Puzzle Ninety-Five: Colorful Character (meta)

 Easy (and small) one this time.

I had the Universal crossword back on February 18 if you want to backtrack, it should still be available.

The meta answer is a cartoon character. Entries are due at 12 PM, Friday, March 7.

Submit answers via Crosshare link below, which also provides PDF and .puz downloads. 

Puzzle Ninety-Four: The Limits of My Language (18x15 themeless)

My wife challenged me to construct a puzzle with 40-Across as a seed entry. 2 years later, it's here.

.puz / PDF

Apologies for the lack of a January contest meta, and for the delay in posting answers for Thanks I Hate It from October and the Super Secret Contest Meta, whose deadline was December 31. I have been dealing with a whole lot since December and where I have a number of non-meta puzzles already in the queue, I haven't had the mental energy to create a contest meta in a couple of months. I hope to bring it back, but for now the meta contest has to go on hiatus. 

I have a Universal puzzle set to run on February 18. I posted a few new PuzzGrids (Connections / Only Connect-style puzzles) this fall. And if you're a National Puzzle League member, I debuted as a contributor to The Enigma last issue with two flats.

Puzzle Ninety-Three: Reach for the Stars (meta)

Cassette cover scan by Rene Walter.

Once you're done with this puzzle, take a moment to check out my AVCX Classic puzzle, published yesterday: "All-Around Incredible," and my article on Crossword Craze, a chronicle of notable moments in crossword history during the pivotal year of 1924, about Foster's Cross-Word Puzzles, a short-lived crossword variant.

The meta answer is something that might be in the stars for a star. PDF and .puz available through Crosshare below. The deadline is 12 PM EST, Thursday, December 12, 2024. 

Puzzle Ninety-Two: Thanks I Hate It (A Spooky Season Puzzle)

 

UPDATE (2/26/2025): A PDF of answers and explanations is available here.

Before we get to the puzzle, let's talk about VOTING.

I am going to assume that puzzle solvers are sane, responsible people nd as a result are planning to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, or already have. (If you're a Trump voter, stop reading here. And I mean stop reading this blog for good. This isn't the place for you.)

I have worked as a volunteer doing voter protection, vote curing and poll observing since 2012. Here is important information for anyone who hasn't voted yet. State laws vary on these points, but these are general principles.

• CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION to make sure you are still registered, and confirm your assigned polling place, before heading to the polls. There have been all kinds of voter disenfranchisement schemes this year. If there's a problem, report it to your local Board of Elections ASAP. If you're not registered, see if your state has same-day registration.
• BRING APPROVED ID if you have it, and check the list of approved IDs beforehand if your state requires voter ID. Republicans in my state, North Carolina, have successfully instituted very restrictive voter ID laws beginning this year. Even if your state doesn't have voter ID laws, why not just bring it anyway? If you don't have the right ID and still need a voter ID card, contact your local BoE ASAP.
• VOTE EARLY IF YOU CAN to avoid unexpected lines and in case something goes wrong.
• VOTE THE WHOLE BALLOT because state supreme courts and state legislatures control things like who will have the right to bodily autonomy, and which states will have some semblance of fair elections. You would be shocked to learn how many people don't flip the ballot over.
• KNOW THAT THERE ARE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE DISABLED in place even in restrictive states like NC. They include curbside voting and the ability to have someone else fill out your ballot for you, though this may require the involvement of a poll worker.
• CAST A PROVISIONAL BALLOT if necessary but DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT VOTING.

On to the puzzle. A little departure today, in the spirit of last December's puzzle suite. You will submit the four shorter answers via the Crosshare link below. Instructions (also posted on the Crosshare page):

The Crosshare page is just a way to submit answers to the PDF-only puzzle available at the Dropbox link below. You'll have the ability to submit the full meta answer once you enter the four shorter answers correctly. Please use the honor system and don't check / reveal on Crosshare unless you think you've got at least three of the answers, as solving the meta will be fairly trivial if you have all four correct four-letter answers.

Deadline is Wednesday, November 6 at 12 PM EST (to make sure there's no conflict with Election Day).

PDF link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4ziyxje86c5imjgrinhnb/LD92_ThanksIHateIt.pdf?rlkey=nimsqb9mdp890plom395pstf5&st=ssew2daj&dl=1 

Crosshare link: https://crosshare.org/crosswords/4YCBUHxgV1aPkzxhxWVs/thanks-i-hate-it

Many thanks to Crosscord members bolgat and Onefin for play-testing and providing helpful feedback.

Puzzle Ninety-One: Hangers-On (meta)

Heading out of town so rushing this one a little. Should have come out yesterday but such is life. The meta answer is an eight-letter word. Submissions due Friday, September 27 at 3 PM Eastern time. .puz and PDF available through Crosshare applet below. 

Puzzle Ninety: Paix Out

 

The first of two unpublished puzzles I handed out at Lollapuzzoola last year. Hope you enjoy.

EDIT: If you've downloaded the puzzle already you probably won't be back to this page, but I realized last night I've had a mistake in the clue for 1-Across since the birth of this puzzle. It's fixed now, but yeesh.

.puz / PDF

Built by Richard D. Allen with the online crossword generator from Amuse Labs

Puzzle Eighty-Nine: Well Would You Look at the Time (themeless)

 

I used to collect watches and still have a drawerful of Casios. These are the classic Casio AE 1200, probably the best, and best-looking, watch you can buy for around $20. Photo from the estimable watch blog The Time Bum.

Hey, it's another themeless. 68 words.

The Super Secret Meta Contest continues.

.puz / PDF

Created by Richard D. Allen using crossword creator by Amuse Labs