Square Pursuit

Puzzle #22: “I’m Stuffed. Let’s Eat!”

July 22, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themed crosswordsLeave a comment

Greetings, hungry puzzlers! I’ve got a culinary treat for you this week.

You may know I like a tricky puzzle, but it’s important to me that it be fair. I made this grid a while back and sat on it because I wasn’t sure it would be approachable enough. A quick shout out to constructor extraordinaire Sid Sivakumar, who has opened some big culinary doors in puzzling, for the inspiration and advice on this one! If you haven’t already, this grid of his is particularly mouthwatering.

Good luck cracking this puzzle open. I hope you’ll find it gastronomically inspiring!

Back with a themeless crossword in only one week!

Puzzle #21: Themeless #11

July 15, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themeless crosswordsLeave a comment

Welcome back, puzzle fans!

I’ve been finding the themeless game extremely strong lately in both indie and mainstream outlets. I’m inspired to push and improve and make better ones myself each time I go at it. Let’s just say the learning curve around these parts is STEEP! It’s great to be among these particular peers.

One place to get a bunch of killer themelesses (and themed puzzles as well) is the Grids For Good package. I’m about halfway through solving them myself, and each one is so good that everyone should go pick them up regardless of the charitable aspect. Luckily we also get to put money toward good causes in doing so!

Here’s the puzzle. Enjoy, be safe, and I’ll see you in seven days with a fun themed offering!

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

July 11, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in visiting constructors2 Comments

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!”

Puzzle #20: “Capture the Flag”

July 8, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themed crosswords2 Comments

Greetings, puzzle campers!

This summer, it’s no secret that there’s not a whole lot of summer camp going on, and that’s why I decided to make this themed puzzle for you folks. The grid, which is a bit bigger than usual, was inspired by this wonderful crossword by Paolo Pasco and Ria Dhull over at Grids These Days. You should go give it a try if you haven’t had a chance yet!

In other news, there’s a fantastic set of puzzles called Grids For Good that’s available to those who donate to a COVID-19 or racial justice-related charity. It was put together by some of the top people in the business, and while I’m not involved personally, I’ve been enjoying blowing through them as a solver. Really prime stuff!

Don’t forget your bug spray! Enjoy the grid, and I’ll return with a themeless offering next Wednesday, in addition to a bonus surprise dropping soon!

Puzzle #19: Themeless #10

July 1, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themeless crosswordsLeave a comment

Hello puzzle solvers!

It’s another themeless week here at Square Pursuit, and I’ve got a couple of cool celebrities making their debuts (as far as I know) in this grid, as well as a sneaky nod to one of my favorite clues of the year. What a pleasure to hit my 10th themeless blog puzzle in your company today!

I like making these themelesses pretty challenging, though I’m always endeavoring to refine the craft to keep them as fair as possible. My favorite puzzles to solve each week are the hardest ones I can find, but if your tastes diverge a bit from mine in this regard, please remember that GOOGLING IS NOT CHEATING. Whatever way you like to get down, may this week’s grid make you happy!

On another note, Black lives matter. I hope you’ll join me in explaining this to those who still don’t get it.

Enjoy, people! Back next week a summery-themed offering.

Puzzle #18: “Put Them On Mute”

June 24, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themed crosswordsLeave a comment

Hello again, puzzle people!

Making indie crosswords has really thrust me onto social media. I’m grateful for the crossword Twitter community, but public talk and self-promotion aren’t really in my nature. It’s an awkward moment for me. This one goes out to everybody who feels the same way I do.

In other news, regardless of how bad the the noise gets on our giant socially-distanced fora, I hope you won’t give up on talking about and pushing for equity and social justice. I promise not to give up either.

Enjoy the solve, folks. I’ll be back in a week with another tricky themeless!

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Puzzle #17: Themeless #9

June 17, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themeless crosswordsLeave a comment

It’s been only five days, puzzle people! I hope you’re not too full on themeless crossword fun!

One of things that I value about the wider awakening surrounding Black Lives Matter is that oppressed people are speaking out for themselves and allies are starting to listen. That’s why I absolutely had to get 4-Across into a grid today. I’ve been a fan of hers for a long time, and I’m deeply moved and inspired by her brave and eloquent actions in the past couple of weeks. The other themeless that was supposed to drop this week will make its way to you eventually, and hopefully it’s a nice challenge as well.

Again, crosswords are a sustaining break for all of us, but I hope you’ll join me in continuing the work we’re doing as humans to ensure that this moment of awareness and potential change doesn’t flare out.

Back next week with a playful themed puzzle!

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Bonus Themeless w/ Brooke Husic

June 13, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themeless crosswords1 Comment

Hello puzzle people!

I hope your weekend is going well so far. I’m absolutely thrilled to offer you a bonus puzzle this fine evening. It’s a collaboration with star constructor Brooke Husic!

I first solved Brooke’s work in USA Today, where I was struck by her inventive cluing and finely wrought grids. Many of you, and I as well, have enjoyed her individual voice in guest spots on other puzzle blogs. Constructing with her was highly educational, and a real treat!

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From Brooke:

Steve and I started talking after I was super impressed by his Universal puzzle a month ago. Now that we’ve collaborated, I’m 10x as impressed with how deliberate and thoughtful Steve is around every aspect of gridding, cluing, and inclusivity/framing, and I’ve learned so much from working with him. It’s an honor to be featured here and I’m excited for future puzzles from this shared byline!

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Be safe, have fun, and enjoy our themeless collaboration! Back with a regular offering on Wednesday!

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Puzzle #16: “Wait For the Drop”

June 10, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themed crosswordsLeave a comment

Hello again, puzzle people!

It’s themed week at Square Pursuit. Since we crossworders have such big brains, I think its useful for us to enrich and deploy them in this time of increased awareness and potential change. May this puzzle be a good, nerdy break from all the sharing, listening, learning and supporting that I hope you, along with the rest of us, are doing right now.

After the drop, I hope you’ll consider looking at the work that Erik and Paolo have already begun if you are in a position to do so and haven’t already. Puzzle solvers and creators have a lot to offer the world, right?

On a far less critical note, I’ve had some kind requests from folks looking for ways to follow my puzzles as they come out. As a non-tech savvy constructor, it took some figuring, but I think the e-mail subscription field to the left should do the trick. Please let me know if it doesn’t.

Thanks for solving! Back with a fresh themeless grid next week.

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Puzzle #15: Themeless #8

June 3, 2020November 6, 2021 Posted in themeless crosswordsLeave a comment

Hello, dear solvers! For me, and you perhaps, puzzles are an important escape from the world. Please permit me a brief aside about humanism and crosswords today.

Because I believe silence is complicity, I feel compelled to express my outrage over the murder of George Floyd and the violent crackdown on peaceful protestors and journalists in its wake. As a crossword person, I’d like to amplify a couple of voices in our community right now.

Two of our brightest stars in crossworld are using their art to support organizations in the Black Lives Matter movement. Erik Agard is offering some of his great puzzles with your donation to a 1StruggleKC. Paolo Pasco is offering a typically excellent creation of his own as well as some puzzles from other constructors (including myself) with a donation. His website also links to some informational resources which I encourage you to explore if you’re sufficiently fired up and curious.

Thanks for hearing me out! Be learned, stay safe and enjoy! Back with a themed offering next week!

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