Tag Archives: crossword

Midis for Minnesota Charity Bundle!

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The news cycle may have moved on, but the brave people of Minnesota are still dealing with the effects of ICE’s policies, past and present.

A few months ago, puzzle and game companies united to create the No Ice in Minnesota charity bundle, which did a lot of good.

But the good fight continues, so the puzzly community has rallied once more in support of their friends, neighbors, and fellow human beings.

I’m happy to help spread the word about their latest charity endeavor…

Midis for Minnesota!

A collection of 13 midi-sized crosswords, Midis for Minnesota features a world-class lineup of Minnesotan constructors.

Across Minnesota, immigrant families impacted by ICE’s presence are struggling to afford groceries, rent, and other basic essentials. These families need urgent financial support.

Simply make a donation of any amount to one of the organizations listed (or any other organization that helps those affected by ICE’s presence), and contact the creators to receive your charity bundle.

Their goal is to raise $10,000 to support their community.

Please donate, or at the very least, share the link and help get the word out about this worthwhile cause.

The people of Minnesota have shown us the true heart of America, the power of speaking out, of organization, of standing up against the masked faces of violence, racism, and corruption, and these organizations deserve our support.

Thanks for reading today.

Delving into the 2025 Midwest Crossword Tournament Puzzles!

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I’ve solved puzzles from ACPT, Boswords, Westwords, Lollapuzzoola, and other tournaments throughout the years, but I’ve never solved puzzles from the Midwest Crossword Tournament before!

So when I had the chance to solve last year’s tournament puzzles, I was stoked for the opportunity to test my puzzly skill in a new arena.

Let’s put these puzzles under the PuzzCulture microscope and see what MWXWT had in store for solvers in 2025!

Puzzle #1: Where My Queens At? by Taylor Johnson

Johnson constructed a nice opener to welcome people to the day’s proceedings where the theme entries were all places you can find queens (BEEHIVE, ROYALFLUSH, HOMECOMING, etc).

The fill was smooth (especially those pairs of 10-letter down entries on each side), and the smiley face built into the grid was a nice touch.

Interesting grid entries included OPEN SOURCE, GOLF PRO, ONE LOVE, and RUNYON, and my favorite clues were “Iconic part of David Bowie and Queen’s ‘Under Pressure'” for BASELINE and “The longest distance between two places, per ‘The Glass Menagerie'” for TIME.

Puzzle #2: The Windy City by Hemant Mehta

The ten-letter stacks continued in this well-constructed themeless, where we had 3 10-letter entries in two of the corners, intersecting some longer entries and loads of great vocabulary.

Factor in all the Chicago-centric cluing and fill, and you’ve got a solve as breezy as promised.

Interesting grid entries included HARPY, DOUBLE DOINK, THIRSTILY, and REKT, and my favorite clues were “They might grab a meal” for TALONS and “One taking cover?” for BLANKET HOG.

Puzzle #3: Creature Features by Evan Birnholz

Oh man, I love a movie title pun, so I was all about this 21x wordplay-fest from Birnholz. (I got the first one immediately — Apocalypse Cow — because it was also the name of a villain in the live-action version of The Tick.)

With seven pun entries in the grid — several spanning most of the grid — and loads of great fill entries to flesh out the grid, this puzzle was a blast.

Interesting grid entries included ARTS DEGREE, ACKROYD, IDEA MAP, and ROTINI (my favorite pasta shape), and my favorite clues were “Crossword-solving Simpson” for LISA and “Large winged creature in a Sinbad story” for ROC.

Puzzle #4: Substitute Teaching by Lydia Roth and Christina Bodensiek

This 13×17 stormer was the hardest puzzle of the tournament so far, and I confess, the substitution game had me baffled for a bit before I realized what I was overlooking.

The cluing was straightforward, but several entries didn’t match their clues, while others that neighbored those entries in the same row included the note “(apply to 29-Across),” for instance. I thought I had to place the letters of the neighboring word INTO the larger entry, but it turned out the neighboring word WAS the instruction for that word. KISS wasn’t inserted into SINGSONG, K IS S explains how KINGKONG (which fits what was clued) becomes SINGSONG in the grid.

Diabolical!

I was a little thrown-off by the last “rule” only applying to one letter in the answer, not two, but otherwise, this was fiendishly fun to unravel.

