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Puzzles for March, 2016
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (27)Jeff Chen (31)Jim Horne (7)Hide comments
Tue 3/1/2016
ESSOHAWKASPS
TIEROLEOGREEK
HEXASEEPAMATI
EVENSTEVENSLPS
LEDGEICUZEE
EVELKNIEVEL
UNPCEOSALEVE
KEROGENHANDLES
EVERYGOVASST
SEVENELEVEN
REDEATYIPES
RMNALLABOUTEVE
HITONAWOLSTEN
ENEROLARDMENS
ADDSAYESERTE
Wed 3/2/2016
AHEMABETGAPED
MADELEARALIVE
ABITTARALUCAS
ZITICOUNCILMAN
ETHERECO
ROLLSENDURE
MOCCOACHABEL
ORZOITWOULDSEEM
SEALSUGARRKO
TOREROREPOS
AWLOHARE
PENNEANTEPOKER
MERITDEALRIGA
ALIKEEMMAETAS
STEEDNOELSANE
POW Thu 3/3/2016
AMMOSTESTAB
LAUDETHNOEWER
MUSEUMOFHISTORY
ALICUREALLTON
CALERRAGO
AQABASIMBENIN
NULLLIMOSNERO
VINEEGANSECON
ITOFANGIRLABE
LITRESECARROW
STEELTESTS
SLAGACED
NICOISEWAFTING
IMEANITEREADER
LOOKINGDEEGATE
Fri 3/4/2016
BEDABDULJABBAR
RPICARTOONLIKE
OHSCHEERLEADER
WEPTRISESBELA
MARTANOGNAN
PERIWIGSNAB
DRACONIANSEPTA
FATESFHAKAROL
SLEPTTITLEROLE
SETBLOTCHES
ZACPADUSAIR
EDOMIRANITBAR
RADIOLOGISTIBO
ONETWOPUNCHTLC
GARTERSNAKESEA

Flag of Bahrain In the print version of this puzzle, the clue for 5 Down is "Country with this flag":

Sat 3/5/2016
TAUTNOSIREEBOB
ARNECRIMESCENE
LASHILLBETHERE
CLORISERLERAT
USUALONUSCMDR
MENNONITELOUIE
SADVASTTINGOD
PETERFALK
TAMALEEARLJEB
ANITABAREITALL
BODSCOTEAISLE
ITTGLAMANEMIA
THEHEIRESSRISK
HEREANDNOWENOL
ARMWRESTLEDENY
Sun 3/6/2016 IN CHARACTER
FLOIMAGEFOTOAGAIN
BARFODORTRAINBRUTE
OURCOMRADEOFMERCUTIO
MRIRIOINNOREEONS
BANQUETGHOSTTOTALS
HUSSUESHORNTOW
MAIDSELDERLYMONARCH
FATCATSMALAYIDAHO
ARCHEARDOIAIRODES
SCHEMERAGAINSTCAESAR
ALONEAHEMS
LOVEINTERESTOFOLIVIA
BENEEGOEVESONMOON
LALAWALAMOGEARING
EVILANTAGONISTSPICE
DENCOIFSSIBACE
EMOTERMACABRETHANE
MICEIDAABEEERCEL
UNHAPPYMALCONTENTTRU
SCALEEELEDRADIIODD
SATYRSSTSANSELRYE
Mon 3/7/2016
OUTERFAQABUSE
WHAMOASUFUGUE
LUMPSTHERACHEL
SHARIFLARK
GENIALLYETCH
UFOSVIESAYHEY
SETSERASEEME
ANC90SFADSMEN
UNHIPLIENANA
SEISMSEWEACTS
ALSOMETADATA
LOUDSMURFS
DRMARTENSBREAK
ACUTENITLANCE
PAGESSLYELATE
Tue 3/8/2016
INATRAPSTRANDS
MESHUGATRAVAIL
FUSEBOXJUNIPER
IRENESOCAL
NATSETTHETABLE
ELSALOANYEN
SEOULSUITED
OTTOPREMINGER
SHRINEMAMIE
WHOIAMBRUNG
MINUTESTEAKPAR
SHALEAORTA
ASSUAGEFURCOAT
HAIRNETARMHOLE
HOPPERSBLASTER
POW Wed 3/9/2016
SLEDOWESPUN
AESOPRAYBOISE
NATUREPRESERVES
THERICHTIREOUT
AYESHAPELYTPS
MOONJELLY
ALVINESTLOUPE
BOOKENDHAIRPIN
BOLEROPUEBLO
EPTSLOWJAMRAT
SHELATEITCASE
SOFEWTIMBRITS
LADYMARMALADE
ECOLAWIRATER
SENECAEMBEDS
Thu 3/10/2016
ATADCAMUSBARI
THEEOZONEODED
LEONLUCIABUNS
FLIWERTIOLEA
CLIMBSTECHSAWY
YEAALAIEMOTES
DANSALECALERO
HIWACCINE
ASLANSLEDDECK
PEORIAIDOSPOI
REWINGUPLASHAT
ITTKANCIWIES
OHIOSTARZEDTV
REDDSIREEGREW
IDEEILIEDEARS
Fri 3/11/2016
RASHADLACERATE
EZPASSTOLLLANES
HEAVYCASUALTIES
ARMEEBSIDES
BASABOPGA
TAKEFORAFOOL
FEMININEWILES
BARITONESAXES
MOUNTAINBIKER
THREESTOOGES
ARECTNTAG
OMELETOSAGE
AMERICANLARCHES
MADECONCESSIONS
PAULKLEELOSETO

