Words: 72
Average Length: 5.19
The two seeds for this puzzle were the German loanwords at 14 and 23 Across, supplemented by 8 Down, which fortuitously appeared when I was playing around with another possible entry. Only as I took one last look through the entries did I realize that I have a partial duplicate (4 Down and 34 Down); please don’t report me to the crossword police!
Words: 12 (6×6)
Average Length: 4.67
This was a mind-wandering-before-falling-asleep puzzle, when the idea for 1, 2, and 3 Down popped into my head. Over breakfast the next morning – after my normal routine of Wordle, Connections, the Atlantic puzzle, the NYT puzzle, and Simply Daily’s Easy Cryptic Crossword – I filled the grid. Since the seed answers may be hard to get, at least at first, I clued this puzzle to play easier than my usual.
Words: 79 (16×15)
Average Length: 5.01
I’m looking forward to the movie of 19 Across, which is supposed to be released in March 2026. I mention the book “Paper Bullets” in the clue for 48 Down. It’s by Jeffrey H. Jackson, and it tells the true story of two avant garde female artists living in occupied Jersey during World War II who produce “paper bullets” – messages seeking to demoralize the Nazi troops. It’s brilliantly told and inspirational.
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.25
19 and 52 Across were the seeds, 19 because it exists and is funny, and 52 for the clue. (The 52 Across answer was going to be part of a themed puzzle with the clue as the revealer, but I couldn’t come up with enough theme entries.)
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!).
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!
Words: 72
Average Length: 5.25
The two grid-spanners were the seeds for this moderately challenging themeless. If you’ve never heard the song clued at 35 Across, here’s a link. It’s gorgeous.
Jeff's Puzzles