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Puzzles for April, 2021
with Jim Horne comments

Thu 4/1/2021
MYGODDEVELF
BUONOEYESSLUR
AMOCOCRAPLMAO
VERYRELIGIOUS
SEEMUYRAM
HARHARSCAREDOF
ESSENTIALLYARI
BTENMMITVAD
OLABADMOUTHING
PASSEDBYNOODGE
OARSUNLET
BLENDEDFAMILY
BORGPELTGENRE
QUIZSPAYHICKS
STEPBRTAHOE
Fri 4/2/2021
ANIMALFARMBAKU
BONGJOONHOARES
IVEMOVEDONLOAM
TACBESOILANA
SEWSRUNNERUP
TITLEARNETT
ATALLSARAHBUS
RESELLSELEMENT
AMYDAUBSHORDE
FORMATELIOT
DEBUNKEDBIEN
ELATEIDIGGPA
GENZLEDERHOSEN
ACTESWEETTREAT
STUDDEATHSTARE
Sat 4/3/2021
BEATHALLSKALE
RASHICEUPIPAD
ARSEGESSOCOSI
CLUTCHTHICKSET
HAMHOCKLUSTRE
SPERMNNERILED
IMSOEXCITED
FLIRTATIOUS
ALLTATTEDUP
PLAITYONSAUTE
AMUSESTEENMOM
RANGETOPTROPIC
KATOAMISHTILE
ATENRILEYCREE
SADESTEALHESS
Sun 4/4/2021 GAME CHANGERS
SNARFJUSTSOMANNERED
WALDOUNPACKITSALIVE
IDEALBREAKERNEWHAVEN
FIXKEYENAMELPARS
TRAUMABUNTSERIOUSLY
LUSHESAVERSE
LAWNSTUDENTSARLOSAW
SINAIMERLOTSYSTOLE
AMBCOBSCRUBSHASTE
TEASBEDSOFAIRSOGOOD
PEORIAONETWO
LINEDETECTORETANCOS
THECWSEADOGIREALA
DORSALSLEBRONGOMAD
SPFROOSLABOROFGLOVE
ADULTSASLOPE
INVISIBLESINKGLOBAL
CHOODARWINSIAERA
HOTWATEREXTRAINNINGS
APIARISTRARINGTRIOS
SETLISTSSMOOTHSANTO
Mon 4/5/2021
DOGOAKCHIEF
ERRPINAAGENDA
ACIDTRIPWIIFIT
NAMESTEAMSITE
RAPSCASTE
INCITERENOLCD
POODLECUTDRDRE
ADUEDENIMAHAT
SENDSLOCALDIVE
SSTMAINLOITER
YOUINPAPA
PUSHDEFERNUNS
SLEAZETAKETHAT
STARESCREWONE
TATERLYEHAM
POW Tue 4/6/2021
ARSBARCAREPA
PECLOVATOSOB
HEAVENSTOBETSY
ISPOSEMORASS
DEETSTOTES
GEEZLOUISE
BOOSEATACSIN
FRAGNOSEMAGE
FSTOPSILOS
SOSOONRISERS
DWELLERS
SNAGTOADMAGS
HILOCOWSOVEN
APOLLOPALATE
MAHLEROBLIGE
STAYEDTAYLOR
Wed 4/7/2021
HAJJITVADFATS
ANAISELLALIEN
HORNEDTOADURAL
GEORGIAPEACH
ECHODISANCHO
ROOIBOSSYSTEMS
ANTSYPOETSET
MARIOBROS
YSLNUKEREAIR
ECOTONEPRSAVVY
SOURSMAOGAYE
MURIELBOWSER
AREAOOPSYDAISY
AGEDIDEAAPPLE
MEDSNESTMEARA

Today's puzzle marks Will Shortz's 10,000th daily crossword as New York Times Puzzle Editor.

In my blog post, The 10,000 Days of Shortz, I share some of my own stories and observations.

Over at Wordplay (my old job, as Bill Maher likes to say). Deb Amlen has an extensive interview with Will.

