Adam Wagner author page
26 puzzles by Adam Wagner
with Jim Horne comments
Adam Wagner, originally of Long Island, New York, is a creative lead at Patreon where he helps creators get paid for their work. He's also a creator *on* Patreon, building a community around his daily puzzle games Order Up and Anigrams. In previous lives, Adam has also been a writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a viral YouTuber, a game show champion, and an applied math major at Brown University.
Adam currently lives in Oakland, CA, with his wife, two kids, and a few thousand honeybees.
| B | A | A | C | H | I | P | R | A | S | T | A | |||
| O | L | D | F | A | D | E | R | A | P | T | O | R | ||
| L | I | M | B | O | R | E | D | O | N | T | A | P | E | |
| O | W | I | E | M | A | R | A | U | D | Y | A | W | ||
| T | O | T | A | L | L | O | V | E | R | D | O | N | E | |
| I | N | T | R | O | S | I | N | Y | O | U | G | O | ||
| E | G | O | L | H | A | S | A | S | T | A | N | |||
| B | L | A | C | K | T | I | R | E | ||||||
| D | E | S | I | T | I | E | T | O | F | E | D | |||
| E | M | P | R | E | S | S | S | I | M | O | N | E | ||
| B | A | L | D | S | P | O | R | T | L | A | R | G | E | |
| U | N | I | C | A | N | A | A | N | C | R | A | P | ||
| S | A | C | R | U | M | B | L | I | N | K | E | R | S | |
| S | T | E | E | D | S | B | O | C | A | A | D | E | ||
| Y | E | S | N | O | I | N | K | Y | L | E | A |
| A | W | D | A | R | N | V | S | I | G | N | S | P | A | T | U | L | A | |||
| H | E | A | V | I | E | S | E | N | N | U | I | L | O | T | U | S | E | S | ||
| N | E | T | I | P | O | T | R | O | S | I | E | O | M | E | L | E | T | S | ||
| O | P | E | D | S | I | N | S | T | I | T | C | H | E | S | A | C | S | |||
| L | I | B | I | C | E | E | D | A | Y | O | A | N | A | N | D | |||||
| D | N | A | B | A | N | K | S | M | E | R | T | R | A | D | E | S | O | N | ||
| G | R | E | E | D | T | R | I | O | M | E | M | O | E | T | C | |||||
| E | R | O | S | A | S | U | S | E | M | I | R | S | ||||||||
| D | A | S | B | O | O | T | N | O | T | A | S | I | G | N | O | R | A | S | ||
| U | T | E | B | R | E | W | S | A | R | I | S | T | A | D | A | M | P | |||
| P | A | D | R | E | H | O | W | N | I | C | E | S | A | D | I | E | ||||
| E | R | G | O | D | O | O | M | E | D | I | S | L | E | T | I | N | N | |||
| D | I | E | T | T | I | P | S | A | B | L | E | T | S | E | L | I | O | T | ||
| S | O | N | I | A | R | A | M | S | E | P | E | E | ||||||||
| E | T | D | D | E | N | Y | C | A | T | S | A | P | A | R | T | |||||
| B | A | R | C | A | D | E | S | R | K | O | T | E | N | S | P | E | E | D | ||
| T | R | U | L | Y | S | P | E | W | J | A | V | A | R | A | E | |||||
| T | M | I | S | T | O | O | D | A | L | O | N | E | C | L | A | S | S | |||
| W | A | S | P | I | E | R | B | A | R | O | N | R | O | M | A | I | N | E | ||
| O | R | E | O | P | I | E | O | L | D | M | E | S | P | O | N | S | O | R | ||
| W | E | T | N | O | S | E | Y | E | S | E | S | I | N | D | E | B | T |
| S | W | A | B | C | R | A | B | G | A | S | X | ||||
| O | H | N | O | H | O | R | A | P | R | G | U | R | U | ||
| M | O | O | D | R | I | N | G | S | A | R | E | P | A | S | |
| M | A | N | I | A | C | I | A | N | E | Y | E | ||||
| C | H | A | R | A | C | T | E | R | A | R | C | S | |||
| P | A | L | E | N | O | N | A | L | U | M | N | A | |||
| E | M | I | T | O | O | T | H | N | O | O | M | I | |||
| R | E | G | R | E | S | S | I | O | N | C | U | R | V | E | S |
| U | N | H | I | P | S | T | O | O | P | A | R | I | |||
| S | T | R | I | N | G | E | R | R | T | E | A | S | |||
| D | I | V | I | D | I | N | G | L | I | N | E | S | |||
| E | S | E | C | U | E | B | E | A | P | A | L | ||||
| A | T | R | I | S | K | A | L | L | E | L | B | O | W | S | |
| L | E | S | M | I | S | R | E | A | L | I | K | E | A | ||
| R | E | S | T | S | E | X | T | N | E | S | T |
Fun theme.
- The shaded O's are the literal RINGS in MOOD.
- The C's are the ARCS in CHARACTER.
- The S's are the CURVES in REGRESSION.
- The I's are the LINES in DIVIDING.