"Head Stone" (41 Down) made me laugh.

Sat 3/12/2016
BROADENSGROSS
BOXSOCIALMELEE
QUESTLOVECODEX
PRYHABITINKS
IKEATENDSLOSH
TESTSGOUTROO
THATSWHATSUP
FAIRLYNOTYET
PENCILPUSHER
ARTNYESDODOS
RAISECOSTLESH
ALDAASHERNPR
SCOLDSHAREWARE
KATEYTOPSEEDED
ITEMSWEEKDAYS
Sun 3/13/2016 DON'T SUE US!
DSTDEPTSOREOASKSTO
RNAAPARTPETASCOURS
POPSICLERSTICKNARNIA
HOPESOSIETHEREDS
ITEMTUPPERWARERPARTY
LYRICTAEOHYESIAM
OPUSMINEPESETA
VELCRORSTRAPDECODE
ASOFTENRUNCHEROOT
STOLEHEHEYOLOTOE
EEKXEROXRMACHINEMAN
EWSLONEPOLOCEASE
HIJINKSEKESTARTER
TABOOSFRISBEERGOLF
GOTSETTOROIDED
UBIBORERATASPASM
TEFLONRPRESIDENTALTO
FOOTERSMRIESPIED
GAUCHEPINGPONGRTABLE
OINKEDIDEAITISIILL
ORDERSNOOBTONERSAT

Circles in grids have referred to circular things in the past. Elizabeth C. Gorski did it with champagne bubbles and with car wheels. Mr. McCoy goes a step further. As Jeff points out, today, the circles represent circles. Nice.

POW Mon 3/14/2016
SCATCATTYTBAR
UHUHALOHAHOPI
FETAPLAYWRIGHT
IRONWOODANGIE
KANTSENEDS
SISSYBUTTED
EDUSHAREHOLDER
REBAELUDEMORE
BATTLEFIELDWIN
LEADINOWNED
ALESSEBOZO
LATKEFIREBIRD
GRINDSTONEBLUE
AVEOLARGOLIMB
EASTYIKESYAPS
Tue 3/15/2016
AMOSLUNGJAWED
LOREETALENAMI
MACADAMIASITIN
STATESOFMATTER
BESWEAR
PASHATUBERTAO
ALTARSTAIMANN
ICESKATINGRINKS
NOAHIOCHECKLE
SAMCLEARBESET
BAREAPO
SOLIDLIQUIDGAS
DIALSEBULLIENT
ONTOPDEESVEND
ZESTYAXLEEKES
Wed 3/16/2016
ELMIRAJOKEPHI
FAUCETAXELAON
FRIEDONIONSUNO
SARDINETEFLON
NAVALORR
PICKLEDPEPPERS
PALSROSSIVOL
UGLIERANGELA
NEBVOIDSORLY
STEWEDTOMATOES
UTASHAMU
MRHYDECONSIST
ONEDRUNKENCOOK
PERATRABEATIT
EREYELPALTARS

A rare correction: The crossword puzzle on Wednesday provided an erroneous clue for 1-Across, seeking the answer "Elmira." The clue should have read "Upstate New York city where Mark Twain was buried" — not "born." (He was born in Florida, Mo.)

