Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! A scorcher this past week in my region (see, I can talk about other things here than baseball), so it's a good time to go inside, stay cool, and do some puzzles! --- 1.  Puzzle #139 answer: TAN GENT Correct entries: 75! Shortest explanation: Per UNDER THE SUN, take the four trigrams under the SUN squares in the grid. You'll spell TINSOHCAHTOA, which may look like gibberish! But per Mr. Google and the nudges, you can reparse that into "T," in SOH-CAH-TOA, and our trigonometry classes (and who said they wouldn't come in handy???) gives us that that's TANGENT (or TAN GENT , har har), the meta answer. --- 2.  Wheel! Of! Levels! I'm guessing about a Level 3  for this, but it depends on if you're on my wavelength. Let's see! Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is a 2-word phrase in the form (5, 5).  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Two losses in a row for my beloved Cubbies, so we'll see if we get back on track soon! --- 1a.  Puzzle #137 answer:  MIKEY G (hey, I know him) Correct entries:  61 Shortest explanation: The five asterisked entries form new entries by appending the "GEE" sound to the end of each of them. Find new entries in the grid whose clues fit these. Those spell MIKEY, and we append a "G" for MIKEY G , concluding the most self-indulgent meta ever, haha. --- 1b. Puzzle #138 answer: DRAB Correct entries: 60 Shortest explanation: The four countries' flags have a series of colors within them. Find an entry in the grid that uses the colors' initials with one additional letter (i.e. Vietnam's is red and yellow, and DRY is D + R and Y). The extra letters spell out DRAB , which flying colors are certainly not! --- 2. The last two puzzles were easier than I thought, and I think this one is genuinely a Level 2 , so we'll see what that means, ha...

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Tough road stretch overall, only taking one from the Phillies and watching the offense taper off some as of late. We'll see what we can do this week! Also, Aaron Judge is batting .392. It's mid-June. How. Delaying the reveal for 137, since I need to post this one a bit earlier again, so here's the reveal for 136 anyway, haha. I will catch up! (Maybe.) --- 1.  Puzzle #136 answer: HOT HOT HOT Correct entries: 61 Shortest explanation: Four rows all contain a triplet of words that can be preceded by "HOT," signaling HOT HOT HOT , specifically Buster Poindexter (really David Johansen)'s 1987 cover (that he later lamented since he became inextricably linked to it). --- 2.  My roulette wheel of ratings overestimated last week's, and I'll put down Level 3  for this one. Maybe 2.75? Maybe 3.25? You be the judge! Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The answer to the meta is what flying colors are not.  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Cubs-Tigers had such a playoff atmosphere last night. We were on the losing end but will still try to win 2-out-of-3! Also, Pete Crow-Armstrong is amazing. That is all. Delaying the reveal for 136, since I need to post this one a bit earlier again, so here's the reveal for 135 anyway, haha. I will catch up! --- 1.  Puzzle #135 answer:  FINAL EXAM Correct entries:  56 Shortest explanation: Take the last letters of each of the four themed entries to get EAT, ORSE, URE, and IVE. Looks slightly promising: now add "END" before each of these! You'll get four words, each of which having an alternate somewhere in the grid. These alternates are, in top-down order, ABIDE, COAX, ARUGULA, and CONFIRM. Note their  last letters spell EXAM, pointing us to FINAL EXAM , the answer to the meta. Whew! --- 2. I have to play this one safe, so this one will get a Level 4  rating. As always, your mileage may vary. Check out Crosshare/Muggles for nudg...