- The L's are the ELBOWS in ALL.
| M | A | C | J | A | R | U | L | E | T | B | S | P | ||
| O | R | E | A | C | U | N | I | T | R | E | A | R | ||
| E | R | R | G | E | N | T | L | E | N | U | D | G | E | |
| T | I | V | O | T | I | A | A | T | T | I | C | |||
| V | E | N | D | I | N | G | M | A | C | H | I | N | E | |
| A | Z | T | E | C | A | L | L | M | A | D | ||||
| L | A | O | S | S | T | U | D | E | W | E | ||||
| P | I | N | K | Y | R | I | N | G | ||||||
| R | E | M | A | I | R | Y | S | E | N | D | ||||
| E | R | A | V | I | P | A | F | T | E | R | ||||
| F | I | N | G | E | R | S | A | N | D | W | I | C | H | |
| U | T | U | R | N | E | E | O | T | K | O | S | |||
| G | R | A | I | N | O | F | S | A | N | D | R | U | E | |
| E | E | L | S | H | O | O | R | A | Y | U | S | E | ||
| E | A | S | T | O | O | P | S | I | E | B | E | N |
Cute theme.
| B | U | G | T | H | A | T | S | N | O | S | H | A | D | E | S | H | O | ||||
| A | S | A | B | O | O | E | R | S | O | P | I | A | T | E | S | I | A | N | |||
| N | O | S | A | R | T | S | A | N | D | L | E | T | T | E | R | S | E | S | E | ||
| A | P | S | T | I | P | I | N | J | A | C | O | B | I | N | G | A | T | ||||
| N | E | T | H | E | O | R | S | H | E | N | A | N | P | R | E | G | O | ||||
| A | N | A | P | E | S | T | M | A | D | E | M | E | N | G | A | L | L | O | N | ||
| T | A | D | S | I | R | M | O | O | D | D | I | S | |||||||||
| I | B | I | S | G | R | A | T | E | A | S | U | S | A | N | T | S | |||||
| R | O | O | T | R | E | F | M | A | N | E | T | R | Y | E | I | P | A | ||||
| O | W | N | A | P | E | G | A | Y | F | E | M | N | A | N | A | ||||||
| N | S | F | W | P | O | T | M | E | T | S | A | B | A | E | C | I | G | ||||
| Y | E | O | H | P | S | Y | A | L | E | C | O | T | E | M | O | ||||||
| R | O | Y | A | L | E | G | R | I | D | S | T | R | E | S | T | A | N | ||||
| D | I | L | I | M | A | I | M | T | W | I | N | S | E | E | L | Y | |||||
| S | I | N | O | M | N | I | E | O | S | U | R | L | |||||||||
| T | A | P | I | N | G | T | E | E | T | H | E | R | C | A | N | T | E | E | N | ||
| O | R | A | T | E | P | O | M | A | D | D | F | U | E | L | S | R | I | ||||
| T | E | X | C | O | R | O | N | A | S | P | L | A | N | E | C | O | N | ||||
| A | T | T | I | N | S | I | D | E | T | H | E | L | I | N | E | S | O | D | E | ||
| L | O | O | D | E | S | S | E | R | T | L | A | N | D | I | S | P | E | R | |||
| S | O | N | S | T | E | T | S | O | N | M | Y | G | O | D | E | D | S |
The color stripes in Rainbow order hide the letters that make up those color names: RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE, INDIGO, and VIOLET.
Crosswords, including those from the NYT, have a colorful history with rainbow themes. In 1993, a young enigmatogist named Will Shortz applied for a job as a crossword editor. He didn't know until after he was offered that the company in question was the Times. He had an inkling, though. The previous editor, Eugene Maleska, had died with no obvious successor in place.
Mr. Shortz represented a radical departure for NYT puzzles. He brought in several innovations — pop culture references, constructor names on the bylines, graduated difficulty through the week, and innovative tricks and gimmicks. He wanted to make his mark right out of the gate, so his first NYT crossword was a rainbow rebus extravaganza by Peter Gordon.
Here are a few others:
- Flying Colors by Rafael Musa in 2023
- Gravity's Rainbow by Ross Trudeau and Lindsey Hobbs in 2021
- Thursday puzzle in 2018 by Milo Beckman and David Steinberg
- Monday puzzle also in 2018 by Michael Wiesenberg and Andrea Carla Michaels
- Lighten Up in 2005 by Patrick Merrell is a novel twist on the theme
- Over the Rainbow in 1981 by Mary Virginia Orna under Eugene Maleska.
Each of these has its own unique take on the theme. Today's gimmick is only possible because they Times can now include color in Sunday puzzles. If your syndicated newspaper still shows only black and white, you likely see a different crossword for this date.
| P | C | S | J | U | M | P | P | O | P | I | N | ||
| R | I | P | A | N | Y | A | O | W | E | T | O | ||
| I | C | Y | M | O | B | S | C | E | N | E | S | T | |
| M | A | I | L | A | T | O | M | P | T | A | |||
| E | D | N | A | M | O | D | E | L | W | H | I | T | |
| R | A | G | S | O | N | A | T | H | O | M | E | ||
| T | R | E | N | T | R | I | L | E | D | ||||
| C | L | O | S | E | S | H | O | P | E | ||||
| O | B | O | E | S | S | P | O | O | L | ||||
| P | I | N | G | E | D | S | P | A | S | M | S | ||
| T | O | S | S | A | P | R | E | S | S | K | I | T | |
| I | D | O | B | R | U | H | H | I | R | E | |||
| C | O | M | M | O | N | C | O | R | E | P | R | E | |
| A | M | M | A | N | K | N | I | T | A | O | L | ||
| L | E | E | R | Y | S | E | G | A | D | R | Y |
For answers to the clues with slashes, you remove the final letter for the first part and the first letter for the second part.
