I really enjoyed this! loved seeing 3D, 16D, 41A in particular, and 15A gave me a hit of a particularly minty-smelling nostalgia (iykyk). also really liked the clue for 52A, didn't twig to it until my second look! I had the most trouble in the NE after the rest flowed pretty smoothly (you wouldn't believe how many things I auditioned to be the end of 21A), but/and/so I feel I appreciated the puzzle all the more for having been made to think harder ^^ oh, also, I wasn't familiar with 20D but was able to guess it once a few crosses were in, super fun entry.
One of my favorite recent innovations in the crossword space is Caleb Madison's Inferno puzzles at the Atlantic, which get harder and harder as you descend. I tried my own spin on it and... they're hard to make! My main conclusion is: hats off to Caleb! But I hope you appreciate my attempt. PDF Puz Fullscreen
I've been trying to keep to a cadence of at least one post per month on this blog, but February and most of March saw me in the metaphorical trenches. So, here's a last-minute technically-March-somewhere puzzle for your patience! I've been trying to name my themelesses to keep better track of them, and am glad I hit on a perfect title for this (admittedly lightly-themed) puzzle. Extremely excited for the upcoming ACPT (I will probably bring printouts of this puzzle to share there as well): at my second ACPT, I can't wait to upgrade from "knowing people's online handles, but not recognizing their names or faces" to "knowing people's names but still forgetting their faces." I will also be at Crossword Con the day before--say hi! And I will also be in scenic Carthage, New York the day after ACPT to try to see the eclipse; the forecast is "partly sunny," and I am extending a standing invitation to anyone who wants to go on an impromp
Got a puzzle in the New York Times! Play it here ; if you don't have an NYT subscription, you can probably figure out other ways to find it. This feels like a good opportunity to go a little more in-depth on my construction and publishing experience; some notes below! On constructing: This puzzle started with the oversized groups of black squares in the corners, because I liked the look of those big pools of ink. How the crossword looks before you solve it is part of the experience! (I think it's like the plating of a dish at a restaurant, in an awkward metaphor I've tried to force before.) With this many black squares, I could afford a pretty low wordcount, and I'm pleasantly surprised at the quality of fill I was able to get. (ENIGMATOLOGY, most famous as the invented major of a young Will Shortz, was a happy accident, not an attempt to curry favor!) I started filling from the top down; I'm a big fan of conversational fill, and SOIGATHERED is one of those phrases
Really fun puzzle with lots of unusual (and appreciated!) fill. Clean, only six 3s, open corners - lots to like!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this! loved seeing 3D, 16D, 41A in particular, and 15A gave me a hit of a particularly minty-smelling nostalgia (iykyk). also really liked the clue for 52A, didn't twig to it until my second look! I had the most trouble in the NE after the rest flowed pretty smoothly (you wouldn't believe how many things I auditioned to be the end of 21A), but/and/so I feel I appreciated the puzzle all the more for having been made to think harder ^^ oh, also, I wasn't familiar with 20D but was able to guess it once a few crosses were in, super fun entry.
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