Pun of a Kind

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Cubs had an incredible series at home. Yeah, we only took 1 of 3 from the Yankees - but then have since swept the Dodgers, had an incredible Blue Jays come-from-behind win, and are taking care of business on the road. (Too bad the Brewers are always perfect, haha.) --- Puzzle #186 answer: EMMA Correct entries:  70 Shortest explanation: Unfortunately, I underestimated this one. There were nine surnames in the grid, of people both real and fictional: PEEL, WATSON, WOODHOUSE, SLATER, THOMPSON, BARON, LAZARUS, ROBERTS, and STONE.  I was hoping a few of these would nudge in the direction to EMMA , but I think too many were rather obscure. However, at least one got it immediately upon seeing WOODHOUSE in the grid, so I'll take it! --- This has to be a Level 1 . Please lol Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is the Shakespearean play that would have made a good sixth theme entry.  

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Cubs had a rocking homestand this week, going 5-2 against the Pirates and Cardinals, including an epic bat flip by Pete Crow-Armstrong (even though it was one of the two games we lost!) Meta posting a day early to avoid MGWCC conflict. --- A quick personal note before the puzzle. Several months ago, I actually had to say goodbye to Ginger Cat. You may have noticed slightly fewer references to her in my puzzles. She had some health issues, and it was time for me to say goodbye. It was hard, but I remember her fondly as the best cat ever and think of her every day. I made sure to pay my respects and honor her memory and was at the point to welcome a new cat into my life a couple of months ago. She came from a more difficult back story and, understandably, is still pretty reticent around me (except when it's treat time, haha). She is cautiously curious but already savors her salmon, her playtime, and her zoomies. I am excited to get to know her more in the comi...

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Pretty good news in Cubs world as of late, though we did split the homestand 3-3 (would've liked 4-2). Can't seem to catch up to those pesky Brewers, but we have over two months of baseball left to see what we can do! --- Puzzle #183 answer: CIRCLE Correct entries: 54 Shortest explanation: Six of the entries have alternate clues that can answered with characters' names from the 1990s show Friends : CLARA: Santa ___, Calif [Monica] IRMINGER: Sea with a giant ice shelf near by [Ross] ROO: Baby with a pouch [Joey] CARVER: Writer Raymond [Chandler] LEAH: Wife of Jacob in Genesis [Rachel] EDIE: Female name with two rhyming syllables [Phoebe] Put it together and you get CIRCLE , the answer to the meta and, if I took it one step further, could've gotten us a 1990s film called Circle of Friends - wasn't aware of that until now! --- We'll split the difference between Levels 3 and 4, which naturally gives us Level 3.5  for you mathematicians out t...

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Loved seeing Jordan Walker win the Home Run Derby (rooting for Schwarber, but he was so calm, cool, and collected - and his family was great too!) but All-Star Game was kind of meh. Cubs already go back doing what they do best: giving up home runs and not scoring. WHOOPS. --- Puzzle #183 answer: SLURPEES Correct entries:  87 !! Shortest explanation: See the picture! Pretty by the book. (In honor of the 7-11 release date!) --- This is my entrant for the Crosshare I Love the '90s contest   (that's what I'm calling it, haha). We have a lot of '90s content in this, intentionally so, but don't get distracted by all of that in the meta. The meta is still '90s-related, of course! But don't think every '90s clue relates or anything. Because that increases the signal-to-noise ratio, I'll say Level 2.5  for this one. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a 6-letter word.  

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Good news: The Cubs are 7th in the Power Rankings! Not as great of news: We don't have a bullpen. Wow! --- Puzzle #182 answer: ACCLAIM Correct entries: 76 Shortest explanation: No picture this time, so imagine it in your mind! We had seven entries whose clues began with letters in the C* C* L* format, in honor of our 250th. (Guest-starring was MIKE as "Chicago Cubs lover," unsurprisingly). The seven clues spell ACCLAIM , itself having a CCL trigram. --- Wow, this grid shape looks familiar! Taking things easier on you a bit this month for another Level 1 this time. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is an 8-letter plural.  

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Good news: Cubs swept the Padres, beating them 23-3 on Wednesday. Bad news: They lost  17-1 against the Cards yesterday (fun fact: That -36 run differential between two consecutive days is the second-worst in the history of baseball, haha). --- Puzzle #181 answer: NULL (ISLAND) Correct entries:  69 Shortest explanation: Solid job, everybody! See picture above! --- Let's hope for a nice, solid easy start to celebrate America's 250th. Level 1 , almost certainly. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The 7-letter answer to the meta is what I'll give you if you solve it.  

PDF / PUZ Hello hello! Good news: Cubs just swept a team! Bad news: It was the Mets, who are having a horrendous season and just fired their manager. (I actually like the Mets and hope they have a better second half, for sure.) We have a collab today with Phil, a definite Week 4  meta - but we're posting early to avoid a MGWCC double-post, so no answer to the previous puzzle just yet! --- There will be nudges posted on the Crosshare link for sure, but I believe you can do this! Hopefully we put enough signposts along the way for your success. Here we go! Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a mysterious island.