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18 Schrödinger puzzles

These quantum crosswords have, by design, more than one correct answer

Schrödinger equation
Erwin Schrödinger

Is it a wave or a particle? Sometimes, the answer is, yes. Or both.

Joon Pahk suggested the name for these puzzles, based on Erwin Schrödinger's poor cat who was either alive or dead. Or, more accurately, both alive and dead. Either answer is true. This sort of thing can happen when the strange world of the quantum impinges on our prosaic macro existence. And, as seen here, it also happens in crosswords.

Click any thumbnail to see the full view, including animations!

The constructors:

Ralph G. Beaman David J. Kahn Jeremiah Farrell Patrick Merrell Damon J. Gulczynski Dan Schoenholz Andrew Reynolds Kacey Walker David Quarfoot Ben Tausig Timothy Polin Xan Vongsathorn Andrew Kingsley John Lieb Zachary Spitz David Steinberg Stephen McCarthy Simeon Seigel

The puzzles:

Sun 5/5/1996 Choices, Choices
WEIGHTCUTOFFSBRETTS
ASTRAYONADAREAERIAL
NABORSCANDLESSURELY
DIESTOCKGELDSSPARKS
SENATORSIDEST
ACMERABATLOTACRE
GRADUALISMAPEGHUM
EELPROLECUIWIMALI
RATATATSNOREODAREL
SMASHASONETOYSTORY
CRAPETVAIDLER
DRYHUMORNOTALRANGE
IOUSOSBIKESSHAPELY
NUMTNTACETHEITRUE
ETAEDGEFREESILVER
DENTTRICROCKOEDS
RUINSHOSTELER
STRINGALCANORIGINAL
TOUSLEROASTERMRMOTO
ULSTERMONTANEBEATTO
BLEEDSSTEELEDSTREAM
The earliest known Modern Era Schrödinger puzzle is "Choices, Choices" by David J. Kahn. Ten squares (so 20 words) have two correct answers.
Tue 11/5/1996
ICALLLOSTASTEP
MEDEAATLIBERTY
PROGNOSTICATION
AILALSOPSTONE
ISPYDOMBEE
REHABSAFERAZZ
RIBNORMPOE
BOBDOLEELECTED
AURSARAERR
TIASSASHVALOR
AITPASBARA
AWARDEERIEMAP
MISTERPRESIDENT
OSTRACISMRINGO
SHOELACESENTER
Jeremiah Farrell created the most famous crossword in NYT history. Published the day of the 1996 U.S. presidential election, the central prediction, "Lead story in tomorrow's newspaper (!)", can read either BOB DOLE ELECTED or CLINTON ELECTED. The crossing answers fit the clues for either. Click the thumbnail for details.
Wed 7/9/2003
VATBALMSJERKY
ISRATEUPUNTIE
CHAINMAILINEPT
TOURDEFRANCE
IRMASSOYIDS
MEANOUGHTACRE
NANAINABIT
FOURTIMECHAMP
GOTHAMEVEL
TGIFEASEDGITS
ESCPATMENSA
YELLOWJERSEY
QUEENAEROSMITH
BROWNSNAGSSSE
SISSYTOPSYTEY
Patrick Merrell followed up with this "prediction" about the Tour de France.
Thu 7/27/2006
ITSAFACTBAHAMA
LEAPINTOELOPER
EMPERORPENGUINS
APSELEASETO
PITBOSSECON
COBTWICECHESS
SHOWIESTPRO
IMPOSELALALA
USDSPANDREL
MARLOWHITEMEG
IREDCOYNESS
SIMILAROREO
DAILYNEWSPAPERS
INTIMEPEEPHOLE
DESEEDACROSSES
Ethan Friedman was the next constructor to pull this stunt with this study in black and white.
Thu 3/3/2011
ILKCAROMNAGAT
GOITALONEADELA
USSENATORVERBS
ASSETGAYOAT
NEEOYSTERNNE
ASSNUNOMCMIII
APLOMBAIMAT
ANDREWJOHNSON
ABBIESOLOED
COARSEALOOTRA
RUTREDSKYHAT
ENEBOXIDENT
ADAIRTENNESSEE
GIMMEROYALTIES
ENSORANTEDSST
David J. Kahn gave us a history lesson with this Schrödinger puzzle.
POW Thu 9/5/2013
MAOISMPORTEDD
ONSTARDREINOR
INCITEFENGDYE
LEANEDAHNOLD
RAESCATTERED
CINNIGHTOWL
OSOSATITALOUD
RADIANIDIDSO
POSERFAWNEDER
STRATEGOORR
SPUTTEREDPAR
CANAANDICERS
ANDTTOPUNEVIE
LSUUTESSELENA
EYEMORTTRANKS
Damon J. Gulczynski parsed XorY type words, using them as hints to the dual squares.
Thu 1/30/2014
PISMOBURYERGO
AMPEDAREAPEEK
WHATSBLACKWHITE
NOMEELLAEENSY
OSAYLOAM
ANDREDALLOVER
LEETYROHERETO
AMAJDUDACID
NOLOSSSOARADO
THISNEWSPAPER
ADIAAKIN
VERNERAGEKIEV
ASUNBURNEDPANDA
MANENOIRARDEN
PUTSOWLSWAYNE
Dan Schoenholz incorporates a classic joke in this one.
POW Tue 4/1/2014
ARGOSKATRIFLE
MOUSEPADSORION
BESTTHREEMISDO
ISHHEMPBASHES
ERATENE
HUMBLERAISIN
IVIESMTIDACOB
NEXTHEADSLIRA
TAUNOLTEMONTY
SPRINTCOUGHS
ATEHOOT
SCENTSAUDISEC
TOSCAOUTOFFIVE
UNPINUNINSURED
BENDYRTESNINE
Andrew Reynolds plays on HEADS or TAILS, with an incredible 13 entries having two solutions.
Thu 12/4/2014
OBSESSSCRABBLE
DETECTHOORAYED
DEALERATTRACTS
STYNOBLEBABE
REVUEISABEL
WORDIERANKA
ARESSIRIABS
ICEDERIDESCEO
LADOPUSAMAT
TEENDANGERS
DEBASEPEKOE
ETESSEEITMOI
CHRISTIEMAKING
CARNIVALBRONCO
ANAGRAMSOYSTER
So, you're looking at your Scrabble rack with seven letters. What are your options? This puzzle has 27 distinct correct solutions.
POW Thu 9/1/2016
ROOMMUSTYSLOG
ALVAESPNUTORO
GEEKSAUNAOWEN
WARESUNNEWAGE
ENLTUSKSXEROX
ENOEPAUGHTNT
DANTEWREAK
GENDERFLUID
DANDYSAYSO
PTSGAGOPTSOD
REUSEEQUUSTOY
ENTIREUTESONS
MATEATEINAPES
ICONSHEETMIRE
XENATERSEEASY
Ben Tausig uses GENDER FLUIDity as a rationale for this one, four squares that could be either M or F. The SAME sex / SAFE sex one is beautifully done.
Thu 3/1/2018
ZETASTREWPOPE
ICONIRENEARAL
TORYFIGHTINGWS
INCHTARAMASSE
HOESELDOM
WPROCESSORACDC
RAELUISOHSURE
YSLARCGPAPAS
LEADTOIRISONA
YOYOPUTINAWFOR
OPENEDTIC
OHARETRIPNOSE
WORDSQUAREICKY
NOTIANTONNOIR
SKYETEENSGAME
Timothy Polin turned a WORD SQUARE into a W or D SQUARE.
Thu 8/2/2018
FISKSHOCKHAHA
ISLEKITEDECON
SLAVINTELALOT
HITLISTASTUTE
PEARLSONAR
RIOLAGGARD
HIPSPLITYUAN
OLEHEAVEHOSTY
PLOWDENIMHEE
SNICKERPAW
SHINSSHEAF
BASHESSTABILE
ASIFSHAKECOIN
THRUEIDERALPO
HEELSCOWSMISS
Heads or Tails is a great Schrödinger option, and Xan Vongsathorn gets extra ambitious, using nine indeterminate squares.
Thu 2/27/2020
BASSLSATRUN
WORTHACLUCAPE
HOMERTHEBORDER
OMMINERSPOINT
NEROMASONS
ANDREWDIALS
WEREBRIARSFE
