Ben Tausig says that the mechanism like the one employed in this puzzle's theme could be spun out forever and ever and ever until the heat death of the universe and we'd still not run out of themes for crosswords. He's probably correct.
-BEQ
2021-09-05 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostAnagrams. Our Brians can't sister them, and there's a fertile Fidel in Mensa.
-Limey & Rhyne
2021-08-29 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostOnce again, the title dictated this puzzle. It's sort of a classic that everybody makes at some point, probably. I know Mike Shenk did it for the WSJ. Then again, what theme hasn't Mike Shenk made already? I looked for newer answers, however, and 99-Across is at least somewhat a topical answer.
-BEQ
2021-08-22 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostWhat better subject for skewering and throwing on the grill? Seriously, we have nothing but respect for those of you more adept than we are in the culinary arts... which is probably all of you. We can, however, make a mean slice of toast. It's our bread and butter, you might say.
-EC/HR
2021-08-15 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostGotta love it when you see a phrase like "three up, three down" and immediately a theme for a puzzle comes to you. Now, if this happens to you, either seek professional help immediately, or, get in touch and I'll help you turn your dreams into reality. Literally tens of dollars can be yours in the lucrative field of puzzle making.
-BEQ
2021-08-08 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostEvery once in a while it's fun to base a puzzle on a pattern of black squares in the grid. There are no uncrossed squares in this one, despite appearances.
-EC/HR
2021-08-01 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostPuzzle makers get all sorts of emails. Rarely, there are the appreciative-variety saying how much such and such puzzle(s) brightened up a solver's day. Sometimes they're of the "what the hell is wrong with you, you sadistic !@#!&!$"-variety. This puzzle generated a lot of email when it originally ran in the Globe wondering if I'd finally lost my mind for good as the theme looked impenetrable. Eventually they figured it out.
Yes, I'm slowly losing my marbles, but I haven't lost them ...
2021-07-25 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostLocation, location, location. That's what this puzzle's all about. When your nose is stuck in the dictionary as much as ours are on a daily basis, you notice peculiar word-nerdy things like this.
-EC/HR
As a bonus, it's time for your quarterly Themeless Challenger and Mini Marching Bands, both by BEQ. Enjoy!
2021-07-18 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostWhat do you do when you can't come up with a theme? You make a themeless puzzle, that's what you do. Just an opportunity for me to show off my technical chops. Hope it entertains you.
-BEQ
2021-07-11 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View PostA little bit of punnery to groan about while you're waiting for the picnics and fireworks. Happy Fourth to all!
-EC & HR
2021-07-04 13:01:02 +0000 UTC View PostForgive the Eurocentrism of the theme. It reflects our own limited school experiences with foreign languages, as well as the impracticality of using non-Latin script. Feel free to share examples from other parts of the world, if you know of any!
-EC & HR
2021-06-20 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostIn no particular order, the things that are important in my life are my girls, music, puzzles, beer, baking sourdough, and other such things that I've forgotten about right now. Well, this puzzle showcases one of my favorite things, though I'm not necessarily a fan of everybody included here.
-BEQ
2021-06-13 13:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostDon't tell anyone, but the theme answers to this puzzle are essentially cryptic crossword clues of a type called charades. You can find the whole panoply of cryptic clue types in our contributions to The Wall Street Journal and Canada's National Post.
-EC & HR
2021-06-06 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostDon'tcha just love it when you see a phrase and it screams out "hey, make a puzzle with me in it?"
Wait, that never happens to you? I guess you're not a puzzle maker then.
-BEQ
2021-05-30 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostBack to our wordplay roots. The National Puzzlers' League calls these "progressive deletions," though in this case, they're more like progressive additions. The challenge is getting them to make some sort of sense when strung together.
-EC & HR
2021-05-23 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostI probably should have mentioned something about crossword puzzle makers when making this one. Alas, I can't think of any at this moment. Call me clueless.
-BEQ
2021-05-16 13:00:05 +0000 UTC View PostThis is what happens when you take a deep breath, then exhale while pronouncing a word starting with a vowel. Think of it as a cruciverbal stress reliever.
-EC & HR
2021-05-09 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostI read somewhere the other day that supposedly there's something that causes Alzheimer's present in beer cans. If that's true, and it's still up for debate, then the ole' Biz Quig is in some big, big trouble, dudes. Cross your fingers, if you have any.
-BEQ
2021-05-02 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostWhile we couldn't travel there, we thought we might as well pay a vicarious punny visit. Here's our resulting itinerary.
-EC & HR
2021-04-25 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostThis originally ran in the Boston Globe's Sunday magazine, and the theme of that issue was "parenting."
-BEQ
Now it's time for your quarterly bonus Themeless Challenger and Mini Marching Bands, both by BEQ. Enjoy!
2021-04-18 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostHey, sometimes you just have to come up with a theme idea, by hook or by crook. We came up with this foolproof one none too soon, just managing to avoid doom and gloom.
-EC & HR
2021-04-11 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostSometimes there's no rhyme or reason to why I make a puzzle. And sometimes, there's only no reason.
-BEQ
2021-04-04 13:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostThis theme brings to mind an obscure old bluegrass song by the Blue Velvet Band called "The Nobody Knows About My Cares and Nobody Cares About My Nose Rag." Just to show we care....
-EC and HR
2021-03-28 13:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostYou'd think with all the puzzles I have to write, typewriters I have beat into submission, and a lovely family I spend time with, that there wouldn't be much left in the day for much more. Well, on again and off again, I've been building this game app.You'd think with all the puzzles I have to write, typewriters I have beat into submission, and a lovely family I spend time with, that there wouldn't be much left in the day for much more. Well, on again and off again, I've been building this ga...
2021-03-21 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostYou want a lame joke? We'll give you a lame joke. One of us is a month away from getting a shiny new hip joint, so the joke is on us. No pain intended.
-EC/HR
2021-03-14 13:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostIn the years before Tabitha, I used to play bridge. Not all the time, and not particularly great either. My partner and I were either "white hot," or "white not" as I used to say. Still, bridge is a very rich and fertile topic for puzzling. Deal with it. (Sorry, couldn't resist)
-BEQ
2021-03-07 14:01:01 +0000 UTC View PostAs much as our heads have been spinning over the last few months, this seemed somehow appropriate. Hang onto your hats, everybody!
-EC/HR
2021-02-28 14:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostFor some reason, I saw that certain theme answers could cross, which forced this completely random/unique looking grid. Perhaps if I had another go at it, I would have removed that giant plus sign in the middle, but ... here we are.
-BEQ
2021-02-21 14:01:00 +0000 UTC View PostWho doesn't love pasta? It's one of the world's great comfort foods. We've seasoned ours with a dash of silliness for your delectation (we hope).
-EC/HR
2021-02-14 14:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post