Interesting grid entries included AR HEADSET, NABISCO, AFL-CIO, and HALIBUT, and my favorite clues were “Tiniest sound” for PEEP and “Tower of __ (classic math puzzle)” for HANOI (which I’ve written about in the past).

Puzzle #5: I Need Space by Kyle Dolan

Another thinker, here! What a one-two punch puzzles 4 and 5 were.

Dolan’s puzzle centered around common or familiar phrases that become a new phrase when a state abbreviation at the start of the phrase is removed. For instance, WIRED MAGAZINE becomes RED MAGAZINE.

For some reason, it took me FOREVER to figure out the gimmick here, and I’m sure many solvers would’ve wrapped this puzzle up faster than me at the tournament.

The clean fill and smart layout of the grid made this puzzle the perfect solve before the finals. Really great construction overall.

Interesting grid entries included GOOD VIBES, RITE AID, LA SPARKS, and CANTO, and my favorite clues were “Rinky-dink” for TWO-BIT and “Female in a song from ‘The Sound of Music'” for DOE.

Puzzle #6: Final Course by Katie Hoody

The final puzzle of the day was this 15x themeless and it did not disappoint. Strong grid construction built around the grid-spanning HOT DISH ON A STICK (crossing NINE 9- and 10-letter entries) really impressed.

There were two sets of clues available for the championship themeless, MINNESOTA NICE and CHICAGO FIRE, depending on your preference, and the cluing for each was on point.

All in all, this was a dynamite capper to a day of enjoyable challenges.

Interesting grid entries included BARITONE SAX, RINK RAT, BITE-SIZE, and GO VIRAL.

As for favorite clues, here’s a list:

  • MN NICE: “Flying creature whose babies are called pups” for BAT
  • MN NICE: “Apt epithet hidden inside ‘”I’ve had it with you!'” for TWIT
  • MN NICE: “Children’s theater character that speaks from the sole?” for SOCK PUPPET
  • MN NICE: “Bakery treat that becomes an ice cream treat when its first letter is removed” for SCONE
  • CHI FIRE: “Plays on a raised surface” for STAGE SHOWS
  • CHI FIRE: “Brings some cheeky energy to the dance floor” for TWERKS
  • CHI FIRE: “Simple retirement option” for COT
  • CHI FIRE: “Word that retains its meaning when preceded by ‘ni'” for TWIT
  • CHI FIRE: “Superfamily whose extinct species include Gigantopithecus and Oreopithecus” for APES
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Overall, I quite enjoyed my first time tangling with MWXWT.

The difficulty spike with Puzzle #4 was a welcome challenge (though I suspect others didn’t struggle with 4 and 5 like I did), and the construction across the tournament was strong. There were no unfair crossings or dubious bits of cluing. It was topnotch from start to finish.

Registration for this year’s tournament is open now! The event is on Saturday, October 3rd at the University of Illinois Chicago Student Center East.

I’m excited to see what they have in store for us this year!

Will you be solving this year’s Midwest Crossword Tournament puzzles (either in person or online), fellow solver? Let me know in the comments section below! I’d love to hear from you.

Crossword News Roundup: Tournaments, Classes, Videos, and New Puzzles!

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The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament was this past weekend, and once again, it was a highlight of the puzzly year! Congratulations to new champ Erik Agard and everyone who competed for Stamford’s last hurrah hosting the event.

If you want to watch the live-solved finale, you can check it out here:

While ACPT has come and gone, more tournament fun is on the way! Registration is now open for both Lollapuzzoola and the Midwest Crossword Tournament.

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Saturday, August 15 will be the Saturday in August for this year’s Lollapuzzoola 19.

New York City will again host the event, which features divisions for Express solvers (speed solvers), Local solvers, and Pairs solvers!

You can check out our thoughts on last year’s tournament puzzles here!

Saturday, October 3 marks the next edition of the Midwest Crossword Tournament.

The University of Illinois Chicago Student Center East will host this year’s event, which features divisions for Individual and Pairs solvers at two difficulty levels: Chicago Fire for the experienced solvers and Minnesota Nice for newer solvers. And you’re welcome to participate online as well!

Not only that, but they’re seeking a constructor from the Midwest or with ties to the Midwest to construct a themeless puzzle for this year’s event. What an opportunity!

