ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ ANYBODY HOME?]
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]
PROGRAM: [Java]
PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ ANYBODY HOME?]
PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]
Had this one in the “to make eventually” files for a while now. Found the zinger completely delectable, yet for some inexplicable reason I could never pull it off cuz I was trying to fit it into a 15x instead of the 17x it eventually became. Okay, there is an explanation: I’m a masochist. Why do anything the easy way when I can make my life a living hell? Heads up if you didn’t do it already, it might be more of an Easium more than a Medium. Just sayin’.
Another heads up: Brad Wilber has taken the plunge into crosswords and blogging. Yet, somehow, he neglected to tell me about this. Thanks a lot, Brad! I mean, how many times are we bouncing e-mails back and forth commenting about the quality of each other’s crosswords? That’s right, all the live long day. And not once did you think to share with me that you were going the blog route? Pfft! In fact, I had to hear about your endeavors through a Facebook comment from “Steely” Dan Feyer. Well, no matter. Folks, Brad specializes in some bewildering, Scrabbly, and occasionally name-heavy themeless grids. Lots of entries that pop and they hardly ever feel stale. In short, right in my wheelhouse, so it should be in your wheelhouse, too. He even took the time to write two sets of clues so you can pick your speed. The first themeless is up there now. Get thee to it!
A couple people have been wondering how Liz is doing after England’s ignominious departure from that World Cup thing you might have been hearing about. She’s fine, thanks for asking. More importantly, the couple who invited us to their wedding that was potentially going to be derailed by an England Quarterfinals appearance mid-ceremony is ecstatic.
Lastly, thanks again for all who were able to hit up the tip jar this month. Any small contribution of $5, $10, or $20 really helps keep this blog a-chugging along. As always, one randomly selected donor who gives this week will receive their choice of anything they care for from the ole’ BEQ gift shoppe. And it bears repeating, that if you cannot tip at all, just tell five new people about this site and I’ll be your best friend forever. Thanks again for the support.
Share the puzzle. New one on Monday.
Good one, BEQ!
And, thanks for the link to Brad Wilber. Hopefully, he’ll add a “comments” section so I can tell him how much I like his work!
There should be a roman numeral rule: no calculations. If the answer is a roman numeral and you can’t think of a clever clue for it, then the clue should just be the arabic equivalent, e.g., the clue for 90a should be “251”.
One of the best roman numerals clues I have seen was “Lunchtime in old Rome” for XII. I think Merl Reagle did it.
Somebody should write a book “Great clues for Roman Numerals”. I would buy it!
Good puzzle – the NE was a problem since FORSALE & JOWLXXX sat there defying all my attempts at crossing them.
And I have been drunk in Germany but for some odd reason I’ve never looked in one of their phone books. Maybe next time.
“Hard” time for me, mainly because I needed all crosses for the quip at first. And ROI/FLORA/FUJIYAMA f’d me up good. Oh, but it’s bigger than normal, so maybe “Medium” is just right. Enjoyable, sir.
rp
I wrote in MANTWO with confidence at 1D. Later, I uttered 35D for being had. Nice one, BEQ!
couldnt finish because the right side and bottom side were cut off. trouble reading the clues, big time.
will.i.am brought me right back to the “Yes We Can” video, oh for those pre-election days so full of hope and promise…. Thanks for the Brad Wilbur tip, I’m going to start with crunchy and see how far I get.
The couple planning the wedding to conflict with the World Cup game has nothing on my wife’s cousin’s wedding in Mobile, ALA 2 years ago. Half the family is from Alabama and the other half from Louisiana (Geaux Tigers). Of course the wedding was scheduled for the same time as the LSU Bama game when both teams had their eyes on going to the BCS Bowl game. An ample supply of TVs were placed in the foyer behind the dining room.
I had to rate this Easy because I finished it without help, as I did Monday’s as well. (Could be that I’m improving, too–and recalling more ways to figure out tricky clues.) I loved both the puzzles, with the occasional wince, just because I managed to do them. Thanks for the Brad Wilber tip-off, too.