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Puzzles for October, 2023
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (3)Editor (5)Jim Horne (8)Hide comments
Sun 10/1/2023 Film Adaptations
TULIPSALPACAAHMAD
ONEFLEWGOAWOLMOORED
THECUCKOOSNESTATTICA
MOSTTOILSOVER
SOHOSORIONNIAENT
IMONTHEEMPIRESEKIRTS
PANACEAMAINACTEAR
THELANDTIMECHITUBA
EASELITSPHOTOGENIC
ASTROPOPTIEUNESOT
TRANSLOSTLATION
BISIREIDALETTUCES
CLOSESHAVETMIAMINO
DEFTABEREADINGBURN
HEMNODDERSEASEDIN
JEOPARDYJEOPARDYRACY
ACRTEEESSIEMSDOS
MARRIEDUPFRAU
BROILSCROUCHINGTIGER
STRODELARVAESETMENU
ESTASATBATSESFEET
Mon 10/2/2023
ALPSATLASTAB
SEALWHOOPRACE
KILODAILYHIGHS
SAMURAISONSET
CAROWNS
BEHINDBLUEEYES
FAXEDSUDSYADO
LIARCHESSSLID
ELLMOANAAKITA
ASTHECROWFLIES
ATOPIMS
ASIDEFINALIZE
INDISGUISEODOR
DIETARLESPOOR
SPASLEETELMS
Tue 10/3/2023
STOODMEHVMA
MAUDEVESTIGIAL
ELTONINSTRUCTS
ALFRESCOPICT
REIBOARSSCORE
SRTADRATSIRAS
DNAHANSIMP
ONESOCKRETRAIN
GEMDANAALA
RIPSNORSKGODS
ELENABAMBANET
RASPMAYBELLE
COOKIEJARALIEN
BOREFRUITCANTO
SOSETCKNEES
Wed 10/4/2023
ASTERSWBAACME
PAWNEEHAMCHER
OTIOSEASPTILE
PICKINGLISTPEC
NEINAILASSET
YARNPOT
OAHUDIGSELITE
PRINCESCODICIL
TITHEHAULDKNY
TILPLED
CARPESOLEAST
LEIBILLSOFFIRE
ARCSREOPARTIV
MIKEKEGAMOEBA
PESTSPYLESSEN
Thu 10/5/2023
HITBAILPSYCH
ATAGLANCEOPERA
JOBMARKETTONYS
LOTSABEST
RESETTESHESP
BUSROMACORNEA
INCHOOPSTODAY
SARALEECHOSLO
ETAILTRUEFUEL
CAPRISEDAMPGA
TBSNYPDDEMOS
MESAASTIN
MAFIACLIPONTIE
SWINGAUDIOTOUR
GENIESVENPDA
Fri 10/6/2023
TYKESELIEPDF
BUNGEEJUMPFREE
SMOGALERTSLIMA
PAWWACKOFAVOR
FETTBURIALS
ASHLEEELNORTE
BOOEDTRAINESC
CURESHEMTHESE
SRSALICERAYON
GETLOSTFOMENT
PRORATEMOWS
RAPIDNEARSROB
OPECADVICEGURU
MEREGUINEAPIGS
SSAEPEETANSY
Sat 10/7/2023
HEDGEMAZEIMPS
AXELFOLEYSLEEK
MXMISSILEHOMEY
MOODQEDSOVERY
NNEUNAWARE
EMERGESOUTLIER
LOTSONOCHANCE
OBIBADIDEATHA
PIZZABOXICHOR
ELEANORBARRELS
NAVYVETIWO
ENCINOINTSECT
TYPEAYODASPEAK
CRASSELECTEDTO
HOSTWARHORSES
Sun 10/8/2023 Tones of Voice
MOCHASCACAOROAMS
ADPAGESGALOSHEASIER
VERMONTWETRAGCHANCE
GOLDENOPPORTUNITY
TALCREINDOI
AVIATIONREDEYEFLIGHT
SEESITRETILEYOWLED
SHEAFADONISBOARS
PALEORAMONESBLEND
BROWNIEMIXDEFROST
SEWLEILAGBUS
VESSELSGRAVYBOATS
ONSETACREAGEOLDEN
PALESBRIBESRAIMI
CHICASOAFISHPLEDGE
PINKYPROMISEPOPSCENE
YAKHAULSAUL
COLORFULCHARACTER
ARABIAIROBOTOPENERA
REROLLSOLIDSFANEDIT
ODELLTWITSYODUDE

I've always wanted to construct a Sunday crossword with colored squares. The idea for this puzzle arose on a long, overnight flight from India to the U.S., when I noticed that RED-EYE FLIGHT could be phonetically reparsed as "red ‘I' flight." It was surprisingly difficult to find similar examples! The complete theme set coalesced about three months later.

