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Puzzles for August, 2016
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (28)Jeff Chen (31)Jim Horne (4)Hide comments
Mon 8/1/2016
DIPSLOGOTTER
ODSHOWELOADED
TOYDOLLSDOMINO
COOLESTTETON
ACHETOUCHDOWN
NEOCCSRAPRNA
YOUTOOABRAM
TOMMYDORSEY
TEPEEOTTAWA
SNOTELATECOP
TOPDOLLARCHOP
ATTARSLIDOUT
LESTERTODOLIST
LATESTASAPNOW
TORTEROYSGLO
Tue 8/2/2016
HAHACAPERPICT
IBETALINEONOR
COLLARLESSOHMY
PURERUTHLESS
MILNEFOEECLAT
THECAPEFAULTS
GOSHASARULE
EPSARTLESSSOB
GUESSATSEGA
ASPIREMYSTARS
LHASAIOSTIMES
BASELESSCALL
ENCLMOTIONLESS
RIALALERTUSER
TALEGARRYPSAS
Wed 8/3/2016
TORMEWARMFLAP
OPIUMICEELOLA
WIBLOWINNDUSER
NESTIGETITAXE
IFSAARON
BFFDEROLLINGEP
ALOERTERPEEVE
SOULOBIESPLED
ERNIEONCAMERA
DADANCINGRKSTL
MSDOSEAT
RHOSALINEHAWK
AUNTRASINGININ
TREESNAPANKLE
STYXEDYSSKATE

Relying on AUNT Sally and her order of operations acronym has fallen out of favor, and for good reasons. There are plenty more operators beyond the simple ones Sally happens to mention. Even if you do understand the arbitrary rules, it's easy to write confusing or misleading mathematical expressions.

Software programmers in particular are taught to avoid reliance on them. Extra parentheses clarify intent with no downside since compilers strip out unneeded ones for you. Worse, computer languages don't all agree on the order rules and some, like APL, ignore them completely.

Thu 8/4/2016
ASLANTREPACES
CAESAROARBOSH
DROWSYTRIFECTA
CANIDSILVERADQ
RAPTSAND
EXPLQRERTSETSE
NFLARETEEWER
DIASCELIENEIN
ELIATOITYANI
DENALICHERQKEE
ROCSESAU
NAVIGATQRKEBAB
DRONEBEEDELANO
ANTELEIWILLDO
KEENELIINSIST
Fri 8/5/2016
HOTWARSLECTURE
INORBITEXURBIA
DEMILLESPLEENS
TEENJEOPARDY
RASHDOERAS
ARCEDSLATOAHU
PERSONLITANIES
CTAJUDOMATRIA
DOWJONESXANADU
SOLICAHNDUCES
GAHOOHLENA
FLAGRANTFOUL
RUGLIKEARTSALE
EPHESUSISEENOW
DEADESTREPTILE

Brendan Emmett Quigley is one of a very few top constructors who have established a strong, unique voice. Congratulations on 20 outstanding years.

POW Sat 8/6/2016
FLASHMOBDEBTS
ELIHUYALEASAHI
ACROBATICHELEN
SOFASTHUSDHL
TOATBOZOSCRUE
SLRCUBEAVAILS
JEDIMINDTRICKS
ETATPOOR
UNIVERSALDONOR
PELOSIGUAMLEG
SOONDAISYDYER
IDSOEILGIMLI
LATCHDIAPERPIN
ODIUMSTREAKING
NATTYYEARSAGO
Sun 8/7/2016 ANCHOR LINES
OPALSHAUNCALVEAPBS
NOSEPABSTATEAMLIRA
TOPSTORIESGLAREANOS
ACCRUDDBREAKINGNEWS
PHARISEESORRADRIANI
EVANAGOGUNASPEN
DETAILSARESKETCHYPYE
AROMACANTOZEEILES
BIOSUFCREFISADNESS
ACLSPOONERISMROT
THELATESTBACKTOYOU
IDOTHEJONESESENS
GALLOPSSLAGNINLEIA
ISAYATEOCHOAPESCI
MISTRAFFICANDWEATHER
MATRIBFAUMAASNO
EMPANELBUSTASTINESS
FILMATELEVENLOANAAH
INASABARESTANDINGBY
VOCETONGAFRITOAERO
ERESSYKESWINOSGRAF
Mon 8/8/2016
MIAMIAPPSEGGS
URBANDARNTREE
GRANDHOTELVENN
DISNEYHOARD
LASAGNASUITES
ACUTEIGNOBLE
REPENTIANASHY
VIETITANICCOE
ATRALENCABALA
STREETSLOPES
OTITISTALLEST
DAZEDVIOLAS
OREMBIGPICTURE
ROMPBLOBAESOP
STETCARYBRATS
Tue 8/9/2016
MACSZOOMZOOM
OSHAITNOINPUT
CHITLEERPERMS
KENOCRANKSABA
AUTHORAUTHOR
BATTYTRIPE
OROPASHASDYES
NEWYORKNEWYORK
DANEMEAGREUNI
ACIDSABBOT
HEARYEHEARYE
ELLBSHARPETCH
ALITOINRINCAA
TIBERETONOHMS
SINGSINGWASH
Wed 8/10/2016
BIRDCRAWSRAS
AMAJGRAPEHALT
JAKERAZESAJAR
ACIDJAZZTSWANA
AVEBBQHAW
SHAGGYQUAFF
FAVORQUINTUPLE
PLOWQUICKZEAL
DOWNQUARKCZARS
STICKDAYSPA
BOXILKJIG
EXEMPTFIVEFOLD
AEROIHAVEORYX
MYOBNEVERHEMI
SEXYGEARNMEX

