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Puzzles for February, 2023
with Jim Horne comments

Wed 2/1/2023
JELLOASANACGI
FLYINGSAUCERHER
KLEPTOCRATICEEK
OTOVINCASE
RUMTWEEBATED
DENALITSTRAPS
IMAGOMOTHERSHIP
NABISCOANCIENT
SPACECRAFTACELA
SMILERSBRUTES
HIHATTUBEMST
EDENFBILAM
LEDTRACTORBEAMS
PALBALLETDANCER
SLYSTEEDSTEWS
Thu 2/2/2023
READANALISLES
EYRESOHONAOMI
DECKCHAIRSTOUT
EACHITTY
ESSRASPWORDED
APEMANHAIROXI
TAMEDHYSTERICS
ARIABASISIDES
WENTALLINSCALE
AMAROTCPEERIN
YELLOWSARDENT
AUNTRIAL
BEADSINGENERAL
AMPLENOUSIOWA
ASTERSTETAILS
POW Fri 2/3/2023
BINGOALECQUAD
AFOOTBELLCURVE
CITESBIKERIDES
OWESWISHMELUCK
NEWHIREOAST
ROOMYBUTTSOUT
GERMSMUNISRNA
LYTEWEEDSEGOT
OOHDEANSSAABS
BUYSINTOBURNT
INTLHUMPDAY
GRAPESODASHONE
MARSROVERSONIA
CRYOSLEEPINOUT
SEANORSOTERMS
Sat 2/4/2023
CHICGARAGEASH
RAGUONETONBEE
AUNTSTEERCLEAR
BLOTCHEDGHETTO
ROUNDBEAT
RETROMOONSHOT
BATHEGOOUTSIDE
ACHETUNESETES
BEACHREADBESOT
ARTHOUSESUSAN
AWESRECON
MAISELPICKMEUP
BENEVOLENTERSE
ARKEVENSOIVAN
SOYRENDERDEFT
Sun 2/5/2023 Hollywood Remakes
CHESSSETRASHSILK
DARKHUMORELVISBERYL
THEIRRITESTOUGHATARI
MEGEPOCHHEADONIN
GOADEDTHAITANKNICK
TOSSEARSNAFTA
BACKSLASHLOCIERNST
SPAHELLOWEDALIMOORS
PERNODMETESDOADUET
WOWTUBESALPSNAP
FIBAHMIDDAYYESODD
MANUNAPAMENDTUM
IKNEWITCANOEARTIST
GEENASCHICKHOGGOXOO
DROLLHOLEALIENLIFE
LEWISGWENANTS
GLADHEATEHERSLANGY
NEWMUSICOMANIOCD
ADMINTHUMBMADETRICKS
STANGSATIESITTINGIN
HONGTEEDGOODGIRL
Mon 2/6/2023
CLAWSSOBSPEAK
LIMITQTIPEASE
IVANAURGEPREY
FEZSHIAAKITAS
FRESHERWRATH
SEAMATLARGE
GRINDRACHEIUD
OOHSTENORASTI
BAESHAGODDEST
SMARTERAWED
ROYALMEASURE
MATTELPURRPER
OHHITRESGITMO
OMANHIREOVOID
NETIYAMSDENTE

The music key F-sharp major (at 13-Down) sounds odd to modern jazz musicians, especially keyboard players. G-flat major is far more common, it's identical (at least for keyboard players), it's slightly easier to notate, and it's a favorite for many pianists, including me. There are philosophical differences between the two essentially identical keys that matter greatly to some people. Some classical composers, including Bach and Chopin preferred F-sharp.

The Great American Songwriter Irving Berlin famously could only play in only one key: F-sharp major! He had a special piano built so he could transpose to other keys by manipulating a lever that shifted the whole keyboard lower or higher.

