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Daniel A. Finan author page

15 puzzles by Daniel A. Finan
with Jeff Chen comments

TotalDebutLatest
151/4/20091/26/2014
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
9021300
RebusCircleScrabblePGramFresh
171.64178%
Daniel A. Finan
Puzzles constructed by Daniel A. Finan by year
POW Sun 1/26/2014 IT'S ALL RELATIVE
SLAPONSTREETELNORTE
CASINOSHERPALOUSIER
RIPSAWWEASELSCATTER
ICENAYGREEKSKNEADS
BALDYOKUMTEXACO
ELLEJUANNEOGENEESE
GLOBSRUDYARDAXED
AMBROSEFORGOSKETCHY
TREELETEASEUPENTERS
NEWELCREMELIBYANS
ODIHALSLANASAD
THEMAGIBATESSLIGO
OCCUPYSNOOZEESTEVEZ
BEHEADSGRIERCHINESE
IREDEASTENDBOERS
TADWARTHOGARALETNA
NADINEENACTSHOT
ABSORBSHIELDHEMEMO
STANDONEDWOODRETTON
KENNEDYALEGUPENCORE
ANTONYMTENETSDUMPED

★ The literal interpretation of OVER/UNDER (TWO under PAR = EAGLE, etc.) has been done many times in crosswords, so constructors have to up their game if they want to go this direction. Dan does just that, adding a new layer to his theme. It took me quite a while to figure out what was going on, but I had a nice a-ha moment when it finally dawned on me. BEWITCHED is literally under A SPELL... under a spell, get it? Clever stuff. It was fun to struggle with each of the six theme pairs.

Sometimes Sunday-size puzzles feel tiresome, like a regular 15x15 that's been stretched out just because it can be. I like the fact today that Dan has chosen enough long entries that makes a 21x21 puzzle the only option. TALK TO YOU LATER = (over) AND OUT, that's something you couldn't do in a 15x15. I really like when the puzzle *should* be a 21x21.

And Dan does a nice job on the fill. Like last week, this puzzle contains a high number of six and seven-letter answers, which have the potential to spice things up. WARTHOG, SKETCHY, BEHEADS, ANTONYM, THE MAGI = excellent! Loading up on six and seven-letter answers is a great way to add snazz to a puzzle. It's an audacious approach, which makes construction very difficult. His shorter stuff does suffer a bit, with ELOGE, NONNO, OSTEO, and the ASKA/BTEN/SANT trio, pulling things down. All in all though, an admirable fill with an above-average result.

Finally, a minor gripe I think others will share. It's perfectly acceptable to have an entry like SLIGO in a 21x, because it's just so darn hard to construct them. Only the Berrys of the world don't need to rely on these types of esoteric answers. But if you have them, I believe the crossings ought to be fair, with clues that aren't back-breakers. "Macros, e.g." for LENSES? Yikes. Maybe if you're a photography buff that's fair, but I thought TENSES or SENSES were as sensible as LENSES.

Very neat theme today, with a lot of great constructing.

