Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Free Themeless Puzzle #10
Hi, all,
Here’s the blog puzzle for February — enjoy! As usual, if you’d like Across Lite files, don’t hesitate to e-mail me: Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
Brad
Free Themeless Puzzle #10 Smooth clue set
Free Themeless Puzzle #9
Hi, everybody –
January blog puzzle is here! Choose your solving experience by printing out the Crunchy clue set for NYT Fri-Sat difficulty or the Smooth clue set for a midweek-type workout. I spend lots of time researching the clues and I try to give the fun trivia equal time in both clue sets.
AcrossLite files available by e-mailing me: Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
Free Themeless Puzzle #9 Smooth clue set
Free Themeless Puzzle #8
Hi, all,
December themeless is here — I’ll accept a little handslap for dearth of seasonal content and for a hostile crossing here and there. But overall I thought the puzzle turned out nicely. Hope you enjoy! As usual, print out your choice of “smooth” (midweek) clues or “crunchy” (Saturday) clues — or both, to give yourself the out of a little peek at the smooth set.
Across Lite files available by e-mailing Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
I hope everyone has wonderful holidays! Blessings to you.
Brad
Free Themeless Puzzle #8 smooth clues — look #1
Free Themeless puzzle #8 smooth clues — look #2
Free Themeless Puzzle #8 crunchy clues — look #1
Free Themeless Puzzle #7
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
My blogged themeless puzzle for November is a co-construction with my friend and most frequent collaborator, Doug Peterson. You may notice that at first glance, we look absent from the byline. But put your anagram skills to work and you’ll quickly figure it out. The pseudonym was born out of space constraints at Newsday, and if you’re a regular solver of that puzzle, you’ll notice that Lars is also responsible for the 11/26/11 Saturday Stumper. Doug and I thought it would be nice to do a blogged puzzle together to add an extra punch to the arrival of our alter ego. We’re hoping you enjoy both the Stumper and this one!
As usual, you can choose because a weekend solving experience (the crunchy clues) and a midweek difficulty level (smooth), or print out both and sneak a peek at the smooth clues if things grind to a halt during your crunchy progress. And for Across Lite files for online solving, e-mail me. Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu. Cheers!
Brad and Doug
see stanxwords.com for online access to the Newsday puzzle.
Free Themeless Puzzle #7 (smooth clues, layout #1)
Free Themeless Puzzle #7 (smooth clues, layout #2)
Free Themeless Puzzle #7 (crunchy clues, layout #1)
Free Themeless Puzzle #6
Hi, all,
Yes, I might call this puzzle “raced into production,” but I’m determined to continue the streak of one puzzle per month, and, of course, today is my last chance to make October.
As usual, the double set of clues is meant to give you the option to choose a midweek solving experience (smooth clue set), a Friday Saturday solving experience (crunchy clue set), or a scenario where you print both clue sets out and tackle the crunchy but allow yourself peeks at the smooth.
And, also as usual, if you’d like clue sets to solve on your computer in Across Lite, e-mail me: Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
Free Themeless Puzzle No. 6 (October 2011) — Smooth clue set
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)
Free Themeless Puzzle #4
Hi, everyone,
I wish everyone safety and calm as we await the wrath of Irene in the East.
I’m hoping to be able to post one free puzzle a month if I can keep the groove going. Here’s the latest. Enjoy! Remember to choose the Smooth clue set if you are not feeling like a major workout — and Crunchy if you’re really confident in your NYT-late-week solving chops.
Across Lite files available by request — just pop me an e-mail at Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
Blog Puzzle #4 Smooth clue set
Free Themeless Puzzle #3
Hi, everyone –
I’m so sorry it’s been almost a year since I furnished a puzzle here, but I have one for you now and another coming shortly. I’m hopeful that you’ll see puzzles and perhaps other thoughts here on a more regular basis.
PDF files for printing are here — plus a solution grid. WordPress does not Across Lite files, but if you’d like one for download/online solving, just e-mail me at Bradley.Wilber [at symbol] houghton.edu.
Remember, I have two sets of clues available, a la Games Magazine’s “World’s Most Ornery.” Choose the “Smooth” file for a slightly gentler experience, choose the “Crunchy” file for a weekend New York Times-styled experience. Or, start with Crunchy and dip into Smooth at the end if you need to do it to finish.
Enjoy!
***
Blog Puzzle #3 “Smooth” clue set
Free Themeless Puzzle #2
Hi, everybody–
Sorry I’ve been away for so long! The new semester starts on Monday, so I’m relieved to have this ready to go before the student onslaught arrives. I’ve been constructing and cluing this week through a bout of back pain, so this was a fun way to take my mind off how hard it was to find a comfortable position…..
Thanks to Doug Peterson, who quick-tested it this afternoon. Hope you enjoy it, whether you use hard clues, gentler ones, or a combination of both. Let me know how you make out, and I promise to get new material on here with more regularity.
Blog puzzle #2 Smooth clue set
Blog puzzle #2 Crunchy clue set
If you want me to send you an Across Lite file, please e-mail me by using Bradley.Wilber [at sign] houghton . edu
Free Themeless Puzzle #1
Hi, everybody. Here is the first free themeless puzzle. Keep in mind that for now I’m a web-publishing dunce, so for the moment I’ve only got PDFs and no bells and whistles on the site overall. But I’ll see what I can do about getting Across Lite files up, along with other niceties. For now, themeless devotees who need a fix enough to print something out can have what I’ve got. As per the initial post below, you can choose to use CRUNCHY clues (hard) or SMOOTH (easier), or a combo.
Blog puzzle #1 Smooth clue set