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Puzzles for May, 2013
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (1)Jim Horne (10)Hide comments
Wed 5/1/2013
HADJSCOWALOHA
ALIAUHNOLODES
ROOMBIELEVENS
PURELLFIVERS
SEESAFTER
ANOINTEDILLPAY
FELIDROANYIPE
LEELEIDAYELO
ADIASEEMAFLOW
CYCLESREALISTS
BEANANGEL
AMALIELUMMOX
SCENELEIADORM
CLAIRLEEROLGA
HULASYOREMESS
Thu 5/2/2013
SCABSEAMSHASTA
HOURAXLETOWARD
IPSOWILLBEBLOOD
NITWITSVAIOTOR
GOESNOTHINGPOPE
LURESEINEGAMES
ESETANGCRIERS
NEITHERNOR
STREAMRENUMEW
CHARDRAIDCHACO
REIDCOMESTHESUN
ERNKOFICOOLCAT
WASANOLDMANDADO
IGOTITSORETRON
TENETSTIEDOARS
Fri 5/3/2013
YIDDISHAIRMAIL
ARIANNACLEANSE
WISHFULDRINKING
ENBLOCEYETESTS
DAEKFCDAG
LAEAAHOSHA
TWITTERFOLLOWER
ONETOGOPAYDIRT
SEVENOFDIAMONDS
STENFENENG
DETAGOFUR
TRIAXIALWINONA
MIDNIGHTINPARIS
ELECTRADESPITE
NEMESESORESTES
Sat 5/4/2013
THISISTRUEASST
RACONTEURSTKOS
INARTISTICTALK
CENTERSRIATAS
ESTERHOOSIER
RIPVANWINKLE
ANIMAUVESTEAL
LAMBCLASHSYMS
ATPARCREEDSPA
NURSERATCHED
ROSSINISELMA
CAVITYRAISEUP
OLINANNEBRONTE
ELSEDEADLETTER
NYETHOWDYDOODY
Sun 5/5/2013 CRUNCH TIME
SPATSGASCAPVOLALAR
AILEYOCTADSINASTATE
LEMADESTANDSREBUTTED
ORDSHUTSTATOFDAVID
ORIBISPUTTESNEINE
NONOSHOTDOGSESTATE
STEWPRUNESROOFMINOR
OYERKEPTATIT
OAHUOLDLINEONELLAMA
PLATANADINETREESAP
ELSBUDAPESTNGARYHUT
NOTSURESCHMOSSTEVE
SKEPTICSLEBLANCYSER
ASSOONASARAP
SEATOYOURBETTYFEDAN
ACCENTBEASTIECAIRO
RUERUDIPAARPABSTS
CATCHESRAINTAPAALI
ADORABLEGOESDERCOVER
SONINLAWAERIESAROSE
MRESESASAYSSODOWSE
Mon 5/6/2013
STEPYAMSADZES
CAFEUNITWRIST
IDOLMEMEMOTTO
AROOMWITHAVIEW
ESPYONE
MAFIAAGROMOLD
ATFREREADAHOY
IWONTLETYOUDOWN
DARELAGOONLEE
SRTAIRONABYSS
TSOSPAN
UCANTTOUCHTHIS
SOFIASTARAGHA
PARKSLAMEIHOP
SLOSHOHOKSTOP
Tue 5/7/2013
HARPYTHUSTHEM
OHARAHOSTHOBO
WATERWATEREMAJ
SAYNOBRAYOYO
SOSAPERP
ARTSLITHNEHRU
MAYOEXHORTOHS
ANCIENTMARINER
SCHASHCANRETD
SHOPSSAGAESTA
BATSLEWD
PERTEATARUBA
AMAHEVERYWHERE
IMHOMECHHURON
DYESECHOOHGOD

My favorite subject in high school was chemistry. It's an unusual person who gets goose bumps reading about s and p orbitals, but as my wife knows oh too well, I'm an unusual fellow.

The idea for this one popped into my head during a long run where my mp3 player had run out of batteries and I was desperately casting about for something to occupy my brain. I loved the idea of having slightly tilted lines in the puzzle to represent the 104.5 degree bonding angle within the H-O-H molecule. The lines ended up straight for what I assume is layout purposes, but that's okay. In my head they're slightly bent. =]

Easier said than done, however. My first attempt I ended up using top-down symmetry. Will said he liked the concept but rightfully said the layout looked strange. So I redid the puzzle using regular symmetry and am much happier with this version. I wasn't sure if it was going to be possible given the fact that I really wanted at least nine instances of the H-O-H molecule (to reflect the EVERYWHERE statement) but as with most things, if you work long enough at it, you often break through the finish tape.