This is the first ever QUINTUPLE pangram in the NYT. Double pangrams appeared occasionally even in pre-Shortz grids. The first triple was by Matt Gaffney in 1998. Then, Peter Wentz managed a quadruple in 2010 but required 16 columns. In 2013, Raymond C. Young squeezed a quadruple into a standard 15x15 grid. Today we have another milestone from David C. Duncan Dekker who had a triple pangram just last year.

Here are thumbnails of all seven Shortz Era multi-level pangrams and for a slightly different view, here are the same puzzles with the scrabble values colorized so you can more easily see the letter distributions.

This page shows pangrams organized by constructors so you can see who has been most enticed by the challenge. One pre-Shortz constructor seems to have been obsessed by them.

Amazingly, or perhaps inevitably, today's puzzle destroys another record as well. It has by far the highest scrabble average of any NYT crossword.

POW Thu 8/11/2016
ACCRATACOSCOT
REAIRAMOKWAVE
CONFISCATEARID
DEALTEDMOND
ANYLIFEOFRILEY
RICEPULLEY
GOODGOLLYWHETS
OBRIENBIOPIC
TENETFLIRTWITH
SNEEZESLAM
SCRUTINIZESONO
PHENOMACING
YOGIRUNTHROUGH
FRATOPUSENERO
IDLYDINONOSES
Fri 8/12/2016
PETUNIAPIGASAP
SHAKENBAKEGILL
SUPERDUPERECTO
TDSVETSINKEY
SOBSSSTARS
SPROUTPIANOS
POOFSDICKTRACY
ALOTVEXESADOS
NETPROFITINONE
AROUSEJIGGER
AGREESDANE
COOTSJAMSTAG
CRUZABOVEITALL
RENEROTISSERIE
ADDLPOSTITNOTE
Sat 8/13/2016
ANTESUMACSTAT
LOUISPRIMAOHIO
FUELTANKERPERK
ATSEASENDSOWE
LUDENSICEMAN
FRANTWEENAGERS
ANYNAILSALONS
JOBTITLES
CHARACTERSYUL
BEINGTHEREFETE
SCREAMDEISTS
HIEYAPATASHES
ALDATALIASHIRE
RIOTEVENSTEVEN
PANERECAPRADS
Sun 8/14/2016 MORAL THINKING
HOPIRAFTACHEDODOS
USESALISTLOOSRHINO
THEOLDGRAYMERYLPANEL
SALTINESRURALSERENE
OVERBARTLETTPERIL
SNIPERRANKSHIPSLY
PACERHASTYJEERED
AMYSRAPTSCAMRETRO
RESKODIAKBARRELWHUP
ESTEEMEDNIXESAWAITS
EXECSWIDOWSTERN
MERINOCOVENTOOLSETS
AWOLMARKETSHERYLRHO
PELEGSEESETTACRAW
DARKENPLIESBOONE
AMAGEOPRIGSLOLLED
BILLOFFERRELLBARD
ANDERSVAULTMUSICALS
TIREDHANDLEWITHCAROL
EMILEEDGEDANTELEGO
DINARFEESDEEDLAST
POW Mon 8/15/2016
SAGOVALEFFORT
TEAPAPAMAIDEN
EGGHUNTSIMNEXT
LEGOSEENIE
MALTBARRELRACE
ONESELFAMYBOX
ENTERTREAT
HEADSWILLROLL
MOTTOGOTEM
OUTFABCREATOR
DRUMSTICKSNONE
