CROSSWORD SOLVER PUZZLE:
[ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Crossword Solver]
PROGRAM: [Java]
PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]
ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]
It feels a bit odd to critique a book written by your friend, but hey, let’s give it a shot, shall we? Puzzlewright Press has just put out a collection of Ben Tausig’s puzzles, “Crosswords From the Underground,” and it’s a gem. Any time somebody can make me go “wished I’d thought of that theme,” “wished I’d debuted that entry,” or “wished I’d came up with that clue,” sometimes within the same puzzle, warrants big praise. And for the most part, I’ve made those observations throughout solving the book.
My man Ben is wrapping up a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at N.Y.U., and I like that that uber-music geek/world traveler personality shows up, especially in themes. I hate to say it, there were at least two themes that were completely in my music-dork wheelhouse, yet slipped right past me. It was only after reading the detailed liner notes (yeah, Ben writes liner notes for each puzzle), that I understood said themes. My ego bruised. My face beet-red. I felt I’d probably have to leave my official Pitchfork-reading hipster card at the door on the way out. Either that or sing some Kylie Minogue non-ironically at the next karaoke night.
Speaking of karaoke nights, I recall one such show-stopping evening spent with Ben and some of his NYC friends maybe four years ago. We were in some sleazy karaoke bar in the Lower East Side and we had a private room in the back that smelled like a month-old urinal cake. Good times. It was there that I witnessed Ben nailing a life-altering version of Teddy Pendergrass’s “Love TKO.” His version was so amazing, it rendered the original one obsolete. So why do I bring up this story? It all ties in together with the latest contest.
CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT: It’s karaoke-time on BEQ.com and next up, is Ben Tausig. The thing is, he doesn’t know what to perform. All you have to do enter our contest is make a request of a song for Ben to sing. Entries should be sent to BenTausigSings [at] gmail.com, with the song and artist in the subject line. Deadline is the end of the day Friday. Our expert panel of judges (me, Ben, and our wives) will judge the requests based on appropriateness, humor, excellence, what-have-you, and Ben will record the winning entries, to be posted next Monday. The grand prize winner will receive Ben’s latest book, as well as my latest Puzzlewright book, “Sex, Drugs & Rock ‘n’ Roll Crosswords.” The runner-up, just Ben’s.
Enter the contest. Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.
Since it really looks like Mr. Tausig is holding a doobie in that photograph, I think something by Cypress Hill might be in order.
Dear Josh, I see what you mean about the illegal drug optical illusion. Hadn’t noticed that before; good eye.
However, I can assure you that is a cat.
Then I switch my suggestion to “Rum Tum Tugger.”