Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! It is indeed going to be Dodgers-Yankees, and I have at least one friend who's rooting for each team, so my allegiance is torn! I'm just hoping for an incredible series - may the best team win! A Week 4 MGWCC is coming out tomorrow, and I usually immerse myself in those around the same time, so you get this puzzle pushed up a day early! No answer for the previous, though, since deadline is still Saturday at 1 pm ET. --- 1.  Puzzle #112 answer: CHAI TEA Correct entries: 72 Shortest explanation: The only appearance of consecutive letters are in the form of triples in the shape of the letter "T": the letters comprising the "T"s are C, H, A, and I, giving us CHAI TEA , our redundancy...yes, a redundancy, since "chai" technically means "tea," so we have "tea tea"! --- 2.  This is another one in that nebulous area that could go either way. I will say Level 3.25 , but we'll see what happens! Good luck, and

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! At this rate, we might be at Dodgers-Yankees, a classic playoff matchup (the most common in World Series history) that hasn't happened since 1981. Still hoping the Mets can pull off an upset. We'll know by this time next week! We have a bonus puzzle today, as a consolation for last week's Level 3  being like a Level 5 , haha. --- 1.  Puzzle #111 answer:  THREE DOG NIGHT Correct entries: 39 , a definite toughie, to say the least. Shortest explanation: There are 13 3-letter grid entries that are acronyms, the only entries of which whose clues contain an abbreviation or acronym itself. The initial letters spell out SIX NINE TWELVE, each of which is starting exactly one entry: TRIO PUP EVE. The clues for those words allow for slight alternates, and TRIO becomes THREE, PUP becomes DOG, and EVE becomes NIGHT for THREE DOG NIGHT , our meta answer! Note JOY across the center and the fact that they covered Harry Nilsson's "One," so it's apr

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! This has been one of the most exciting playoffs in years, even with the juggernauts still doing their thing! We might get a classic Dodgers-Yankees matchup, or perhaps even a Subway series if the Mets can get past Freeman, Betts, and Ohtani (all of whom I love...but I'd love them even more if they were Cubs, of course!) --- 1.  Puzzle #110 answer:  FALL SHORT Correct entries: 57 Shortest explanation: About a Level 1.5 sounds about right here. The four silly themers all have AUTUM, which is almost AUTUMN, but the synonym for fall  is short  a letter, hence FALL SHORT , the answer to our meta (confirmed by the anchor entries SEASON and MARTIN). --- 2.  This one's a bit more complicated this time around, but it's definitely manageable! Even with my past at underestimating these, I can't quite see a Level 4, but who knows! I'll put a Level 3.5  and see what happens. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The Cubbies have their final two games this weekend, and then I'll be jumping on the bandwagon for some franchise for the playoffs. A lot to choose from! I wouldn't mind seeing any of the Phillies, Yankees, Orioles, and Royals go all the way. --- 1.  Puzzle #109 answer:  TOUCHÉ Correct entries:  48  (maybe about 20 solo solves or so) Shortest explanation: Definitely a Level 4 this time. Seven symmetrical entries are words or proper nouns with diacritical marks. Their letters spell NICE ONE, a great phrase but not a single 6-letter word! Two clues start with the words "nice" and "one": TWO and SHAY, respectively. Phonetically, they suggest TOUCHÉ , our final answer, a word with a diacritical mark, and a word that often means  "Nice one!" anyway. Whew! --- 2.  This should be a Level 1.5 , at most. Really. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta, 2 words in 9 letters, is what I hope this

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The Cubbies are pretty much out of it at this point, so that means it's Broncos time. (Maybe I shouldn't get my hopes up there either.) We're back on a biweekly schedule for the rest of 2024, but we still have some solid challenges ahead (and liquid and gaseous challenges). Onward! --- 1.  Puzzle #108 answer:  THAT'S ALL, FOLKS! Correct entries: 51 Shortest explanation: Eight across entries start with a Looney Tunes character (note the middle column, which also serves as auditory confirmation!). Those clues' initial letters spell out PORKY PIG, whose apropos three-word phrase THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!  was the perfect way to end the Summer of Solves! (The constrained clues for LOON KNEE TUNE all begin with T-A-F, as further confirmation.) --- 2. Since Super Tester and I have been underestimating the difficulty lately, we'll put this first September challenge at a Level 4. I see it more as Level 3/3.5 , but I want to play it safe, haha. Good