ETHNOAIOLI
TIPTOELOGCABIN
INBORNTHAIANI
ENJOYSSOLDDEN
Tue 8/16/2016
ARFSPABSTSDAK
SOUPALLAHTOBE
SURFERDUDERYAN
EGOBEETSPOON
THROBROGERMUDD
USBUSOMOE
ACCTMINIOVINE
NARROWLYDEFINED
GRUELICESODDS
EDSDIELIL
REARENDEDPARKS
ADORNSRTAOIL
ALEXARTOODETOO
PERITEENYPOST
ERSEEPEESARKS
Wed 8/17/2016
DUCTSHRIMPMAJ
ANNOPEORIAOWE
VIBEEDSELSVOW
EXCHANGESTAILS
OLDEARNE
AMPLESEMIARID
LOUDTROMPEONE
ORBDOILIESLUG
NAPARNOLDMESA
GLADRAGSRISES
SIKHLABS
AETNABLEMISHES
SCIRELIVETAUT
OHMTOUCANEZRA
FOESNEERSPEON
Thu 8/18/2016
JOELIDRISMBAS
ALTONAACPELLA
RECONSIDERATION
KOOLSALINE
SWIRLYHYPED
SUETEPCOTRATE
ARTURLANAILAG
TEMPERAMENTALLY
IDAMONEYSLEEP
NORMSELMAMYST
TIGHTONBASE
PINTALOVIN
NONCOMMUNICABLE
OKIEBAGELCOIN
MESSOPEDSSPED
Fri 8/19/2016
WHATSTHATHOURS
RICEARONIINSET
ESTATETAXLEONA
STEMNAGALSTON
TODSTIRFRYOIL
ERICARARESURE
DYNASTMANPURSE
SHEDGOOP
BIGEATERTEEHEE
ALLYREEDTRAPS
DOEBARBETSDIS
EVADESIMORATE
GENOABRINGITON
GLENSITSGOTIME
SADATTHESTATES
Sat 8/20/2016
WATERTIGHTIMAX
AZALEATREEMEGA
SUPERSTOREDTEN
PREVUEARTBOARD
ANSONHENLEY
JOTSDEWTESLA
IONEMERINOTAX
NEEDLESSENSATE
TMIENSUEDAMES
HONDOAPTNYPD
INFANTTODAY
STONEAGEIMELDA
WARTRUMBLESEAT
ANTENAPOLITANO
YAYSSMOKYTOPAZ
Sun 8/21/2016 WONDER-FUL!
SAABSRIVALAVAST
ANNULETERITUGRILLES
BEASTIESKIFFLIPLOCK
DECLAPHOECHI
UZISYELLOWSTONERUNE
LENAEXPEDITIONSAMOS
FDANILLACDC
PALEOCEDEOFFSREBUS
AAAMOOREDRAMAIRE
PHDEDMONDSLAVICONE
YOSEMITEHOMELOAN
APUDOCSPAEMONIH
NATIONALPARKSERVICE
SOLEMNIONIADEMEAN
USMAPMETGALAGAYLE
BESTRONGNEPALESE
EVERSOWBOSON
HOLYCOWARMEYPEDANTS
TREVIMINDCANDYINAWE
METESENDEAVORSENDIT
LOOSENPRNEWSTEATS
Mon 8/22/2016
ACUTPOPOFFZIT
LOPEENAMELERR
BITTERENEMYBRA
AFOREBEGCRED
SALTYLANGUAGE
UMPYOOSEER
ROEGSNLALLWET
SWEETHEARTDEALS
ANDREIPUNDRIP
AMBISIRMAS
SOURPATCHKIDS
WINDSOWPUPAL
ELITASTEMAKERS
PETSPATESELLA
TRYKODAKSSLOT
POW Tue 8/23/2016
MATCHGAMEBASH
ALEHOUSESCELLO
NOCONTESTREBUS
NEHIVASSALAGE
RENEWIZ
SIRMORTGAGED
INULINWAYBUGS
ARMORKEYLUMET
MEOWZOEWOBBLY
REMAINDEROSX
NAPETDS
IMPERFECTCAMP
SWIRLTHATSALIE
MANGORECOILING
SHAYEXHIPPIES
Wed 8/24/2016
TASKRAMPSWING
VLOGONIONERIE
TAUSCALVINBALL
ANNCOCAPAC
PODRACINGMACAW
ENTERONONEMORE
RIANBANET
FANTASYSPORTS
TLCTHYPAR
BAKLAVAKEENEST
ANSELQUIDDITCH
TASNCISERA
POOHSTICKSSMUT
ARIAALAMOAPBS
WELLROSENOSSO