A final point of interest is the inclusion of TYCHO BRAHE. To me, he's such a fascinating man (he lost the tip of his nose in a duel and wore a metal prosthetic) that I wanted to include him when I realized he could fit at 29-down. I had a few other options, but nothing else came close in terms of personal interest. It forced some less than stellar fill in the SW region, but in the end, I felt SO I, SCH, and AMAH were reasonable prices to pay. Every constructor has his/her set of internal values and criteria, so I'm sure some would say they'd prefer a cleaner, less snazzy section. But this very variety is one of the best aspects of crosswords!

Wed 5/8/2013
HEPSHIRKADELA
AAAAUDIODODOS
MVPSHIPPEDGIFT
SEEPSAPRFETA
ROYALELIA
MOTOMAILEDCARD
SCORPIONEELER
NAWUNSTOPSLOA
BLEARRHETORIC
CALLEDHOMEHILO
LEIAERROL
UZISARKUSERS
SENTFLOWERSDEP
CACAOLAVESUAR
GLAREDIANEPRY
Thu 5/9/2013
AJARAWALKNCAA
MONOVOICECOACH
BETWEENTHELINES
COSYALISTS
SOIRICCIEYEON
WONDERWOMANRUE
FLEAATMNTESTS
HIMOM
TESLASOBIIMAX
AMYLEADINGLADY
BINALRECTOCUZ
RAMONEETAL
HAPPYMOTHERSDAY
ITSUSELESSKATE
PEEPXAXISSMEW
Fri 5/10/2013
RESTAINCOMETS
OSCARNODSOPAQUE
STORYBOOKBAKULA
YOWZAKNOWLEAST
ANSTRIBALAS
VONMSTNATS
LITTLELEAGUETEAM
ISTHATALLTHEREIS
BASEBALLDIAMONDS
ASNOAPUNYE
WASPAMFMSKG
ASHESSOAKACOAT
ISOMERATAGLANCE
TEJANOMOVIESETS
STINGYALLEGES
Sat 5/11/2013
DRAWERBASILICA
REMORAARCHIVAL
ELIJAHHARAKIRI
WORTMAIMVEEPS
ASSYRSAILED
LOTTSANTANA
PARAGUAYMOOCOW
OREURBANIIIVA
RIESENWINDYDAY
TAKESTOGAEA
ATONCEANDES
SASHAFORTGRAM
LOCATIONRATITE
ENIWETOKECZEMA
DESKSETSFEEDER
Sun 5/12/2013 SIMPLY PUT
POETFRANORBPASSGO
AIDARAMACIAONECAR
CLUBSODASLETTERGRADE
LANINAOATHSERGO
POTENTIALCONSEQUENCES
ALOHASOKSSWEET
LOGOKALBDELTA
OFAPLANORDECISIONONE
SOBEITFLATSPEND
ASSGEEDOONESPEEDY
CANNOTREVERSESHOULDBE
DRAINSRENEEEURSYD
CARTSUETYSKATES
HEEDEDPRIORTOTHETIME
EXITSUEYSEBAY
ACINGALESTPETE
ANACTIONISEFFECTUATED
POSEPODIAALARMS
LITTLETRAMPCOMESINTO
UNLESSTHOEPEEDIOR
STEADSHOVDELTEXPO
Mon 5/13/2013
ROBEFERNMICAH
APEXALIACRANE
HIGHROTTENEGGS
MESAARIZONAERS
UMATIEDYE
AMESBROTHERS
MULTIBOORPERP
PCBTRENTONZOO
SHAMOSTEASIAN
SAMEOLDSTORY
TOPGUNEAU
ARESEAMWELDING
BEAUTYSHOPIRON
LOCKETOMEOONA
ASHENISBNSCOW
Tue 5/14/2013
CASINOSLEBANON