So for 34-Across, enter CLOSESHOPE:
- "Lock up for the night" is a CLOSE SHOP_
- "Despairs" is a _LOSES HOPE
- and the letters LOSESHOP are the COMMON CORE.
For 21-Across, A to M is the first half of our alphabet.
| P | D | F | T | R | Y | T | A | F | T | |||||
| T | O | E | S | H | O | E | M | O | V | E | O | N | ||
| A | G | R | E | E | O | N | B | A | Y | A | R | E | A | |
| B | R | A | E | S | L | A | T | S | M | R | T | |||
| B | E | I | R | U | T | A | N | T | F | E | I | G | ||
| O | D | E | S | R | I | S | K | T | O | N | N | E | ||
| A | S | S | D | I | M | E | S | L | E | T | G | O | ||
| B | O | X | B | R | A | I | D | S | ||||||
| A | F | T | E | R | A | S | F | O | R | F | B | I | ||
| B | I | O | T | A | T | H | E | N | A | R | L | O | ||
| U | R | N | S | I | M | O | S | A | V | E | U | S | ||
| E | C | G | S | P | A | W | N | R | I | S | E | |||
| L | O | A | F | P | A | N | A | T | T | A | C | H | E | |
| A | N | N | I | E | S | L | A | S | S | O | E | S | ||
| E | S | T | D | A | N | Y | S | N | L |
In this elegant construction, the 7-letter Down answers in the grid are all legitimate crossword entries, but to match the clues, you must "braid" the letters back and forth. The shaded boxes were given, and I've colored the other letters so they're easier to read.
I've untangled the letters in the answers below the grid.
PS. Adam Wagner mentions Python in his notes. For the Python-curious who want to scour through their own word lists looking for cruciverbal gold, I have some sample scripts here.
| I | M | P | L | Y | A | W | A | Y | T | E | R | M | ||
| G | E | E | S | E | L | A | N | E | O | P | U | S | ||
| O | N | E | U | P | T | W | O | T | I | M | I | N | G | |
| T | S | P | L | I | A | R | N | B | C | |||||
| I | C | E | B | O | A | T | A | D | S | H | I | P | ||
| T | H | R | E | E | M | U | S | K | E | T | E | E | R | S |
| F | R | E | D | O | C | A | P | R | I | S | ||||
| C | O | C | A | E | L | F | H | O | S | T | ||||
| A | D | R | I | A | N | V | A | P | E | R | ||||
| F | O | U | R | D | I | M | E | N | S | I | O | N | A | L |
| E | R | M | U | N | I | B | A | D | N | A | M | E | ||
| B | I | B | S | P | A | T | R | A | M | |||||
| S | Y | L | L | A | B | L | E | S | G | O | N | Z | O | |
| H | E | E | L | R | E | N | E | O | R | I | O | N | ||
| E | N | D | S | A | D | D | S | B | E | A | N | S |
| B | O | C | C | E | W | A | F | E | R | ||||
| I | S | H | A | L | L | E | L | I | D | E | D | ||
| F | L | I | R | T | E | D | N | O | L | I | T | A | |
| F | O | L | L | O | W | E | D | T | H | E | S | U | N |
| I | O | N | M | I | K | A | O | R | C | ||||
| A | D | O | S | O | D | A | A | N | N | E | |||
| S | A | I | D | A | H | I | B | A | R | ||||
| S | O | L | O | M | O | N | N | O | R | T | H | U | P |
| R | O | T | O | O | F | Y | O | R | E | ||||
| O | K | O | K | P | R | I | M | U | N | I | |||
| A | M | C | G | U | A | C | P | A | N | ||||
| S | A | T | I | N | T | H | E | F | R | I | D | G | E |
| I | R | O | B | O | T | T | U | E | S | D | A | Y | |
| S | T | P | E | T | E | N | O | H | O | P | E | ||
| S | I | X | E | R | P | A | G | E | S |
| B | A | E | S | A | R | C | A | D | I | A | S | B | A | R | R | O | ||||
| R | U | N | T | T | O | O | S | O | O | N | B | E | A | N | I | E | S | |||
| E | D | D | Y | B | A | I | T | I | N | G | B | E | L | L | Y | F | A | T | ||
| W | E | L | L | E | A | R | N | E | D | I | T | S | A | L | L | A | L | I | E | |
| S | N | E | E | R | Y | C | R | O | C | A | M | U | S | E | E | R | R | |||
| S | I | N | D | H | S | H | O | M | E | T | U | R | F | |||||||
| D | I | S | C | O | B | R | A | L | I | C | I | T | P | I | L | L | O | W | ||
| A | R | L | O | L | O | C | A | N | K | L | E | S | N | Y | A | S | A | |||
