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Puzzles for May, 2012
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Jim Horne (8)Hide comments
Tue 5/1/2012
MICAHMFASSHAW
OPERAILSATIRE
JUNKIEMAILINCA
OTTKRISOLDER
QUICKIESTUDY
REBUSESNUT
ACAISCREAMAT
SHARPIESHOOTERS
POLKADOTELLA
RENCREATOR
BEANIESPROUT
LEGOSRINGDUB
OREOBOOKIECASE
OINKLUBENOTES
PETSTREYEXERT
Wed 5/2/2012
ARMORIBMSCADS
WORDSDUECOURT
GAZETTEERUNSER
EDITHANSELTSU
ESPOSITOAPTEST
OREASTOR
RESENDBUYSTIME
EVERCROSSITIS
BEARCLAWTHEYRE
HORASMRI
CHORUSFREEGIFT
OARSSHAPEALIA
MISSAIMITATORS
BREEDYENBONES
OSSIEARKERASE

The CROSS answers have lovely symmetry so I've highlighted them.

Thu 5/3/2012
JUNOPCBSSMASH
ATANARIAHIREE
GENEOLOGYELCAR
SPOUSESLELAND
PERSEVERENCE
ISMMERCINEED
KIMONOIRANI
EXECSMCSBUDGE
CASASSAMIAM
ERMAKNOLLNYU
QUESTIONAIRE
USESUPSPACERS
ASTIRMISPELLED
LIMONSMEEALBA
SAENSUSSRTEAK

A similarly themed puzzle from 2008 also included both MILLENIUM and PERSEVERENCE. The correct spellings are: genealogy, perseverance, questionnaire, millennium, occasion and, uh, one other... Oh yeah, and misspelled.

Fri 5/4/2012
SMEWJAWSOFLIFE
IATEEARLYRISER
XKESWHIRLYBIRD
EERMEETPENNA
RUNWILDMEAL
SPIELSBARNSEP
GETITTEXASSTAR
AXILAEGISPASO
MAELSTROMCANTS
EMSTORTDRYMOP
SUZYMEASURE
BREADMOABSAC
RUBBERSOULTINT
ODERNEISSERAGU
WINETASTERALES
Sat 5/5/2012
IGOOFEDBOBSTAY
SANTINIOPUSONE
AMBANDSRESTONS
IBOSEASALTCRI
DRACDRUBSPOUT
SERUMMNOAIOLI
OLDPALGRIZZLES
CRANANTZ
AQUATEENBEAVER
BUCKYHETCZECH
SIDEMIXITZALE
ORAAUSTERELIB
LIVESTORIVERPO
UNIFIEDOBELISK
TOSTADADELIBES
Sun 5/6/2012 A-V CLUB
ESTATEFALCONATPEACE
MOOREDONEDGENEUTERS
AUXILIARYVERBDATASET
ISISERGOFERRETLOPE
LENTOMANEEARPPER
ACTIVEVOLCANOES
PBATREEIDIOMELAND
CALLOUSFLOPSOBLIQUE
PHOEBEJEERSINRETURN
ENETONYSONEAAMT
ATVARIANCEARTICLEVII
VEECREESNARLORI
APRICOTSLOTTOSCOTCH
SEASONSMILLESAUSAGE
TESLAAIMEEALISEIN
ALESSANDROVOLTA
WAHSRASSNAGSTRAD
ADEEALTTABETASMEDO
FORMOSAAFRICANVIOLET
TROTTERCAESARENSILE
SENSORYORDERSNETTED
Mon 5/7/2012
SCOOBPOOHDREW
WANDAANNOIOTA
ICIERPESOALTS
GHOSTFACEKILLAH
SENSEIETUDE
ARLENSPECTER
BRAENTATRIA
RUGRATSKISSERS
OTHERCIVYEP
SHADOWBOXING
SNEADEARTHA
DISTILLEDSPIRIT
OKLAOLIOPLANS
PEATSENTELIDE
EAVETREEDELIA
Tue 5/8/2012
ATBAYSHUSHTBA
BRACEPUREEARM
BESTSHELLERKIA
AXELAWLOMENS
IFSALIASES
PICKUPSHTICKS
OOHEDCOOLETTU
DWIDURANTEOAS
SAVESEREMACYS
ALLDAYSHUCKER
WILLIAMESC
EGRETOHMUCLA
ILOMARRYINSHAM
LOUUNCAPSEIZE
LOSSTALEASPEN
Wed 5/9/2012
RABBITASKJOGS
ONIONOSLOAPOP
SETTHEPAYSFEMA
AWEUTAHPARED
AMAZINGGRAZE
MAMMALIRA
ASIANMAGIGOTO
INTHERIGHTPLAYS
NOELETATRETRO
IZESENSES
MILITARYBAYS
AMASSURDUHUB
JAILPOKERPHASE
OGREAVOWOOZED
REDSCANSNEEDS
Thu 5/10/2012
ZIGSKNOWQUISP
ISEEARCHUNTIL
SUITEMATEISERE
THEASPLETSEAT
KABUKIENID
SAWMILLSSRA
EUROPEANSELOAN
REPOMANESTELLE
ERATOCATBALLOU
OSSSTARDATE
IBARTAKEME
BAILEYSPARADE
MAFIACOURTSHIP
AMASSALVAAPEX
CARTEPDASJUMP

Cleverly disguised as a typical word-that-can-precede puzzle, this crossword has an extra gimmick. Down answers must JUMP over the circled letters to make sense.

Fri 5/11/2012
PASSIONPITOAFS
OPENSOURCEHULU
RECORDDEALODIC
CROWLETMETHINK
AVEEXEDTS
INUNISONELWES
BANGSHARDHATE
EMCEEIDOPYLON
TELLTOILFIEND
CESTARESCORES
JARINCASU
ELENAKAGANGINO
ALMATIEFIGHTER
NEUTONEATATIME
ERSEPERRYMASON
Sat 5/12/2012
SPILLAGEATBEST
HONEYBUNSOONYI
ALTERANTTUBING
MASTIFFSORBACH
ISTONACHT
LINDTRACIER
OTOETHIRTYROCK
LATSAIDYESXII
ALINEDRESSFETA
BASESTNINES
STEADALAR
HANGERPLATEAUS
OCTAVOISTHATSO
PERMITGETANTSY
STEELESTENTORS
Sun 5/13/2012 INDIES
GARCONITSMERBISMPS
OMEARASOLARORBECAP
WEEDSHALLOVERCOMEELA
INKCEESAKAIKNEW
TREADEDTHESHODOFIRAN
HADLUNCHLIMPEDMOLE
PENATILTESOJEER
RIGHTOFWADEARTURO
ANIOBLADIPEALONERS
DRAMLAIOMOOEGRET
NOMOREMISTERNICEGUIDE
OMBREKISSMEANEBR
REISERSICCWPOSTPUN
ELEVENCHEESETRADE
ODICBAMWHEELDOA
DINOARIOSOSKIPROPE
WANDERINGJUDEINSALES
ARIELCOLIPADDRS
LINWHOLENUDEBALLGAME
LEGEUSESPIELPIDGIN
ASSSHESANTSYSTPETE
Mon 5/14/2012
DEBTSIMPZAPS
VALIDUSEREURO
DRONECASEARIA
WATCHTHECLOCK
ADOEATEMURES
COVERTHESPREAD
TREXSALTEL
SARANTOTSLUGS
MOEPALENYA
WASHTHELAUNDRY
SADICULILEOS
TURNTHECORNER
ASIAEVENANWAR
RAFTROLESTAND
RUTSSSTSSYNS
Tue 5/15/2012
APEWHAMCAJUN
HEXEONSEOCENE
ARPSWISSCHEESE
GLESSIONPHD
VOODOODOLLPEAL
ALIGNIDOVERDE
TATEMEDTENSED
DARTBOARD
ESTOPSALGUZIS
SPOUTFLAGLENS
TAUTGOLFCOURSE
ETSSICREMOP
FULLOFHOLESIOS
ALEASTMOATNRA
NADIAYOKOGTO
Wed 5/16/2012
MAHIMAHIHITCHY
AMENAMENETALIA
TOASTINGLOMOND
ZULUNENEPITA
ONELGAMINASHY
STRATAACERTIA
TOREROAMEND
ABSORBSLACERTA
GOERSPROTEM
ARCOPIEAROMAS
RARARETANRAVE
ABEDISONIRAN
GOTHAMONLOANTO
AREOLALIARLIAR
RASCALSERASERA
Thu 5/17/2012
USEDCARTALIBAN
GONEAPEWRITEME
ARTUROSOTOOLES
NEWMATHIINSIST
DIVORCE
ASSHEEGOSURFS
NOTELLONEBASE
RESPECT
TELSTARSLEETS
ASSISTONERNST
TROUBLE
MERIDENTRAVAIL
EXECUTEMINICAM
SPEAKERESOBESO
HOTNESSGENESIS