Thu 8/8/2013
DOGGYBAGPAWSAT
ERASABLEAXIOMS
FISHHOOKLESSEE
LOLAYUKSSHORT
ALARMOOHBRIS
TEMPESTDIVORCE
ESPSOILTONYAS
HORSESHOE
SHRUNKDIEDMAA
MAILSINPROFESS
USDANOROINKS
SHAHSTOLDROSA
HOBOESTIREIRON
EULOGYCLEANCUT
STEPONSTARGATE
Sun 7/14/2013 SHOW ME THE MONEY
BOCAPAPACOMPMAGPIE
BRAMOVENOWIEACORNS
GOINGLONGPENNYSTOCKS
UNHEROICZANINESSCIE
NOOSEDIZZYMALEJENS
NIASLITENLSAP
AGHASTSPOSATELECOM
PLACEBOIPASSROCKIER
SANSABITCHOCORANGE
EDDFLOSFRILLSESTAS
DOLLARSANDCENTS
NOBISSAYSMEFROSBAD
FROSTSCECEPFFTPORE
LETMEUPSANTASWORNIN
STARDOMLTYRSONEDAY
OYSPANKICKSSR
POMSMANYCESARPSALM
URLMARIMBASPOWERTIE
TICKERTAPESSUNKCOSTS
TONIERCHATILERONEA
SNEAKYSOMECARPMGRS
Tue 5/29/2012
FURBRIGHTSTHREE
ONERANRIOTSEVEN
USSANTENNAAMEND
ROOMEDDERNARTS
CUISINESTOUT
BIRLOTTITSOPEN
BACKOFTHEENVELOPE
BLESSESTWOOUIS
HUMORENSIGNS
FETAAFOGTOYDOG
ILIKEACROBATEDA
VANESSHALALARES
ELYSETEDDIESSIX
Sun 4/8/2012 IN-NUENDOS
GODUTCHVACATEDBORG
INUTEROARCHIVEARNIE
AFRICANAMERICANSEINE
NOELMELOKNAPSACKS
NOSIRYOOHOODIOCESE
ITSTOLDUSINGAWATCH
YOREENORMEEGOS
DAPFOWLTREATYRESULT
IROCNSECPSEUDADE
SCOOPEASESTIGER
COLORFORVALENTINESDAY
SKIEDDOZESSPINE
PHIMEOWSDAMSYANG
JUDGESMATTERREPONOG
SMEECURLERAINU
THELONELIESTNUMBER
ASTAIREFONDUESLAVE
PARCHEESIURALAGOD
ASYLAWOOLFACETIOUSLY
SHOUTABUSIVEEMOTIVE
SANEYESDEARROOSTED
Sun 2/26/2012 BACK TO THE START
LAMPSLACASAGABFESTS
ISAACEXACTSEVERMORE
PERSONALSHOPTONIBRAX
OCTOPODHIMOMNEAREST
EDUCEATINTRY
ANTIDEPRESSLAVYOWZA
MORNSTINTVIDALSOIL
ONOFFOPSWHEELIEURB
KEGLERPLEASUREPRINCI
LAZELENSTREADON
SCOTBIERSLAPSEMENO
YODELERHAIRAMAD
PHYSICALGEOGRADARKER
HITMCQUEENOIDJONAH
OBEYAIRESPURERCECE
NASALSEZARTICHOKEHE
NEADELTAELON
BACKENDROOTSADSPACE
UNDERGROONTHEWATERFR
RELEASEDMALONEARTOO
TWISTTIESLEWEDRUSSO
Thu 12/8/2011
PRANCEEVENONE
LEMONYAVEMARIA
ADOREELARAIDER
ITEMTORECYCLE
NABSPOXSRTA
EPIHEYMPHLIT
RECKONPAROXYSM
GREENVICE
BARBARICZURICH
EWESSNWESCOO
GLADCAFSERT
COMMERCIALCOW
GOTWORSEGUYANA
PROSTATEHELPER
ABREEZETRYSTS
Sun 7/17/2011 THE END IS IN SIGHT
JABOPALSOLDAGEADDLE
USENORAHCOOLITLAUER
NILPLACESTOGOPEOPLETO
GALPALSPEAKSUPGHETTO
POTOKHUDCLAY
THEPRINCESSANDTHEFLU
HIPPOOARSKAUAIMARAT
ARPELWMDWITHRELATIVE
WEEDTHAZENFADESIN
SSRSHOCKERMAEKRAKEN
THEWHITESOFTHEIR
JAGUARODAHARVARDTAN
INATREEIONOSSSAGO
BESTOFLUCKTOPIKATPAR
ESSENISAACTELENADIA
STYHEALTHYWEALTHYAND
BOILSEPLIEIN
MOTOWNDITSIESTNUNCIO
WHERETHEWILDTHINGSERR
ANNANAMINORODILERAY
HOSTSGINKGOWEBERSEX
Sun 5/8/2011 WORKING IN OPPOSITION
