Thursday, April 16, 2026, Rafael Musa and Sala Wanetick

What better day to return to blogging than a Thursday? It's the start of The Turn, as we call the Thursday-Friday-Saturday string of puzzles, and it's a perfect one for our restart, because I get to mention Bruce Haight again. He created a puzzle with two large black-square Is in 2016, and I gave it a not-very-positive review. I met him in person a couple months after posting that review, and we discussed that puzzle, my review, and the whole idea of "stunt puzzles." It gave me a better understanding of the constructor's art, and it made try to be a more balanced reviewer. So, thanks again, Bruce.

 

Now then, on to today's T-ridden grid. You'd think after all this time that I'd take a look at the shape of the grid right away. And to be fair, sometimes I do, but it's usually on a Saturday, when I marvel at huge swaths of open space. Today, I was so bent on finishing quickly so I could start the review (he offers as an excuse), that I just tried to get a foothold anywhere I could. When I finally realized what was going on and widened my view to see the six bold Ts staring out at me... well, I felt like an idiot. 

So what am I talking about? The revealer, DOWN TOAT explains that fifteen (!) Down answers use those large black-square Ts to complete the answers. And all the entries are valid and mostly normal. Some are quite good, even - "Source of a deal with The Devil?" (TAROT), and the nice geologic clue "Igneous rock that makes up most of Venus's surface" (BASALT). Sure, I can come up with that quickly, but could I remember that TOPAZ was number 8 on the Mohs Scale at the A.C.P.T? Not until it was almost too late! ... grumble grumble... 

Sorry, sidebar. 

OK, so the best clue today was "This isn't working!" for LEISURE. That's beautiful.

- Horace 

We're Back!

 

Hello Dear Readers, our break is now over. We got together at the A.C.P.T. last weekend, and much to my surprise, we all missed the blog a little more than we had expected to. And so, with barely any more fanfare than there was when we started this thing way back when, we're back. 

First off, before we get into the daily grind, I want to say that my favorite puzzle of the past few weeks was Alex Murphy's FLIPTHEBIRD from Thursday, March 26th. Such a clever trick, and very well executed. In talking with constructor Bruce Haight at the A.C.P.T., I mentioned this puzzle, and he told me that he had pitched a very similar idea ten or twelve years ago, but was told that it didn't pass the "Sunday morning test," or whatever they called their "good taste" filter. I'm not surprised that he didn't get to do it back then, or that it was published now. Certainly in the decade-plus that we've been doing the puzzles and blogging about them, things have loosened up a lot. I think it's a good thing, overall, and if it brings in solvers of a different mindset, then so much the better.

If you're reading this, thanks for checking in on us every once in a while, and I hope you'll continue to read and comment. And if you like us, tell someone about the blog. We'd really appreciate it. 

Thanks for reading,

- Horace 

Thursday, August 21, 2025, Simeon Seigel

I have been dealing with a family issue for the past few weeks, and have not blogged, but today I will, because I thought this was a very clever puzzle.

The revealer WHATGOESUP (Start of a popular saying about gravity ... or a hint to completing the answers to the starred clues) went in easily, but it wasn't until after I finished the puzzle that I realized what was going on. Let's take 19-Across "*Wildlife parks" as an example. The answer appears to be GAMER, but the true answer is "Game reserves," and to find that, you have to go to the R of GAMER, then go up and down, using the letters of 9-Down, SERVES to complete it. Pretty slick.

And this trick works for all six of the theme answers, which are all valid entries on their own. Very impressive.

I was not familiar with the game ZORK, despite playing video games in the very beginning of the video game era. "Fictional character with a famous opening line" (ALIBABA) was funny, and I thought it was convenient that "faucet" fits in where SPIGOT is correct for "Tap." Tricky.

Just a really good Thursday, I thought.

Horace 

Saturday, August 9, 2025, Aidan Deshong and Akshay Seetharam

0:09:36
Mini: 0:00:37
Connections: Green, yellow, purple, blue
Wordle: Nothing on first guess; five
Strands: Spangram first, no hints

Started slow, but finished fast today. I think SANDCASTLES (Buildings that aren't water-resistant) was my first long one, and then the rest of the middle fell into place quickly.

It's a pleasing grid shape. Nice open middle with staircase squares on the sides, and an upward diagonal feeling. 

I was helped in the SW by my nephew having attended UC IRVINE, but despite my extensive French study, JAMAISVU felt strangely new to me. :) Nor did I know La Cousine BETTE, for that matter...

It's always nice to picture a SEAOTTER (Animal that sleeps while floating on its back), YOKEL (Rube) reminds me fondly of The Simpsons, and LUSTS (Feels thirsty) is nicely modern.

Nice Saturday.

- Horace 

Friday, August 8, 2025, Rafael Musa and Matthew Stock

0:08:07
Mini: 0:00:39
Connections: green, yellow, blue, purple
Wordle: 1Y 1G on first guess; three
Strands: no hints

I just happened to learn that "The Streak" was the most popular song in American when Ken Jennings was born. I was eight at the time and I remember the song well, but I was not thinking of it when I hit the clue "Events akin to streaks" (UNDIERUNS). Another thing working against me was that I had never heard the term "undie run." Seems to me that if you're going to do it, why not go all the way? BESTRONG and get that TENTPOLE out there for all to see. Too much?

Let's see, what else...  I learned in BARTRIVIA, I think, that Antarctica was technically the largest desert in the world, so ARID went right in. But still, when I think "desert," I think "sand," so it still seems a little odd. 

I liked both the clue and the answer in "Disaccustom" (WEAN), and doesn't the idea of NORTHSTAR just feel so comforting for some reason?

- Horace 

 

Thursday, August 7, 2025, Ben Zimmer

0:11:48
Mini: 0:00:28
Connections: Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow
Wordle: 1Y1G first guess; three
Strands: No hints

It seems so straightforward now, but finished this without figuring out the trick, which is explained in the central revealer FRUITLESSLY (... how to read the answers to...). So, for

TOPEARNERS (Mixtures in copier cartridges)
IMPEACHED (Chatted online, in brief)
ROMANGODS (Some fishing gear)
and
PROBLEMONE (Investigate in detail)

fruits need to be removed from each one for the answers to make sense. I'm not sure PROBLEMONE is a normal thing to say, but I could be out of the loop.

The last square for me today was the first square of the puzzle - "Speeding check" (BUMP) and "Be up" (BAT) just were not clicking for me. Honestly, I was so stumped that I started to run the alphabet. Luckily, I skipped "A" as being highly improbable. :)

I enjoyed the QMCs for PUERTO (P.R. piece?), ELS (Trains for the Chicago White Sox?), and NAN (Grammy, in the U.K.). 

- Horace

Wednesday, August 6, 2025, Hanh Huynh

0:05:43
Mini: 0:00:48
Connections: Purple, Blue, Green, Yellow
Wordle: 1Y first guess, six
Strands: No hints

Weird, funny theme today of ITSNOTTHATDEEP:

INFLATABLEPOOL
PAPERCUT
SCREENPASS
POWERNAP

Amusing. Four totally different things, but it works. Nice.

"Paired number" (DUET) had me confused for a bit. And I was thinking about child-rearing when I read "Stopped bringing up," so LETDIE was a bit of a shock. I believe they meant conversation topics. :)

"Lead-in to -umvirate" (TRI) was amusing.

- Horace