Tue 2/7/2023
ALMSPLANBRAVE
NOAHHERABADER
TOGADAISYCHAIN
SKIDFACEINS
SCOOBATWORST
SUBWAYSERIES
APEREALBLESS
STATSLIPSONTO
HONORZEUSDAN
GUITARSTRING
ITSONMESPEND
MBAUSPSBATS
PICKUPLINEUTAH
ERRORALUMFILE
IDEALSEGOFELL
Wed 2/8/2023
LAMBACLIMBIBE
ALOULEOMAISEL
GOATMILKEDGERS
SETTOLISAMETA
DOJOENYA
FAJITAFACECARD
ASEAWALTONWHO
RILLDREAMUFOS
CALGREECENUDE
EMOTIONSOODLES
ALPOINRE
AJAXPTSDGRAPE
ROTINIPLAYOFFS
LEANINREIORCS
OLDGAGYSLSOSO
POW Thu 2/9/2023
ADHOCARABIBET
TEAMOCODESDOLE
REVERSEEACHRULE
AMENRAMAINITEM
SEGALMFAS
DAHCABARETSBAM
ATEATBRAEXCUSE
NEILTRIPODSCAN
CASPARAIGSIKHS
EMTBATTERUPSIA
DISHRESIN
TOGETHERSNIFFS
UDONTWOWORDCLUE
BOBSVISORLEARN
ERIEZEKEERNST
Fri 2/10/2023
FOYERCLICK
CERAMICHADON
WORDSALADEXILE
INREGENERATOE
FAIRSDATAPLAN
INSULTRESTAREA
PARTYSCHOOLS
OCTMAETARDSL
FREUDIANSLIP
FARFALLESLIEST
PIONEERSLEVER
ILYCRAVESROPE
SOAVEFEELSOKAY
LAKERSPIEGEL
EDITSSTAID
Sat 2/11/2023
VAMPIRESTOBAGO
IPRESUMEECOTECH
BIGTENCONFERENCE
EPODEEUFLAGIAM
CHOOTELLONSIMP
HODGESNOUN
EBBGASCAPPOSTS
CIAWORLDFACTBOOK
KARATACTNOWFBI
ISAYTOPTEN
ASSTVISTASHAFT
NAPMENTORFARRO
AMAZINGSPIDERMAN
LOWERGIPSALMONE
ANDYETSKYLARKS
Sun 2/12/2023 Cheap Thrills
WIGMAAMTCBYBOPS
AHMEDISCOOREOIKEA
SLEETINFERRUNGCRAL
CUTTINGCORNERSIFEAR
IMSNOSIRLEAPSON
ASTINBIODEMONRUM
PINCHINGPENNIESDIANA
ALOHATLCPROMDATES
NOBPDAALAMOSAYLESS
ASISEEITNADAREC
MEGSALBUMASSETEGIS
ISLSTABPREPRINT
MINIPIGTOUCHANINDA
OPENHOUSETOEROSIN
ASONESTRETCHINGABUCK
NONGRATAYEAMARTS
GENOMICARNIEBTU
HOLSTMAKINGENDSMEET
FOWLIDEMDALAIHORDE
WHEECURBEPODEIBEX
DONESASSDEWYPSA

This is the ninth puzzle in our non-rectangular grids list.

And it's Christina Iverson's birthday today.

Mon 2/13/2023
CNBCRASPEDGAR
UBEREIRENURSE
DATAFROOTLOOPS
RIALROIWII
SPAGHETTIOSURN
HAYSCHWATAPE
OLAFTRIHEN
WELLROUNDEDDIET
EARKIAINRE
SCANSIEVEDIA
CARCHEESEWHEEL
IVYHOENEON
DIPPINDOTSWISH
ELTONEDENLAKE
REORGDEMOSLIM
Tue 2/14/2023
AMSTELADDSKEW
PANAMABOAPESO
STARBURSTSOTTO
ESPERAHUNTED
KRAFTSINGLES
MIMITHCEYE
AMALFIEATSBAM
SALTINECRACKERS
AXEECRUBOILER
MILIRASLAP
KLONDIKEBARS
NUDISTBAESHE
ICEDSQUAREMEAL
FALLOUROSCARS
ESSEKENNESTEA
Wed 2/15/2023
WAFERSCABINCA
ILLBEMELTTBAR
IDABVVELLSSACS
SAPIREMOTTO
JAMESBALDVVIN
SPANISHWISE
PECANBOTRACK
ASKDOUBLEVCHI
MOSHGNCCUTIN
EARLWARNING
GEORGEVVATSON
ARTOOIRAGPA
MAHIVVEBDUBOIS
USESMEWLROUTE
TERMITSYLOTSA
POW Thu 2/16/2023
TINGFANGRAS
MIAMOROMAROVA
ANKARAOBIETIC
GREGMEDITOUCH
MOTEMACEANNIE
AAHBARONEDIT
DEPORTCOWS
LOWPHEBIKE
TWODORING
RANDOANNEEGOB
AVIEWYOURTIDE
MACAWICEENYA
RTEORBSESTEEM
OATWOREDURESS
DRYERSEAR
Fri 2/17/2023
GASHEATERAHAB
ABOUTFACESLEGO
SHIRTFRONTEARL
POSTALROARDIE
AREUMPGETSBY
TSESEALIEIN
MINUTEWALTZ
PUZZLEBOXES
PIZZASTONES
PENALLADACK
LATKESNAPRAE
ACSDUPEROBUST
NOIRVAMPIREBAT
TAZOSLEAZEBALL
STEWMADESENSE
Sat 2/18/2023
DONTERASEBBS
ALUMNIMAGSCLAW
RIDINGBOOTAURA
TVGAHIRACEBY
SEESTENDERAGE
PHONERECORDS
EDGEINWETAWE
LEADERSAPHASIA
ACLIONROUSTS
HAVEAGOODONE
DEATHTRAPLIFT
SESTETPHDROO
UNTOONTHEALERT
ICONNOENTRANCE
TENBEESKNEES