| M | U | O | N | U | N | H | I | T | C | H | R | O | T | C | T | H | Y | |||
| E | L | I | A | R | E | I | N | H | A | I | D | A | H | L | I | A | S | |||
| S | E | N | D | S | D | N | C | I | M | D | B | B | I | E | N | |||||
| C | O | P | E | G | A | I | L | E | A | T | N | E | C | C | O | |||||
| A | T | H | E | I | S | T | S | N | L | A | B | A | B | A | H | A | R | |||
| S | H | O | R | E | U | P | T | A | L | L | Y | H | O | H | E | R | E | |||
| T | I | P | P | I | B | I | L | O | X | I | B | I | B | O | S | L | O | |||
| I | N | S | O | N | G | N | O | T | I | P | U | T | A | H | U | T | E | S | ||
| I | C | O | S | A | G | O | N | A | M | I | E | S | C | |||||||
| O | V | A | H | A | I | T | I | G | A | S | P | F | R | E | R | E | S | |||
| S | A | N | D | A | L | T | A | N | S | S | K | I | P | A | C | K | A | G | E | |
| A | N | T | E | N | N | A | S | I | C | A | N | N | O | T | E | Z | R | A | ||
| K | E | I | S | T | E | R | M | O | N | O | C | L | E | Y | E | E | T | |||
| A | S | S | I | S | T | S | W | A | T | H | E | S | S | S | T | S |
| L | O | L | B | G | A | M | E | A | S | H | E | M | A | S | S | |||||
| A | D | A | I | N | L | A | T | E | T | K | O | S | O | P | P | O | ||||
| B | O | B | C | R | A | T | C | H | I | T | B | A | D | A | S | S | E | R | Y | |
| R | O | A | D | W | A | Y | L | A | V | A | G | U | T | H | R | I | E | |||
| R | I | S | E | R | S | E | L | A | Y | N | E | A | E | T | N | A | ||||
| N | O | D | R | E | E | L | O | P | E | N | U | G | H | |||||||
| J | O | S | E | F | R | I | A | N | U | S | B | O | R | D | E | R | S | |||
| A | H | A | P | O | I | N | T | R | E | O | D | R | I | V | E | |||||
| B | M | W | R | A | M | S | E | S | I | B | E | G | O | N | E | |||||
| B | A | R | B | E | T | S | D | O | T | H | P | E | R | N | A | N | S | |||
| E | M | E | R | Y | E | M | U | E | G | G | S | X | E | N | O | N | ||||
| D | A | D | A | S | S | N | P | A | T | H | G | O | B | R | O | K | E | |||
| S | H | A | L | O | M | I | V | O | T | E | N | O | M | I | A | |||||
| M | I | A | M | I | O | E | D | S | I | L | E | X | I | D | K | |||||
| F | I | L | M | S | P | E | E | D | P | T | A | S | K | V | A | S | S | |||
| B | A | N | L | A | N | E | I | B | I | S | B | I | O | |||||||
| A | N | I | M | E | S | L | Y | F | O | X | B | O | U | N | C | E | ||||
| I | N | T | O | T | A | L | E | Y | R | E | A | U | R | E | A | T | E | |||
| L | I | A | R | S | D | I | C | E | E | L | A | S | T | I | C | B | A | N | D | |
| O | N | C | E | A | D | D | S | S | T | R | E | E | T | I | V | Y | ||||
| N | G | O | S | M | E | S | H | L | A | R | D | S | L | Y | E |
| A | B | S | S | O | C | I | A | L | S | B | I | B | ||
| P | O | E | O | P | E | N | N | E | T | E | C | O | ||
| N | O | N | C | H | A | L | A | N | C | E | H | A | Y | |
| E | Y | E | R | O | L | L | T | E | T | O | N | S | ||
| W | A | C | O | I | N | D | O | L | E | N | T | |||
| S | H | A | P | E | D | O | R | R | S | E | L | F | ||
| T | I | A | N | A | E | L | S | I | E | |||||
| D | I | S | C | O | M | B | O | B | U | L | A | T | E | D |
| A | C | O | R | N | R | I | S | E | S | |||||
| M | E | N | U | P | A | S | Y | E | N | T | A | S | ||
| M | I | S | N | O | M | E | R | S | H | U | E | |||
| N | A | C | H | O | S | A | C | T | F | A | S | T | ||
| A | K | A | U | N | B | E | K | N | O | W | N | S | T | |
| P | E | R | S | E | A | W | E | E | D | O | I | L | ||
| A | R | E | E | R | N | E | S | T | O | S | E | E |
| F | A | C | T | M | E | H | M | I | C | R | O | |||
| A | G | U | A | E | A | U | N | A | R | R | O | W | ||
| R | I | B | R | O | A | S | T | C | R | E | A | S | E | |
| E | L | E | G | A | N | T | S | O | A | P | P | A | D | |
| D | E | S | E | R | T | A | H | S | E | S | P | |||
| T | S | A | P | R | E | B | A | H | A | I | ||||
