Monday, 20 January 2014

Timeless

Crazy busy week already, so I'm going to keep this short. 

Right on the heels of probably my easiest vowelless to date, today's puzzle might be the toughest freestyle in a while. Despite it being a full 72-word grid this one kicked my ass harder than any freestyle grid in recent memory, so I guess I felt I couldn't let you guys off too easy. Then again, maybe you won't find it too bad. I did go back and throw in a few gimmes in the shorter fill after a quick test solve (yes, I test solve my own puzzles). 

Oh, and mind the R-rating on this one. The last few have been in the neighbourhood of PG/14A, but longtime solvers will know that that's fairly atypical for me. Not a ton of saltiness in this one, but definitely one entry that wouldn't pass the breakfast test (and maybe not even the BEQfast test).

More words, crossed and otherwise, next Tuesday.

Puzzle: Themeless #27
Rating: XW-R
Downloads:
PDF
PUZ

11 comments:

oeuftete said...

Those 10s and 11s were excellent. Keep it up!

Bananarchy said...

Thanks, will do!

Howard B said...

Yeah, that's pretty damned good :). You know, it really shows that you take time and effort with the clues too. Never know what I'll run into in the fill or the clues! (2D,53D for fill, 28A for clues, say).
Smiley for you. 8).

Bananarchy said...

Thanks! I always wish I had more time, but I try not to leave these too close to the deadline. I can whip up a puzzle pretty quickly, but the results tend to be fairly pedestrian if I rush it. Also, I was wishing I could've given you and other fellow coders a more obscure clue for 2D, but I figured it would be unfamiliar for most solvers.

jefe said...

Another great puzzle, but somehow I went into this thinking it'd be another vowelless! Whoops!

Matt Gaffney said...

Wild one! Took me 13:58 and I wasn't sure at all I was going to get everything.

Andy said...

That bottom stack is siiiiiick

Bananarchy said...

Matt, that's probably faster than I'd solve it. Andy, it took way more of my weekend than I'd like to admit to make it, so I'm glad it was worth it. Thanks homies!

Otterring said...

Hi Peter, I found your puzzle thanks to your "recent visitor" who shortlisted your puzzle as puzzle of the week. I've been doing the NYT crossword puzzle consistently for about 3 years, but got much more serious (obsessed?) about them 1 1/2 years ago. I'm always on the lookout for new sources of clever, challenging puzzles, and yours sure didn't disappoint! I loved your misleading yet fair cluing, starting right out of the gate with 1A - not to mention the R-rated clue and answer - that was just brilliant and delightfully naughty. Lots of satisfying aha moments for me. Thanks for clearly putting so much time and care into your puzzles, and for making them available for those of us who just can't "do it" enough!

Pete Rimkus said...

A great workout solving that puzzle...it was well-deserving of Matt G's "Puzzle of the month".
Congrats and keep up the good work.

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