Hello, Quipsters!

Today’s puzzle is 95.54% one-device-per-clue, which is to say I mistakenly put something extra into 1-Across and liked it too much to get rid of it. This darling lives! The rest is as straightforward as usual, and the “helpers” version will give you a boost by telling you what to look for. Thanks to Will for test solving. We’ve got something cool appearing elsewhere soon!

I’ll see you in two weeks with another quiptic, followed by a special cryptic treat the following week. If you’re looking for a stiffer challenge in the meantime, my Browser puzzle from this past weekend was a bit of a workout, or if you want to get more playful and do a variety cryptic, I’ve got something fun coming at Square Chase in one week.

Take care and enjoy the puzzle!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

So good to see you. I’m back with another one-device-per-clue quiptic for you today. If you’re bewildered, why not try the “helpers” version, which tells you what to look for? I’d also like to take a quick moment to normalize revealing answers we can’t get to gain footholds in the grid. It’s absolutely how I learned to solve these puzzles, and thank goodness! I love cryptics so much. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solving.

Speaking of getting into cryptics, Will Nediger and Hayley Gold will be streaming a variety cryptic solve-a-long with special celebrity guest noob solvers tonight at 9 PM ET.  They’ll be solving a Margaret Farrar themed cryptic to tie into Hayley’s graphic novel Letters to Margaret (available now here) and the sequel which teaches the reader how to solve cryptics and Will is puzzle editor on. I’ll be hanging in the chat, and hope to see you there!

No puzzle next week, but if you’re hungry for more, I’ll have a Browser cryptic and another variety cryptic coming at Square Chase in the interim. Take care, enjoy, and see you in two weeks with another quiptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hello, Quipsters!

Nice to see you again. Today’s quiptic contains, as usual, only one device per clue. The “helpers” version reveals which device to look for in each. I hope it’s fun for newer folks and seasoned solvers alike. Thanks to Will for the test solve.

I’ll return next month with more quiptics and other crosswords, here and elsewhere. The fun also continues over at Square Chase, which is becoming a pretty lively community of variety cryptic solvers. It’s an honor to keep making those puzzles for everybody!

Take care and enjoy! I’ll see you next week with something completely uncryptic.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, Cryptids!

Thanks for dropping by. This week’s quiptic is a little funky. In an honest mistake, one of the clues contains (gasp) two wordplay devices: charade and letter deletion in one! I think it might actually be a cool thing to try for folks who have yet to venture beyond the quiptic realm. Generally speaking, most cryptic crosswords I solve involve more than one device in the majority of the clues. I hope this one proves more fun than frustrating. One more thing: sometimes a pair of cryptic clues will be joined in the surface… …like this. It’s there just for fun, and will have no bearing on how you solve each of them.

Thanks so much to Will for test solving, Marlowe for cat solving, and Chandi for helping to set up his modeling gig!

I’ll be back next week with a blocked, themeless cryptic, which should play a little harder than my Square Chase, Browser and AVCX+ puzzles — more like a mid-week UK cryptic.

Take care and enjoy the solve!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, Quipsters!

This puzzle marks a whole year of quiptics at Square Pursuit. Thanks for being along for the ride — it’s been marvelous to hear from all the folks who have actually learned to solve cryptic crosswords using my puzzles!

In case you don’t know the deal, each clue in this puzzle uses only one cryptic device, and the “helpers” version will tell you which to look for. Keep your eyes peeled for a reverse hidden clue. I’ve been on the fence for a long time about whether it’s one or two devices. Since it’s an anniversary, we’re going to give it a try today. Thanks to Will for the test solve!

Next week is the fifth Wednesday of the month, which I’ll be taking off from posting here. If you’re hungry for more cryptic content I’ve got a couple of exciting ones dropping soon at Square Chase next week. In the meantime I’ve got the AVCX cryptic tomorrow! If you haven’t had a chance to subscribe over there, I highly recommend it. It’s a fantastic venue that’s recently expanded into a great publisher of cryptics among all kinds of other great stuff. I’m also looking forward to being at the ACPT in Stamford, CT in 10 days, and if you’re there too I hope you’ll come say hi!

Take care and enjoy the puzzle! I’ll see you in April with something themed.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, Quipsters!

Thanks for coming by. I’m back at you today with another one-device-per-clue quiptic. While these are never gimmes, they’re geared toward newer solvers looking for a way into more difficult daily cryptic puzzles. The helpers version tells you exactly which device to look for each time. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to Will for test solving.

Take care and enjoy the puzzle. I’ll see you next week with a surprise VC collaboration, and the week after with Quiptic #25 (which I can’t believe).

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, Quipsters!

Thanks for coming by! Today’s puzzle is a gentle quiptic, which has a small grid and only one device per clue. The “helpers” version lets you know which device to look for in each entry. This one is on the easy side for Square Pursuit, but hopefully it’s entertaining for new and old solvers alike! Thanks to Will for test solving.

You’ll be able to find more of my cryptic and non-cryptic work in other venues in the next couple of weeks, which I hope you enjoy. Next month at Square Pursuit will bring a fun themed crossword and variety cryptic collaborations as well as two quiptics. Stay tuned!

Take care and enjoy the puzzle. Back in one week with the themed crossword collab, and in two with another quiptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

It’s that time again! As usual, this quiptic is a small cryptic crossword that uses only one device per clue. If you want to know which one to look for, the “helpers” version provides that info. If #21 was on the easier end of these introductory puzzles, this one might be a bit on the harder side of them. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve.

Take care and enjoy! Since I have a nice tough themeless coming in print soon, it’s going to be a moderately challenging cryptic next week. See you then!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hello, quipsters!

Thanks for dropping by. It’s time for another quiptic, and as you may already know, that means it’s only got one device per clue. The helpers version tells you which one to look for. I hope it’s fun whether you’re just easing into cryptic solving or going for speed. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for test solving!

If you’re on the hunt for a stiffer challenge, I’ve got something a little bit trickier coming up in The Browser this Sunday. Its crossword alone is worth a subscription, in my opinion, if you’re looking for cryptics by some of the top US setters on a weekly basis.

Take care and enjoy the puzzle! I’ve got a super fun crossword collab dropping here next Wednesday.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Glad to have you back for another round today. As usual, we’ve got a little cryptic here with one device per clue, and if you want to know which one it is, the helpers version has got you. I hope it’s fun for beginners and unbeginners alike. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for test solving.

Take care, enjoy, and see you in one week with a non-cryptic themeless!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solutions & explanations