Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The World Series has been the best since 2016, and it all comes down to Game 7 tonight! May the best team win! (And then I'll start rooting for a Cubs-Mariners match-up in 2026). --- 1.  Puzzle #154 answer: 100 GRAND/$100,000 BAR Correct entries:  58 Shortest explanation: There is only one iteration of the letters C, A, N, D, and Y in the grid (the only singletons there are!). Per the title, we will have a product...mathematically speaking! Those letters are in squares 4, 5, 10, 20, and 25; their product is 100,000, signaling 100 GRAND (or its previous form, the $100,000 BAR ) as our meta answer. Sweet! --- 2. So, we have a bonus puzzle this week after last week's, since I overestimated the difficulty a bit. This meta is absolutely a Level 2 , but some of the fill got constrained as a result, so I tried to make cluing as simple as possible. We all deserve a break now and again! Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The 3-wo...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The World Series is set, and since I last posted this, Shohei Ohtani had a game where he struck out 10...and hit 3 home runs. No big deal, of course! Winner of the World Series will be determined by the time of the next puzzle, most likely. May the best team win! --- 1.  Puzzle #153 answer:  STAKES Correct entries:  52 Shortest explanation: No picture - but it's also tough to get the shortest explanation! Check out the Muggles explanation here ! --- 2.  We need a bit of a respite, but this one might go either way! Depends on if you see what you need to see, of course! We'll put it at Level 3 . Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is the name of a candy bar.  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! I'm awake, though barely, after watching the incredible Mariners-Tigers 15-inning masterpiece last night. My heart still breaking for the Phillies also, but - somehow - my Cubs are still in it, and it all comes down to one game at "Wrigley North" tonight. How can you not be romantic about baseball? --- 1.  Puzzle #152 answer:  PUNT Correct entries: 55 Shortest explanation: Each of the four 9-letter football-themed words contains within it, from left to right, the letters of a 6-letter word, a synonym of which ends each contorted clue. Once these letters are removed from each entry, a 3-letter word remains. Find a clue elsewhere that starts with that same word. Those entries' initial letters spell, in standard grid order, PUNT , the answer to the meta. --- 2. Here for puzzle #153 is the first-ever POAK collaboration, this one between myself and Phil Chow, whose great creations can be seen here  (he also got an Orca nod last year for one o...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Cubs pretty much have the wild card locked - by the time I see you in October, their season might be over (eep!) or they might be making a run. Wish us luck! --- 1.  Puzzle #151 answer: CIAO Correct entries:  72 Shortest explanation: Remove "-YA" from each appropriate word in each themer, giving you a new word. Find an alternate for each word in the grid. The initial letters of the alternates spell CIAO , the answer to the meta! --- 2. The verdict is that this is a very solid Level 3  - thanks to Jangler, Kay, and Peter for test-solving and helpful comments! Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is what I hope you don't have to do on when solving it.  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Anthony Rizzo will retire as a Cub today at Wrigley Field, and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone more universally beloved within our franchise. What an honor for him! Today concludes the 4th annual Summer of Solves . Many thanks to all who participated! I appreciate all of you so much. --- 1.  Puzzle #150 answer:  CLASS CLOWN Correct entries: 89  - can't get much more Level 1 than that! Shortest explanation: The four silly themers have words that rhyme with, well, CLASS CLOWN , about as Level 1 of a meta as you could get. I still  had confirmation with STALE (clued as "word before 'mates'," which also satisfies CLASS) and DRIVE ("word after 'rodeo'," which also satisfies CLOWN). Note also the CL- Roman numeral connection for puzzle 150! --- 2.  It can always be a tough level to construct, but this is a legitimate Level 2 to close out the season. I'll see you every other week until winter, in which I hope inspi...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! After all the ups and downs this season, it's nice that the Cubs are still playing relevant baseball in September. We'd play the Padres if the season ended today in a wild card matchup at Wrigley. Wish us luck! --- 1.  Puzzle #149 answer:  2025 Correct entries:  55 - that's a  Level 3.5/4  indeed! Shortest explanation: Take the nine entries with perfect squares 1 to 81. Square root these numbers, and index the entries' letters (so first letter from the clue with a "1," second letter from the clue with a "4," and so forth). You'll spell out FORTY-FIVE, which is not  a number less than 100, so per the title, square that to get 2025 , our current year and the apropos answer to the meta! --- 2. This was meant to be the last puzzle of the Summer of Solves, but I do have a bonus one next week before we go every other week until winter. This one is a Level 1  (really). Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The Cubs got swept in San Francisco - the last team to be swept in a three-game series this year! I'll take this year, and the park is gorgeous, but the Giants are a .500 team. Oh well, onward! --- 1. Puzzle #148 is still live upon publication of this - so the reveal will come in due time! --- 2. Posting early to avoid MGWCC conflict. I had an idea for this puzzle earlier this week and went with it! Thanks to Alan and Kay for test-solving and giving invaluable feedback on such short notice. We'll say Level 3/3.5 to close out the month. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a number greater than 100.