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Sun 6/1/2008 EXTRA SYLL-UH-BLES
| L | A | D | D | | A | L | B | U | M | | | J | A | I | | | S | A | W | S |
| A | G | R | I | | L | E | O | N | E | S | | O | W | N | | R | A | B | A | T |
| B | U | Y | A | B | L | E | B | E | L | T | | H | O | T | P | O | T | A | T | O |
| S | E | C | R | E | T | S | | | M | O | R | A | L | L | Y | S | A | F | E | R |
| | L | I | T | E | | | C | O | L | O | N | | | G | E | N | T | R | Y |
| T | H | E | S | A | L | I | V | A | T | I | O | N | A | R | M | Y | | | | |
| H | E | A | T | S | | N | A | S | H | | | | D | E | Y | | A | D | A | M |
| U | R | N | S | | A | I | L | S | | | H | A | Z | E | | O | C | A | L | A |
| D | O | S | | M | E | G | A | | G | R | A | S | | S | A | R | O | N | G | S |
| | | C | O | R | O | N | E | R | O | N | T | H | E | M | A | R | K | E | T |
| P | A | O | L | O | | C | L | A | U | D | I | A | | I | N | N | E | R | |
| H | U | M | M | A | B | L | E | B | E | G | I | N | N | I | N | G | S | | | |
| E | R | I | T | R | E | A | | O | M | E | N | | S | M | E | E | | B | M | W |
| A | S | S | E | S | | R | O | W | E | | | G | A | P | S | | B | R | I | O |
| L | E | S | S | | P | G | A | | | | M | A | R | E | | E | L | I | T | E |
| | | | R | I | O | T | I | N | G | I | M | P | L | E | M | E | N | T | S |
| C | H | O | S | E | N | | | M | E | E | S | E | | | L | A | N | G | | |
| R | E | N | T | A | S | E | N | A | T | O | R | | | S | L | I | D | I | N | G |
| A | T | T | A | C | K | D | O | G | | R | E | D | S | K | E | L | E | T | O | N |
| S | T | A | R | T | | I | R | E | | G | A | I | T | E | R | | R | O | N | A |
| H | Y | P | E | | | T | A | D | | | D | O | P | E | Y | | S | N | O | W |
Mon 6/2/2008
| V | E | A | L | | O | C | T | A | D | | K | A | O | S |
| A | R | L | O | | M | E | H | T | A | | O | G | R | E |
| T | I | E | S | | E | Y | E | O | N | | J | E | E | Z |
| S | E | X | T | O | N | | F | I | R | E | A | R | M | |
| | | C | A | S | I | O | | A | S | K | | | |
| C | A | R | A | T | | D | U | S | T | S | | A | S | A |
| L | U | A | U | | E | A | R | T | H | O | R | B | I | T |
| A | R | T | S | | S | H | E | R | E | | O | O | Z | E |
| W | A | T | E | R | C | O | L | O | R | | Y | V | E | S |
| S | L | Y | | E | A | S | E | D | | B | R | E | S | T |
| | | G | A | L | | M | E | T | O | O | | | |
| A | I | R | D | A | T | E | | R | A | G | T | A | G |
| J | U | D | O | | T | O | N | T | O | | E | A | R | L |
| A | T | O | P | | O | N | T | A | P | | R | I | T | A |
| M | O | L | E | | R | E | S | E | E | | S | L | E | D |
Tue 6/3/2008
| W | H | O | | R | A | T | I | N | G | | A | N | E | W |
| H | A | S | | A | L | O | N | S | O | | C | I | A | O |
| E | L | L | I | P | T | I | C | A | L | | A | L | T | O |
| W | O | O | D | | A | L | A | | D | U | D | E | | |
| | | C | O | R | E | | M | A | O | I | S | T | S |
| C | S | P | A | N | | T | K | O | | M | A | C | H | O |
| W | H | E | R | E | S | W | A | L | D | O | | R | E | B |
| P | A | R | D | | T | A | S | T | E | | G | A | P | E |
| O | S | S | | I | N | T | H | E | C | O | R | N | E | R |
| S | T | O | U | T | | E | I | N | | S | A | E | N | S |
| T | A | N | D | O | O | R | | M | O | O | N | | | |
| | A | D | O | S | | S | E | P | | D | E | A | L |
| S | A | L | E | | M | O | N | T | I | C | E | L | L | O |
| S | A | A | R | | A | R | I | A | N | E | | M | A | E |
| W | A | D | S | | N | A | P | L | E | S | | S | E | W |
