Beta Versions (midi)
Hi, it's been a bit! I've been busy in the meantime, and I've had two mainstream puzzles out in the past month--the May 4 Universal and the May 28 LAT, both collabs with Shannon Rapp. The LAT (my first Sunday puzzle!) should still be available when I'm writing this, so go check it out! I've also been busy with non-crossword stuff, including officially graduating from grad school, so you can all call me Dr. A Crossword Rose now.
As for this puzzle, I wanted to celebrate one of my favorite times of the year. (Not Pride, surprisingly enough, though happy Pride, and I may or may not wind up with enough inspiration for a Pride puzzle later this month.) It's a 9x9, which I've called mini here in the past, but the crossword community at large seems to have mostly decided that 9x9s are midis, so I'll be sticking with that label in the future. This puzzle also has a few 2-letter words, and I'm sad to say there isn't a particular inspired reason for that, but it allowed me to get much cleaner fill than I otherwise could in a 9x9 with three themers. Also the puzzle developed a Disney's "Descendants" minitheme. That one I can't explain or excuse.