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Lindsey Hobbs author page

4 puzzles by Lindsey Hobbs
with Constructor comments

TotalDebutLatestCollabs
410/15/20204/7/20231
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1010110
ScrabDebutFresh
1.561863%
Lindsey Hobbs
Puzzles constructed by Lindsey Hobbs by year
Fri 4/7/2023
HAMITUPHAJ
DELIGHTSMASA
TOPBANANAOVAL
IONSMITEPLANO
PROMITSCATNAP
OPTINEASYPEASY
SIGNEDTURIN
DODGEDABULLET
BABELSLAMON
SWEETTALKAVERY
TONNESORBARTS
ROADSGROINGEE
AHMEKIDGLOVES
DOERFREEBIES
AOLCORRODE

I think the seed entry for this puzzle didn't make it into my final grid, but I was pretty enamored with the grid structure and the central down answer, so I stuck with it. The editors upped the toughness of some of the clues — and the amount of Simpsons content — but I hope the puzzle DELIGHTS in any case.

On a side note, congrats to all the ACPT champs this year. I watched the finals from home, and as always, was fully floored by the skills on display, not to mention the nail-biting finish!

POW Sun 6/27/2021 GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
SCAMSEVERGTREEAKITA
HANOIPAPERHATSWAGED
ANNULESOTERICAAZURE
STANLEECREEDUPROARS
TOLDYAHONESIDONOT
ASSMRTRTEARE
MELLOWYOLBEYES
ABBACRIEDWOLFRAFA
BLOODOSILENTUIGIRLS
EARARLOLAAERNOCUP
THEPLAYCONGOODDJOBS
HANDSAWENQUIRE
PRODIGIESBUGGYWHIP
FINSEARTHJAIHOSAME
FCCELOOILSAT
THERPLANETULTRAVRAYS
DELIMESLREELIER
GRADATESTONRAWONION
OUICONTROVERSIALGPA
ATLIUDANEYERYEHES
THYDTSMESSYSSTTNT

ROSS: I'd been kicking the tires on different GRAVITY'S RAINBOW grids for a couple years when I mentioned this concept to Lindsey. I wasn't sure it was a workable idea, but the smoothness of the final product here is a testament to Lindey's top-notch gridwork.

I've written a bit more about today's grid on my personal puzzle site, Rossword Puzzles, and we'll talking about the construction on Monday evening on my Twitch stream, Cursewords Live. Join us!

LINDSEY: I was psyched when Ross suggested the idea for the puzzle. As a huge admirer of the work of both Thomas Pynchon and Ross, I was enthusiastically on board. The grid layout and fill were not the easiest, but the result is likely the most aesthetically pleasing of any puzzle I've had the pleasure of working on.

While I was delighted when Will Shortz let us know he was planning to run it during Pride month, Pride wasn't actually the inspiration for the puzzle (hence the inclusion of indigo, which I only just recently learned is not on the gay pride flag!). In any case, I'm happy to have our puzzle included here and hope to see more from LGBTQ constructors during all the rest of the months too.

Tue 3/16/2021
GREBESCOSTBAD
NOVOTEOREORBI
APERECORDERIAN
WERETREETASTE
ADAEARJERKER
INFOCUSOUST
BATMANFUNSPAR
EVEICEDTEARIO
TERILTRANGORA
POOHAUTONYM
AXDODGERSIDO
SAUDIROILSUSS
ICKURNOFEVENTS
ATEMEETTINCAN
NOSSOTSSEDERS

The idea for the puzzle came to me while I was, er, making some iced tea. Because that's what making crosswords does to your brain — compels it to turn otherwise mundane things into goofy crossword themes. I started with APE RECORDER, which immediately brought Jane Goodall to mind, which immediately made me cackle. After toying with some other possibilities, and a lot more cackling, I eventually came up with a workable theme set. A simple concept, but a fun one to make, and I hope a fun one for solvers too!

Thu 10/15/2020
EFLATSPECBOAS
PLATYNADALIME
SESUPAUSTRALIA
OUTLIERSTUB
MRSFREEDOMMEA
EISFAYKANG
COFFEEPOTSOORA
AWORDTRUTAROT
VEGETRAMPOLINE
ETIMHAMSRA
SONREPOMENTAP
OAKMACARONI
DOWNUNDERDIDGE
OPRYOINKOODIR
STYXTOTSSTYES

Very happy to make my Times crossword debut! I've been a daily solver for many years but only decided to try a hand at constructing in the last couple of years. After many failed attempts (I can't say exactly how many, because it's far too embarrassing to look back at my earliest submissions — my sincere apologies to the editorial team, who kindly reviewed them and gave thoughtful feedback for each), I finally hit on something with this one.

The idea came to mind back in January when Australia was frequently in the news as a result of the massive wildfires happening there — feels like ages ago now! Using DOWN UNDER to indicate theme answers that literally move down and then under seemed like a great premise for a puzzle, and miraculously, most of the potential theme answers I came up with also worked well in that structure. The puzzle went through several iterations, thanks to the editors and feedback from other constructors, and is much the better for it.

A shout out to my crossword mentor, Ross Trudeau, and the folks at the Crossword Puzzle Collaboration group for their incredible support for underrepresented constructors!

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