Wed 6/4/2008
| F | O | C | A | L | | E | P | I | C | | R | A | S | H |
| I | N | A | N | E | | G | A | L | A | | E | L | M | O |
| C | U | R | V | E | B | A | L | L | S | | D | L | I | I |
| A | S | P | I | R | I | N | | S | E | C | R | E | T | S |
| | | L | A | B | | D | A | Y | L | I | G | H | T |
| C | H | E | S | T | | B | U | Y | | I | V | E | Y | |
| U | R | L | | | I | O | C | | A | M | E | | | |
| T | H | I | N | G | S | T | H | A | T | B | R | E | A | K |
| | | E | U | R | | E | L | M | | | P | I | T |
| L | A | W | S | | E | S | L | | T | S | A | R | S |
| K | I | D | S | T | O | Y | S | | E | W | E | | | |
| L | E | A | D | O | R | E | | G | O | O | D | O | N | E |
| E | D | G | E | | O | C | E | A | N | W | A | V | E | S |
| I | T | I | S | | N | U | M | B | | A | T | E | S | T |
| N | O | O | K | | O | P | U | S | | Y | E | N | T | A |
Thu 6/5/2008
| O | G | L | E | | J | C | R | E | W | | L | O | M | A |
| A | C | E | R | | O | U | I | D | A | | I | C | E | T |
| F | L | E | A | C | I | R | C | U | S | | F | E | A | T |
| S | E | Z | | O | N | E | K | | | A | T | A | R | I |
| F | A | R | M | E | R | S | A | L | M | A | N | A | C |
| | | E | A | D | S | | R | E | E | F | | | |
| E | H | U | D | | | | W | I | N | N | I | P | E | G |
| S | U | P | E | R | B | O | W | L | S | U | N | D | A | Y |
| S | H | A | V | E | O | F | F | | | | G | A | R | P |
| | | E | A | R | N | | L | A | N | E | | | |
| B | U | L | L | M | O | O | S | E | P | A | R | T | Y | |
| E | T | H | O | S | | | T | R | E | S | | O | I | S |
| R | E | A | P | | O | P | E | N | M | A | R | K | E | T |
| E | R | S | E | | R | E | N | E | E | | B | E | L | A |
| T | O | A | D | | A | C | O | R | N | | I | N | D | Y |
Fri 6/6/2008
| A | B | B | R | | I | R | S | | R | E | S | E | T | S |
| C | R | E | A | M | P | I | E | | A | G | A | T | H | A |
| T | R | Y | G | O | O | G | L | I | N | G | T | H | I | S |
| | O | A | T | | H | A | L | O | | | N | O | S |
| R | U | N | S | I | N | T | H | E | F | A | M | I | L | Y |
| E | N | D | | F | A | A | | A | F | L | A | C | | |
| D | I | S | S | | R | R | S | | | P | I | C | O | N |
| Y | O | U | H | A | D | M | E | A | T | H | E | L | L | O |
| E | N | S | O | R | | | L | B | O | | R | E | E | L |
| | P | A | T | H | S | | D | U | G | | A | I | T |
| D | A | I | L | Y | O | C | C | U | R | R | E | N | C | E |
| E | N | C | | | R | A | U | L | | A | S | S | | |
| B | E | I | J | I | N | G | O | L | Y | M | P | I | C | S |
| A | R | O | U | S | E | | M | A | D | M | O | N | E | Y |
| R | A | N | G | E | R | | O | H | S | | O | G | O | D |
Sat 6/7/2008
| A | M | O | R | E | | S | S | S | S | | S | C | A | M |
| L | E | N | O | X | | C | P | O | S | | T | O | N | I |
| S | W | E | A | T | S | H | I | R | T | | E | L | O | N |
| L | O | R | R | A | I | N | E | | L | A | U | D | E |
| | | K | A | T | Z | E | N | J | A | M | M | E | R |
| R | E | M | | V | I | O | L | | A | K | I | N | | |
| O | Z | A | W | A | | I | S | O | M | E | R | I | S | M |
| T | R | I | A | G | E | D | | L | A | T | O | S | C | A |
| C | A | N | V | A | S | S | E | D | | I | N | T | O | W |
| | L | E | N | S | | N | Y | E | T | | S | T | S |
| G | R | A | F | Z | E | P | P | E | L | I | N | | | |
| S | U | N | R | A | | A | L | L | O | C | A | T | E | |
| U | N | D | O | | I | T | A | L | I | A | N | I | C | E |
| I | T | E | N | | N | I | N | E | | C | A | N | O | N |
| T | O | R | T | | B | O | E | R | | A | S | Y | L | A |