| E | G | G | S | L | U | M | R | E | T | O | R | T | ||
| R | O | O | P | O | T | H | E | A | D | O | K | S | ||
| H | I | T | S | A | T | A | V | G | E | T | S | Y | ||
| U | N | C | U | T | B | I | S | E | C | T | ||||
| G | A | H | H | E | R | R | U | I | N | E | D | |||
| Y | O | U | W | H | A | T | T | O | S | C | A | L | E | |
| I | N | G | E | A | R | D | R | O | P | K | I | C | K | |
| P | C | H | E | L | P | A | I | M | E | V | I | E | ||
| S | E | T | T | O | D | M | S | T | E | D | S |
| C | H | E | E | P | R | O | A | R | B | A | R | K | ||
| H | E | A | L | S | A | N | N | O | R | A | V | E | ||
| E | N | V | O | Y | P | E | T | S | E | A | S | Y | ||
| F | R | E | N | C | H | G | U | I | A | N | A | |||
| S | I | S | H | O | O | P | S | A | S | P | S | |||
| P | E | N | D | P | A | D | T | H | A | I | ||||
| I | D | L | E | D | K | A | L | A | M | A | T | A | ||
| B | E | A | R | S | K | I | M | P | I | S | I | T | ||
| E | T | H | I | O | P | I | A | I | L | E | N | E | ||
| G | E | T | S | M | A | D | B | A | L | K | ||||
| R | I | C | A | S | W | I | L | L | N | T | H | |||
| O | N | O | M | A | T | O | P | O | E | I | A | |||
| W | E | L | P | N | E | X | T | A | D | A | M | S | ||
| A | L | O | E | K | N | E | E | S | I | T | O | N | ||
| H | I | S | S | P | U | R | R | S | N | O | R | T |
| T | R | E | E | J | A | P | A | N | S | P | A | M | S | A | C | T | S | |||
| Y | E | N | S | A | I | O | L | I | A | E | R | I | E | L | O | I | N | |||
| R | E | C | T | A | N | G | U | L | A | R | P | R | I | S | M | E | L | M | O | |
| A | L | E | R | T | R | E | L | O | S | I | M | P | L | E | R | |||||
| L | O | V | E | W | I | L | L | T | E | A | R | U | S | A | P | A | R | T | ||
| D | R | A | G | N | O | T | E | D | O | E | S | C | O | B | ||||||
| A | I | D | E | T | W | O | S | W | I | N | G | A | T | O | P | A | ||||
| M | O | U | N | T | A | I | N | S | T | A | T | E | S | O | U | T | R | U | N | |
| E | T | S | H | I | E | P | A | R | F | I | N | E | A | R | T | |||||
| T | E | L | D | O | C | T | O | R | D | O | L | I | T | T | L | E | ||||
| A | X | I | O | M | T | O | O | K | Z | E | R | O | C | R | E | S | S | |||
| G | E | T | B | A | C | K | I | N | S | H | A | P | E | G | O | A | ||||
| I | N | S | I | G | H | T | E | R | R | S | U | R | P | A | T | |||||
| L | O | N | N | I | E | B | R | E | A | K | O | U | T | I | N | S | O | N | G | |
| E | N | O | M | A | N | U | A | L | S | N | A | N | A | S | T | I | ||||
| B | B | S | L | A | I | C | S | O | L | E | L | E | I | F | ||||||
| F | R | I | E | N | D | S | I | N | H | I | G | H | P | L | A | C | E | S | ||
| L | E | G | R | O | O | M | S | U | R | E | D | I | N | A | R | |||||
| U | R | G | E | P | I | C | T | U | R | E | I | N | P | I | C | T | U | R | E | |
| B | A | I | T | E | T | H | O | S | S | N | E | E | R | E | D | E | N | |||
| S | N | E | S | S | H | I | N | E | S | E | D | G | E | M | E | A | T |
We haven't done this in a while, and I know many find these notes annoying, but for the few who like to learn this stuff, It's time once again to play Fun with the Finder™.
Jeff mentioned that the X IN Y pattern is broad, and it certainly is, but suppose you were on the lookout to find interesting ones. Our Finder can help. Click the links below to see the results.
- The standard Search button doesn't know about word breaks, so it's not that useful. Searching for *IN* reveals words like COINED. Not what we want.
- Fortunately, the OneLook Search button does know about word breaks. The pattern **IN** finds phrases that include the word IN. Much better, although phrases like FILL IN or IN COLD BLOOD are less interesting. We'd like IN to be in the middle of a phrase.
- The pattern *? IN ?* (note the spaces) guarantees at least one word before or after IN.