Jim here, sitting in for Jeff Chen who is filming a screwball comedy with IRENE Dunne.

We expect Saturday themeless crosswords to have a few great clues, and we get some doozies today. The top left corner starts with two outstanding ones. [Popular pubs for college grads] for ALUMNI MAGS is brilliant. [Directive for the board] is one of my favorite clue types. I've seen DON'T ERASE on blackboards hundreds of times, but not since high school. Clues that bring out memories you didn't know you had are especially satisfying.

I always learn something from this constructor. STREET PROPHETS felt too generic, but in crosswords, phrases like that must be a "thing", not just a "description." As you probably already know, it is indeed someone who spreads the gospel through rap music or graffiti. Tupac and DMX are considered prime examples.

Too many "great clues" can make a crossword overly tricky, and this one played hard for me. PHONE RECORDS for [Some damning legal evidence] feels tenuous. Sicily's ENNA used to be a crossword staple, but it's rare now. BARBED WIT didn't come easily to me, so [Art of cutting cards] was confusing, although delightful when the pin dropped. These things are personal, though. Fast solvers will race through this puzzle and be sorry that it's over so quickly.

There's often something in each puzzle that reminds me of a Sondheim lyric, and I've learned to keep that annoying habit to myself. Today, though, two different clues point to the same song from "Funny Thing": the "one two" pun at 57-Across and the "Left right left right" clue at 12 -Down. Imperial Rome Captain Miles Gloriosus leads his troops into town singing:

One, ... Two, ... One, ... Two, ...
We not only fought but we won, too!
Left, ... Right, ... Left, ... Right, ...
There's none of the enemy left, right?

You didn't ask, but this month's Jim Horne Book Club selection is Dr. No. Not the Ian Fleming book, but the recent novel by the brilliant Percival Everett.