Sun 6/8/2008 Q & A SESSION
| U | R | S | A | | D | E | A | D | C | A | L | M | | I | P | A | N | E | M | A |
| N | O | E | S | | U | N | L | O | A | D | E | D | | R | A | V | A | G | E | D |
| Q | U | A | K | I | N | G | A | S | P | E | N | S | | A | L | A | M | O | D | E |
| U | N | R | O | B | E | | B | A | R | N | S | | S | T | E | | | Y | I | P |
| O | D | I | U | M | | S | A | G | A | | | Q | U | E | B | E | C | A | C | T |
| T | E | N | T | | A | P | S | E | | S | O | U | P | | L | L | A | N | O | S |
| E | R | G | | B | L | O | T | | S | K | U | A | | O | U | S | T | | | |
| | | Q | U | A | T | E | R | N | A | R | Y | A | G | E | | C | H | A | S |
| S | T | U | R | M | | R | I | O | T | | S | I | R | | S | H | O | R | T |
| S | T | O | O | G | E | S | | G | O | E | S | | R | I | S | E | | S | R | A |
| Q | U | A | I | L | I | N | G | A | T | | Q | U | E | S | T | A | F | T | E | R |
| U | P | S | | E | N | O | L | | S | L | U | G | | H | E | W | L | E | T | T |
| I | O | T | A | S | | C | E | E | | Y | E | L | P | | W | A | U | L | S | |
| B | R | Y | N | | Q | A | N | T | A | S | A | I | R | W | A | Y | S | | | |
| | | G | L | U | T | | A | M | O | K | | O | A | R | S | | F | O | E |
| S | T | R | I | P | E | | O | P | A | L | | E | X | I | T | | M | A | N | X |
| Q | U | E | E | N | A | N | N | E | | | T | A | I | L | | H | A | S | A | T |
| U | R | N | | | S | E | E | | S | W | A | R | M | | G | E | N | T | L | E |
| A | N | T | O | N | I | A | | Q | U | I | E | T | A | M | E | R | I | C | A | N |
| S | T | A | I | N | E | R | | V | E | R | B | A | T | I | M | | L | A | R | D |
| H | O | L | L | E | R | S | | C | R | Y | O | G | E | N | S | | A | R | K | S |
Mon 6/9/2008
| H | A | L | F | | M | A | J | A | | | S | P | C | A |
| A | L | A | I | | E | L | I | H | U | | H | O | O | F |
| T | O | U | R | I | S | T | M | A | P | | A | L | S | O |
| S | E | D | E | R | S | | | S | T | C | R | O | I | X |
| | | P | A | R | K | A | | I | L | K | | | |
| M | C | M | L | | S | A | N | D | C | A | S | T | L | E |
| O | R | O | U | T | | R | E | E | K | S | | A | E | S |
| S | A | N | G | R | I | A | | A | S | P | I | R | E | S |
| E | M | T | | A | N | T | I | C | | S | T | O | R | E |
| S | P | E | E | D | D | E | M | O | N | | S | T | Y | X |
| | | N | E | O | | E | N | O | L | A | | | |
| S | H | U | T | S | U | P | | | T | A | T | L | E | R |
| H | O | P | I | | B | O | O | B | Y | P | R | I | Z | E |
| A | M | O | R | | T | O | R | R | E | | A | F | R | O |
| G | O | N | E | | | P | E | R | T | | P | E | A | S |
Tue 6/10/2008
| M | V | P | | W | A | I | T | S | O | N | | S | P | A |
| O | O | H | | A | L | T | O | O | N | A | | Q | E | D |
| O | T | O | | R | O | C | O | C | O | S | T | Y | L | E |
| D | E | E | D | | N | H | L | | | T | I | D | E | S |
| | B | A | E | Z | | | I | T | A | L | | | |
| D | E | L | M | O | N | I | C | O | S | T | E | A | K |
| M | O | S | E | S | | O | S | A | G | E | | X | K | E |
| O | W | N | S | | T | R | A | N | S | | S | P | I | N |
| E | S | O | | T | A | D | A | S | | P | L | A | T | O |
| N | E | W | M | E | X | I | C | O | S | T | A | T | E | |
| | | E | R | I | C | | | U | S | S | R | | |
| E | N | I | A | C | | | J | A | B | | H | I | C | K |
| H | I | D | D | E | N | C | O | S | T | S | | A | R | I |
| U | K | E | | L | O | O | S | E | L | Y | | T | A | N |
| D | E | A | | S | T | P | E | T | E | R | | E | G | G |
Wed 6/11/2008