See our Finder Tips page to learn more.
| P | I | P | G | E | N | T | A | B | A | B | A | Y | E | A | ||||||
| J | A | P | E | A | L | O | E | N | O | T | O | K | T | U | L | L | ||||
| I | T | L | L | B | E | F | U | N | I | N | N | E | R | C | I | R | C | L | E | |
| G | R | A | V | E | L | T | E | R | M | G | I | G | L | A | K | E | R | |||
| G | E | N | I | E | A | U | T | O | B | A | H | N | C | L | I | E | N | T | ||
| L | O | T | S | V | C | R | K | E | P | I | B | L | I | N | D | |||||
| E | N | O | O | P | E | N | H | E | A | R | T | R | A | N | T | |||||
| B | A | S | K | A | R | T | S | K | A | Y | R | O | D | S | ||||||
| G | R | I | T | I | A | M | C | E | S | T | S | I | B | O | N | |||||
| W | H | I | Z | B | A | N | G | A | G | A | P | E | I | M | P | A | L | A | ||
| R | E | P | R | I | G | H | T | T | R | I | A | N | G | L | E | M | A | G | ||
| I | T | S | W | A | R | A | I | M | E | D | A | R | E | A | M | A | P | S | ||
| S | T | A | I | N | L | E | S | S | A | N | I | R | O | S | S | |||||
| T | O | W | N | A | L | T | P | U | R | R | F | O | E | S | ||||||
| D | A | N | K | S | U | P | E | R | S | T | A | R | B | O | S | |||||
| F | U | S | E | S | O | R | Z | O | E | E | K | H | E | F | T | |||||
| M | O | R | P | H | S | P | R | E | O | R | D | E | R | D | E | N | S | E | ||
| O | V | A | T | E | A | L | E | N | G | O | S | L | O | A | T | H | E | |||
| L | E | M | O | N | S | Q | U | A | R | E | P | A | V | E | D | R | O | A | D | |
| T | R | E | Y | O | U | T | R | E | E | W | A | N | S | U | P | S | ||||
| S | T | S | N | A | O | M | I | S | S | N | S | E | T | E |
| D | E | L | I | S | E | C | T | S | T | O | W | ||
| E | C | O | N | C | L | E | O | H | O | R | A | ||
| F | O | O | T | B | A | L | L | P | L | A | Y | E | R |
| O | C | K | H | A | M | L | I | E | N | S | |||
| R | A | M | E | N | R | O | C | K | E | T | T | E | |
| M | R | A | Z | C | U | S | S | O | A | R | |||
| O | B | O | E | F | O | R | M | A | |||||
| U | N | B | O | R | N | B | A | B | Y | ||||
| J | A | P | E | S | O | A | T | S | |||||
| F | B | I | A | N | N | E | T | S | A | R | |||
| K | A | N | G | A | R | O | O | D | R | O | V | E | |
| A | R | I | E | S | S | O | U | R | E | D | |||
| H | E | R | E | S | T | H | E | K | I | C | K | E | R |
| B | A | M | A | H | O | P | I | T | I | N | E | ||
| O | U | S | T | A | T | A | T | S | N | O | W |
| A | L | B | S | E | T | C | H | E | R | B | E | E | ||
| B | A | I | T | C | H | R | O | M | E | C | A | S | T | |
| C | U | K | E | H | E | A | V | E | N | A | R | T | H | |
| T | R | I | E | S | O | U | T | T | V | T | R | A | Y | |
| V | A | N | L | A | S | E | P | I | A | E | S | L | ||
| D | I | S | C | S | A | C | D | C | ||||||
| B | E | N | S | A | N | D | S | A | P | I | A | N | ||
| A | R | E | S | L | A | E | S | T | A | N | T | E | ||
| O | N | S | E | T | I | C | E | I | T | B | O | W | ||
| C | O | M | E | C | A | R | O | M | ||||||
| R | O | B | P | A | R | S | E | M | A | X | I | M | ||
| A | V | A | T | A | R | P | A | N | P | I | Z | Z | A | |
| J | A | C | U | Z | Z | A | R | T | Y | S | E | E | N | |
| A | L | O | N | E | A | G | A | I | N | E | R | R | S | |
| S | S | N | S | N | O | T | T | Y | D | O | S | E |
| F | I | B | K | O | R | U | N | A | S | G | S | A | ||
| A | H | A | A | D | D | S | A | L | T | O | C | D | ||
| M | A | T | H | T | E | A | C | H | E | R | L | I | E | |
| I | D | S | A | Y | C | O | R | D | E | N | ||||
| S | T | I | R | S | O | O | N | P | E | E | N | |||
| H | O | N | S | P | I | R | A | L | O | N | C | E | ||
| C | O | O | L | D | U | D | E | R | E | X | ||||
| S | L | I | T | E | T | O | N | A | C | C | ||||
| D | E | A | R | T | R | I | P | S | T | A | O | |||
| T | O | Q | U | E | H | U | L | A | S | I | M | P | ||
| E | L | U | D | E | E | P | I | T | T | O | P | S | ||
| C | L | E | E | S | E | E | U | R | ||||||
| H | I | N | T | T | R | I | A | L | D | A | T | E | S | |
| S | E | C | T | S | U | N | F | L | O | W | E | R | S | |
| S | E | E | Y | E | S | T | E | R | Y | E | A | R |
| G | E | A | R | E | D | A | S | P | W | A | Z | E | ||
| U | L | T | I | M | A | L | O | U | A | G | O | G | ||
