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Stu Ockman author page

13 puzzles by Stu Ockman
with Jim Horne comments

TotalDebutLatest
132/2/20125/8/2019
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
0004603
RebusCircleScrabDebutFresh
221.565173%
Stu Ockman

Stu Ockman is president of Ockman & Borden Associates, management consultants to the construction industry. In addition to The New York Times, his crosswords have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Jerusalem Post and well, if you do a google search for "Stu xwords," you'll usually find him hanging out near the bottom of the first page. And why not check out his new, 275+ page tome, Will and Me: Confessions of a Crossword Junkie, at www.ockman.us. It's an authorized biography of a slice of Will Shortz' career at The Times that both entertains and enlightens.

Wed 5/8/2019
ULNAMAMETRAMS
NEERATARIICET
HAWKROXIEOHMY
IVSIMPINGEION
PECANSSEVERE
BARKONAEAVE
ESCADELEREX
TABLETENNIS
DOIGOA
SOBERERFIENNES
PLUSONEANATOLE
EDSNAPSTERNSW
DEMITORTENOTI
ULANESTERINON
PINGDEARSPONG
Thu 1/24/2019
RCASAIMBAHAIS
ERICIDLEARARAT
VODODOLLSCHEMA
SNAPETISATF
SEALFOLPROF
ODDREGINAL
CRITICALDECCA
TORICHFORMYBLOD
OPERAMOUSSAKA
ENCASESDEM
FOTSTOLSTAG
ALILETLANDO
CAMERAGOGOEYES
ELEVENINAFLASH
TAXACTFABSHIA
Wed 2/7/2018
HANSGIZMOPLAY
UTAHONIONLENE
MAKECONNECTIONS
OBERONDIETED
RODEOTEACRATE
MILEPULLASRTA
ELYOREILLYDER
WISETA
DYSLEDAWAYWAS
RATARADIITAMP
AMOCOYOSRHYME
FARCRYGOESON
THETIESTHATBIND
EARNCHAIREDIE
ESSOHONEYSEAR
Sat 12/9/2017
ESASASFITTAOS
RONALORCAONCE
INDIRENEEDRATE
CORNBREADPECAN
IGOTITKATARINA
DRIESPINECONES
LADDFINCHES
EMSBEEGEESMAP
KILDAREBADA
LIBELLAWSMONEY
ONAPLATEMAXINE
CARTSESTATETAX
ALTODROWNEDOUT
LIEFARMASUBER
SERFMEESEPARA
Sat 6/24/2017
OAKSADDTODOLE
NEETCREAKIBAR
TREESTUMPSALAN
HOPETOGODODILE
ESALENLASVEGAS
MOWERMINCEMEAT
ALARFATCATS
PSYSALIENTCAD
SAVIORSNOLA
HOMELOANSFORTY
IDITARODBOXSET
NESTSBELOWZERO
GLUEPARALLELED
EASEAMBLEMEGA
DYESYAYASATOY
Thu 10/8/2015
AHEADGAMGRAPE
SOCHIEXOLOMAX
SPOONFEEDASONE
TINSELDESSERTS
OTROSMINT
OHMOPTSMOORED
COILSOHOSPACY
UNCOPYRIGHTABLE
LEASEMLLEZBAR
IDLERSLEARITS
OMOODRIFT
QUEUEINGSTIFLE
USLTATORTUROUS
IMHOTALEAMOCO
PAINEPDFLADES
Wed 12/17/2014
DAWGSLURSCFOS
PLEAHUNANRITT
ITLLTAKEFOREVER
LLAMAADELA
MAKEHASTESLOWLY
ATNOONREAPSOS
SEINEZILCH
SETSMITESROSA
HYPERJELLO
ISMANISKASDAN
NOTUNATTRACTIVE
LIETOAROAR
ASTHICKASABRICK
NENETEMPTESAU
DEARSWISSAHME

I think there are a couple of reasons for the theme confusion. First, assuming Jeff's analysis is correct, the theme is entirely contained in the clues. That is, you can uncover the theme without entering a single letter in the grid. This isn't unheard of, but it's rare in the NYT.

Second, the first two long answers seem to be related in a way that is thematic. Searching for similar connections in the other two clues yields nothing further.

Sat 4/19/2014
LESSCOMPLICATED
ONEAFTERANOTHER
THEGOBLETOFFIRE
HATESDWARFEIS
ANOSDIRKELVES
ICIKENAIREESE
RETEGGPANESTD
IGAUAR
SNCCSOMBERICE
COLORSIEVENAY
ATONEMAJAHAME
CASSPOSEBASEL
CLEANASAWHISTLE
HOSTILEREACTION
ITTAKESALLSORTS
Thu 8/22/2013
CTHEDOGSOFFBAC
IHAVENOIDEAAPB
ORIOLESNESTTHO
POLATSEACROIX
EWESWISCAANS
PROPHTTP
ALGAEORRSETA
DONTCUSWELLCYOU
SOULROETIERS
EMITDODO
APSOSHETNCAR
CHIENCAPESAMO
AOLGUADALCANAL
TRESTPAULIGIRL
CASTOOCLOSETOC
Thu 4/18/2013
ATOYOOLMODES
DRNOPOMEAMATI
MIDDLEMANFELON
INVAINROFILING
TIDNAPSLOE
SELAHASTIME
ERIKAPIPPIORB
RACILULLSOWER
IRELEADAPRADO
NATIONATLAS
MCIVAARADS
MECHANICTOPLIT
ALLOTROCKLEDGE
SLIMEARIATOUT
TAPEDLEGALPS

I've highlighted the meandering theme answers with the range of ALPs so you can see how nicely symmetric everything is.

Wed 10/31/2012
ESPRITZANETAO
ATRISKODINADZ
TOOTHOFWOLFNRA
SABUSLIPSOFYEW
OARYETLLAMA
ENSLERADO
LUCEASEUPABOU
BLINDWORMSSTING
ALSOLOOSENSEL
RDSSASHAY
OBAMAAAHGTO
LIZARDSLEGAPBS
ITTWITCHESBREW
VEEIDEOLOLITA
ESCNORABRECHT
Thu 8/30/2012
ATITARMSPORC
LODETOSHAVER
FREERANGENEUE
NATALEAMARNA
CAMILLEFACEIT
ADAMNEATO
BONEDRYPHASER
OOOOOOYDS
SLOOOOOOO
MINERSMRDEEDS
ABEADULEE
CEDRICGESTALT
KRONERINTENT
DAZEEGGCARTON
ACESPALLPRIE
BENTELISEADS
Thu 2/2/2012
PAILSCTVORBED
ARNOALOELEERY
REALKNOWLEDGEIS
MELLESSDELT
ALLHEREBASEHIT
LAPTOASTORE
STINTSTNNSVEN
TOKNOWTHEEXTENT
ONEAIRERAINES
WILEVERSVPS
SOIREESORIENTS
HALLUNIEIAL
OFONESIGNORANCE
WOOERALETITHE
NODESNITSSHOP
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