Thu 3/17/2016
PESTOARIASNOD
ONEUPBANDEEDU
PREVEUNADVISED
SATANISTSEST
UGHTOECANTEEN
PEERATCRUOGRE
NBADRAFTGIT
ARIALREPOASES
CONEVAPERON
EMUSAMTOKSANA
VENTURATANPOG
DAMTURNOFEVE
WHATAPITYTOXIN
HOTMAZESERECT
OWEINEPTSASES
Fri 3/18/2016
MINICARSTRAFE
ONTHEMAPIBANEZ
IDEALIZETANGLE
RUSTRENOIRELK
ESTEECNNELOI
LAVIECREPE
TRAVELCHANNEL
LESTERPEARSON
SILVERBULLETS
PEEPSOSLER
YAPSASHSOSAD
WHOGREENSHOLY
AERIALROEVWADE
RATTLESTEWOVER
EDSELSANSWERS
Sat 3/19/2016
STJUDENUDISTS
CHENINLOVESEAT
HEAVEDONELLAMA
MONETSSCALAWAG
ADASHMIISNARE
LOUTSANTADYAD
TREEHUGGING
ZELDAFITZGERALD
MICHELLEWIE
AMFMSCENESENT
MARONHPSJUDGE
PROPOSALHARDEN
SINESTROENGIRT
UNDREAMTWIENIE
PASSERSSEDGES
Sun 3/20/2016 DOUBLE-CROSSED
BUTTFESSHADJCESAR
STOICEQUIOREOAMPLE
CREPEAUNTHIPSLIEUP
HIPPOCRATICOATHCREME
OLAYASTANAHULUCNN
OLDGROINSHESALLTHAT
LOSALAMOSTIMCARB
GUTENMIMOSATAUNT
CNETSOLBARMEMBER
PRIDEPARADEADDEDBWI
HICLUAUSUNIONLIP
IMOFORITUNDERDURESS
SETSADATEPISPUSH
HAIKUSTPATSSMILE
NILEANOMIAMIDADE
PRETTYPENNYOPCITCOL
REPLEANOILPANHOWI
ASAMIGOESUNDERGROUND
GETINOKRABODEAPPLE
UNCLEDIALAVONDOLOR
ETHOSASSTDANANEWS

Patrick Berry had a similar puzzle in 2007 where the undoubled letters spelled LEFTOVERS.

Mon 3/21/2016
LSDSOFAUNTIDY
OURPOOLNOOGIE
SMASHHITWRONGS
EMILELAFITTE
SENORARUSHHOUR
IREELFRESUSO
TYRABUNTESSAY
TRASHHEAP
ADIEUSLEDAPBS
RUNTSPRETRAT
FISHHOOKNEWERA
PULLTABCANIT
REAMEDHUSHHUSH
UNCASTLEANPTA
EVENSOONTOSAM
Tue 3/22/2016
BOMBATALLATMS
ODIEDETOOCOOK
BOCADEFOGHOJO
ONADIETSISENOR
TRIBECA
KOALAMENPIQUE
AMIESENSEDULL
TARGETDASANI
ORSTOVWAXYAZ
HOMEGAMES
SPCAPSATSAMFM
LEASTPIKFLORA
ALPHABETIZATION
SLEEPERNOWORSE
HARDEESSONNETS
Wed 3/23/2016
WASTEMRTMOSS
OCEANSIOUABLE
NEXTDAYAIROLIN
TRUSTNARITA
ABOUTLASTNIGHT
THEONECANEYE
DATAAERIAL
STARTINGALLOVER
TOMTOMVIVA
SHOOPEPIECES
LONGLOSTFATHER
UNLESSHOWSO
ICONTRIPLETIME
CHATOURSLEDGE
EONSREDFLASK
Thu 3/24/2016
HALESTDCCUP
APPLEPIESATIN
LOGICALFALLACY
OPALLIVECHAT
ADONEW
EBECAUSECIRCUL
SEXZIPSOUSA
NATEJECTTBAR
ECRUADLIBAGR
SOAKSOARNEE
ONSEKAMGNINOSA
IGOTEE
CRASSESTASTI
BEGTHEQUESTION
CEELOUNFROZEN
DROPEATSEDS

Jeff feels that BEG THE QUESTION "feels like a tenuous connection" to this theme. The word pedant in me disagrees — that's the answer that made this puzzle sing. While the phrase has come to be (mis)used as a synonym for "raise the question" (this makes no sense to me!) it has traditionally meant "take for granted or assume the truth of the very thing being questioned" which is exactly circular reasoning.

