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Jennifer Nutt author page

9 puzzles by Jennifer Nutt
with Constructor comments

TotalDebutLatestCollabs
94/17/20078/21/20231
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0612000
ScrabbleFresh
1.5916%
Jennifer Nutt
Puzzles constructed by Jennifer Nutt by year
Mon 8/21/2023
SKAOMAHAPRIZE
TONURGESOASIS
RAYTIEDTHEKNOT
ALTOSDOOETNA
WAIVECHARGES
METOOSLIMES
UBERBOSSINANE
SINSHELLLOX
STOUTACAIROSY
REWRAPILIAD
CURRANTSCONE
LEAHIOUAKRON
EDDIEMURPHYORD
AGENTTALESUSO
DENSESLOMOSEW

This puzzle was inspired by childhood summers at the beach in Cape May, New Jersey. Many thanks to my son and test solver, Nick Diamant, who caught a few errors.

Mon 12/19/2022
HIPARCSASSES
AMIDYOLKBLUNT
TAPEDELAYCASIO
SCENELURECHAR
SCISSORSKICK
MOVEONCAPE
AMORTEAKORANG
LEIBOXSEATVII
INDIAEATSROLF
CROCSPINET
PAPERTRAINED
OLAFTAFTSENSE
SILLSBOWSTRING
SAMOALUAUSNUG
ESSEXELSEABS

I didn't necessarily think of this puzzle as a holiday crossword, but the editors saved it for this week. One of the hardest parts in making it was figuring out where to fit "gift," given all the space taken up with wrapping supplies.

Mon 11/16/2020
FAKEDBBCDECAF
ICIERLEOORATE
JELLYROLLGAMER
IDOOBITSTEIN
HOUSESITRNS
ASSORTNADA
REPROPUBCRAWL
TARAATRIAMOOD
MICSTANDLARVA
NEATRISKED
EGGCAKEWALK
NOTCHELECWOE
AFIREBABYSTEPS
CADETATMPOPUP
TREESBEDANTSY

Jeff recently wrote about theme types that got popular and then faded away. A few months ago, I submitted a first-words-are-synonyms puzzle. Turns out there are a lot of those already on file . . . So here is a "sequential progression" theme instead.

Besides, babies are cute!

Wed 10/23/2019
JAVAPUPALSPAM
OPENAPOLOSLATE
YETIPORESHARES
MOUNTVESUVIUS
ARIANAESPNSPY
FORTUNEPUTT
OVERSRABIDUSES
RENOFAVORSNEAL
EDENISITIRANGE
SALETHEBOLD
SECSERBINURES
PLINYTHEELDER
RETIEEAREDGAZA
INEPTADAGEEKES
GADSDYSONRANK

This puzzle was inspired by an exhibit on Pompeii at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. Accounts differ, but Pliny the Elder probably died trying to rescue his friends from Herculaneum. As Pliny's vessel approached the shore, volcanic debris began to fall on him and his crew. The helmsman advised a retreat, but Pliny replied, "Fortune favors the bold."

Wed 10/3/2018
THEMGROGYACHT
IOTAEAVEAGREE
DAHLTHENEREIDS
EXILEDRENDSGT
OSLOSOLACES
GAPKNEWKILOS
UNIXEXAMINE
SNARFIDAEXPAT
AUSTEREAONE
BRYCESXSWSON
LEASHEDTOTE
AHISTEMUNRIPE
CASSIOPEIAIDOL
EVITAOMARCOPS
SENDSTONYKNEE

I considered other constellations for a puzzle theme, but Cassiopeia won out because it has only has five main stars. Soon after this puzzle got accepted, Jeff Stillman's May 22 Ursa Major crossword was published, and I thought it would be a good long time before this one appeared.

Mon 10/16/2017
ASCOTHUSHFIB
GLOBEPALEOIDO
RADIATORCAPLEO
AWEUPPERMEAN
WINDSORCASTLE
BONGOHID
PARLORCARDERBY
OLDESHYERGALE
VISASINDOORCAT
GRESWEET
LIQUORCABINET
AGUEMOXIERAT
ILEKILLERWHALE
ROEENTEREMCEE
SONNESSTOKEN

This puzzle was inspired by Paula Gamache's 3/8/17 crossword, which included the entry "indoor cat." I noticed the hidden "orca" and started looking for other "orca" phrases. There aren't many, but it turns out that six (including five orcas plus the "killer whale" revealer) is enough for a small pod. And, luckily, both "radiator cap" and "killer whale" contain eleven letters.

Mon 5/25/2015
HANGIMPSBIGOT
ALARMAREANODE
VIDEOCLIPBUYIN
OBIVOTETYRANT
CIRCULARFILE
OLDRKOQUO
GIVETRAINBUFF
TORECRAMSRIOT
MOONSHINESOPS
INNTENSKI
SOCIALPOLISH
REMARKNORANEO
ECOLIINAILEDIT
SHOVERUNTSIZE
TOTEDELSEPEEL

Here it is! I am excited about my third NY Times crossword. This puzzle was inspired by a rather fabulous nail buffer that my friend Doris showed me. It has four sides, including "file nail edge," "smooth nail," and "shine nail." I added clip and polish, changed smooth to buff, and tried to think up some good theme entries. I especially like "train buff."

The grid was not easy to construct because the theme entries needed to follow in nail grooming order: clip, file, buff, shine, polish.

Coincidentally (?), this puzzle follows the Times' recent exposé on nail salons. However, Doris's inspirational nail buffer is meant for home use.

I submitted this puzzle in early July 2014, and it was accepted in late August.

Mon 8/16/2010
GAMMASPEEDSPA
AMOURNIECETAN
LOOSECANNONOUT
ASTIAFTIDOLS
CASUALFRIDAY
ASPIREALOP
MAYANDEMOEMU
BURNONESBRIDGES
ILEALPSRIOTS
DISHNASSER
CAPUCHINMONK
EXUDEOOPEROS
LILTVDETECTIVE
LASECOLEATTIC
OLEARESTWEEDY

ANDREA:

Jennifer Nutt is a gal I've met here in SF through various crossword functions. She had a puzzle in the LA Times which had LOOSECANNON and CASUALFRIDAY as part of a theme about LOOSE, CASUAL, etc. but while solving, I thought it was going to be about the TV detectives CANNON, Joe FRIDAY, et al. So I approached her about doing one together with that theme, since my idea had been inspired by one of her puzzles. She was very easy to work with. It was the first time I collaborated with someone I didn't know that well.

Tue 4/17/2007
ARABICMSGAMAS
NINETYAPERILL
SCAREDYCATEDIE
ECCEEONBADGE
LITTLEANGELANT
OTSLEERY
DEFENDRELEASER
EVITEFEDDRUID
NESTLERSSIENNA
HEINELIN
OCTEVENINGSTAR
CHAIRTEMMULE
COINGRAPEJELLY
URLSPITSALLIE
RESTAPOALLENS
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