THEWAVEORIGAMI
RIPOPENBASEMEN
NORNOSEEGO
MANTLEASECDAS
ICEEARNSTAR
LEIOTICLOSS
ELLENOYLDEPTH
RADSDENYPAR
ISBNROANEVE
CSARICETARRED
YAMACOWUMA
SNOOZEDARIZONA
TANLINELATERAL
SADDLESPLEDGES
Wed 5/15/2013
CATSALISTLAVA
UNUMRACKSEDEN
STRONGWEEKFONT
PINTOITSTRUE
HIDDENSCENE
NAMEDROPKAY
AVERNEINPESKY
ZITLOSTONELAS
IDAHOTOTOWANE
ECKMULLOVER
BRAKEREPAIR
NAIVETEMSNBC
OBOETHEYREHERE
METHLANAIIRAN
ESSOEBOOKPONT
Thu 5/16/2013
DINETEEMFORKS
JOELHALOANNIE
ETALECHOLLAMA
DARINCHINESE
OOHLEANTO
UALTRANSMISSION
LSATMOTOTHESE
LITPIOUSKSU
MATTERINKDRIP
AGEEXPECTATIONS
NONAMEGUV
MANOVERBOARD
ITGUYZERORUBE
QUESOMENUCRIB
SMEARAPOPEAST
Fri 5/17/2013
CRAZIERABBOTS
AUGUSTUSBALBOA
CSIMIAMICMAJOR
ATLASBLTSMELC
OYELAIRMECCA
MAECUTETAS
POSTMODERNISM
DRSTRANGELOVE
DEATHINVENICE
OMGMPAAINK
MOMMAGLEESAC
ITASFELLSMITE
NATTEREITHEROR
OPIATEYOUOWEME
SECRETTOPLESS
Sat 5/18/2013
AVAILABLECREDIT
PERCENTAGEERROR
ENTENTECORDIALE
STARSINONESEYES
SETNSA
JAWSAKILACKEY
ATADNACLMILNE
MRLUCKYOCANADA
BIDESEMILQUIT
SPOTTVONEDSTS
ATOAEC
AMERICANINPARIS
REGULARGASOLINE
FEEDINGONESFACE
STREETADDRESSES
Sun 5/19/2013 BEFITTING
MANGEGILDSRITALPGA
AXIOMORTEAATUGURLS
TENNISSERBSGINORMOUS
TREELESSTHATSAGIBBON
FINIWAIFTEENS
BALLETPARKINGIBAR
AQUASLOANUSERFBI
NATTERBALIOFTHEDOLLS
ABEDEFAMECLEHEEP
LASAGNASHARPDADDY
LEAVEITTOBIEBER
DEALSALTOSPANARAB
ACROLAOISEEITARE
SHOWEDBALLADIDLEWDER
HODEVASMETISEINE
OLDSGETOUTTHEBOAT
SCALPEGONAARP
HOTDOGBENDERGRIMACED
ARBITRATESIBYLRIGHTS
LEASALARSCARENEATO
LATHBLTSAHOOTESTES
Mon 5/20/2013
LCDMCGRUFFESC
IOUAEROSOLTAL
MMMGRANDBAHAMA
BABYMAMAELIS
DOAMLKARIAS
FROGRADIODRAMA
DORITODUD
ATACAMADIORAMA
PEPDNALAB
MALIAOBAMAVATS
AYERSSPASEN
RENOONELLAMA
VASCODAGAMALAN
EYEPINENUTDAN
LESTOOEASYAMA
Tue 5/21/2013
ASLTRIADSPOOL
WHOSAYSSOTONTO
LONGREACHALTOS
STETWHATGIVES
SICREC
SPAWHEREAREYOU
CONSIGNEDMADD
RADONDIALAZED
ECRUONTHENOSE
WHENDOWEEATOAR
DRSWOK
WHYBOTHERITHE
ROSINALOEVERAS
ARETETHEFIVEWS
PARESSISTAENO
Wed 5/22/2013
RUMBAPREZGNAT
ALOONROLERILE
KNOXKNOCKSAXER
EARSHOTSTINKER
REEMEMANON
ARAMISALIST
DARTEDTAXTACKS
ORETIPOVERKEA
LOXLOCKSREISER
TOWITGIJOES
REAMSIXOME
ICEFLOENETLOSS
MCCLSTAXSTACKS
ANKASTYEOTHER
MYSTYARDPEARS
Thu 5/23/2013
MEYERSETHLBJ
IRENATHREEYEAR
MACYSRAILROADS
ITHASCIRCLES
