Free Themeless Puzzle #5
Hi, all,
So far the plan to furnish a blog puzzle every month is on track. Yes, it’s only three consecutive months, but I’m thinking positive.
I have been asked what makes a good candidate for a seed entry in a blogged puzzle. Many great puzzlemaking colleagues have preceded me into the arena of free puzzles online, so I won’t speak for them, only myself:
1) an entry that might lose currency in the time lag until publication, or one that I suspect solvers might have fun with but that an editor might see as overexertion in an attempt to be au courant.
2) an entry that might skate close to the breakfast test boundaries.
3) an entry that I fear an editor might find too “specific” — this puzzle 5 has one. So did number 4. Hopefully not too many solvers will be undone by them.
4) an entry paired with a clue that I like but which my gut tells me will end up on the cutting room floor. (For this reason, you may see seed entries from earlier published puzzles reappear…eventually!)
Anyway, just so you know, you’re not getting editors’ rejects here. If you see underwhelming fill somewhere, don’t read too much into it; I’ll just try and keep striving for high quality with each month!
As usual, you can choose between a “smooth” version of the clues and a “crunchy” version for those who want a really thorny late-week solve. Or, print out both versions and peek at the smooth clues if you get stuck amid the crunchies. This time I’m offering PDFs in two different styles. And, if you’d like to solve online, e-mail me at Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu for Across Lite files.
Blog Puzzle #5 Smooth clue set (PDF style #1)
Blog Puzzle #5 Smooth clue set (PDF style #2)
Blog Puzzle #5 Crunchy clue set (PDF style #1)