So it's been too nice here to stay cooped up inside slaving over a hot crossword. Shame, really, because I've got a lot of neat theme ideas cooking, but haven't had time to whip 'em up. I go into red alert mode when Thursday or Friday rolls around and I still don't have a fully fleshed out theme idea, and in those cases I'll usually end up digging out a seed entry or two from spice rack and tossing together a themeless. They're not necessarily easier to make, but they're safer. I always worry with new themes that I haven't let them simmer long enough and that I might be overlooking some deal-breaking detail or have missed an opportunity to add another layer of elegance. Plus, I'm guessing that at least part of the reason you solvers keep coming back is because I try to keep things interesting around here, so instead of resorting to a recycled theme I've prepared you a 17x17 themeless this week. Watch for upcoming themed puzzles if that's your thing - I've got some gooders in the works, as well as perhaps a meta contest. Stay tuned.
More words, crossed and otherwise, next Tuesday.
Puzzle: Themeless #13
Rating: XW-PG13
Download the PDF file here and the PUZ file here, or solve or download the Across Lite puzzle and/or software from the embedded app below.
4 comments:
This is freaking insane.
- 49D is hysterical, and 19A, 40A, 77A were all in my wheelhouse.
- The name at 52A is nuts.
- I do call foul on 47A, as that's not the specific member of the er... 'deck' that I've heard in that phrase - but it was eventually gettable.
- Nailed a bunch of the tricky clues, and was misdirected by about the same number (17A, I'm looking at you!).
If you think 52A's name is nuts, you should hear his music.
And, yeah, 17A was by far my favourite clue!
Well, the letters in the name aren't unexpected considering the origin, but in a puzzle sense it was surprising. Will seek out a listen in a spare moment if I can search anything out.
I like the concept of breaking out of standard grid sizes too. Why limit to specific square areas, besides practical design considerations?
Agreed. I guess the standardization of puzzle sizes is due to the traditional printed format. Indeed, this puzzle wouldn't fit on one page in the print version. Electronic formats allow much more flexibility, though (consider T Campbell's mammoth Ubercross puzzles), and I like being able to include spicy entries over 15 letters.
Post a Comment