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Holiday puzzle book shopping guide? Why not. Let’s do this.
Those that know the ole’ BEQ know that he is a bit cryptic crossword mad. So it should come as no surprise that my books (plural) of the year are from maestro Fraser Simpson, all-things puzzle guru for the Globe and Mail. Yeah, so, he put out not one, not two, but three self-published books of cryptics plus variety plus other types of puzzles. A joy to do. If you’re on the fence, these books are as good as any to be that gateway drug to a whole new world of solving. Veterans can admire Fraser’s word economy skill in the cluing. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Fraser also found time to put together an odds-and-sods collection of all types of other puzzles in the “Healthy Brain Book of IQ Puzzles.” Was Fraser the puzzle maker of the year? Argue amongst yourselves.
One puzzle I got into this year was Star Battles. You might know it by the, erm, rather awkwardly retitled Two Not Touch puzzles in the Times, but the real heads know them as Star Battles. Jim Bumgardner has cornered that market, pick up his latest or if you’re really digging them, check out the other numerous self-published books Jim has done as well. Yay indie puzzling!
For those that are feeling a but, well, stuck whilst solving puzzles, why not get a copy of L. E. Hall’s “Planning Your Escape,” a book about strategies for getting through escape room puzzles. Obviously applicable skills that can transfer to other things like efficiently loading your dishwasher, filing taxes, and, you know, solving other types of puzzles. It’s a fun read. While we’re on the topic of prose collections, yours truly contributed to the humor collection “Dear McSweeney’s” anthology. Shocker, I wrote about crosswords. But like we always say: come for the Quigley, stay for the others. And I would be remiss if I didn’t link to my friend Aimee Lucido’s latest YA book, “Recipe for Disaster.” No, not very puzzly, but Aimee is very much a member of the puzzle family, so get a copy for your favorite niece.
For the traditional crossword fans that don’t like traditional crosswords, I can recommend two. First up, Leonard Williams’s “Black Blocks, White Squares.” Anarchist crosswords? If not now then when? Challenging puzzles that can teach you a thing or two about (quoting here) ” radical ideas, history, and movements.” Indeed. Rage against that machine, all right? All right. And for the math nerds out there, why not give them “Mini Math Crosswords” by the tastefully named Brendan Sullivan. No false advertising here: sixty small yet high-quality puzzles all about the M-A-T-H. Self-published too, so there’s that. And lastly, for those doing the Lord’s work by getting The Youth into puzzlin’, give ’em Chris King’s “Challenging Crossword Puzzles for Teens.” In short, I know this guy, he’s okay.
Not really sure where to put these last two, so let’s bunch them together in this miscellaneous paragraph. Lovers of the tokidoki kawaii characters would gobble up this gem called “tokidoki Puzzle Book.” There’s no writing credit anywhere to be seen on the cover of this one, but you’ll just have to trust me when I say that Francis Heaney is responsible for the brain bogglers herein. Look, Francis and I go way, way back, so you know I’m going to represent. Best puzzle maker nobody talks about. Lastly, The Peaceful Mind Book of Japanese Logic Puzzles looks rather intriguing. A new collection from the geniuses at Nikoli, this collects a lot of new logic puzzles that haven’t taken off in the states yet. Unlike, you know, Two Not Touch Star Battles (see above), or Sudoku (Frank Longo alert with the last link). Anyway, “Japanese Logic” doesn’t come out until the 21st, but those with Prime might be able to get it in time for Christmas.
A custom puzzle makes for a great gift, too. Honestly, it’s the gift of a lifetime, unless you buy two. Email me as soon as possible to get one for the puzzle head in your life.
Thanks to everyone who has chipped in to this year’s drive. Long for appeal is here. Email me if you have tipped but haven’t got your puzzles yet.
Still looking for more puzzles? The Hub Crossword (Sunday puzzles by me and Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon) and Marching Bands year seven have begun. So if that To Do list needs even more puzzles, you know what to do.
Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.
24A think this is the one who also contributed to more than a few of those notorious 8-paged Tijuana Bibles. All the other cluing seems about 100% original. Cool!
Very nice, Brendan o’ mine — thank you!
Very glad I finally sat down and googled which of 11-A and 23-A is which!!
16 across “focsles”?
The much-abbreviated form of “forecastle” on a ship. Nautical terms and slang are a whole ridiculous world unto themselves.
This is actually your second puzzle labeled 647, but they are different puzzles