Sun 2/19/2023 Simile Irresistible
NEONROBEAVIVPLANA
ALPOCHIAOBAMALOAVES
CLEARASCRYSTALDERBIES
LECHETENSMUONSOLDE
SHOPSGREENASGRASS
HIGHTOPSAAASSLOMO
ALLIEDENLISTANTFARM
SOUNDASABELLALBSLIEU
USEDCNBCKRISCODAS
PEDMOODDETESTSAVEME
PRETTYASAPICTURE
BIGAIRHOTPOTROMPNSA
ODORSSELAWIIGSOWS
BOATDUNKSMARTASAWHIP
ALLYSONSWEARSELAINE
PASHAHARMGOGETTER
SMOOTHASSILKBORAT
PALOOTHERPEONABOUT
ARMPITSPLEASEDASPUNCH
STEEPSTEMPTFATEMILE
MACROADUESTEWSTAY
Mon 2/20/2023
BRANDMAPCLASS
LANCEIREMANIC
UPTONSOAPOPERA
ETSZEESENAMEL
JUICEPRESSZINE
AREOLASPENASS
YESMDATES
TINDERMATCH
CHOREOOPS
CUBLEISTANTON
AREASQUEEZETOY
PSALMSTADAODD
FUSEBOXESLADLE
ULTRAFROELDER
LASTSLONABYSS
Tue 2/21/2023
LAIDSLAPHIDDEN
ERGOPETEORIENT
CRUDEARNGIVETH
HAAGENDAZSNAPE
ENNEADCAPRASNL
STARRMENLOWIDE
PSICIAAGRA
VOLKSWAGENDASHER
ERIEOHOTSA
ABBYLANESHUNKS
LIEHEMENKETONE
TRIOMAGENDAVID
TIARASWINOHIVE
ENCOREONITACER
AGENDALEDSNESS
Wed 2/22/2023
CHEEPROARBARK
HEALSANNORAVE
ENVOYPETSEASY
FRENCHGUIANA
SISHOOPSASPS
PENDPADTHAI
IDLEDKALAMATA
BEARSKIMPISIT
ETHIOPIAILENE
GETSMADBALK
RICASWILLNTH
ONOMATOPOEIA
WELPNEXTADAMS
ALOEKNEESITON
HISSPURRSNORT
Thu 2/23/2023
BITSAINGEATMS
OTOHSNARLROIL
OPPOTOGASCANE
TERRAINNAMASTE
COATSETDONTOP
APNEAGIABEERS
MLKTOADSREI
PESACHPUTSON
BLEUSONS
TOMCATSTOWARDS
ANADASHIKIOWE
RICCICALSATAN
TORONTOBLUEJAYS
ANONALIENARNE
NYSERETRORYES
POW Fri 2/24/2023
ALIBIBYAIR
PIECESGRUDGE
NOMAKEUPMAKEUP
MOPEDTRESSLAP
ERSEALECTINE
NUTSNEAKERHEAD
USABLEMANOR
SHROOMSTACOBAR
STIEGCHEAPO
MATCHALATTELOB
ERRSEYESALLY
ZEELICITETHAN
CONTENTCREATOR
ALDEANOILRIG
LAYERNSYNC
Sat 2/25/2023
FROYOITWASNTME
ROBINSOIGATHER
AGLETHIDEYHOLE
TAILORLESSREC
BIGDEALPEET
ONESNOCAMERAS
YESHOWAREYOU
RIVERCARD
CARENGINEODD
GETERDONETHEO
GEREGSTRING
ANTCALLTWITTY
READALOUDISSUE
TRIALDATETHORA
HANDMODELSANER
Sun 2/26/2023 Double-Doubles
TOFFPESTSEPICARTS
ACERALEVETAPESLEAP
CHRISTMASCARROLLOHHI
TONEPOEMDUESACTION
DIOREARNPOORME
ASSORTADDMITTSDEFEAT
LATKEAGOGAERIAL
AVEREXILEDDADSWISP
BEEATTITUDESMEHANTI
ASLRONANSUBSFREON
STYLINGCREMACHASERS
TADASCHARLILACDYE
ETASFBIWELLCOMEMATT
RENTOLLATAOISMONIT
TRUISMPONEFRAME
FORTHEEASSKINGKEEPER
AVOWALAPESMALL
REMINITSARGARLANDS
IRANMISSINNFORMATION
NINEBRAINBLINIELSA
GTOSAINTCYNICREAP
Mon 2/27/2023
PBSBEESLOOP
AMIAMPSCENES
POLAROIDCAMERA
EVESCAIRO
RINSESLOANCAP
SETMENINBLACK
SMEEIVES
BEARWITHME
OLAVMOUE
JAMESBROWNGAS
STANLEESTRUCK
SIENAYETI
MOMENTINTHESUN
BREAKSKOITAN
ARTSYHOPSLY
Tue 2/28/2023
SLOESCOTFORKS
WEPTHIHOONION
INTHERAINREPRO
GOSOLOOTISSET
SLOBONABOAT
REFEMIRSKINNY
BREWLOITER
GREENEGGSANDHAM
MUDEELSOIL
BESETSTATAELK
INATREEMOBS
GAMILLSPREREQ
ABIDEWITHAGOAT
SLAINEMMAANTI
KEMPTSPITRASP
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