| S | A | G | E | | P | L | E | B | E | | C | O | T | S |
| K | I | L | N | | A | S | P | E | N | | I | R | O | N |
| I | D | I | D | N | T | D | O | I | T | | N | A | M | E |
| T | A | B | O | O | | | C | R | I | | N | L | E | R |
| | | W | O | N | T | H | U | R | T | A | B | I | T |
| B | O | S | N | I | A | | T | E | A | M | | | |
| A | T | A | | | G | T | O | | | R | O | S | E | Y |
| J | U | S | T | W | H | A | T | I | W | A | N | T | E | D |
| A | S | T | O | R | | | S | C | H | | | A | R | S |
| | | D | E | E | S | | B | O | W | S | T | O | |
| I | T | S | I | N | T | H | E | M | A | I | L | | | |
| T | R | E | E | | A | R | I | | | F | A | L | S | E |
| W | O | R | F | | L | I | E | A | B | I | L | I | T | Y |
| A | U | T | O | | I | N | I | N | K | | O | T | O | E |
| S | T | A | R | | A | E | O | N | S | | M | E | W | S |
Thu 6/12/2008
| E | L | E | C | T | | S | O | U | S | A | | E | Y | E |
| S | I | T | A | R | | A | P | R | I | L | | N | E | Z |
| Q | U | A | L | I | T | Y | T | I | M | E | | C | O | P |
| | | S | O | U | S | E | | | | G | I | L | A |
| V | A | S | T | | G | O | D | S | W | O | U | N | D | S |
| E | F | L | A | T | S | | | T | I | P | T | O | E | S |
| I | R | A | T | E | | A | H | O | L | E | | | | |
| L | O | V | E | C | O | N | Q | U | E | R | S | A | L | L |
| | | | H | O | I | S | T | | A | U | J | U | S |
| B | A | R | R | I | O | S | | | E | S | P | A | N | A |
| S | P | I | K | E | H | E | E | L | S | | E | R | A | T |
| I | P | S | O | | | | Q | A | T | A | R | | | |
| D | E | E | | G | R | O | U | C | H | O | M | A | R | X |
| E | A | R | | A | U | D | I | E | | N | E | W | E | L |
| S | R | S | | S | T | E | P | S | | E | N | L | A | I |
Fri 6/13/2008
| B | E | L | C | H | | A | L | D | O | | S | P | I | T |
| I | N | A | N | U | P | R | O | A | R | | A | R | N | O |
| K | E | N | N | E | L | C | L | U | B | | R | I | S | E |
| E | M | T | | | A | H | A | B | | | A | M | I | |
| S | Y | Z | Y | G | Y | | | | E | T | H | A | N | E |
| | | A | I | M | S | | S | P | A | | R | C | A |
| T | A | I | L | G | A | T | E | P | A | R | T | I | E | S |
| I | L | L | T | A | K | E | Y | O | U | T | H | E | R | E |
| R | E | L | A | T | I | V | E | C | L | A | U | S | E | S |
| E | X | T | | O | N | E | | K | E | R | N | | | |
| S | A | R | O | N | G | | | | T | S | K | T | S | K |
| N | E | A | | | C | H | A | T | | | A | P | U |
| R | D | A | S | | C | R | E | P | E | P | A | P | E | R |
| A | R | T | E | | S | A | L | E | S | A | G | E | N | T |
| M | A | S | S | | I | M | P | S | | M | E | R | T | Z |
Sat 6/14/2008
| T | R | U | T | H | I | N | E | S | S | | A | B | B | A |
| H | A | S | A | S | H | O | T | A | T | | C | U | R | S |
| A | M | E | L | I | O | R | A | T | E | | C | L | I | P |
| D | A | S | K | A | P | I | T | A | L | | E | L | B | E |
| | | | | | | I | N | L | A | N | D | E | R |
| | P | I | K | E | R | S | | A | C | T | O | R | S |
| F | E | D | E | R | A | T | E | | A | U | G | I | E |
| C | A | R | E | E | R | S | | G | A | R | A | G | E | D |
| A | C | T | O | N | | A | D | A | M | I | T | E | S | |
| R | E | A | L | E | R | | E | L | I | D | E | D | | |
| A | V | I | O | N | I | C | S | | | | | | | |
| L | A | N | G | | S | H | O | W | C | A | S | I | N | G |
| A | L | I | I | | K | I | T | E | R | U | N | N | E | R |
| R | U | N | E | | I | N | O | N | E | S | E | N | S | E |
| M | E | G | S | | T | A | S | T | E | T | E | S | T | S |
Sun 6/15/2008 DID YOU GET THE MEMO?