If you've been doing puzzles for a while, you might have guessed Mr. Krozel was the author from the grid shape alone. There are no 3-letter answers. Clues are numbered differently and rather more elegantly in the print version of this puzzle.

Fri 5/18/2012
ATMSMMMBOPSPY
TRIPOMERTATIO
MISEWIRIERREN
OFFENSIVEREMARK
SLICEFINANCE
TETHEREDTIGER
DONUTSZEDS
COSMOKRAMER
MCANPLEASE
ROLEXSPECTATE
STOPGAPCOLIN
PERMANENTMARKER
ARIMETEORSARA
UIEENCOREOLEG
LESSTONEDSIDE

A Friday puzzle with a theme! Long answers end with words that are anagrams of each other.

Sat 5/19/2012
CALICOCATARAL
BANANARAMAMIMI
ASTRONOMICOPAL
SHORNIGOCRAZY
TINYGALOSHPOP
ANYJAILSIVANA
FORMAMADRID
MADLIBSPINATAS
AQUINOGUSTY
LUMPSCONTIMAW
CABIBOOKSGALA
ORDINALSFORDS
LIONSLIPPINGON
MURKHANGINGOUT
XMASORGANISTS

This is the first grid in my database that includes every letter except the most common one — E. Three other puzzles are E-less: this one by David Kahn which uses only 10 letters, this one, also by Patrick Berry, where the only vowel is A, and this one by Gayle Dean which has no E's in either the answers or in the clues.