And if you’re looking to get a better sense of MWXWT in a nutshell, I’ll be delving into last year’s tournament puzzles next week!

If you missed out on this year’s Crossword Con panels, they’ve been posted online for you to enjoy. Please make some time for them, they’re a glimpse into the present AND future of puzzles.

And while we’re discussing Puzzmo-centric events, they’re selling a Puzzmo Plus subscription for just $39.99. Click here to more details!

In other puzzle news, The Boston Globe has launched their own PuzzleMania-style publication in honor of the 130th Boston Marathon.

The Puzzle Marathon is only $8 and features 26 puzzles crafted by topnotch constructors from the Boston area.

It’s too late to get it in time for the Boston Marathon, but there’s still plenty of time for some mental athletics!

We’ve also got a few updates from the world of crossword constructors!

Veteran constructor Robin Stears has just launched her Patreon!

Robin is one of the most prolific cruciverbalists working today, with puzzles ranging from super-easy to deviously difficult. There’s literally something for everybody under Robin’s umbrella.

Be sure to check it out!

Constructor and author Eric Berlin has launched his new crossword variant, Patchwork.

This grid puzzle has entries reading across AND entries reading out in various patches that fit into the grid. So you have two overlapping chances to fill out each grid!

You can try out the puzzle for yourself here. Give it a try!

Finally, have you considered taking a class on the history and construction of crosswords?

Well, Natan Last has got you covered!

This four-session course runs throughout May at Union Hall in Brooklyn, NY, and costs $150 for all four sessions.

His book Across the Universe is a treasure trove of information about crosswords, so I have no doubt this course will be worth every penny!

Click here for more information and tickets!

Any crossword news we missed this week? Let us know in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!

American Crossword Puzzle Tournament Weekend!

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Good luck to everyone participating in Stamford and at home in this year’s Nerd Olympics, aka the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament!

The mix of camaraderie and competition is so unique at ACPT, and there’s a general joyfulness that permeates the entire event. (Yes, even during the dreaded Puzzle #5.)

While I was unable to attend this year sadly, I did celebrate in my own way… by constructing a puzzle for you to enjoy!

Consider this a VERY easy icebreaker to shake off any puzzly ring rust you might have before diving into the devious and delightful puzzles of this year’s tournament!

[Click here to download a PDF of the puzzle.]

This is probably my fastest turnaround ever for a puzzle, from initial idea to finished product, and I hope you enjoy.

Happy puzzling, friends and competitors! Break a leg!

Wait, that’s for actors. What’s a good luck term for cruciverbalists? Break a pencil tip? That seems like a cruel jinx to put on someone.

Possible options:

  • May all your crossings not be cross!
  • Get your fill!
  • Happy rebus hunting!
  • Grid and bear it!

Wow, those are awful. Anyway, good luck and enjoy the puzzle!

Puzzles in Pop Culture: The Simpsons (re-revisited!)

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The TV show The Simpsons is part of the fabric of American culture at this point. It has been on for decades, and although the show doesn’t put out banger after banger like they did in their heyday, they can still be counted on to put out fun shows and the occasional home run.

As part of their cultural influence, naturally puzzles have featured prominently from time to time.

Probably the most famous puzzly moment was when Lisa became a competitive crossword solver and Homer’s apology puzzle to her appeared in The New York Times. But they’ve also featured brain teasers, anagrams, and a Da Vinci Code-esque series of riddles.

And that legacy of puzzle-fueled storytelling hasn’t stopped since I wrote that post over a decade ago.

But it wasn’t through crosswords or brain teasers that puzzles have appeared on the Simpsons more recently. It was through Wordle.

Wordle has been mentioned enough times on The Simpsons that it actually has its own entry on the Simpsons Wiki.

We get a glimpse of a Wordle game in episode 2 of season 37, entitled “Keep Chalm and Gary On.”

Supernintendo Chalmers is fired from his job, and ends up working at the Nuclear Power Plant with Homer. After seeing how hard Chalmers was working, Homer teaches him how to APPEAR like he’s working hard.

During this montage, we get a glimpse of Chalmers playing Wordle.

But this was actually the second instance of this exact same Wordle game appearing on The Simpsons.

