Puzzle 119: Freestyle 88. Long live the Thin White Duke.

Last Friday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 72
Mean word length: 5.28

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In the middle of constructing this grid, I heard the news about David Bowie’s passing. I had to at least acknowledge it, so I included 57-Across in the then-not yet constructed corner. Luckily, it worked seamlessly. The origin of this grid was the stack of 15- and 17-Across (you can probably tell that, because I put in a helper square before 4-Across to make that stack work); both entries were in my seed list. 41-Across was also in the list, but, believe it or not, I didn’t even set out intending to use it, or any other seed, for that matter, in that slot. It just happened to go there; of course, as I described above, 57-Across was the starter for that section of the grid. 32-Across was also a seed entry for that section of the grid.

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Puzzle 118: Freestyle 87. Here till the cows come home.

Last Tuesday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 72
Mean word length: 5.25

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Four from the seed list made it into this grid: 14-, 16-,  and 57-Across and 11-Down. (I’m very surprised that 21-Across is a debut, as far as I know.) I attribute the unusual shape of this grid to one simple thing: I stacked 14- and 16-Across and shaped everything around it. You know that I like the double stack, and I have two of those in this grid. Why stack three collectively mediocre entries when you can stack two entries that are both nice?

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 117: Freestyle 86. Just messing with your head.

Last Friday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 72
Mean word length: 5.31

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The whole reason for this grid is 17-Across. When you encounter a fresh entry that you just know will be a debut, it’s prudent to just jump on it, right? The entire grid is shaped the way it is because of that one entry… funny how that happens. I did manage also to get two other entries from the seed list into this grid (1-Across and 58-Across). Also, three clues with cross references is a lot for me, I think — normally, as you might have read, I don’t like to use cross references unless the two referenced answers are really, really close in relationship.

23-Across is one of those kinds of words that I’ve come across not rarely, but never really noticed a familiar connection with its etymology. I was very surprised to find that connection, and I’m glad I learned it.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 116: Freestyle 85. Stay in school, kids.

Last Tuesday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 68
Mean word length: 5.56

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The seed entry for this grid was actually suggested by a solver who emailed me. It was, obviously, the grid spanner in the middle, and I was absolutely shocked that it hadn’t appeared in a publication before. The clue that I used is a sort of mishmash of two clues that he suggested. Thanks a bunch, Patrick! As you’ve all come to find out, aesthetics doesn’t usually matter to me when building a grid, so, when I wanted to stack a 13-letter seed entry on top of the central grid spanner, I didn’t really hesitate to use the Utah-shaped clusters in the middle. Also, I didn’t really mean it that way, but I guess I was in a question-mark-clue mood when I was cluing this grid. It isn’t overladen with ? clues, but there are a little more than usual.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 115: Freestyle 84. Resolve to keep doing indie puzzles!

Last Friday’s themed puzzle solution

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Word count: 72
Mean word length: 5.44

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Happy New Year all! After you’ve recovered from your hangover, or exhaustion, or whatever, start the new year off with a challenge! (Note: you can solve my puzzles with a hangover, but that just might prolong your headache!) Most people make resolutions for a new year… I never do, because why wait only until the calendar turns every year to decide to make improvements in my life? But if you must make a resolution, do as the title says and keep doing the puzzles put out by my fellow independent constructors along with this one. Keep clicking on the links on the left (or the bottom if you’re on mobile)! There is some unbelievable quality coming from those links and you would be remiss not to soak in all of their goodness.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

As always, share this link! Pass it around! New puzzle on Tuesday!

Puzzle 114: Freestyle 83. It’s on like Donkey Kong.

Last Tuesday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 68
Mean word length: 5.65

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A rare foray south of 70 in the word count for this one, but I had to look at it twice just to make sure. It didn’t really seem like 68 when I was constructing it; it had been 70, though. I started constructing in the upper right and, originally, 4-Down was a 3-letter entry. I discovered that I could take out a block to extend the length of 4-Down to its current 9 letters and break out that section to give the grid better flow between the sections. From there, it went surprisingly easily for a 68-word grid. The seeds were 18-Across and 52-Across, of course; surprisingly, 27-Across wasn’t a seed, and just came along with the construction.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 113: Themed Puzzle 5, Have Yourself a Punny Little Christmas! A puzzle for the present time.

Last Friday’s freestyle solution

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I hope all who celebrate have had a wonderful Christmas! Sometimes, as a crossword constructor, you have to just get back to your roots. What do I mean by that? A pun theme. Not only that, since Christmas falls on a normal blog post day, a Christmas pun theme! Sometimes a crossword constructor just has to get a little silly. So, after the buzz of the holiday season, as you’re easing away from all that bustle, you can wind down with this grid. It’s not intended to be nearly as difficult as you’re used to from me — heck, you can solve it with the family if you want!

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 112: Freestyle 82. This grid knows no bounds.

Last Tuesday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 72
Mean word length: 5.25

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I’m really getting to like these grids with the double stacks instead of triple stacks in the corners. The spaces for would-have-been long entries that get split up in the corners inevitably spring up in the downs, and this grid is no exception (of course it isn’t, why else would I bring it up now?). Originally, there wasn’t going to be a grid spanner in the middle; the downs at 3/27 and 30/57 that are now split by a black square were going to be single entries. But, with my seeds at 52- and 60-Across and 15- and 21-Down, the omnipresent force of words did its thing.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

As always, share this link! Pass it around! Yes, I will have a (themed) puzzle on Christmas (don’t worry, I’ve already got it done, I won’t be secretively tapping on my phone at Christmas parties)!

Puzzle 111: Freestyle 81. You’ve gotta draw the line somewhere.

Last Friday’s themed puzzle solution

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Word count: 70
Mean word length: 5.46

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The impetus for this grid, obviously, was the discovery that the long across and the long down answers share a common letter. (I still got a couple other entries from the seed list into the grid, namely 1-Across and 63-Across.) Once you open the grid, note that the original block structure for this grid was your standard long diagonals from NE to SW and SE to NW, omitting the center block, of course. You’ll have to trust me on this one, because this was a classic case of the force of words doing what it will. I almost never intend to make those semi-closed-off corners from the start, and I certainly didn’t this time.

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

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Puzzle 110: Freestyle 80. Keep plugging away!

Last Tuesday’s freestyle solution

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Word count: 70
Mean word length: 5.54

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It’s often a thin line between being as fresh as you can in a grid and maintaining fairness. Often, I have to resist the urge to stuff one more neologism or current reference into a grid if that would make a section of it borderline unfair. I had to check myself in such a way a couple times in this grid; as nice as it is to have fresh entries, sometimes it ruins the solving experience if one section is particularly sprinkled with them, making it hard or impossible for some to solve without resorting to Google. That’s why I’m sometimes more specific than I have to be with a clue; I feel like I need to provide an extra hint to a solver who may be unfamiliar with a particular term if I couldn’t avoid putting a couple of ultrafresh entries, one or more of which might be unfamiliar to some, near each other. (Of course, I’ve got to know when not to underestimate my solvers as well!)

As always, I’d like to know, folks… comment is welcome! Come say hello! What did you like? What could I do better?

As always, share this link! Pass it around! New puzzle on Friday!