Clever theme.

Thu 8/25/2016
GNASHPAVEDROAD
RONCOOPENRANGE
AFOULGREENPEAS
MEDDLESSOD
MAISIEAMCUMPS
ARCSNAPOUTOFIT
ITLLOSAKA
NAMHEREIGOSET
ARUBAANNI
SATELLITETVBAR
ABETANYMIMOSA
HAYCOLOSSI
SLEEPSOFALINES
ROBREINERARISE
STBERNARDSEASH
Fri 8/26/2016
PINTERESTMECCA
INATRANCEVALOR
SUPERFOODPRONG
ARESAUNTSESTO
NESTNEATIDEA
THCLODVIA
HATTREEKOIPOND
ONESETGOATEE
STEAMEDBETHERE
TINORRASS
TAPROOMSSTYE
RONASPASMLIAR
EXGOVCLEOPATRA
LISLEATTACKADS
ONTOEPASTTENSE
Sat 8/27/2016
KARAOKEBARGLOM
IBELIEVESOREZA
DRUMSTICKSATOR
DANATALSITINS
OMENSNOGDETER
AHIURSASHO
SPACECADETNOV
WINSBIGBATPOLE
EANEISENHOWER
ENOARNOSUR
TOTESGMCSTRAP
SWATHEIHSROTO
PITHSINEQUANON
OREOCREAMSICLE
TESSSEXPISTOLS
Sun 8/28/2016 THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST
SCRAPMESHHARKSTSO
TRAVELOGUEARENASHIP
RADARANGERDAMECHEESE
UZOMOTHBYEBYEINFER
TENSTHEATERDAYTONA
HASAREASCENAROM
SENATEIDEAKEYEDAURA
ELUDENESHEARPERLMAN
RARESTDSERRASOU
MISDATESHANANAAMPAS
ONESPRITEDECORPSREA
NESTSSTEEPLEMETEORS
HARSARISPACUTAH
ASSUMEDAMENSANELITE
BAASROGERINSIDEOPED
SNLVAPORBROSORG
ITEMONEEYEBOLTYAYS
NADALSAVEUSVAINLEA
THANEALLENIMEDNOVELS
HAYSPATTIGIRLGROUPS
ETSSPOSENOSEANTSY
Mon 8/29/2016
IMACSJENGADAM
MEDALECOLIERA
OLDFAITHFULVET
TIMEOUTTINT
TEJANONEBULAE
IVANKFCNABS
BICSALADDETER
ICKWYOMINGOVA
ATSEAPENCEWET
OARSLEIRENT
MANSMANSPORTY
ACHYMUSCLES
RHOFORTLARAMIE
SOLISSUETROOP
HOETAEBOHYENA
Tue 8/30/2016
APPSSMOREDEBS
FRAUACRESEVEN
COPPERCUPSCODA
ELIAEARNER
PURRSIRONFENCE
SHAMSNOWREEKS
EUROPEWNBA
CHEMICALSYMBOLS
ATRIREININ
EBSENINHDGENE
SILVERAGEABATE
CREATERENU
ODEDCARBONCOPY
RIVEURBANKITE
TEEDRAILSSLAW
Wed 8/31/2016
SLOPMERCHPISA
PENAIDAHOEROS
YESWECANITASAP
ADAMATSTAKE
SALTYNUTUSC
IRESWINGBANDIT
PEGSANOMAINS
SHORTSTOPIT
BIDETEAULOVE
EMILYPOSTITRIM
APAPENROSES
HAMPERSBROW
ELOIMAKEITLAST
RENTILIADEDEN
ODDSTEAMSTEXT
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