Thu 4/8/2021
BCCSALAMOFIST
OAHUBERYLACAI
APIERONTHESCENE
SNLOUTIEOTTER
DEBTROCS
WHATSUPDOCKYAS
RICHSIRDEPOSE
ENTERTOMTRUTV
ADOREDNABOGRE
KIRFOREVERMOOR
HUGOMOOT
ATTENOBOESTSA
QUAYDEMOGRAPHIC
UGLYABHORSITH
ASEATARDYISEE
Fri 4/9/2021
PFFTDIGESSAY
ALAIWISENUTSO
TAKETHEHIGHROAD
EYEBEAMSRAUNO
MARTPHONETAG
SPECIALSAUCE
WEAKBAYPEEPER
ANTLOLCATSNAE
NASSAUHEHTERA
ONTHEREBOUND
STANDBYSREAM
AHLGOPWALTONS
POLARBEARPLUNGE
OSAKAUREYRIOT
REHABPENNASH
Sat 4/10/2021
ADSALESTWADDLE
DEADASADOORNAIL
OLDACQUAINTANCE
NUDGESILKYNOG
IDLETAKESTYRA
SEEMYGODRABIN
ASPENDECOCT
ETUDESRIBEYE
DYEJOBDONUT
REMUSSOCKSSIT
EPPSBALKSUHNO
AILJONASCLOGS
MEATANDPOTATOES
OCTOBERSURPRISE
NEEDSTOTENANTS
Sun 4/11/2021 MERGER MANIA
CIRCEABRAMOBJECTORS
UBERXHUEVOBEAVERHAT
LIFECOACHESINBALANCE
DETERSYRUPTONEPOEM
RELAYDYLANUSS
UKETEARNOOKTIBIA
SINGLESBARSDRIVENUTS
UNDEADATEAMBEELIST
ADULTSCEPTERSSTELMO
LAMEMMAISOSPUTTER
TROUBLESHOOTERS
MIGRANTOAFPARMTSP
AQUILADOCILITYOPINE
SUITCHEHEIDIMIAMOR
TIDEPOOLSSPAMFILTERS
STORETIEDBAILCEE
ALEARROWBLAIR
BARESALLSIZEDENNUI
ANIMATIONPOLOGROUNDS
GETINHEREUNLITDICES
SWELTEREDPESTOETHAN
Mon 4/12/2021
ENDSOCHOMOBS
BARNAHABAGUE
BREAKFASTROLLS
WIKITHAIELSA
OHDEARTINTDIP
BAESTRANGELOOP
ILLSEEGSIGNS
TBSPARTS
AWGEEALEACCT
THEWESTWINGAHA
TATROWETACTIC
ATOILEEKMALL
INSIDEBASEBALL
FILMZINEADIA
STEPETTALYNX

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid nearly cost me my education. I was studying physics at the University of Alberta when that book came out, and for two weeks, I didn't study, do homework, or go to class because I was so caught up in that damn book.

It felt like Douglas Hofstadter had written it especially for me by combining all the obsession of my youth — logic puzzles, art, music, math, and wordplay — before I realized that none of them were ever going benefit me in real life.

Tue 4/13/2021
APPSTRAYSWISS
IRANOHSOTONIC
DOPEROADRUNNER
PEELEHEEDARE
HORRORFILMETRE
WSJTOOAEGEAN
YEASRISING
MOUNTAINDEW
FRIENDDAVY
NAPALMEMTKEA
ERASBALBOAPARK
AERMULEPOINT
ROCKYSTARTEDIT
BLEAROREORAGU
YALTASNAPSNOB
Wed 4/14/2021
CAMOCLARAFRA
RAMENSEWERLET
OPERAPARTBAGO
BONEWEARYORMAN
HONTREBLE
MOTRINSAYSNO
ABRAMHELPEYES
LOAMLAMBOWALE
TEMPELIAMENSA
PAINTSTARTAR
ADORNSFEE
DELTSHEREWEARE
DWIELATEECRUS
TENCOUNTSHEEP
OYETATASTOAD

Young Mr. Hasegawa is the latest addition to our Teenage Constructors page.