| F | A | T | B | O | Y | S | L | I | M | F | R | O | G | |
| F | I | E | E | A | R | P | F | E | S | S | ||||
| A | N | N | F | S | H | E | E | P | L | E | ||||
| W | E | D | I | D | I | T | E | D | G | E | D | U | P | |
| R | A | R | E | S | I | S | I | T | M | E | ||||
| E | C | H | O | O | T | H | E | R | R | O | A | R | ||
| S | E | E | N | I | N | H | B | O | G | O | ||||
| P | E | R | F | U | M | E | O | N | E | N | E | S | S | |
| H | I | D | A | L | G | O | E | A | P | U | ||||
| S | K | O | L | I | M | O | K | S | A | N | ||||
| C | A | N | I | D | I | S | S | E | N | T | E | R | S | |
| A | T | O | N | E | R | E | L | I | A | I | S | E | ||
| B | E | R | G | N | A | E | M | A | G | N | E | T |
| A | D | Z | S | M | U | G | E | S | P | A | N | A | ||
| T | A | O | A | O | N | E | T | E | A | C | U | P | ||
| F | L | O | D | O | W | N | J | A | C | K | E | T | S | |
| I | A | M | B | D | E | R | U | L | O | L | T | E | ||
| R | I | S | E | S | D | E | S | I | R | A | Y | S | ||
| S | L | I | D | I | N | T | A | Z | O | |||||
| T | A | N | N | A | O | M | I | E | K | E | S | |||
| M | O | M | E | N | T | O | F | T | R | U | T | H | ||
| A | N | E | W | H | A | Y | A | O | H | E | D | |||
| N | Y | S | E | S | T | R | I | P | E | |||||
| I | L | S | A | A | L | F | A | H | O | O | H | A | ||
| N | O | T | I | T | L | L | D | O | O | P | E | D | ||
| C | R | O | S | S | Y | O | U | R | T | S | I | R | S | |
| A | N | G | L | E | R | B | E | T | A | A | D | E | ||
| S | A | Y | Y | E | S | S | P | O | T | N | S | A |
This Thursday CROSS THE T'S theme is a companion piece to the following Thursday's DOT THE I'S.
| D | I | L | A | T | E | S | P | O | G | O | A | L | T | F | E | M | A | |||
| E | C | O | C | I | D | E | A | W | A | Y | T | O | E | A | X | I | S | |||
| F | R | O | M | D | U | S | K | T | I | L | L | D | A | W | N | B | O | N | K | |
| T | Y | P | E | A | A | E | O | N | E | L | L | S | I | T | E | M | ||||
| S | L | U | M | D | O | G | M | I | L | L | I | O | N | A | I | R | E | |||
| A | S | S | R | E | S | T | O | W | L | F | R | A | N | C | ||||||
| H | A | T | F | U | L | C | R | O | S | S | E | G | O | F | O | R | ||||
| O | C | E | A | N | S | E | L | E | V | E | N | A | S | H | I | M | O | |||
| O | H | A | R | A | G | E | M | S | D | S | L | I | T | I | S | N | T | |||
| T | A | K | E | L | E | A | V | E | P | E | W | T | R | Y | T | H | I | S | ||
| W | E | D | D | I | N | G | C | R | A | S | H | E | R | S | ||||||
| C | A | N | A | R | D | S | D | O | S | N | E | E | D | A | L | I | F | T | ||
| S | H | O | R | T | I | Y | S | L | P | E | E | R | N | O | R | A | H | |||
| I | O | S | E | R | E | I | N | H | E | R | E | N | T | V | I | C | E | |||
| S | K | I | P | S | E | S | S | A | Y | S | U | S | E | N | E | T | ||||
| R | E | R | A | N | E | T | S | A | C | T | I | A | D | A | ||||||
| T | H | E | G | O | D | F | A | T | H | E | R | P | A | R | T | I | I | |||
| A | B | E | L | S | A | R | A | E | R | I | E | T | O | P | A | Z | ||||
| T | O | B | E | P | I | C | T | U | R | E | I | N | P | I | C | T | U | R | E | |
| A | G | O | G | O | R | E | G | U | L | L | I | N | H | A | L | E | D | |||
| R | O | B | S | T | E | D | H | E | S | S | D | A | Y | S | P | A | S |
| M | E | G | A | H | I | M | O | M | O | T | I | S | ||
| A | L | E | S | O | P | E | R | A | T | R | A | P | ||
| O | F | T | H | E | W | O | R | L | D | S | E | G | A | |
| A | B | E | L | M | E | D | I | B | R | R | ||||
| A | P | R | I | L | B | A | A | S | K | E | E | T | ||
| L | I | O | N | D | R | I | N | K | L | I | K | E | A | |
| E | S | O | B | R | A | D | S | H | A | W | ||||
| C | A | M | E | R | A | A | N | I | M | A | L | |||
| W | E | N | T | C | O | L | D | A | X | E | ||||
| H | O | L | E | C | O | V | E | R | S | O | M | I | T | |
| A | P | I | S | H | G | N | C | G | L | A | S | S | ||
| R | E | N | T | O | U | T | I | M | D | B | ||||
| I | N | K | Y | B | E | A | T | S | A | D | E | A | D | |
| B | E | T | A | I | S | U | Z | U | O | A | H | U | ||
| O | D | O | R | S | T | R | E | P | G | R | I | D |
Fun puzzle. This one impressed me.
