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]
A fascinating news article surfaced late last week. In it, Venezuelan puzzle writer Neptalí Segovia was accused of not-so-subliminally hiding a threat of assassinating Hugo Chavez in the Últimas Noticias newspaper crossword. He claims innocence, and perhaps he may have a point. Lord knows many accidental entries just happen to appear in crosswords all the time. But does that claim pass the smell test? (See above grid with the supposed coded message highlighted.) Crucigramas are more blocked off than American crosswords, complete with unches and two-letter words. Because of that, any constructor worth their weight in salt could certainly cram more seed entries in said grids. My nose tells me that Neptalí knew exactly what he was doing.
Is it likely that an American crossword would do something similar? Aside from the obvious fact that it’s a crime to threaten the President’s life, I believe most major newspaper crosswords would deliberately avoid overt-editorializing on any topic. The crossword is intended to be a diversion from all the other stuff in the news, not a contributor to that discussion. But perhaps the real reason is best summed up by the actions of a Michael Jordan. Jordan is one of the most marketable stars who ever lived. He’s also one of the biggest liberals, but has never taken a political stance. His explanation: “Republicans buy shoes too.” Last time I checked, [members of a political affiliation] solve crosswords too.
Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.
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