Guest Puzzle #1: “Smashing!” by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano

Happy Saturday, puzzle heads!

It’s my distinct pleasure to introduce the very first guest puzzle on Square Pursuit, by my esteemed constructing colleague Enrique Henestroza Anguiano!

I’ve been enjoying Enrique’s puzzles for quite a while! I solve them regularly on his blog Datalexic, which I discovered after doing his excellent A.V. Club debut puzzle earlier this year. One personal favorite of mine is this midi, which I appreciate in particular for its appealing theme and oblique cluing which make it a pleasure to figure out. We recently got to collaborate on a grid which I sincerely hope you all get to enjoy somewhere down the road! It was a blast.

From Enrique:

“I’m excited to have this tricky, but uplifting, puzzle featured on Square Pursuit. Steve and I have a simpatico perspective on crosswords and cultural references, I think, which has made his puzzles a joy to solve and has also led to some fruitful collaboration. I’ll say that this puzzle has something in common with one of my favorite puzzles this year, which coincidentally you can solve on this here site! Hope you enjoy!”