categories
Mini Themed

The Devil You Say

I may have to move! (Seen on a bike ride last weekend)

Words:  16

Average Length:  4.75

As promised, after last week’s heavenly-focused mini, here’s one playing devil’s advocate.  Happy Halloween!  Bit of a different schedule this week:  Tuesday instead of Wednesday for the mini, and I’ll post a full-size grid Friday before heading to Cuba for a week.  Next puzzle probably will be Monday the 13th.

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Categories
Themed

Color Meld 1 – Music

Rabbit (see 31 Across)

Words:  70

Average Length:  5.17

Even though I’m red-green colorblind, I’ve always been fascinated by the way different colors combine to form other colors.  Here’s the first of three puzzles in this vein.  The primary color theme answers for this one are two excellent, very well-known songs (19 and 32 Across).  19 Across, to me, is one of Dylan’s best, from the album of his (Blood on the Tracks) that I like the most.  32 Across also is a great song, from Joni Mitchell’s brilliant Ladies of the Canyon album (which also has “The Circle Game” and “For Free,” two other terrific tracks).  At first I was reluctant to include the relatively unfamiliar 49 Across as the secondary color theme answer, but I’ve always had a sweet spot in my heart for it, and it is, as the clue notes, considered the first bubblegum pop hit to make it to #1.  Here’s a link.

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