Sort It Out

I'm back today with a themed puzzle. Sometimes you come up with a theme idea that you really like and then realize that it will not make sense to the general public, and this is definitely one of those themes. If you've studied computer science, I think you'll love it. If not, the theme might not make sense, but the puzzle should be fun anyways.

For a bit of a look behind the curtain, this is one of the only puzzles I've made quickly--I sat down, spent some time gridding, and then wrote all the clues more or less in order. (This is definitely the only time I've done that last part; my cluing is usually a slow and chaotic process.) I did this partly because even though I've been editing for Lil AVC X and doing other crossword-y stuff, I really haven't been constructing all that much lately, since I've been busy with work (and with the much less necessary but very fun Baldur's Gate 3) and also facing a little bit of creative block. I figured just sitting down and Making A Puzzle that I could immediately share with the world would be a good way to shake myself out of it, and while time will tell if that's the case, at the very least, I have Made A Puzzle.

Puz file | Crosshare

Band Mates (with Dan Schwartz)

 Today's puzzle is a 21x that I made in collaboration with Dan Schwartz. You might know Dan from some of our earlier collaborations (like this one), from his own very good blog, from his Twitch stream, or from his incredible performances at crossword tournaments. Dan sent me the idea for this theme about a year ago, and we spent awhile going back and forth coming up with a set of themers and turning it into a 21x grid (not the easiest to fill!). I think the theme is great and the final puzzle also turned out pretty great, so please enjoy!

Crosshare | Puz

Gay Wrath Month (themeless)

 Today I have a 13x puzzle: my favorite puzzle size that's just a little too big for a midi and a little too small to be a normal puzzle. Full disclosure: this was supposed to be a mostly themeless Pride puzzle, hence the title, but it took me far too long to clue it, so I'm posting it now. In the intervening month, the clues have also probably become less coherent and more tailored to my niche interests, so full disclosure that I have no idea how solvable this is to anyone but me.

Not much news (crossword-related or otherwise) to share this time. I hope everyone is having a good summer. I personally am spending the next week locking down my Barbie movie outfit.

Puz file | direct link

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.

Crosshare | Puz

musty hallways (themeless)

 Hi, it's me again. I have a themeless for you today with a grid I really like (and a grid shape I love to come back to again and again). The clues lean very... indie this time around, and it has not been test solved, so if you don't like any of the clues, my only response is 12-Down.

As for other crossword stuff I can plug, you're all subscribed to AVCX, right? It would be wild if you liked indie crosswords and weren't subscribed to AVCX. I say this because they're consistently putting out great puzzles but also because I've been editing for their midi team for the past few months, and I love the puzzles I've gotten to work on. Good stuff, go do all of them.

Assorted other things: it was a delight to meet everyone at ACPT last weekend (even if I'm still exhausted from all the excitement). As for this blog, my schedule will remain terribly inconsistent, but I'm sure you'll see more from me when I have an idea too weird/silly to submit anywhere "real" (or when I have a puzzle that's racked up too many rejections elsewhere). And keep an eye on your Daily Crossword Links over the next few months, since I have some non-blog puzzles in the pipeline!

Direct Crosshare | Puz file

Breaking the Binary (acrostic)

 Hi everyone! Today, I bring you the first ever acrostic I've made! Was it the wisest to pick a super long quote for my first acrostic? Probably not, but I soldiered on, and I think this is pretty fun. That said, this is the first puzzle I've made that I'm fairly certain will not work well as an embed on my blog, so you'll need to click through to Crossword Nexus.

For those of you who don't recognize the quote, you will probably want to watch this video (which is very spoilery!) for slightly more context. Would you believe that the original quote is more than twice as long as this acrostic?

Thank you to Alex Boisvert for test solving and for building the tools necessary to create this acrostic!

Solve the puzzle on Crossword Nexus

Season's Greetings

 I had the pleasure this year of helping run Crosscord's first secret snowflake holiday gift exchange! We had just over 30 participants, ranging from new constructors to some of the best in the biz. (We even got Et Tu Etui!) Overall, the exchange, was a huge success, and people made some really fantastic puzzles.

While I definitely didn't make one of the most impressive puzzles of the exchange, I've decided to share the puzzle I made for RandomSaucepan, who suggested he'd appreciate references to a certain TV show. I think the puzzle is fun and fairly easy, so I hope you give it a try and enjoy!

Puz | Crosshare