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Bill Thompson author page

10 puzzles by Bill Thompson
with Constructor comments

TotalDebutLatest
1011/25/20104/10/2024
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Bill Thompson
Puzzles constructed by Bill Thompson by year
Wed 4/10/2024
YOUTOOPADSHEX
MANIACAWAYEAR
CHICKENPARMASA
AUXAPPLEBETTY
HENRYKNOX
IMTOASTOLEATE
NOOBSOASTPOM
CURSETOTCHARM
ATMKEKEAORTA
SHERRIADRATES
PENCILBOX
HOTMAGENTAAIR
ERRCRASHCOURSE
LEETASEKISMET
POXSTETSLAYED
Tue 8/18/2015
YAWPPAPASSASS
OPALALETAUTNE
GONEASTRAYGAEA
APGARSHEARAL
STAGEASTRIKE
JOSEFOULTIP
ARCILOSTREESE
YEASTYFEASTS
ZONKSHEARDPAT
IMPASSEANTE
ADELEASTAIRE
LOLLCTAUNTIE
URISMIDDLEEAST
MAZEAMOREIKEA
SLATNESTSDEES

The idea for this theme came to me when I was solving another crossword and noticed that the word "east" was hidden in the center of ADELE ASTAIRE. I found it surprisingly difficult to find other suitable theme entries meeting this criterion. I was on the fence whether to include the two theme entries across the middle of the grid — they are outliers both in terms of length and consistency (E-A-S-T in the answer is pronounced as "east," and it does not break across two words). In the end, I decided the puzzle was better with them than without them.

My favorite part of constructing puzzles is cluing. In researching ways in which an entry might be clued, you pick up a lot of interesting information. Two of my favorites in this puzzle are 3-Down (WANG) and 46-Down (PAC MAN). On 3-Down, I expect some solvers were looking for a five letter answer (APPLE). And the limitation in 46-Down's clue exists because the game implodes at level 256 (binary 0001 0000 0000). The game's level register has only eight bits, and the software does not make allowance for going beyond level 255 (binary 1111 1111).

Tue 12/10/2013
SLAVDRAWONWBA
AEROEEYOREELL
MAGICMARKERBOG
LOOMOCCUR
DREAMTEAMSLASE
ROOMEDICINEMEN
ANNAMINOR
MISSMISSISSIPPI
CANOFCEOS
MODESTMOUSEDRE
IRANSERPENTINE
MANDMHAVE
INCMUCKETYMUCK
CGIEMPIREPRAY
SENSPAREDTILL

The germ for this theme was MUCKETY-MUCK, which I thought was an interesting entry to build a theme around. In sorting through the possibilities, I landed with an M&M vowel progression theme. As far as I could determine, it hadn't been done before. I found a couple of other M&M themes over the past few years, but no vowel progression. After that, the remainder of the theme answers came together fairly readily. I considered MONEY MONGER for the MO-MO entry, but ultimately decided in favor of MODEST MOUSE.

Tue 10/16/2012
DORMIFENDIADZ
EPEESALIENRIA
FARMANIMALSKEG
AQUEOUSTUBA
NUNALASKARANGE
GESSOLEOEBSEN
PKGNBAYANG
FASHIONDESIGNER
ELEEBUSUNA
ALARMDUBSPACY
RADIOREPORTRHE
ECRUOPIATES
REVANKLEINJURY
ALISTEERCARRE
YSLSONGSTROYS
Thu 10/4/2012
AVISCROCIPAWS
DICEREHEMALIT
DRESIFORMPINE
LAMESTHOOSEGOW
ELAHISRUR
CHOCOLATEDAE
HIHATMYBADADD
ADINTBILLTVAD
NINGEENAFAIRY
GOEDERGROUND
LABENLSOS
MRMIYAGIELAPSE
ROEGLEAVESAID
AUTHLEMAYIDEA
ZESTSKATEFERN
Thu 3/8/2012
NSACREATESITS
APEREDWAREDOH
VARIETYSHOWONO
IRONEDIDEATED
DESKSWATERFORD
ARTHONIROSY
DIASPORAFAA
BROKENPROMISE
AGREURYDICE
CUERPSSTDOL
OSTEOPATHRALLY
GARDNERRODEOS
IGAPERCYSLEDGE
TEDOVERATEUIE
OSETEDIOUSPCS
Mon 2/27/2012
PIPPIASOFADZE
ENRONLOWETOAD
STANDSTALLEGGS
TRIGAOKIDIG
LASKISSANDTELL
EYELIDLEEROE
ENHALOFELT
HANDINTHETILL
RENTGRAVEL
AMAIRRIAMSAM
HIGHWAYTOLLUZI
ROOMICEETAS
ARABJETHROTULL
LIMBELLEPAREE
POSYTIERSTEAD
Wed 7/27/2011
BAMAFEDORARAY
OVIDEDUCESALA
WEDDINGCHAPTOR
SCIENCEELISION
NAEREROOFS
PANDISCUSSION
ALERIFTNESTS
TEAKNOELSYORK
SCRAGRIISUIE
THROWINTHETOW
OOHLALASAL
THEOMENABRAHAM
TATMODTRAINSET
EROALARICDION
RAPRESEEKSANS
Tue 7/12/2011
DAILYOMGGHOST
OLDIEFORRECUR
ULEESTOIENTRE
BEANIECLEAROFF
LYLEATHLETE
ESSEGREENLIGHT
SALADADIEU
PROFEYMAWSEX
ICHATMESNE
EASTERLILYRABE
TROUNCEOCAT
DSTUDENTTATTLE
ITINAGTERISER
FAKEREELACORN
FRISKDAYMANSE
Thu 11/25/2010
DIOSWITGOTOIT
ANGELINAETHYNE
MALCOLMXTOREAT
ANITLACSOZMA
GENOATONALOON
ERGVEEONLYYOU
KERSUCCEEDS
GENERATIONZ
FERGUSONEOS
TEASETSSNLSSR
MLSQUAILJETTA
ESPOSTIRLRON
AKIMBOSPECIALK
DINNERMUSCATEL
ENGINEEPPSONE
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