Thu 4/15/2021
SUREDIDMACABRE
OVERUSEINERROR
TAXICABCALCIUM
HARSHACTA
PUSSYCATWADES
OPTSUNAGI
STONEPRESEASON
IWOMEAGAINNCO
TOPSECRETTRACI
INTROAFAR
GORDONOSEEUMS
TRIOASHEN
HALCYONMIDDLEC
ISECONDAKIHITO
SPROUTSNONSTOP
Fri 4/16/2021
HOPSCOTCHSTRAW
UNSHAPELYIRAQI
STEELTRAPTOPAZ
HOCZIPPERJIBE
POMSRAMADAN
ASTANAOLSON
CHORESNIPEHUNT
TAFTSKINSOHIO
SQUIBKICKPRONG
EMOTETUSHES
COLDWARSANE
IPODLACTICGPS
VIGORCOACHFARE
INAWEKATHIELEE
LENNYSTEINWAYS
Sat 4/17/2021
FUNFETTICRAFTS
AVIATIONRUBRIC
MATTHEWSINSOLE
HERETICSZEN
ENTERRACKWEST
BOARLONEPEN
BMXSOFTCHEESE
SABBATHRAGDOLL
DRAGRACERSLOO
ACENOAMRIPS
PACKFORMCADET
IRKFLINCHES
LEEWAYFOODCOMA
ONTIMEENDEAVOR
TASTERDEADLAST

Tower of Hanoi is a game where you have to move all the disks from the first post to the third, one at a time. The catch is that you're not allowed to place a larger disk on top of a smaller one. The animation here shows a four-disk solution.

When programmers first learn a technique called "recursion" their first assignment is often to solve the Tower for an arbitrary number of disks. These weird functions that recursively call themselves are an example of STRANGE LOOPS from the Monday puzzle.

POW Sun 4/18/2021 A RARE FIND
LOCALTHOUJAKE
PARTIAFCHENNAATON
STAREMOAELTONWARD
MISSIONIMPOSSIBLE
ITSALOSTCAUSEENOLA
MRIISLETSLIN
PENPALOLEELONEMEA
HISNOISEROCKANT
GMAILGUTGASHIDS
RIDSPSSTOILSUPNET
ANAHEIMRATBITEMAR
SIMSCISSORFERRERA
POWCATHAYBAYSANEW
IRESHAYRONSTUDS
NESSASHAYINGTIE
GOTTOSHAYNERASPED
OUIHAYLEYBRA
ICONSNEEDLESSTOSAY
NEEDLEINAHAYSTACK
SELAALGERSEELAILA
URLSMMHMMSSNOLDEN
ETSYSTYENASTY
Mon 4/19/2021
SLITPETASKOSH
MACEIRONPALAU
ITEMTENDATEST
THEPRICEISRIGHT
HESEFTUSE
SVUSTPTEA
TOTELLTHETRUTH
SONARARRAORTA
YOUBETYOURLIFE
RNSASPOKS
FAXJAICTS
CLASSICGAMESHOW
OUSTSHOPININE
ONTOEEBANANYA
LEAPTWINGPAST
Tue 4/20/2021
RAJAHGIZASMOG
ACURAANINHAHN
MAIMSBONDOLGA
PICBEERGROWLER
EARLDEETEEL
SUBWOOFERRITZY
PAARPARHAH
AERATEDROSETTA
TISBUMAARP
EGESTBOBBARKER
VOLLORIRUDE
ELITEYELPERHIP
ROXYVEERODORS
SNIPEZRAROMAS
OGREYESMAGENT

ELOPE and its plural variant we see today have seen a number of outstanding clues over the years:

  • Go off, but not without a hitch
  • Give a ring while on the road
  • Marry a cutie on the q. t.
  • Expedite some union business
  • Not do the rite thing
  • Take the honey and run
  • Split with one's beloved

And my personal favorite:

