Hello, cryptic friends!

It’s the fifth Wednesday of September so I’m here with a quiptic for you. As usual, the helpers version tells you which device is being used in each clue (there’s only one per). Here’s hoping it’s fun for newcomers and seasoned solvers alike. Thanks, as always, to Will Eisenberg for the test solve.

October should be fun around here! I’ve got a timely themed crossword next week and a cryptic challenger the following Wednesday. There should be more quiptics peppered in throughout the fall as well.

Take care and enjoy the quiptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Welcome, Cryptic Solvers!

Thanks for stopping by. Today’s quiptic, as usual, features one device per clue, and the version with helpers tells you which device is being used. I hope it’s fun for new solvers and veterans alike! Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve.

Take care and enjoy the puzzle! I’ve got a themeless challenger coming in 6 days, a gentler variety cryptic in 13, and a quiptic in 20!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hey, cryptic fans!

Thanks for stopping by! I’m dropping a quiptic here for your enjoyment. You know the drill: one cryptic device per clue, and the helper version tells you which one to use. I hope it’s a fun challenge for newcomers and a good speed solve for seasoned folks. Thanks to Will Eisenberg for testing all these puzzles!

If you liked today’s puzzle, and are still easing into solving full-size, harder puzzles, I recommend the variety cryptic that’s coming on Wednesday. It’s a noticeable spike in difficulty, but I’ve taken pains to make this one pretty approachable for the format.

Take care, enjoy the quiptic, and see you in 48 hours with the August variety cryptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hello, cryptic folks!

It’s quiptic time again! As usual, it’s one device per clue, and the helper version tells you which device it is! I hope this one’s fun for new solvers and speed demons alike. Thanks to folks who have been dipping their toes in, racing each other, or streaming these to spread the cryptic love to new people. It means a ton to me!

A note on helper annotations: sometimes I use the phrase “letter sequence” after a clue. That’s my way of saying to look for an acrostic or alternating letter device without telling you exactly what to do and ruining the fun!

Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve!

Take care and enjoy! I’ll see you on Wednesday with a blocked cryptic which should give a stiffer challenge.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Dear Solvers,

It’s a century, people! Thanks so much for coming by and solving my first hundred puzzles. It’s been really fun making these things and meeting so many amazing crossword folks. It’s made me a better constructor too.

Today’s puzzle is a beginners quiptic with only one wordplay device per clue. I hope it’s fun for everybody! Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve.

In other cryptic news, I had a guest puzzle in The Browser yesterday. If you don’t know already, they offer a weekly blocked cryptic edited by Dan Feyer and created by a roster of some of the best American setters. They’re easier than what I typically offer here but a nice step up in difficulty from my quiptics or the New Yorker cryptic. Here’s a copy of my puzzle if you want to give it a try. If you like it, please consider subscribing. I’ve been a member since day one and love solving it every week!

Take care, enjoy the puzzle, and see you with a summery variety cryptic on Wednesday!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello cryptic folks!

I’ve got another beginner’s quiptic for you today, though I hope it’s fun and funny for everybody. You know the drill: one wordplay device per clue, and the helpers version tells you the device being used in each.

Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve!

A tougher themed cryptic drops in two days. Take care and enjoy!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Welcome back, cryptic buds!

Just dropping off a little puzzle today in the middle of some summer vacation fun! As usual, the wordplay of almost every clue has only one step to work out, and the helpers version lets you know which device is being used. I’m hoping it’s fun for new and experienced solvers alike.

Thanks to Will Eisenberg and teamcrazymatt for the test solve this time around.

Take care and enjoy! I’ll see you next week with a themed crossword, and the week after with a blocked cryptic. I’ve got some cool puzzles coming in different venues as well this summer.

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, cryptic folks!

Since I’ve got a stiff challenge coming tomorrow with the monthly blocked cryptic, I thought I’d do a gentler quiptic appetizer for you today. As usual, there’s a smaller grid, more common words, and most clues use just one cryptic device, but I still try to hide the meanings to make things smooth and entertaining. Also, as usual, there’s a version with “helpers” that tell you which device to look for in each clue!

My gratitude to everyone for coming by, and to the two mighty test solvers Will Eisenberg and Nate Cardin for the help!

Take care, enjoy, and see you tomorrow with the tougher blocked cryptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution and explanations

Hello, cryptic lovers!

Nice of you to stop by! How about an appetizer for this week’s variety cryptic? Today’s quiptic gave me a chance to play with a pretty grid shape I’ve never tried. This one’s for everyone, especially newer solvers. If you really need a push, check out the version with “helpers,” which lets you know what kind of device is being used in each clue.

Thanks to Will Eisenberg for test solving!

Take care, enjoy, and see you the day after tomorrow with a slightly crunchy variety cryptic!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations

Hello, cryptic folks!

Since Wednesday’s cryptic is going to be a bit of a challenger, and since folks seem to be really enjoying these little puzzles, I thought we’d have a little Quiptic pregame today. As usual, this one is small, aimed at beginning solvers, and comes in an optional “helper” version that gives clue types to help solvers parse each entry. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve! He and I made a fun collaborative non-cryptic crossword last week, and you can find it on his blog right here. I hope you’ll go give it a shot if you’re into that kind of thing. I also have a newspaper puzzle running this week, and I hope that brings you joy as well.

See you on Wednesday for the big blocked cryptic and a week from then with a collaborative themeless! Take care, enjoy, and thanks for coming by!

plain: solve online / puz / pdf

helpers: solve online / puz / pdf

solution & explanations