Sun 5/20/2012 WISECRACKS
CHEFSCRAPEWOMANTOG
AONELAICALHYDRAODO
TREATOFVERSAILLESLOP
ONSTAGESTARZISAIDNO
UMASSIKOSANS
DACRONASTUDINSCARLET
ORLEBURNDEPOTILA
GOODANDREADBEERBELL
NUTGAEAVEEADDIE
ASUSUALDERMALNOD
PARTANIMALBILLTHEKID
LEAODEDONTRUSTME
RATEDREDRYANOPT
FAIRTALELIVERSTABLE
AITADALEOEUFCEES
BRANDALEXANDERTHIRST
UPDODPSYAWED
LODGERSLOGINBITTERS
IRSTHESOUNDANDTHEFUR
STUTEPIDALLOUTSODA
TSPEATMEREALLYTRES
Mon 5/21/2012
STIRSTAYGOVT
CANAPHOTORHEA
OHBYTHEWAYACTS
TOOBADERONOOK
TEXASSLIMJIM
NESTAUTEUR
DUOSHULADENNY
ASHOHMYGODODE
ZEBRAPERPTWOS
ERRORSETCH
ONSTAGELEGAL
LUTZRCAMOHAVE
ECHOOHFORGETIT
GLENLOFATLOLA
SARILOSTPRAT
Tue 5/22/2012
DDTMOSSOPATINA
EERAROOMATONAL
MEANGIRLSTATAMI
ADJOINEDPERE
NEATGRAVENIMAGE
DENIMTORTSLOW
NOTAISLTIE
ENIGMAVARIATIONS
REDBALAWOL
OWLGLUEDGLOCK
STEAMENGINEIRAE
KILTLOVENEST
MARINAGAMENIGHT
ONETONSTANDOIL
COWARDTESTSNNE
Wed 5/23/2012
CRASHNOTVIDO
LOTTAAREARFRY
ELTONVINDIESEL
ALECGUINNESS
RISKNEOREPAVE
YETDISCOSABER
TOTOARNANA
OBIWANKENOBI
THUGSOWDOL
LIGHTLADDSNBC
COSTEDLEOLARA
EWANMCGREGOR
LOANERCARICANT
ANDSTARENANCE
XEDHATEDROOL
Thu 5/24/2012
ATOMHONORSLUM
LOGEARENACORE
BIRMINGHAMASIS
ALEPPOINAFLASH
HAIRLIEN
HASIDIONORGAN
ALASSAMOANEMO
BANATLANTALOO
IMAANTHEMDECK
TONEROATBESOS
TROTSALT
DOORNAILSURGES
EDNACROSSROADS
JOINKOREAIBET
ARODSNEADTENS
Fri 5/25/2012
REGALIACSHARP
EVADERSULTIMAS
SEIZEONNEATENS
INTERNETDATING
ZEESBEHANTATA
ERRSADEYEDMRS
STREPDUDEUP
ISSUEDEMVINES
CATNIPQATAR
EVENATURALGUS
TEENROOSTSUNK
FROZENDAIQUIRI
JASMINELAUNDER
OCTANTSINANEST
GEODESSADISTS
Sat 5/26/2012
BOOHISSJACINTH
ATPEACEUPABOVE
CHEXMIXKENOSHA
KENSOTHERECOR
OLAVNIMBYDOSS
FLINGPOOSERTA
FORESTSXTIMESY
CUBAME
THEKISSFTBRAGG
RIVETPCUAISLE
IDIDSLANTTAUT
MALSPIFFUPJEB
SWOOPINALAMODE
PANCAKECLICKON
AYEAYESTENCENT
Sun 5/27/2012 STATE QUARTERS
POSSEAWLSDLWRHOST
ONHERMCIALINEANNIE
TEALSLAUGHINGFALCONS
OLHMNLERSBADREP
SPFELUDERSCCELLKAY
ICNIFYTAUPEFERS
CARLTTORIPESSISALL
PHAROHCORNRUPELAPSE
RANDMPANELNSGASTAPS
BRITANNDEMOCRAT
NBAKANENTASONEAKNA
REDRYDERNSHOUND
DARESAYBAHIANSEMNEM
SKYLERLAMPADEMISUSA
AIRRAIDSINSRECORSE
LISAAMADOGENERS
INAENTRYUNCOVERECU
EDBERGFLOODMRLN
GEORGESDELATOURHYMIE
ENNIOAIDAILNIOPERA
TENTKNUKLOVETONED

States are divided into quarters with perfect symmetry. This grid breaks the previous record for most rebus entries.

Mon 5/28/2012
ENTPAINERAPID
XERAMMANOPERA
UBICOASTCITED
RUBBERCHICKEN
BLOODTASALA
AARPBABYBOOMER
NEOSINOLOEWE
BUGGYWHIP
CHEAPEYEDBUT
BUMPERCROPSOPH
SNORAHWROTE
TONGUETWISTER
AMINOBRUINIMO
LEOIVBIBLEEPA
FANTAYEATSSOD
Tue 5/29/2012
FURBRIGHTSTHREE
ONERANRIOTSEVEN
USSANTENNAAMEND
ROOMEDDERNARTS
CUISINESTOUT
BIRLOTTITSOPEN
BACKOFTHEENVELOPE
BLESSESTWOOUIS
HUMORENSIGNS
FETAAFOGTOYDOG
ILIKEACROBATEDA
VANESSHALALARES
ELYSETEDDIESSIX
Wed 5/30/2012
OPIEOBIEBEING
BANDSTANDEMCEE
ITSGOTAGOODBEAT
SHOALBOMBART
RABATERR
ATFCIATSARINA
CHAVEZTEENAGER
TERAANDSLOE
AMERICANBISONS
SERIALSWONOST
ANOSHOAT
SONWANESIMMS
YOUCANDANCETOIT
ENTERDICKCLARK
AGASPALESENOS

Dick Clark died on April 18, six weeks before this tribute was published.

Thu 5/31/2012
SHIATSUSTRIFE
MENBALLCHEESEG
AILERONHANGING
LSATSABERSSYS
LEWRHEAPEW
ICYNEWSHOLE
IVANAMDVIONIN
METTCUBITOCET
AUTOOTOESPEWS
TRAILMIXPAS
TABEPICTAP
EFTBIASESRONI
REAGANSATLARGE
RECATESCOUNSER
SKORTSENVIOUS
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