If this feels wrong to you, take comfort in knowing that we word pedants always lose in the long run. "Irregardless" will become standard form, "I could care less" will somehow make sense, and the original (Aristotelean, apparently) meaning of "beg the question" will be lost forever.

Anyway, I love logic puzzles and I love crosswords so a crossword about logic works for me.

POW Fri 3/25/2016
PENPALSLOWJAM
AVIATESTONEAGE
CELLOSPAPERCUT
KNEELHATSEKES
ALSACEPOL
HALLTIESINEPT
OBIEARRANTMOA
HANSOLOVITAMIN
USEREFLEXBONG
MERGETONEUNTO
NASHOUSED
ODORRENESHEET
HATERADESTABLE
ODETOJOYPEBBLE
HASHTAGARISEN
Sat 3/26/2016
DRAWSMEANSIT
ROSINMOMJEANS
IDYLLMARMADUKE
FEELTEXMEXCST
TOTALIDIOTSETS
COLUMNEAPOE
LAMESASATANS
CETERARATINE
MATHISCOVENS
ASHENDOTERS
STERMEMORYHOLE
SARCOVERSEXIT
INCAHOOTSDELLA
FERRARISATILT
STYMIEDESPYS

This grid pattern has only been used once before, 18 years ago.

Sun 3/27/2016 PITCH IMPERFECT
NICESHOTTORMENTACTV
OVALTINEAVIATORSOBA
DONTSQUEEZETHERICHMAN
ERNOSNOREAPURPLE
ERESNTHLSUTALL
WELOVETOSEEYOUSLIME
ALLRIENNRAPEDESTAL
GLORYSPIKEHEELSEMU
EINEATOMDRESALMA
DEIDRETHISDUBSFORYOU
DORMOSHEASIRI
OBEYYOURTSHIRTJESUIT
WAXESROEDREIENDO
IRAJEOPARDOUSINFER
ESCAPISMLEIRAIDRAT
THEFABRICOFOURVEILS
MIENNAERNARENE
BOTANYEYEVALCNBC
YOUDESERVEABAKERTODAY
ORDOENTENTEIMPEDERS
BEEFROSSSEANAILEDIT
Mon 3/28/2016
CASHSLAPSPOSH
LUTETORAHANTE
ADAMSAPPLEIBAR
SIMIANAMINOR
STINGHOTPOTATO
IONAPACEWIRED
CRABARTANDRE
APPEALING
SPIREGINSATE
ARMEDROMANMAX
TOPBANANAEVENT
VIOLINEMERGE
FINNGLASSONION
EDGEHOPUPACED
ZEESTWEENLADS
Tue 3/29/2016
SETSUHAULPSST
IGOTSALSARITE
LADIESTEESIDOS
ONAPARSTEVENS
YETLOULIBYA
AMOSPANPIPE
FANAONENASSER
ALLDOGLEGSCRO
RIYADHOSLOOIL
LISSOMEJUNE
STERNUKEMAN
HALOGENCARDED
ISAKGOLFCOURSE
ETTEOCEANLEAK
DEERSOOTYELIE
Wed 3/30/2016
PASSEACEDASSN
FAKERGUARANTEE
CHEMICALTESTING
EPCOTKINDA
TOBEMEALTICKET
STARRSLAINORE
PILFERGIG
CLIMATECHANGE
IERTHORAX
ATOSTAIRARISE
DIRECTMAILSLED
DRAMAVOWEL
SATELLITECAMPUS
ONORABOUTWEANS
NARYJUGSANNIE
Thu 3/31/2016
OPTEDIMDBIDIG
VERVEDEERLENO
ONEANDONLYOSSO
INSNULLANDVOID
DABISSOJETTA
AMIDSTSLIPOUT
LEERCESSNA
SNATCHANDGRAB
WAFERSIMAN
HOTSPOTUPSIDE
ALITOTAPECDC
VIMANDVIGORARK
EVERAIDANDABET
NILEMOETADLAI
SAYSELSEYAYME
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