  • Opt for the window instead of the aisle
Wed 4/21/2021
ABASEBERTR2D2
BUNTSUVEABARN
BONETRECLAIMED
RYANREYNOLDS
WOOTNYUMSN
ANIGALSHECATE
DONDELILLOOTOS
COTANPIECLINT
ODORCOCOCHANEL
PLUNGEKILOGRE
YERONSIPOD
PATTONOSWALT
SWEETRIDEANNIE
AWLSAPEXWICCA
C3POLESTSTEEL
Thu 4/22/2021
MAPLEONTOPSCI
IGLOSHOHASCOL
SEANCONNERYIKE
UNCPOEMCHAI
SCENTSSHOTER
EYDIESECTPITA
CASHBARCIG
PIERCEBROSNAN
RONUBERPOL
EWANLADYTENOR
PETRELTYRONE
RIANSHMONSA
TAZDANIELCRAIG
ADZIDONTAORTA
BEYTATTODCTEN
POW Fri 4/23/2021
ABETSAMEXRIOT
DRAWLLIMEWEDGE
AERIEBRUSHFIRE
MALTESEAUDEN
SKYPARAPETS
FRONTROWSEATS
STRIVEBEEFFRO
ERODEDIMOTTER
TISROOTPRIEST
HOTAPPLECIDER
MASERATITIM
FIBERMANCAVE
IDONTCARENOSIR
TEDDYBEARENTER
SAYSSRTAREEDY
Sat 4/24/2021
DIMBULBFLING
AWAYTEAMMEANIE
WISEACREREDANT
NNEHARRYSTYLES
IRKREMOPFIRE
SWARMLEGOREST
PITIESNITTI
ANISTONSTRETCH
KABOBSENHOR
TEARSTEPEDENS
ALLITIARASUV
POINTOFVIEWSEW
TIGGERIMSOSURE
ASHLEYSPORTAGE
PETESSPELLED
Sun 4/25/2021 STRETCHING EXERCISES
POEMPHILTRIPINFECT
ENTOURAGEHURLSOOTHE
PECORINOCHEESESCOTIA
LASSHUHAQUADUCK
ALTOELITES
ARISILKALEXEELBIG
HANDNOOBLACEDSODA
ENCODERASSLEDHIYALL
ABIDESELLGLUTENFREE
SOFREAKINLY
DYETUXPARRAISIR
BESTRAPPERFORMANCE
THIRSTEASYBREED
VANITYIMEANITSOYEAH
AIDECOEDSDOMEARGO
DRYRAHBUTTPUTSYET
LATEPAPERSSCAM
ROLWORAWTRUESUP
ORIENTBENICIODELTORO
DAMAGEOPUSMOANK
ELOPEDYANKSHOWAPSE
POW Mon 4/26/2021
VISAPRIMPAMOR
ESPNLAMARZONE
THEYAGAMEAPEX
WHITECASTLE
OTISSERE
ADJOINNEARBY
BAASURFACEOUI
BINGMOOREMSRP
AREARLOTLIEGE
YALEEDSURGE
SQUADPCTBEARD
AUSDELOUSERKO
METALAUDEADIN
BEEPSYRIATENN
ANNEASTORANGE
Tue 4/27/2021
CLOPSNARFOTTO
LAVSNADERFAIR
ICEICEBABYFINN
PERLEONSEPIA
BOURBONSTREET
SCOPESINAIRE
SHOTSFAXING
TIKIJULEPORZO
CHUTESSPAIN
ABOUNOSPRINT
MINTCONDITION
BREAKIRAEYEA
EDITSUGARDADDY
RIDETAINTWAGE
SEARYETISEYES
Wed 4/28/2021
SELFSTIRSJAMB
SPURTONIOARIA
NINEAESOPBEND
CASEYATTHEBAT
CASTASIDE
SENORASURFER
GLOTVSETIKE
TIARAOLAHAREM
CANADAGEESE
CHECKPLEASE
ALIMEAERRSAN
RADIISACRE
OPENANDSHUTCASE
MENDARIESIPOD
ALTOBYRNEDENY

Canadians everywhere thank Mr. Moore for correctly calling those birds CANADA GEESE, not Canadian Geese.

Thu 4/29/2021
WOOFORCABATHS
HURLWINGUSEUP
ITWOULDBEASHAME
SPOUTSCOPEROD
KURTZLPSORB
STSHILDAIFMY
SERRANOROLFE
HAIKUWERE
COYERPINESAP
TOBEBRENTPIP
HMSSAOWISER
RECALIGPONCHO
ONESYLLABLETOOL
BONUSELLAERLE
SWEETDAMNREED

Today's crossword reminds me of a favorite, not haiku, but poem anyway:

There was a young girl from Japan
Whose limericks never would scan.
When someone asked why
She replied with a sigh,
"It's because I always try to fit as many syllables into the last line as I possibly can."

There's a companion poem that goes like this:

That girl had an intimate friend
Whose limericks came to an end
Suddenly.

Fri 4/30/2021
VASEDRESSSHOES
IPOSBASICCABLE
TOUTAUSTRALIAN
ALLAHLIEINEND
LOSTONEVENT
GEESEISEENOW
BEASODASDRONE
ITRYNIPINMIEN
BICEPATTICSAT
SCHWINNGREET
SKOALHERMAN
ERAACRIDERATO
LANECLOSEDAKIN
SIDEHUSTLENEMO
ANYGUESSESTRES
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