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August 22, 2011

CROSSWORD #360: Themeless Monday

CROSSWORD SOLVER PUZZLE:
[ THEMELESS MONDAY] 
PROGRAM: [Crossword Solver]

PROGRAM: [Java]

PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]

ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY] 
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]

Little inside baseball factoid for this puzzle. While solving a recent puzzle by Trip Payne, I had talked myself into a really good answer in his puzzle. (For those who are curious, it was 16-Across.) I knew Trip's tendencies whilst making themeless puzzles: come up with a flashy entry for the last row across. Then when that corner's done, start working from the second row down in the opposite corner. In that second row entry, use lots of fluid letters (i.e. letters that are flexible enough that they can go just about anywhere in a word).

I really liked my guess because it fit all those criteria; I even talked myself into this answer, thinking that it was sort of drawn from recent events in Trip's life (a bit of a stretch here, but stay with me here for maximum comedic effect). It was all so perfect. Then imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a sports-related answer. That wasn't like Trip at all.

So, I built my puzzle starting with this so-called answer; even placing it in the spot where Trip would tackle his upper themeless corner construction. Enjoy.

If you need more puzzles, try my contribution to Mike Selinker's Crosswords of Wisdom series he runs out of the Eltana bagel cafe in Seattle.

Share the puzzle. New crossword someday this week, not sure when. Stay tuned. We'll go back to the regular Monday/Thursday schedule next week.

Posted at 09:00 AM in Hard |

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