This puzzle is reminiscent of two Sundays in recent memory: one by Rafael Musa earlier this year, and another by Lisa Bunker in 2021. If you enjoyed my puzzle and somehow missed those two gems in the archives, do yourself a favor and give them a whirl. Some of my decisions in theme execution here — like the placement of cross-referenced theme answers in adjacent Across slots, and the inclusion of COLORFUL CHARACTER as a (nonessential, but satisfyingly apt) "revealer" at the bottom of the grid — were inspired by Evan Birnholz's puzzles in The Washington Post Magazine. Any constructor interested in making Sundays would do well to study Evan's design principles on the 21×21 canvas.

I'm not sponsored by SPYFALL (yet! ... board game publishers, my DMs are open). I just think it's an uproariously fun experience for 5–8 people.

Mon 10/9/2023
GRAMPAAMIDBRR
PILEONKILOLIU
AMAZONBASINOTS
CLUEHANGOUT
IKEAMETACARPAL
VILLATAPISLE
SNLPALMYUM
APPLEPEELER
ESPELANAWE
NADAAREASKEW
UBERMENSCHCEDE
DIPLOMATACO
IDOTECHSTARTUP
SETERIEEVENSO
MDSLYNXRESTED
Tue 10/10/2023
SASSMOSTFEDUP
HULAEXPOADOBO
ATOMGEEKNUDES
GOGODANCERSORE
ARTNUMB
GALJOJORABBIT
PLOTNEMOSARAH
ALLAHENTSSDSU
YOYOTRICKSSEE
JERKISH
TWONONONANETTE
RINSEOVERLARS
INEPTDATEICES
MESASELSAXOXO
Wed 10/11/2023
AJARSAMIBARRE
ROCKMUSICONION
ANDOUILLESTRUT
BICSTALESMIX
AEONTWA
PEPPERCAYENNE
ATOPSEALEDALE
CHASMAJOSNIDE
TICISSUESOVEN
CHICKENCELERY
TAIKOLA
MEHNOWNOWVAN
LUCASWHITERICE
STOCKLIFESAVER
DELAYSPEDYARD
Thu 10/12/2023
LAILAALIASHIP
APGERMANBROOME
YEARBOOKAMOUNT
OYSSWEETS
CPLUSFAOTHETA
HOAXJACKSIMAS
RPSMCQSIGNORS
TFORRAGT
METOOERPEPHBO
ODOMWOWEDMEOR
SALESLIZTARTT
ENCALLBRR
MIATASLALAKERS
ELVERSBLACKOPS
SLEDSEASTASIA
Fri 10/13/2023
MATCHESMOSAICS
THEHELPONANDON
VANILLASCREAMO
VOICETEACHER
OBSESSEDDOTE
BINCOSTCO
ADASTRACHATGPT
MERMAIDREFEREE
ATLARGEEYESORE
LOATHEWIN
ORALINSTALLS
PORTAPOTTIES
RUBICONENRAGED
ATOMANTSASHIMI
HEREIGOTIEITUP
Sat 10/14/2023
MANSEAHABPUMP
ALBUMREGULATES
KOALAMARZIPANS
ENDUREPIZZAHUT
UEYKEGKAY
PANZEROTTIAGTS
GAITORALBOHO
EASTERNILLINOIS
WITREICEREDS
WNYCGEENADAVIS
AHATLCSSW
THESAUCEFACEME
MIDAUGHTSLIVID
EYEBLEACHLAINE
NANADOHASOLES
Sun 10/15/2023 Doing Doughnuts
ODESMOBSTARDOMBOSC
PIRIPIRIASTAIREALTA
EVIDENCEYESICANUDON
CAKESTANDMELDSFOO
BOSSAISLEBETAAPP
EDGESMITTENSZIPSBY
MELTFROSTEDTIPREHAB
BRASLADYSTEFRILE
LIZFUMESAPSROCOLD
EVEOVERRIDESMRSUN
MEDCINNAMONTOASTENT
EMIRSHORNSINONDEW
FIXEUHHNEELEOSILE
UNPCSOAPISNTMDSE
NARCOPLAINTRUTHAEON
KNEADSTRIPHOPTRANS
MISSINGSIRENADOS
UMSNORUNSUGARBUZZ
SAILCASITASFANTASIA
ITOOADSPACEOTTERPOP
CENTPERSISTSEESSNS
Mon 10/16/2023
DOMESZIPSSLIM
OZONEOBOEPAPA
JASONMOMOAASAP
ORADIMFLARE
SKITLIVENTREE
CHANNINGTATUM
OLETUSHART
BYGUMMRTEGGOS
OARACAIIMO
DWAYNEJOHNSON
ENDEARLADDORM
UNCAPZITNIA
FLATMOVIEBUFFS
DATAISEESTALK
AXESCHERPETES

Michael Lieberman: This puzzle has its origins at this year's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, where we made a point of meeting each other at the suggestion of our mutual friend (the journalist Stefan Fatsis). Andrea's excellent movie-themed puzzle (with Christina Iverson) came out a few days later, and we soon started emailing about collaborating on something else movie-related, which led to this theme.

