SPG003 – Demi by Will Eisenberg and Brooke Husic

Posted in visiting constructors1 Comment

Hey, Crossfolks!

I’m thrilled to be hosting a mid-sized banger today by two of my favorite people in crossworld! Once you’ve solved this one, I highly recommend going here and here for more excellent puzzles. I’ve had a blast collaborating with Brooke and Will in the past and I really value their advice on my own work.

Here’s Brooke:

“It was such a joy to write this puzzle with Will! He came up with the awesome seed at 16a and I love his fun clues for 11a, 27a, 28a, and 34a!!!! Just to name a few. Many thanks to Steve for running this and for being an awesome test solver and friend!”

and Will:

“Super thrilled to be collaborating with one of my absolute favorite constructors, and doubly so to see it run on one of my favorite blogs! Brooke’s clue for 32a is a straight banger. Thanks to Steve for testing and hosting!”

That’s it from us! Take care and enjoy the puzzle. I’ll be back on Wednesday with my August themeless!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution

SQP105 – Hot Cryptic Summer

Posted in Just Learning!Leave a comment

**Hello! You’ve found one of my cryptics from before I figured out how to make cryptics well! Please enjoy the diamonds in the rough, but expect neither elegance nor fairness. It takes a while to learn how to do it right!**

Hello, cryptic solvers!

It’s time for this month’s blocked puzzle. This one is fairly challenging and lightly themed. I hope it’s just right for you. Thanks to k0rmad for the test solve!

I’ll see you next week with a super fun guest crossword and your monthly themeless offering. Take care and enjoy!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution & explanations

SQP104 – Quiptic #10

Posted in quiptics1 Comment

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

SQP103 – “We’ll Have the Horned Viper, Please”

Posted in themed crosswords2 Comments

Hello, Crossworders!

It’s August, and I’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to something I’ve really been enjoying lately. Today’s is a gentle themed crossword. If you don’t get what’s going on initially, I hope this inspires you to check it out!

Thanks to Brooke Husic for the test solve!

Next week is cryptic week, and I’ll have a themed standard cryptic as well as a quiptic (if time allows). Thanks for stopping by. Take care and enjoy!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution

SQP102 – Bonus Demi w/ Brooke Husic

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Hello Crossfolks,

What a treat — today I get to be a crossword twin with my friend and frequent collaborator Brooke Husic! Brooke has today’s Universal puzzle, and I’ve got the Universal Sunday! By the time you read this, I will have enjoyed solving hers, and I think you should too! In honor of the occasion we figured we’d make you an extra 11x demi puzzle together. This one’s a little bit trickier, but not as stiff a challenge as our respective themeless offerings. Check out Brooke’s idea at 29A, which I love! I hope you enjoy the Husic/Mossberg triptych today.

Here’s Brooke:

“I’m always happy to work together with Steve! Usually we collaborate asynchronously but with this very connected grid, it seemed like a better idea to fill together over Google Hangouts, which was very fun! I really like how this turned out and I especially love Steve’s idea for the 12A clue. I can’t wait to solve his puzzle today!”

Thanks to Will Eisenberg for the test solve!

Take care, enjoy, and see you on Wednesday with a non-cryptic tribute puzzle to a personal fave!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution

SQP101 – Variety Cryptic #10 – “Fun in the Sun”

Posted in variety cryptics4 Comments

Hello, cryptic fans!

I’ve got a summery one for you this week. It’s a variety cryptic on the lighter side of things. If you’ve been enjoying the quiptics and are considering trying a harder puzzle, this may be a reasonable step up for you. There’s enough in there to please experienced solvers too, I hope!

Thanks to Nate Cardin and Hayley Gold for the test solve!

Take care, enjoy, and see you this weekend with a surprise!

solve online / pdf / solution & explanations

SQP100 – Quiptic #9

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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

SQP099 – Themeless #32

Posted in themeless crosswordsLeave a comment

Hello Crossfolks!

Number 99! This week, we’ve got a themeless with a classic shape. It should be reasonably challenging, but nothing too wild. I’m very happy to get the names of artists who mean a lot to me into this grid!

Thanks to Brooke Husic for the test solve, and to you for coming by. I’m so thrilled to keep having this puzzle conversation with the folks who visit the blog.

Next week is a cryptic week! There’s a variety cryptic on the way, and possibly a quiptic as well. I’ve been grateful to hear that those are working nicely for newer solvers!

Take care, enjoy, and see you in a few!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution

SQP098 – Uninspired Cryptic

Posted in Just Learning!Leave a comment

**Hello! You’ve found one of my cryptics from before I figured out how to make cryptics well! Please enjoy the diamonds in the rough, but expect neither elegance nor fairness. It takes a while to learn how to do it right!**

Hello, cryptic fans!

I’ve got a themed puzzle for you on this fine summer day. It should be a decent challenge. I hope it’s lots of fun!

Thanks to k0rmad for the excellent test solving, as always!

We’re getting pretty close to 100 puzzles on Square Pursuit! Number 99, a non-cryptic themeless, will drop next Wednesday.

Take care, enjoy the puzzle, and see you in a week!

solve online / puz / pdf / solution & explantions

SQP097 – Quiptic #8

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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