| T | O | P | S | O | F | F | | C | A | N | D | I | D | | | G | R | O | P | E |
| E | V | E | N | P | A | R | | A | D | O | R | N | E | D | | H | O | H | O | S |
| R | E | P | O | S | S | E | S | S | E | D | A | U | T | O | | I | S | H | O | T |
| S | N | U | B | | | E | A | T | | | C | R | A | N | E | | S | E | L | A |
| E | S | P | | R | E | L | Y | I | N | G | O | N | I | N | S | T | I | N | C | T |
| | | B | O | X | Y | | R | A | I | | S | L | A | S | H | | R | U | E |
| T | R | U | A | N | T | | C | O | N | G | A | | | | | A | H | Y | E | S |
| R | E | P | A | I | R | M | A | N | U | A | L | | M | E | T | R | O | | | |
| I | F | S | | | A | O | L | | | | M | E | A | L | S | | T | E | S | T |
| N | U | T | C | A | S | E | | R | E | P | O | R | T | F | O | R | D | U | T | Y |
| A | T | A | L | L | | | J | E | E | R | S | A | T | | | C | O | R | E | R |
| R | E | T | A | I | L | O | U | T | L | E | T | S | | N | I | A | G | A | R | A |
| Y | S | E | R | | B | L | A | D | E | | | | T | A | D | | | S | E | N |
| | | E | S | S | E | N | | R | E | C | O | N | M | I | S | S | I | O | N |
| P | I | N | T | A | | | | | S | L | A | N | T | | G | O | E | A | S | Y |
| G | N | U | | L | L | A | M | A | | H | R | S | | M | I | N | X | | | |
| R | E | M | O | T | E | P | O | S | S | I | B | I | L | I | T | Y | | S | R | O |
| A | X | E | D | | B | E | D | E | W | | | L | E | G | | | A | M | E | N |
| T | I | R | E | D | | R | E | V | E | R | S | E | E | N | G | I | N | E | E | R |
| E | L | I | T | E | | S | L | E | E | P | I | N | | O | L | D | N | A | V | Y |
| D | E | C | O | Y | | | A | R | T | I | S | T | | N | O | S | I | R | E | E |
Mon 6/16/2008
| A | D | O | S | | B | A | L | S | A | | N | E | S | T |
| R | O | T | H | | O | C | E | A | N | | I | T | C | H |
| A | L | T | O | | S | T | A | L | K | | T | H | O | U |
| B | L | O | W | I | N | I | N | T | H | E | W | I | N | D |
| | | C | O | I | N | S | | | D | I | C | E | S |
| A | R | C | A | N | A | | | B | A | I | T | | | |
| C | E | O | S | | | S | L | A | N | T | | A | C | E |
| H | E | R | E | C | O | M | E | S | T | H | E | S | U | N |
| E | L | K | | A | V | O | W | S | | | G | I | R | D |
| | | S | T | A | G | | | S | T | O | A | T | S |
| A | S | P | I | C | | | A | S | C | O | T | | | |
| R | H | Y | T | H | M | O | F | T | H | E | R | A | I | N |
| S | A | R | I | | A | R | I | E | L | | I | S | L | A |
| O | M | E | N | | C | A | R | R | E | | P | E | L | T |
| N | E | S | S | | S | L | E | E | P | | S | A | S | S |
Tue 6/17/2008
| M | R | S | | G | O | T | I | T | | S | P | A | T | E |
| E | O | N | | O | P | I | N | E | | A | L | L | A | Y |
| A | L | A | | D | I | N | N | E | R | T | A | B | L | E |
| D | E | F | | S | E | E | S | T | O | | Y | A | K | S |
| E | X | U | D | E | | | | H | O | P | S | | | |
| | | O | N | S | E | T | | K | I | T | S | C | H |
| C | L | O | U | D | O | V | E | R | | T | A | H | O | E |
| H | E | R | B | | P | E | N | A | L | | T | I | D | E |
| A | G | I | L | E | | N | O | S | E | D | I | V | E | D |
| R | O | G | E | T | S | | R | H | I | N | O | | | |
| | | A | C | H | E | | | | A | N | G | S | T |
| S | M | U | G | | I | N | S | P | O | T | | A | T | E |
| D | A | T | E | A | N | D | T | I | M | E | | T | E | N |
| A | G | I | N | G | | O | A | S | I | S | | O | A | T |
| K | I | L | T | S | | W | Y | A | T | T | | R | M | S |
Wed 6/18/2008
| B | O | M | B | | L | A | V | A | | M | I | N | I | M |
| O | M | O | O | | O | X | E | N | | O | V | I | N | E |
| D | A | U | B | | W | E | L | K | | N | O | N | O | S |
| E | N | R | A | G | E | | M | A | C | A | R | E | N | A |
| D | I | N | N | E | R | P | A | R | T | L | Y | | | |
| | | D | E | L | I | | A | S | I | | T | O | E |
| I | G | O | R | | I | L | L | | | S | C | O | R | N |
| S | U | G | A | R | P | L | U | M | F | A | I | R | L | Y |
| M | Y | E | Y | E | | | X | I | I | | G | O | Y | A |
| S | S | E | | T | R | A | | A | S | E | A | | | |
| | | T | H | O | M | A | S | H | A | R | D | L | Y |
| M | O | T | O | R | C | A | R | | S | T | E | R | E | O |
| A | L | O | N | E | | Z | E | R | O | | T | O | N | Y |
