THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]
7-Down first then the 4×8 corners second. Take note that 8- and 38-Down didn’t necessarily have to be 8 letter entries, but rather two 4 letter answers. But I made the grid a shade more open at that junction as it is good custom to make sure themeless puzzles cannot be broken into two (or more) puzzles with the addition of one black square (and its symmetrical opposite). In this hypothetical situation if you returned the black sqaure to the one numbered 46 as well as placed one in the eighth letter of 49-Across, and two more black squares symmetrically, it splits the grid into three. No no. I realize that themeless crosswords tend to be lots of mini puzzles broken up into quadrants, but ideally you have a grid that flows from one section to the next like today’s offereing. Anyway, just taking a moment for the curtain call clues at 20-Across, 26- and 38-Down. Hope you enjoy it.
Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.
I am scarred hard but I survived the latest BEQ offering.
In re “I need a drink” in the Pittsburgh City Paper issue for May 6, 2015, Bulgars are not Slavs, though Bulgarians are.
Very strong BEQ. Thanks for the workout.