Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Where has August gone? We had a triple-digit heat index this past week for a couple of days, so I'm ready for cooler fall temperatures (sure, I say that now). My Cubbies are also in the wild card race, but those pesky Brewers are preventing us from taking the division. We're still going to try! --- 1.  Puzzle #67 answer: CUTTING-EDGE Correct entries:  49  (a Week 3 or Week 3.5; I'd estimate about 25  of these were solo solves.) Explanation, a little longer than usual this time: My intent when you solved this was that there'd be a lot of odd stuff going on, especially for a smaller grid: 1. We've broken some cardinal rules of standard crosswords: a bunch of two 2-letter words appear... 2. ...and we have repeated entries (OLE) at 9-Down and 13-Across (1-Across and 6-Down also rival that). 3. Though symmetrical, the grid is an odd 12-by-12 and, perhaps most notably, 4. Some of the fill is atrocious, especially for a grid that looks ...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! August continues barreling forward, rather quickly in fast! Soon, it'll be time for my PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES (I already used that as a meta answer last year, so I doubt I'll repeat it!). Cubs continue to make a playoff push, my students are doing well to start off the year, and I get to spend the day with coffee, cats, and crosswords. What could be better! --- 1.  Puzzle #66 answer:  WAY TO GO Correct entries:  48  (a solid Week 2, maybe a bit more like 2.25) Shortest explanation: As hinted at by the explanation of ABBR, there are seven thoroughfare abbreviations hidden in across entries in the grid (LN, CIR, DR, RTE, ST, AVE, CT). These are the only instances of these seven, and I tried to limit myself to the most common ones, though things like BR, IS, UN, and TER crept in (hence the qualifier). If we head (first letter) out on (above) each of these seven entries, we spell out WAY TO GO , the meta answer, fitting since roads are de...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! I hope everyone is having a great August as school begins to get back in session (and I go back to my 14th year of instructing!). I'm doing well because, of course, my Cubbies have soared in the Power Rankings from 20th to 11th, their highest ranking in years. They're playing good baseball when it counts, so let's see if it continues! --- 1.  Puzzle #64 answer: You can get a detailed behind-the-scenes explanation of this wild Week 5  and how it came to be here . --- 2. Puzzle #65 answer: TONY BENNETT Correct entries: 62 Shortest explanation: The four theme entries are two-word phrases ( technically  TORCH-BEARER is hyphenated or one word) whose words begin TO* BE*. The middle row is a visual representation of the song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (a HEART in the city's nickname CITY BY THE BAY). This is the trademark song of arguably the most well-known TO* BE* not in the grid: the late, great TONY BENNETT , our meta answer. Than...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Apparently, the Level 5  last week was...definitely a Level 5 ! We're back to a Level 1  this week, I promise! (Solution for last week's puzzle will be delayed a day due to the late start last week.) --- 1.  Puzzle #64 answer:  to be posted soon! --- 2.  Leaderboard (will be updated after the last puzzle's deadline closes!) --- 3.  This is the first week in August, and it is a Level 1 , I promise. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The well-known 11-letter answer to the meta would make a good fifth theme entry.