| J | E | N | G | A | | E | T | T | U | | T | O | D | O |
| A | S | S | A | D | | D | E | E | P | | E | L | L | S |
Thu 6/19/2008
| O | T | T | O | | S | P | R | A | N | G | | C | A | D |
| N | E | O | N | | H | O | A | G | I | E | | I | R | R |
| E | R | R | S | | E | N | F | A | N | T | | G | T | E |
| S | E | E | P | | L | E | A | S | E | S | | A | U | S |
| E | S | S | E | | | | E | S | A | U | | R | R | S |
| C | A | T | C | H | A | G | L | I | M | P | S | E | O | F |
| | | | I | C | U | | | | | E | T | T | O |
| L | E | A | G | U | E | | E | R | E | C | T | O | R |
| O | U | G | H | T | S | | R | E | P | R | E | S | S |
| G | R | A | T | E | S | | I | L | I | E | S | C | U |
| | | | A | A | A | | | | | T | M | A | C |
| S | E | E | I | N | G | E | Y | E | | C | O | N | C |
| T | O | L | L | G | A | T | E | S | | O | K | I | E |
| R | E | S | I | L | I | E | N | T | | D | E | N | S |
| | | | T | E | N | | | | | E | R | I | S |
More than one solver has told me that this is their favorite puzzle, and they mainly have Will to thank for transforming the theme. Yet as constructors we never experience our own puzzles the way solvers do; when a puzzle runs, we already know the trick to the theme, so we rely on solver feedback to help us enjoy a vicarious experience. But, oh! The feedback to LIES was nothing short of intense dissonance: Strong like, strong hate and even a little flip-flopping of opinion! (go figure).
For my part, I enjoyed presenting the first full word as grid art ... and what a doozy of a word. I thought Will might have to run it as a diagramless, but the grid appeared with its SHOUTING letters, and no small bit of solver criticism suggested that I forced the NYT to print, well ... LIES! (Add that to the dissonance level.)
Grid construction presented its own set of problems. Spelling a word out in a grid using different sized letters in a two-line staggered arrangement means that some solvers will completely miss it; I still find people who struggle to identify the word LIES when I show them the blank grid.
Another feature common to these grids is that some of the letters can't be placed flush with a wall (or each other) and this often forces heavy concentrations of 3-letter entries ... frequently with triple- stacks of 15's. This is the main challenge to achieving lively fill.
Given my memories of some construction challenges and the intense solver reaction, it'd be hard to call this my single favorite puzzle, though I take great pleasure in showing it to people who have never seen it before. It's definitely in my top five.
– puzzle by Joe Krozel
Fri 6/20/2008
| B | U | R | S | T | S | | | H | A | L | F | W | A | Y |
| O | N | E | P | I | N | | D | A | V | E | R | A | G | E |
| T | R | U | E | T | O | | U | N | A | W | A | R | E | S |
| T | I | N | E | | W | Y | N | N | | D | I | L | L | |
| O | P | E | D | | S | E | G | A | R | | L | O | I | N |
| M | E | D | I | C | I | N | E | H | A | T | | C | M | A |
| | | T | A | N | T | O | | M | U | S | K | I | E |
| C | A | J | U | N | | A | N | T | | T | E | S | T | S |
| E | L | O | P | E | D | | M | A | I | E | R | | | |
| S | L | Y | | S | U | Z | A | N | N | E | V | E | G | A |
| T | A | R | S | | H | E | S | S | E | | E | A | R | P |
| L | I | M | B | | S | T | Y | X | | T | R | I | P |
| M | O | D | E | R | A | T | E | | A | K | I | N | T | O |
| O | N | E | L | I | N | E | R | | C | O | M | E | T | S |
| W | E | S | T | E | N | D | | | T | I | E | D | Y | E |
Sat 6/21/2008
| C | D | T | | | | A | D | D | R | | E | L | K | S |
| L | O | W | E | | A | R | E | W | E | | R | E | A | P |
| A | N | O | N | | P | R | E | E | N | | G | A | Z | A |
| S | O | M | E | P | E | O | P | L | E | | | D | O | W |
| P | R | I | M | A | R | Y | E | L | E | C | T | I | O | N |
| | N | Y | C | | O | N | O | | A | O | N | | |
| C | A | U | L | K | | S | S | N | | R | I | G | E | L |
| H | I | T | I | T | | | | | | C | L | A | R | A |
| I | R | E | N | E | | C | U | B | | R | E | R | A | N |
| | D | E | N | | A | P | U | | A | T | T | | |
| F | I | R | S | T | I | M | P | R | E | S | S | I | O | N |