| R | A | D | N | E | R | S | O | T | S | S | E | A | M | S | B | F | A | |||
| A | S | I | A | G | O | N | C | A | A | C | L | I | O | A | W | A | R | D | ||
| P | H | A | R | O | S | I | T | L | L | H | I | M | A | L | A | Y | A | S | ||
| C | O | L | E | A | D | V | O | C | A | T | E | D | B | E | T | A | S | |||
| D | R | I | P | S | E | E | M | D | O | M | E | S | S | C | R | I | M | |||
| S | E | N | T | S | L | O | G | P | E | S | O | S | H | E | E | D | ||||
| I | M | A | M | M | A | C | J | R | D | A | B | E | A | R | S | |||||
| H | O | T | C | O | C | O | A | R | H | O | D | A | V | I | D | |||||
| A | N | A | W | E | N | T | B | Y | E | B | Y | E | O | N | E | I | D | A | ||
| R | A | M | D | O | R | I | C | A | N | T | I | D | O | T | E | S | ||||
| A | R | E | T | U | T | I | N | K | E | R | I | R | S | A | B | C | ||||
| S | U | R | F | I | N | U | S | A | M | I | D | A | S | L | T | E | ||||
| S | N | A | I | L | S | I | N | B | A | D | S | H | A | P | E | I | O | N | ||
| D | E | T | E | R | R | T | E | A | M | E | X | C | A | R | D | |||||
| E | G | G | D | R | O | P | M | Y | E | R | S | O | A | T | H | |||||
| L | E | A | R | W | E | I | R | D | S | O | T | U | A | L | L | Y | ||||
| I | T | S | O | K | E | N | J | O | Y | J | E | S | U | L | I | E | U | |||
| F | L | U | E | S | D | O | N | O | T | O | P | E | N | K | O | N | G | |||
| B | R | I | N | G | I | T | I | N | S | H | U | E | C | U | A | N | D | O | ||
| T | E | N | D | E | R | A | G | E | H | I | R | E | U | N | R | E | E | L | ||
| W | E | E | L | E | G | O | S | I | N | N | S | T | I | T | L | E | D |
| W | O | O | F | O | R | C | A | B | A | T | H | S | ||
| H | U | R | L | W | I | N | G | U | S | E | U | P | ||
| I | T | W | O | U | L | D | B | E | A | S | H | A | M | E |
| S | P | O | U | T | S | C | O | P | E | R | O | D | ||
| K | U | R | T | Z | L | P | S | O | R | B | ||||
| S | T | S | H | I | L | D | A | I | F | M | Y | |||
| S | E | R | R | A | N | O | R | O | L | F | E | |||
| H | A | I | K | U | W | E | R | E | ||||||
| C | O | Y | E | R | P | I | N | E | S | A | P | |||
| T | O | B | E | B | R | E | N | T | P | I | P | |||
| H | M | S | S | A | O | W | I | S | E | R | ||||
| R | E | C | A | L | I | G | P | O | N | C | H | O | ||
| O | N | E | S | Y | L | L | A | B | L | E | T | O | O | L |
| B | O | N | U | S | E | L | L | A | E | R | L | E | ||
| S | W | E | E | T | D | A | M | N | R | E | E | D |
Today's crossword reminds me of a favorite, not haiku, but poem anyway:
There was a young girl from Japan
Whose limericks never would scan.
When someone asked why
She replied with a sigh,
"It's because I always try to fit as many syllables into the last line as I possibly can."
There's a companion poem that goes like this:
That girl had an intimate friend
Whose limericks came to an end
Suddenly.
| R | A | J | A | H | G | I | Z | A | S | M | O | G | ||
| A | C | U | R | A | A | N | I | N | H | A | H | N | ||
| M | A | I | M | S | B | O | N | D | O | L | G | A | ||
| P | I | C | B | E | E | R | G | R | O | W | L | E | R | |
| E | A | R | L | D | E | E | T | E | E | L | ||||
| S | U | B | W | O | O | F | E | R | R | I | T | Z | Y | |
| P | A | A | R | P | A | R | H | A | H | |||||
| A | E | R | A | T | E | D | R | O | S | E | T | T | A | |
| T | I | S | B | U | M | A | A | R | P | |||||
| E | G | E | S | T | B | O | B | B | A | R | K | E | R | |
| V | O | L | L | O | R | I | R | U | D | E | ||||
| E | L | I | T | E | Y | E | L | P | E | R | H | I | P | |
| R | O | X | Y | V | E | E | R | O | D | O | R | S | ||
| S | N | I | P | E | Z | R | A | R | O | M | A | S | ||
| O | G | R | E | Y | E | S | M | A | G | E | N | T |
ELOPE and its plural variant we see today have seen a number of outstanding clues over the years:
- Go off, but not without a hitch
- Give a ring while on the road
- Marry a cutie on the q. t.
- Expedite some union business
- Not do the rite thing
- Take the honey and run
- Split with one's beloved
And my personal favorite:
- Opt for the window instead of the aisle