Andrea wanted to include Chris Hemsworth (if not "all those Chris guys," as she put it), and we thought we had a theme set that included him, only to realize that I had miscounted letters and had to replace Mr. Hemsworth to maintain symmetry. We'll try to work him into our next collaboration!

Andrea Carla Michaels: I was thrilled to meet Mike, magically (Magic Mike?) on Stefan's April Fool's birthday. Mike's earlier-that-week LEMURMURMUR puzzle makes me beam every time I think about it!!! This all came together quickly and easily and was a hunk a hunk a burning love.

Tue 10/17/2023
KILTHEAPMETRO
IDEAANTIASHEN
DOTDOTDOTSTUNG
APEMAZENEO
ALBARIERODED
DOUBLEDOGDARE
SARIAIWATARS
DINGDONGDITCH
SEALMESOELAN
DRESSDOWNDAYS
SHAYNENNEPSA
PALDECIATE
ANIMA3DPRINTER
NOVELPERUVIVA
SIEGEOMENYEET
Wed 10/18/2023
RIPAHIFEEANI
ERACONTORTROD
FORTHEFIRSTTIME
UNTIEEBWASANA
SEEDURBANKNOT
EDDYSNARESAME
REORDER
BIBLEEWING
ONEIDAAVATAR
STATESPETSPA
NOMEATPREMED
ABRACADABRA
RAZEILLERSGTS
ALEERAISEKIWI
TLDREMAILICON
Thu 10/19/2023
UTONILLAVIGDA
SUNUSAININFRM
HRDCLUEDBARIE
ANEALEDCITREN
TEPEERCESKDS
DORICIONTO
MRSDIESSLUGS
REIDSCHMEENOS
IDTAGASORLIN
KARNAEATAT
IDBRATEESTAD
SETERSBOOKCLU
INHRETROLLHOL
ASFSTLONGUEND
HERESCODASSEW
Fri 10/20/2023
ASISATRIASPAR
MOTELROOMSAHME
PLEXIGLASSFOIL
MOMBUENOBENDY
DEETSMOTE
SEDERSGOODYBAG
AQABAPARTYFOUL
MURALERRDIODE
SANTABABYORKIN
ALTEREGOFUSSES
OTTERDEBT
SHOESAVAILFOP
IOTAEVILGENIUS
GRIMGELINSERTS
HANSGLESSWEST
Sat 10/21/2023
REPAIRSHOPS
SECONDOPINION
STILLNOTAPLAYER
CANALMUSTYLSU
ALITVENMOFATS
BENSENDSKITES
COREACENTRE
EMBARGOWANNEST
YOUSEEVOIDS
ENTERMAORIWEB
LOTSGORDOPINA
IPOMERITDUNES
DONTINTERRUPTME
DISCRETIONARY
TAKEMYMONEY

I'm feeling excited, proud, and grateful to be making my crossword debut today!

I'm a middle school social studies teacher, a quilter, and a dog person. I started solving the daily puzzle early in the pandemic, and it took about a year before I could regularly solve late-week puzzles without cheating. I began constructing in early 2022, and I submitted this puzzle in early May of this year.

I could not have made this puzzle without the veteran constructors who have answered my endless questions and given me feedback on my grids. I'd especially like to thank Rich Proulx, Carly Schuna, and Aaron M. Rosenberg for their guidance and encouragement. Thank you also to the editing team for improving many of my clues, to everyone who contributes to the constructing groups on Facebook, and to Jeff Chen and Jim Horne for their years of running XWordInfo (which I have consulted religiously).

As a UVA graduate, I'm thrilled that the editors decided to keep my clue for 6-down. Go Hoos! It also is an honor to debut Ibram X. KENDI in the Times crossword. I hope this puzzle makes for fun Saturday solving!