| U | N | I | | | M | I | S | S | T | H | E | C | U | T |
| T | U | L | L | | P | L | A | T | A | | A | L | T | E |
| O | S | L | O | | E | L | L | I | S | | T | E | D | S |
| N | E | S | T | | L | E | A | N | | | | S | O | T |
Sun 6/22/2008 CHAIN REACTION
| A | C | R | E | | P | L | E | B | E | | S | A | M | O | A | | A | C | T | S |
| R | O | O | M | | O | A | R | E | D | | A | F | O | U | L | | C | O | H | O |
| C | A | S | E | C | L | O | S | E | D | | F | O | O | T | L | O | C | K | E | R |
| S | T | E | R | E | O | | T | R | A | D | E | R | | S | U | P | R | E | M | E |
| | | G | A | S | | | | | A | R | E | | C | R | E | A | S | E | S |
| T | I | M | E | S | | A | P | R | E | S | | | C | O | E | D | | | | |
| I | N | A | N | E | | R | O | A | D | H | A | Z | A | R | D | | | D | O | T |
| P | S | S | T | | S | A | R | G | E | | M | O | R | E | | S | N | O | R | E |
| O | U | T | | S | C | R | E | E | N | D | O | O | R | | O | C | E | L | O | T |
| F | R | E | E | L | O | A | D | | | E | L | M | | | C | U | R | L | | |
| F | E | R | V | E | N | T | | S | A | L | E | S | | S | E | L | V | A | G | E |
| | C | E | D | E | | | E | F | T | | | C | H | A | P | E | R | O | N |
| O | R | A | N | G | S | | S | P | R | A | Y | P | A | I | N | T | | S | A | T |
| P | U | R | S | E | | C | I | A | O | | A | E | G | I | S | | M | I | T | E |
| T | E | D | | | W | A | L | L | S | T | R | E | E | T | | S | A | G | E | R |
| | | | T | H | R | O | | | E | N | T | R | E | | L | I | N | E | S |
| C | A | L | I | B | E | R | | C | C | X | | | | | J | U | N | | | |
| O | D | Y | S | S | E | Y | | L | A | T | H | E | D | | O | R | M | O | N | D |
| P | O | O | L | P | L | A | Y | E | R | | G | R | A | P | H | P | A | P | E | R |
| A | R | N | E | | I | L | E | F | T | | T | I | T | A | N | | S | E | M | I |
| Y | E | S | T | | E | L | A | T | E | | V | E | E | P | S | | T | R | O | P |
Mon 6/23/2008
| S | A | N | T | A | | P | A | C | E | | A | C | M | E |
| A | L | I | E | N | | I | B | E | T | | B | L | I | P |
| W | I | N | S | O | M | E | L | O | S | E | S | O | M | E |
| S | T | A | T | | I | R | E | S | | B | O | G | I | E |
| | | T | I | N | | | | H | E | R | | | |
| Y | O | U | D | I | D | Y | O | U | R | B | E | S | T |
| S | A | M | B | A | | R | O | U | S | T | | R | H | O |
| K | L | E | E | | W | I | D | T | H | | P | A | A | R |
| E | I | N | | R | I | L | E | D | | E | A | T | M | E |
| W | E | S | T | I | L | L | L | O | V | E | Y | O | U | |
| | | E | N | D | | | | E | L | S | | | |
| S | A | G | A | S | | H | E | A | T | | L | E | N | T |
| C | L | O | S | E | B | U | T | N | O | C | I | G | A | R |
| A | I | R | E | | A | R | N | O | | U | P | O | N | E |
| B | E | E | T | | A | L | A | N | | E | S | S | A | Y |
Andrea:
THis was my first official collaboration with my then newbestfriend Patrick Blindauer. We had met when he was working for Peter Gordon at Sterling as an assistant. I had known Peter for 20+ years from our days at Games Magazine, so I would pop by to see him whenever I was in NY. Patrick and I got to know each other better at the first ACPT I attended. (I hadn't gone the first 25+ years as I lived across the country, etc.) Will was using one of my puzzles for the opening puzzle of the 2008 ACPT I believe. (Cheers! It was four ways to toast, I think, which each theme answer being "Cheers!")
Patrick and I were standing together as people were approaching Trip Payne and consoling him on his second place finish. Folks were saying various cliches, "You did your best!", "So close!", etc. Patrick and I sat down and created a list "We still love you!" "Close but no cigar!", etc. and that became the first of a dozen collaborations. I think Deb Amlen called us the Fred and Ginger of constructors.
We both live very separate lives now, but he's always been my go-to person when I want to create a Sunday-sized puzzle that have funny phrases by changing a letter, or what have you. I love his sense of humor and what a genius he is. Until Patrick, I had only been published on Monday-Wed. He is my collaborator on 3 Sundays (not counting a couple we've done for the WSJ) and my sole NYT Thursday.
