Pun of a Kind

NOTE: I have changed the title from "That's Right!," which doesn't give as much pertinent information as I'd like, to "Into a Corner." Nothing else is affected.  PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Baseball is back, so I'm happy about that! Looking forward to seeing my beloved Cubbies finish with a winning record and ideally make it to the playoffs! Second-favorite team right now would have to be the Orioles, whose newfound energy is electric (and Burnes sparkled in his first outing). On the puzzle front, this will be the last one of the Winter Solstice! That means I get a week off as we go to every other week for a bit. Onward! --- 1.  Puzzle #89 answer:  ACUTE Correct entries: 52  - solid Level 3 or 3.5 with the nudge spike (about 35 before any). Shortest explanation: Five symmetrically placed horizonal entries are the only across entries to contain an "R," often the abbreviation for "right." And what's not right? Wrong, of course, but...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! My bracket is already busted, so I might as well actually be constructive this weekend. Puzzles count! --- 1.  Puzzle #88 answer: FORTE Correct entries:  61  - solid Level 2/2.5! Shortest explanation: Aided by the alpha and omega entries, the musical scale appears from top to bottom in the grid (and those are the only instances of those in the puzzle). Per the title, we look at the letters on those notes, which spells LOWERCASE "F" IN MUSIC (parsed by many as "LOWERCASE FIN MUSIC," which made me smile, haha), which is FORTE , the meta answer - and what I hope crosswords are for you! (Note the original name of the piano was also the pianoforte, which I learned while making this puzzle!) --- 2.  This is the penultimate puzzle in the Winter Solvestice! Looking forward to college basketball on my break, as well as being (a little) constructive and catching up on some past metas! It might be a bit overcompensating to put this at a Level ...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The weather, albeit a bit cooler, was nearing springtime (even in the region!), so it's fitting that the Winter Solvestice will soon be drawing to a close. Three more consecutive puzzles (counting today's) before we're back to every other week for a bit. Let's get to it! --- 1.  Puzzle #87 answer:  GETTYSBURG ADDRESS Correct entries: 71 Shortest explanation: The four silly themers conceal SCORE, and the central spanner references a year SEVEN years ago from date of publication (although, if you're solving this in 2025 or beyond for some reason, that year does  have a SEVEN hidden within!). These signal the famed "Four score and seven years ago" opener (and that is 4 x 20 + 7 = 87 years, a numeric tie-in!) from Lincoln's GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. Note Abe's full name around the grid also. --- 2. Some toughies this week with WSJ and MGWCC (at least I thought so!), so those are some solid Level 3's or above. Mine might trend dow...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The region had two warm days this past week, followed by three or four colder ones. A bit of sunlight today, though! Cubbies are also doing okay in spring training, and our family is excited for the Oscars tomorrow. May the best pictures win! --- 1.  Puzzle #86 answer:  GET SMART Correct entries:  64 Shortest explanation: We have eight entries with initials IQ (per the title); their initial letters spell DON ADAMS, who acted as Agent 86 in  GET SMART , the answer to our meta! (If you almost got it but didn't, missed it by  that  much!) --- 2.  Mr. Gaffney gave us two solid, straightforward Level 2-ish metas this week in WSJ and MGWCC. I'll continue that trend with what should be a Level 1.5, but I'll make it  Level 2  at the most to be on the safe side. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a 2-word title.

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Gorgeous weather, at least for the region! And the Cubs signe Bellinger, and I'm very happy with what I've seen so far in spring training. Our new pitcher Imanaga takes the mound today - wish us luck! Winter Solvestice's last puzzle will be Saturday, March 30 , when we will return to every other week until the summer. Now onward to start the month! --- 1.  Puzzle #84 answer:  QUANTUM LEAP Correct entries:  45 , with this leaning toward a Level 4 , after all! Shortest explanation: A bizarre, asymmetrical grid only meant I had a brutal time filling this one for some reason. You'll see 7 UPs toward the bottom, and if you heed the prompt and jump up - even beyond the grid - you'll find an alternate entry that satisfies with clue once you append an initial letter (i.e., CUPS = "Medicine cabinet sight," and TIPS can become Q -TIPS). All seven of these initial letters spell QUANTUM, and the title and mechanism suggest QUANTUM LEAP , our m...