A few seasons earlier — episode 2 of season 34, entitled “One Angry Lisa” — Lisa finds herself on a jury, and is annoyed when she spots Judge Constance Harm playing Wordle during court.

Lisa points out that she’s playing games on the bench, and the judge realizes the answer word is, in fact, BENCH.

Wordle is also mentioned in episode 8 from season 36, entitled “Convenience Airways.” The pilot is making announcements:

Just a reminder, folks, the call button is only for real emergencies, like if you’re down to your last guess on Wordle.

The Simpsons also inspired their own variation on Wordle, Simpsle, where you try to figure out which Simpsons character the game has chosen.

You get hints — are they the same gender as your guess, older or younger, related to your guess, or had more or fewer appearances than your guess — in order to deduce the character’s identity in six tries or fewer.

It’s a good time, depending on your familiarity with the show. I’m a huge fan, so I managed to guess Kearney (one of the older bullies/miscreant kids in town) on my sixth guess.

(There was actually another Simpsons-inspired Wordle game at one point, Doh-dle, but it no longer appears to be active.)

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a personal anecdote involving puzzling and The Simpsons.

I was removing a repeat from a Penny Press crossword grid, and as I was working on the puzzle, I thought I’d found the perfect quick fix to fill the space.

I showed Patti Varol, future editor of The LA Times Crossword, my correction, and she pointed out that my fix, EMBIGGENS, despite being a perfectly cromulent word, wouldn’t be accepted.

It had not even occurred to me that EMBIGGENS wasn’t standard jargon. We both lamented that fact, and I got back to work on the grid.

Still, it shows the cultural impact of the show in general. From “Yoink!” and “meh” to “saying the quiet part out loud” and “old man yells at cloud,” it has literally changed how we speak.

And that goes for how we puzzle as well.

Do you have any favorite puzzly Simpsons moments? Or puzzly moments from other TV shows? Let us know in the comments section below! We’d love to hear from you.

I mean, a little more legibly than this, if you don’t mind…

Crossword News Roundup!

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Crossword tournament season is fully in swing and there’s plenty to keep up on AND look forward to.

The Boswords Spring Themeless League is in week 3 already, and I’ve heard rave reviews of the puzzles so far.

We’re only a few weeks out from the 48th American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which will be the last year the event is held in Stamford, CT, before the move next year to Philadelphia.

Westwords isn’t until June, but registration is open! (And they’ve added in-person pairs solving this year.)

Also, can we talk about crossword website names for a minute? Because https://www.westwordsbestwords.com/ is a great one.

Not only that, but there’s also https://www.midwestgridfest.com/ for the Midwest Crossword Tournament, which is just delightful.

Yes, you can simply type https://www.mwxwt.com/ and get to the same information, but where is the whimsy in that?!

(P.S. The Midwest Crossword Tournament isn’t until October, but registration opens April 6th!)

Crossword Con Returns!

Puzzmo’s Third Annual Crossword Con is being held on Friday, April 10th, in Manhattan, New York (and online as well).

If you’re looking for some fascinating insight into the world of puzzles both present and future, be sure to check it out!

They just announced the panel of presenters and it is stacked: Brooke Husic, Orta Therox, Saman Bemel-Benrud, Ben Zimmer, and Adam Aaronson.

Adam very deservingly won the ORCA for Best Crossword-Related Media for his piece “Square Theory,” so I’m excited to see him revisiting the topic for Crossword Con. It will be a must-watch presentation.

Be sure to get your tickets for either in-person or online attendance. They’re including a one-year subscription to Puzzmo Plus with your purchase!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6

Before I wrap up today’s post, I want to remind my fellow puzzlers about the important work behind These Puzzles Fund Abortion.

They’re hoping to raise $50,000 to support safe, affordable, and accessible abortion care with the sixth edition of TPFA. You can make a donation and preorder your puzzle packet right now!

These Puzzles Fund Abortion 6 contains 21 puzzles centered around social and reproductive justice themes, all for a minimum donation of $25.

If you donate $50 or more, you will also receive the puzzle packs for the previous five years of TPFA.

With data showing that Republican presidents send maternal deaths soaring when they take office, this is a very worthy cause. I hope your finances allow you to contribute to the health and safety of others.

Happy solving, puzzlers!