Pun of a Kind

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! The Cubs have done nothing yet on the offseason, by and large, so we'll see what happens. More importantly, I'm hoping all of you had a very merry Christmas and are enjoying the beauty and wonder of the season. There will be a double-post tomorrow with MGWCC, so here we are to kick off the 3rd annual Winter Solvestice . Here's the same graphic we bring out from storage each year: Gorgeous. This means we'll have a puzzle each week until the second week in March. Let's go! --- 1.  Puzzle #159a answer:  BOOED OFF Correct entries: 48 Shortest explanation: A bit tricky! Eight clues end in a word that rhymes with one of Santa's reindeer. Order these in standard order, then take the n th letter of each entry (1st of Dasher's, 2nd of Dancer's, 3rd of Prancer's, etc.). You'll get BOOED OFF , which rhymes with Rudolph, and is the answer to the meta. (Note that we avoided the ambiguity of the Dancer/Prancer rhyme order by having bot...

Hello hello! No, this meta was not planned, and yes, it's being randomly posted. Explanation here . So, contrasting with what I said before, this really   will be the final puzzle before Christmas (no, really, this time). No PDF/PUZ, just Crosshare below. --- Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G The 2-word answer to the meta in the form (6, 6) is why this meta exists.  

  Hello hello! It's the 15th, so you know what that means! (As of September, haha.) I've been posting a themeless on the 1st  and 15th  of the month, available on Crosshare below. Meta posted this past Saturday is still live. Happy puzzling, and may all your solves be beautiful! Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Mikey G  

PDF  /  PUZ Hello hello! Pete Alonso to the Os for five years (sorry, Mets fans). Meanwhile, the Cubs still exist, I guess. (Do something, front office!) This will be the final puzzle before Christmas and wishing you a happy holiday season! I'll see you again on 12/27  to start the Winter Solvestice! --- 1.  Puzzle #158 answer: ICY ("I SEE") Correct entries:  62 Shortest explanation: Somewhat SAD, since it wasn't too much to do, but it was well-hidden! Replace NOVEMBER with DECEMBER, and you'll form three new words going down. Find their alternates to give us ICY/"I SEE. " --- 2. Because this is a tough Level 4  (though I don't think it's quite that high, but I have a feeling it might trend there), I'll be placing a bonus Level 1  below it later today, time pending. Good luck, and may all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G 159a ("Trained Ear Games") The 8-letter answer to the meta is what I hope I won't be after you've solved...

Hello hello! No meta this time around, but I started a journey in September to post a themeless of some varying size (maybe leaning a bit midi) on the 1st and 15th of every month. This is my 7th in the sequence, and you can find the rest combing through my Crosshare page. I will label these with "TL" preceded by the number, so separate them from the metas, which shall still continue to be the main attraction. May all your solves be beautiful! Mikey G