THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]
PROGRAM: [Java]
Weird grid this one. I set out to try and make a very wide-open middle of the grid, but it turns out that’s the spot that’s got the wasp waist. All the other corners, and especially the NW and SE sections, were the spots that ballooned open. Still, a very respectable 68 word grid which I had to double check to make sure it was in fact that low. Managed, in my mind, to get a couple show-stopping clue in there as well; rather proud of 1- and 56-Acorss if I may say so myself. Hope you enjoy it.
This is the last week of the BEQ end-of-the-year drive (it ends on Thursday). Feel no pressure to give as the puzzles will still come to you weekly gratis. But if you still haven’t contributed, now’s your chance. A $10 tip gets you two never before published Sunday puzzles (a themed and a themeless), as well as the satisfaction that you’re keeping the BEQ.com chugging along smoothly. It’s the right thing to do, innit? As well, one randomly selected donor will receive a year’ subscription to the American Values Crossword Club as well. So what are you waiting for?
Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.
I hope everyone has chipped in to the BEQ pot. There are no better crosswords on the net.
What made that Google crossword anniversary puzzle so easy to solve on line?
For me, this one was a bit harder than usual. Also, I never understand BEQ’s description of the puzzle construction process. Terms such as seed entries, cheater squares, or word count are lost on me. Can someone tell me how the 68-word count is computed? Rex mentioned something about word count on his NYT blog this morning that made no sense to me.
BEQ — Thanks for all the puzzles and Happy New Year!!
I took forever getting 35-Down, because I had no clue about the author of 41-Across, was misled on 46-Across, and didn’t get the wordplay in 53-Across. Tough, but enjoyable.
Just a note on 15-across: It’s not a nickname, it’s the literal meaning of his first name.