LAOSLINGOMAAM
TOGOOGOOASIA
ILOSENETTLE
LEANEDRVER
ALLENBSIDESTW
SOMESPACECAREW
IPADCLAWTRUES
KEYPITSSIGN
Andrew Kingsley and John Lieb came up with a new twist. Three-letter answers squeeze into two spaces in two ways each.
Thu 2/18/2021
ECHOASKMEBEEF
LEONSKOALRARE
INTENTIONSITRY
STEREOSSALTS
SELESUIEACCRA
ARSEFINAMORAL
LSATSREMOTE
EMTTVSPOTSWEE
CARTERENIAC
CLEAVECHEALES
OTERIGTIINAWE
GNASHANTITAX
CHOICARTOONIST
BUDSUNCUTESTE
SESHMASSESHED
Zachary Spitz shows us what many PSAs look like, taken literally.
POW Thu 11/4/2021
GUMSDOJOBESTS
ASAPUBERRUPEE
SHORTLINEARIAL
AERIALGOUGED
PRINTMANNKEGS
TACOCLARET
HIGSHUBBLEMOO
ADOAUSTRIAADA
VALBREWUPINET
OHDEARTSAR
COINOOZEBELOW
NCISLANEPALI
LEGOSSPLITENDS
ACORNEPICACME
BOTETNAPETEES
This David Steinberg creation is a Schrödinger with a twist. Or rather, a couple of twists.
Sun 2/6/2022 Sci-Fi Showdown
PHDPALACEACCOSTHSN
RIOAVATARYAHWEHIPOS
EGOREBELALLIANCETARA
THREERSSOANDSOLOCUS
ANDERSROEGSUNNINESS
POOLHANSOLOPDASTHY
EONSTEELAPPGRAPH
SNOWMANYARDSALESREIN
THEISMROYYEAAFRO
STEAKASIAWEARCLIOS
SAHARASTARTREKSHINNY
ABETSWHOSRISENANAS
SIRIHERPASDIESEL
KNEEWARMSUPTOMETSFAN
ISLETSIRBIOREREA
IMSGRIMMRSPOCKCORK
DONTBESADHUEYDONNIE
BLOATTSELIOTPRINTAD
ETTUTHEFEDERATIONILL
TERNMARINEISITOKELI
NYTITSBADDECALSRYE
Stephen McCarthy hosts a Sci-Fi Showdown. Which major franchise will be the winner?
Sun 3/17/2024 All Over the Map
BOSCACDCOTOHDIAL
BALERSLIERLANEOUTDO
MADEAHOTMAGENTAFRODO
WTFTRITENIAGARAFALLS
SHAKEONSTIRRERVENDEE
INRUSHLADYLIBERTY
STOLEENCLSOARTEARY
SCHWAMYBNEMOSKA
OAFKAYASHTONWARROOM
STUDENTSTOECAPNYE
OSLOTHESOUTHWESTPEDI
TEMCENSORTOREOPEN
JOSHGADTEENERLAVCAD
AXEONITBADEBONY
BOLTSSOCAPHILBRATS
FOURCORNERSTRAGIC
BISTROKATRINAOILLEAK
AREAFIFTYONESISTANEE
CARLELIONSSHAREDOTTY
HIVEDOMNITUNASEDENS
SLEDPESOSHAQSERA
Simeon Seigel broke new ground with this ambitious Schrödinger. 69-Across has four different answers.

Pre-Shortz puzzles

As the Pre-Shortzian Puzzle Project keeps reminding us, many of the gimmicks that seem so modern have a longer history. There was one Schrödinger puzzle in the Maleska era:

Sun 2/7/1988 SPACE SAVER
KABABSPCAWRATHHAG
OCALAERATHALOESENA
CLEAREDOUTADAGIORAT
HERESYFLAILORLANDO
ERICRESSICIER
PEEREDATTHESLICEDHAMS
ALLAYPERISOLAFII
ALICETRONATILTNAST
RESELLIGORCESGILA
REBILLPATONNOW
TOASTSSAUTESANDTASTES
OSSANSERBESIDE
OLIDSGCEARLNANKIN
TONITAELSOEUFNOOSE
SHEILAPIANOCROAT
YOUCANNOTINSUREWEALTH
ANNUSTENETUSA
BLESSESDUELSITHACA
BISLANDAURETALIATOR
ENCETERNEEVERCREAM
REOSEUSSRODESTELE
Nine different squares have more than one correct answer in this ambitious puzzle by Ralph G. Beaman.
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