LUMPTORY
ALGIERSMCSTHE
TEASAGITATOR
MAYBEYESMAYBENO
FRENZIESURDU
ENSRNSHINTSAT
ESTHFETA
UNDERITSEYES
LAUREATESCREAK
VOLLEYERSAMORY
ILEDOSERAWLS
Fri 5/24/2013
ASBIGHSTTOPUP
STOREOOHHYENA
HASANINTERESTIN
IRTELKSOSROD
PROCRASTINATING
NEAOZSHEF
GASOLINESTATION
MATEKETARERA
CARELESSABANDON
ATEHITDEF
RANACLOSESECOND
ENGTORMASROO
TOLERANCELEVELS
ALEXIARNROSIE
PERECTOTTATER
Sat 5/25/2013
PURPLEHAZEHSIA
UNDECLAREDATOP
STANDALONEBANS
HOSSTODHORSE
IDEECHAOS
DAVIDSTEINBERG
LINEAWELDAAR
INGLACOSTERNA
EELSLITDECAF
DROPOUTOFSIGHT
SHAMELUNG
SHARPSIRRBIS
HEXAPOWERPOINT
EROSIMAREALBOY
DONEPATSYCLINE
Sun 5/26/2013 MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES
MATESSNEERATGAVOTTE
AWAREHOTBATHOLEMISS
TAXISTANDBYMESERIOUS
TIRESOMEOSMOTIC
ETEOUTHOUSEOFAFRICA
TROTUPSTARTIOTAS
TRUTVMCGEELENGTH
THREECHEERSAMIGOSITT
YENRAZORNODATARLO
LESTERSTAIRARLEN
SAYANYTHINGMONK
ARGOTGOUGEPASTAS
ROISMERCISTRIPAGO
AMOBREAKFASTGLEECLUB
BARGESSLAVSSIKES
INNIEASOCIALPTAS
COOLHANDSOAPLUKEDEM
MIMOSASNICOTINE
IMMOVEDGETLOSTSHORTY
CAIRENEELMTREEMITRE
CROESUSSLIDERSSLYER
Mon 5/27/2013
DIDSAWINGEENA
EDUORATEORSON
PARWELLGROOMED
THATSALLEDSELS
HONESADFYI
DELWOKGODOT
BTUOFANEONOIR
OARURLOROULE
SPATIALCADBYE
CANWEASKYUL
ELMAKAREDO
ODDLOTUNTENDED
PERFUNCTORYOLE
AMATIRECUEWHO
LITHETSKEDNIN
Tue 5/28/2013
MAORISKILESTS
ARRIDEINEZOOT
SPACEBARGEROPE
CHARLIECHANGE
BRUISESHEYUL
ROLEWHETPLINY
ABATSARICE
BREAKINGBADGE
WIISALTADD
AZTECSTYEERGO
DUHHIEWANDER
ORIGINALSINGE
RICOEVILTWINGE
ECKOPESOANIMA
SHEDTRAPREACT
Wed 5/29/2013
WHOSAWYERRICH
HATCREOLEESAU
ENOHANDELJUST
EDSELTACOORES
BESTTAPIR
METAPHORDECEIT
OPRYOPUSLENNY
VOATWOBALLDIN
EDIFYTITISEGA
SELECTNINEIRON
BROODNEXT
AVIVSOLDCHOWS
TAKESNOOZEGAP
LIENEAGLESLIE
INSTSTYLESETC
Thu 5/30/2013
BAHSSCARFBADE
OLEOTIMORILER
WOLFDNABBEGITA
LEDTOLOSLOBOS
WEIVRETNITIXE
JEANNIESOAR
ALTNAPNYLON
CHEWORCTAEIVE
KIRBYSECFEW
ELANNEUTERS
WONTISEODYSAE
OMAREPPSDIVAS
VEGAEASTTOWEST
EGGYCLIOSANKA
NAYSTIETONTSB
Fri 5/31/2013
AMIWRONGJULIE
GAMEOVERSONATA
EXHIBITAONAPAR
NOUSDIVINGBELL
DURSTZITIALIG
ATTACETENSPAR
EPONYMTHINE
AMEXESTEENSY
DAVIDMEOWED
ARESCANNONMAT
PINTONITSLUSH
TAKEFLIGHTARCO
SCENEIMERRYMEN
THECANAQUALUNG
OILERSTEWARDS
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