NAGSPAPASKIRTJAPAN
ETUISORESRESEWIRABU
LONGSHORTSIRAQIFARER
SNLCALORICROUNDFLATS
OCALAWASABIEKESGTE
NEWOLDSIFIISLSGOER
SPOOFSFAULTYSOUNDS
ARSENUREESTESERI
LITTLELOTSTAXDRYDEN
TBARSNOURITUTELUL
ALLIBADFAIRGOODSDIDO
REEFIRSSEENOJOSIE
TREBEKALILEFTRIGHTS
CANSLOBSAARONAYS
LASTINITIALSTRIAGE
OLLAINRIEGGPROCONS
OBIDAVIASTLEYIGLOO
TAPEDLIVESSIMIANSERA
ENOLATITHETOPBOTTOMS
RINKYENTERCTEAMSLAT
SASESEGADSHESSKENO
Tue 11/9/2010
HEPSIMPTERPS
AMIGEMMAIDIOT
DIESELOILPICKY
JRRTOLKIENSTHE
ILSAEYE
MALLTYCHODRED
STETHOLANDELI
NOTSOHOWEGEST
BOGSEWNBRAVOS
CLOPBYEARRELY
YARTEEM
LORDOFTHERINGS
PURIMAMAZONANT
DANTEVANESDAY
QUEENANDSAWE
Sun 10/3/2010 CAN I CHANGE PLACES?
OHGODICHATBASEDSAC
POLLONERVECENTERPRY
TRAILOFTHECENTURYINC
ENROLLEECHOSENORAL
DYEIDARESTARGAZE
TEHRANRAINSCULL
FRIEDAGARNETTIESON
RECTTESDORIAONSIDE
ALOHATHELOINKINGTOW
NINESHAREMENEWART
ECRUEVRYMISEIHRE
UFOSANIOASTSCOCAS
SMLFRENCHFIRESSKATE
GALOREGRAFTNESNSEC
APEMENSAVEASCHEERY
CAROBMARITALLAW
ATTHETOPASEEDTAW
LEIASIENNASCRAMBLE
EXODONTTOUCHTHATDALI
VANSWITCHBLADEILLER
ESSLEASHSUGARTILED
Sun 6/6/2010 TYPECASTING
ACROSSICIERASYEBSA
CHARGEMANGAANAXOWS
CAPITALPUNISHMENTLIP
UPSSLURSSPACEKCDVI
RATENOTHSORELOSER
SLANTEDVIEWSSEATTLE
EARTHACHEETASITA
RICCIBRUCENOTSO
DOGSHADOWBOXINGNEET
AROMALIRASDRYGMAT
YETIUTTERCDROMIERE
UGHSMEAPALAUINNER
SOITSCRIPTWRITERTDS
ENCLSHOMIENERVY
FELTDEERESMIASMA
DEITIESROMANCANDLES
RECOMMENDSITHAILS
ARTEPEANUTNEEDSMAI
WIISTRUCKOUTSWINGING
ELOVEEREGRETPILEIN
RYNURDUSANDSSTORES
Thu 3/18/2010
FAJITASINLIMBO
ISADOREMAUSEUM
FIVEYARDPENALTY
TAIAFVORETAL
HGTSTOPICENER
SOSADESSEGRE
KISSOPSESC
EIGHTHNOTES
EDYIERSTAB
ERETRACDOMED
LACEINTWOLCTO
CONDGRATAMEG
MULTIMLLIONAIRE
FLORNCETSARINA
RAREGASZESTIER
Wed 4/22/2009
DITSEVERCOBRA
EVRYMAXIADOUT
MAINBLACKPEARL
ONADESCENT
TOGAEDTRIKEEL
EVENTMASTIMNO
NAPASTAKING
ASTAIREREWIRES
DIABLONORAD
ATIEBOOMREMIT
HULLLOSIDEATE
PELTERSSRS
SANTAMARIASAIL
ODEONLINTPLEA
YEGGSALEEFADS
Sun 1/4/2009 WHEN IN ROME
BOOTHEELEVENTHWRENS
LABRATSOMEMORERELET
THEITHATGOTAWAYINCUR
SURPRISEINNATTIRE
LECHVOCLOCKSHADOW
ACTEDRHINOWEASEL
NAHNATTERSREDKEL
THEXCOMMANDMENTSCIAO
INARUTLEDISOSPORTS
ARIDALPHAOCOME
LWAYSTOLEAVEYOURLOVER
HOWIEMAZDAKOLN
AMANDANRATIELOUDER
SARGCYEARSOFSOLITUDE
ANDTCMKENOSHAPGA
GOTHAMTILEDSWEEP
INDIANAPOLISDEQUI
DOESSOPEIEAUDEVIE
OWLETMISLANDDRESSING
LILLEBAHAMIANSEESTO
SNEERANACONDAORLESS
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