Beneath The Surface

  PDF  -  puz  -  online  -  solution My favorite clue here is 8 (I'm a fan of the original source materials for the surface, though I've not kept up with the more recent entrants to its canon).  Have fun and stay cool! Back next month.

  Puzzle (PDF)  -  Solution (PDF) Surprise! Instead of a cryptic, this month's puzzle is a Printer's Devilry--my first since February 2023. Enjoy! (And yes, there will be a cryptic next month.)

  PDF  -  puz  -  online  -  solution A midi for the month of May! I used this puzzle to practice with some wordplay that I feel I've underused in my work to date. Hope you'll enjoy it!

  PDF  -  Solution Back to a variety puzzle this month, and I'm pleased to share my first Playfair cryptic! I solved my first Playfair a few months ago--an Azed Christmas special . Though I'd never heard of this form of crossword before, I admired how it combined cryptic solving and codebreaking, and I knew I had to try my hand at making one. You can read more about Playfair ciphers and their uses in crosswords  here . Fortuitously, I found a good Playfair codeword from another deep interest of mine--music--and used the inspiration to come up with what I hope is a fun multi-layered challenge. And I hope it inspires some of you to search out more Playfair puzzles!

  PDF  -  puz  -  online  -  solution PDF Another regular midi for you to enjoy this month!

PDF  -  Solution PDF This is my first try at making an ABC Jigsaw, and I hope you'll like it! I enjoy the combination of wordplay and logic that goes into solving this variety of cryptic crossword.  As it happens, I'll have tomorrow's cryptic in The Browser, so look out for that. If you're not solving Browser cryptics, there's never been a better time to start! ;-) Back here with a new puzzle next month!

  PDF  -  puz  -  online  -  Solution PDF Happy New Year! Here is a new midi cryptic (11x11). I've resolved this year to return to regular monthly blog puzzles - 12 new puzzles (at a minimum) for the year ahead. One important programming change - I don't plan to make standard 15x15 cryptics a regular feature going forward. Instead, the blog will feature a mix of smaller regular cryptics (minis and midis) and variety puzzles. Happy solving and check back in February for a fresh puzzle!