Sun 10/22/2023 You're Onto Something
MGSIGUANASSPECSVIE
ARPDOGRACEHADATIMP
DOESNTGIVEAFIGURENAH
CUCKOOSTHINEDEARME
ACTIALOOFVIPROOM
PHOWASHINGTONPOSTURE
SORDIDTALEENOSIGOR
AIDYDEEDSHEENA
PASTURECARINGFEES
OBOEREADGOALTEND
TELALLURETOOWELLCEO
STOOLIESINREERAT
FEEDNOMEANFEATURE
SCLASSTUBEOLGA
BOONFADSCOURSELOAD
ADVENTURECALENDARREA
LEERIERERODEMIRY
OBLATEDUNNOCESSNAS
ALIENDUREONAHIGHNOTE
NUNRISENLETITGOCON
SEESELLSDYETESTORD
Mon 10/23/2023
COPEMODEMLALA
OPALOBAMAORAL
PERMANENTRECORD
ANTMAYAALASKA
IDOLCOTES
MASKINGTAPE
BELLSOLOESTAB
RATATOMSOWE
ALOOFCREEAMEN
HIGHYIELDCD
SCENEDOOR
APEMANITLLUSA
SINGLESTREAMING
ARTEVICESTSAR
POSEASHESVEGA
Tue 10/24/2023
COLDSPAMCOWL
BAMAALLINOAHU
STAYCLASSYSKIT
YOURENOTMYTYPE
SAMPEA
TIMEFORACHANGE
ANYTRILLZINC
FURBYODEMAZDA
TIREJERRYMOP
THESPARKISGONE
ROOGTO
LETSWRAPTHISUP
IVANTCHOTCHKES
NEROSTENONECK
KNOBIWINOSSA
Wed 10/25/2023
TRONDRJJARGON
COMETRUEONEIDA
MEGWHITEHAMMER
COPARENTLUC
ORGANBIEBAIMS
DOURRANSOMS
IMSDIGGNASSER
SESTINAWHITTLE
TOYINGSIAMOMA
EGOTISMCUED
BBQSSECTLITRE
YOUSTAKEOUT
GRAMMADRUMROLL
UNDOERAIRPORTS
MESMERYASNEED
Thu 10/26/2023
SCENEAHABMAID
HONEYWAVEONLY
ESTEEARISTOTLE
BIRDBIRDSTONE
AGEADDINSANE
NEALEYOLKTEN
PLACEPLACEAT
HOPOARART
BITTENSHYSHY
ALTBETSOASES
MOOCOWEDULOP
MANMANMANBABY
UPANDATEMTAPER
SENDTROYELSIE
ETSYHANSDEETS
Fri 10/27/2023
SLIMESTITCHES
SPATESOHBEHAVE
CATSATBESEATED
ARENTCELESTENG
RENOHERONRTE
SUITYOURKISS
STEEPPALED
EASELXENON
STRIPIONIC
TAYEVEALTHAT
DRSMECCAWINE
RICEBOWLSTALIA
AVEMARIAMONISM
MINIBARSRINSES
SADLYYESSLATE
Sat 10/28/2023
LAMBEDPAMFMRI
ARIADACAPOLOAN
NONCITIZENABIT
DUCKFATSAYSNO
USEBYMATSCHI
PERUTOILETSEAT
TWITTERRANT
STARTERHOME
CHOKEARTIST
CORNELWESTHAVE
ARIMEADPERIL
TREXESFOISTED
BIKESMARTPHONE
EDENLABORPAINS
DADAYESAIMSAT
Sun 10/29/2023 Fabric-ations
RAPDUOCTRLZEBRAFISH
ELOISEAREAADAPTEDTO
GINGERBREADBINGEREAD
ANDESORALBABESRANG
LESSIPADPURLSHESSE
TONICPERSEBOT
SENATESEATASSENT
SPADEREARJDATEMOE
ARIOMELETWARDSOPTS
MIDFOCUSDALAIPRATT
CUTFROMTHESAMECLOTH
DENISTPAINPAULAHEN
ECCEHAIRSMESSESIRA
CALTEXASBANAMAZES
OPENERERRORPRONE
INSGENIEARENT
LACEDPRUDESTIRIDOL
ETALBLOCSAPTSCHILE
ARMSREACHCREAMCHEESE
FIREEATERUGLIVERGED
SAYNOMOREPOLLSWOONS
Mon 10/30/2023
OTISMOCHAUSES
LAVAAPRILTEAK
AXELSTUPIDEASY
FIRSTAIDIRATE
ARLOCHAIN
GUIDEANIMALELK
ANNIEMOWSMOI
LAMPPRANKTORO
AGESLOGBONDS
SIMHIDEANDSEEK
OBIESNEAT
AFROSEGGYOLKS
BRIGHTIDEANONO
BEAUINERTEVEN
ATMSMANSESEES
Tue 10/31/2023
ATMSHIPSNEATO
CHIAACRERAWER
HALLOWEENASANA
TIKTOKSTSTROT
HESOUTTHERE
BALMSPAPAYA
ELOIARKSCREAM
ROUNDLYVIOLATE
GETOUTATSEVAN
REPOSEOMENS
DONTLOOKNOW
AMAHPCSPIANOS
RADIOYOURENEXT
CHIRPTUNAAREA
YARDSETCHLONG
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