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

Hello, Quipsters!

Thanks for coming by. I’ve got another gentle quiptic for you today. You know the drill: one device per clue, and the helpers version tells you what it is. I hope you enjoy! Thanks to Will Eisenberg for test solving.

I’ve launched my Patreon for Square Chase, in which subscribers will get a fresh variety cryptic on the 1st and 15th of every month in 2022. I’m really humbled by the amount of people who have already signed up. If you like what you see here, I hope you’ll join us on the adventure!

Take care and enjoy! I’ll be back next week with a special kind of cryptic puzzle that will likely be new to many of my fellow Americans!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hello Quipsters!

Thanks for coming by for the first of two December quiptics. As usual, this one is aimed at solvers looking for more straightforward wordplay, and the one device used in each clue is revealed to anyone who likes in the “helpers” version. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve.

There’s no one right way to make a cryptic — even a relatively gentle one. One totally valid way to make a puzzle easier, very common in North America, is to hide things less on the surface. My strategy here is to simplify the wordplay instead while still hiding the definition a good deal. This might make my quiptics a touch harder at first than other gentle American cryptics. It’s the way I prefer to experience puzzles when solving, and I hope the beguiling experience is fun for you too!

Take care and enjoy the puzzle! I’ll see you next week with a variety cryptic and more news about my new Square Chase subscription series.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Welcome, Quipsters!

It’s time for another gentle quiptic. Newer solvers, did you know that cross-referenced clues in cryptics are usually written more compactly than in their non-cryptic cousins? For example, this puzzle has a cross-reference referring to “8.” In a non-cryptic, that would be “8-Down,” but since there’s no across entry in the grid for that number, I get to be more succinct. Remember to check the “helpers” version if you want to see which device (only one per clue) is being used. I hope this is a fun one for everybody — remember to ignore that punctuation!

Thanks to Will for the test solve!

Take care and enjoy the puzzle. I’ll see you in 48 hours with a Variety Cryptic which is, in my opinion, very much on the gentle side as well.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Welcome, Quipsters!

Thanks for stopping by. This is a cryptic week, so I’d thought I’d open things up with a gentle puzzle. As usual, it has one device per clue, which is revealed to anybody who wants in the “helpers” version. I hope it’s fun for everybody who’s curious! My gratitude to Will Eisenberg for test solving.

In site news, I’ve finally organized all the puzzles and made them easier to access in a drop-down menu on the left. I’ll admit I hadn’t been to Square Pursuit since the month I launched it, and yikes! You should be able to get your hands on what you’re looking for more easily now. My standard disclaimer is that I wasn’t as strong a constructor back on those early puzzles, and while they’re still fun, I can’t promise they’re as fair!

The survey for the betterment/expansion of Square Pursuit is up for one more week if you’re interested in making your voice heard and haven’t done so yet. Thanks so much to the many who have already responded.

Take care and enjoy the puzzle. I’ll be back on Wednesday with a challenging blocked cryptic.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello Quiptickers!

Nice to see you. I’m putting up a little appetizer here before the spooooky variety cryptic. As usual, it’s one device per clue, and the helpers version tells you which one to look for. Here’s hoping it’s fun for newcomers and oldcomers alike.

Thanks to Will for the test solve!

Take care and enjoy the quiptic. Back with the variety in 48 hours.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

I’ve got a tricky one coming on Wednesday so why not start the week of with a quiptic? As usual, it’s one device per clue, and that device is freely given in the version with “helpers.” This one has two less common devices in it (especially from me). I hope it’s fun for newcomers and grizzled veterans alike!

Thanks, as always, to Will for test-solving!

Take care and enjoy the puzzle! Back with a tougher blocked cryptic the day after tomorrow.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations