Pun of a Kind

  PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Alex Bregman is also a Cub now and is endearing himself to the city of Chicago already. We love to see it! Early post today due to the MGWCC delay; that means we have no answer explanation - I guess we'll double up next week then! --- 1.  The main debate I've been having internally is if this one needed a hint at omega-across. I finally gave in and put one there, but this is still  Level 3  with that - and, depending on what you see, this could trend  Level 3.5 . Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is an article of clothing.  

PDF  /  PUZ Slight PDF/PUZ adjustment for 60-A if you're solving there : "Prestigious literary award (the one for fiction won by our meta answer!) Hello hello! Cubs picked up Edward Cabrera as a pitcher, and I'm super pumped about that - but, first, we have football season. Go Broncos and Bears! --- 1.  Puzzle #162 answer:  ALPHABET SOUP Correct entries: 76 Shortest explanation: The challenge on my end was to create a pangrammatic set of soups in as few entrees as possible: we did it in 7! Note that all 7 soups (the word soup not mentioned in any clue!) contain the entire alphabet within them, implying our meta answer of ALPHABET SOUP . --- 2.  Happy birthday, Mike's mom! This puzzle is in her honor, and last week's played like a Level 1 anyway, so I think this will be a fair Level 1/2  also. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is my mom's favorite novelist.  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Happy 2026! In related news, do something, Cubbies. Honored to have last week's wild MGWCC. See Ben's write-up and my tribute to fellow puzzler and GAMES  contributor Bob Lodge here . --- 1.  Puzzle #161 answer:  TIMES SQUARE Correct entries:  55 Shortest explanation: Ten clues contain the numbers ZERO to TEN, all going down. Count them down from TEN to ZERO, and take the letter at the end  of each entry (so TENANT = T, LONINEHI = I, and so forth). You'll spell out TIMES SQUARE , the answer to this meta and  my equally titled inaugural meta I made five years ago this weekend! --- 2. I'll feed you that this is a bit inferential, but I think it's gettable. We'll start with Level 2  and see how that goes. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The 2-word edible answer to the meta suggested by the grid is in the form (8, 4).  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The Cubs have done nothing yet on the offseason, by and large, so we'll see what happens. More importantly, I'm hoping all of you had a very merry Christmas and are enjoying the beauty and wonder of the season. There will be a double-post tomorrow with MGWCC, so here we are to kick off the 3rd annual Winter Solvestice . Here's the same graphic we bring out from storage each year: Gorgeous. This means we'll have a puzzle each week until the second week in March. Let's go! --- 1.  Puzzle #159a answer:  BOOED OFF Correct entries: 48 Shortest explanation: A bit tricky! Eight clues end in a word that rhymes with one of Santa's reindeer. Order these in standard order, then take the n th letter of each entry (1st of Dasher's, 2nd of Dancer's, 3rd of Prancer's, etc.). You'll get BOOED OFF , which rhymes with Rudolph, and is the answer to the meta. (Note that we avoided the ambiguity of the Dancer/Prancer rhyme order by having bot...

Hello hello! No, this meta was not planned, and yes, it's being randomly posted. Explanation here . So, contrasting with what I said before, this really   will be the final puzzle before Christmas (no, really, this time). No PDF/PUZ, just Crosshare below. --- Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The 2-word answer to the meta in the form (6, 6) is why this meta exists.  

  Hello hello! It's the 15th, so you know what that means! (As of September, haha.) I've been posting a themeless on the 1st  and 15th  of the month, available on Crosshare below. Meta posted this past Saturday is still live. Happy puzzling, and may all your solves be beautiful! Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Mikey G  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Pete Alonso to the Os for five years (sorry, Mets fans). Meanwhile, the Cubs still exist, I guess. (Do something, front office!) This will be the final puzzle before Christmas and wishing you a happy holiday season! I'll see you again on 12/27  to start the Winter Solvestice! --- 1.  Puzzle #158 answer: ICY ("I SEE") Correct entries:  62 Shortest explanation: Somewhat SAD, since it wasn't too much to do, but it was well-hidden! Replace NOVEMBER with DECEMBER, and you'll form three new words going down. Find their alternates to give us ICY/"I SEE. " --- 2. Because this is a tough Level 4  (though I don't think it's quite that high, but I have a feeling it might trend there), I'll be placing a bonus Level 1  below it later today, time pending. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G 159a ("Trained Ear Games") The 8-letter answer to the meta is what I hope I won't be after you've solved...