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Themeless

Themeless 129

Nothing to do with the puzzle: the Berlin TV Tower, reflected in the windows of an adjacent building. Photo taken May 2026.

Words: 73 (16×15)

Average Length: 5.37

I’m posting this a day earlier than usual because I’m heading out of town to celebrate my niece’s wedding.  Congratulations, 13A and Marco!!!

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Themeless 128

Neo-Altamira, April 2023. See 3 Down.

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.25

Here’s a challenging themeless with a bit of everything: science, religion, archeology, baseball, and of course, music.  I’m posting this from Berlin, Germany, where I’m finishing up a sometimes disturbing but ultimately inspirational trip that included Copenhagen, Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Dresden, and Wittenburg, among other places.  I’ve written about the trip and posted lots of photos on my travel blog.  Please take a look if you’re interested.

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Themeless

Themeless 127

Not 1 Down – Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Tallinn, Estonia (photo taken 2013), but you get the idea

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.31

The seeds for today’s puzzle were 20A (something I actually do say quite a bit; I even have a t-shirt to that effect) and 35A (which was going to be the revealer in a themed puzzle containing the examples in the clue as answers, but I couldn’t come up with two more themers).

I’m posting this on a Thursday instead of my usual Saturday because I’m heading off on another adventure: a day or so in Copenhagen followed by five days in Poland (Warsaw and Krakow), three days in Prague, a Viking cruise on the Elbe River, and a couple of days in Berlin.  In the past I’ve continued to post puzzles while out of the country, but I decided to take a break this time, so look for my next puzzle post in mid-May.

 In the meantime, please follow my travel posts if you’re so inclined:  go to http://puffinlesstravel.com/ for lots of photos and some (hopefully) entertaining prose.  If you like what you see there, please “follow” me!

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Themeless

Themeless 126

Nothing to do with the puzzle: a long exposure, highly saturated shot of cherry blossoms blowing in the breeze, taken while I was walking my dog the other morning.

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.31

I began constructing this grid by deciding I would put a 12/15/12 stack across the middle, as one of my favorite constructors, Tim Croce, often does.  (If you like super-challenging themeless puzzles, he’s one of the best in the biz.  He posts new puzzles every Tuesday and Friday evening at 6 eastern time on his site, Club 72.)

Next step was coming up with an appropriate 15 (37 Across), and I’d happened to use this exact phrase about half an hour before starting construction. (Suffice it to say I am in daily contact with a few “half-empty glass” types.)  The first 12 (34 Across) is something that Is not so widely known and practiced as it should be.  Hit the backbeats, people!  The second 12 (40 Across) was a great pitcher, but he made the puzzle on the basis of the pun in the clue.  Enjoy!

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Themeless

Themeless 125

Nijo Castle, Kyoto (Mar. 2025) (residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of 43 Down)

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.31

The seed for today’s themeless was the quote at 44 Across.  May your weekend be filled with many a 3 Down.  Enjoy!

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Themeless

Themeless 124

Iguazu National Park, Argentina (nothing to do with the puzzle – I was there two weeks ago)

Words: 68

Average Length: 5.62

Here’s a wide-ranging themeless (food, one of my favorite songs, classical Greece, religion, geography, math, you name it and I’ve tossed it in here).  I hope the ingredients combine deliciously, or at least, palatably!

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Themeless Uncategorized

Themeless 123

See 14 Across

Words: 70

Average Length: 5.43

I set myself a construction challenge for this themeless: no 3-letter entries.  I hope you like the result!

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Themeless

Themeless 122

See 28 Down

Words: 72

Average Length: 5.19

3 Down and 22 Down were today’s seeds, though my favorite clue might be 39 Across. 

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Themeless

Themeless 121

Early morning parade of monks receiving rice, Luang Prabang, 28 Down (April 2024)

Words: 70 (17×13)

Average Length: 5.46

38A (repurposed from a themed puzzle that wouldn’t come together) and 10D were the seeds for today’s puzzle.  Sorry for a couple of brand names infiltrating the grid – I hope they’re well-known enough not to be stumbling blocks.

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Themeless

Themeless 120

Nothing to do with the puzzle – another Egypt picture, from a tomb near the Valley of the Kings

Words: 70

Average Length: 5.34

4D and 24D were the seeds for this puzzle.  As always, I had a lot of fun with the cluing and, as I always hope, learned something along the way (see 42D). 

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