– puzzle by Andrea Carla Michaels and Patrick Blindauer
Tue 6/24/2008
| W | A | R | N | | I | D | I | O | | A | M | A | T | I |
| E | T | A | T | | W | O | M | B | | G | A | B | O | N |
| B | A | T | H | T | O | W | E | L | | O | R | B | I | T |
| T | R | E | | C | U | R | T | A | I | N | C | A | L | L |
| V | I | S | I | B | L | Y | | | D | I | I | | | |
| | | C | Y | D | | A | M | A | Z | E | D | A | T |
| B | E | S | O | | | A | M | O | R | E | | A | P | E |
| B | L | A | N | K | E | X | P | R | E | S | S | I | O | N |
| Q | E | D | | E | M | I | L | E | | | E | S | P | N |
| S | E | R | E | N | E | L | Y | | P | A | M | | | |
| | | A | T | E | | | P | E | T | I | T | E | S |
| P | I | C | T | U | R | E | S | H | O | W | | U | L | T |
| A | D | H | O | C | | G | U | N | P | O | W | D | E | R |
| A | N | O | U | K | | G | E | O | L | | A | O | N | E |
| R | O | O | T | Y | | O | R | M | E | | D | R | A | W |
Wed 6/25/2008
| F | O | C | I | | C | O | G | N | A | C | | M | O | E |
| O | M | A | N | | A | V | I | A | R | Y | | A | N | T |
| R | E | S | T | O | R | A | T | I | O | N | | D | A | H |
| A | L | I | E | N | S | | | A | M | I | | E | R | A |
| G | E | N | R | E | | R | E | D | A | C | T | I | O | N |
| E | T | O | N | | S | A | T | S | | | A | R | L | O |
| S | S | S | | E | P | I | C | | O | N | C | A | L | L |
| | | R | E | I | N | H | A | B | I | T | | | |
| A | S | S | O | R | T | | I | B | E | X | | E | P | A |
| I | N | C | A | | | O | N | L | Y | | G | R | U | B |
| R | E | A | R | R | A | N | G | E | | S | O | U | R | S |
| D | E | R | | E | D | S | | | S | A | D | D | L | E |
| U | Z | I | | R | E | A | D | M | I | S | S | I | O | N |
| C | E | L | | A | L | L | I | E | D | | O | T | I | C |
| T | R | Y | | N | E | E | D | L | E | | N | E | N | E |
Thu 6/26/2008
| R | I | A | L | | S | T | Y | X | | H | A | L | A | S |
| E | S | T | A | | E | A | V | E | | A | L | A | M | O |
| C | I | T | Y | I | C | K | E | R | | R | A | D | I | I |
| U | N | L | O | O | S | E | S | | C | H | R | Y | E | R |
| S | T | E | W | S | | | S | A | L | A | M | I | | |
| E | O | E | | | S | C | A | L | A | R | | P | T | S |
| | | F | A | S | H | I | O | N | | E | P | I | C |
| P | I | G | L | A | T | I | N | | | G | R | E | T | A |
| A | N | A | I | S | | | T | I | R | E | I | R | O | N |
| C | O | L | T | | C | O | L | O | G | N | E | | | |
| E | N | L | | S | A | T | A | N | S | | | C | A | R |
| | E | R | E | S | T | U | | | A | K | I | T | A |
| P | A | Y | I | P | S | | R | E | S | P | E | C | T | S |
| A | P | A | C | T | | B | E | A | U | T | Y | E | E | P |
| L | E | V | E | E | | A | N | T | E | | O | R | N | E |
| E | X | E | R | T | | I | T | S | Y | | T | O | D | D |
Fri 6/27/2008
| T | I | K | I | T | O | R | C | H | | C | A | T | E | R |
| I | R | E | N | E | C | A | R | A | | A | R | U | L | E |
| D | O | N | T | S | H | O | U | T | | F | I | R | M | S |
| E | N | O | L | | R | U | D | I | | T | E | N | E | T |
| | | | H | E | L | E | N | | A | S | T | R | A |
| S | C | A | L | E | S | | | H | O | N | | O | S | U |
| C | O | M | E | R | | N | E | A | R | S | | M | G | R |
| R | U | I | N | | J | E | N | N | Y | | H | U | L | A |
| E | R | S | | P | A | W | E | D | | B | O | S | U | N |
| E | T | H | | I | R | S | | | S | A | C | H | E | T |
| N | O | B | L | E | | C | R | A | I | G | | | | |
| T | R | U | E | R | | R | O | T | E | | A | C | E | D |
| E | D | G | A | R | | A | M | E | R | I | C | A | N | A |
| S | E | G | N | O | | W | E | A | R | S | T | H | I | N |
| T | R | Y | S | T | | L | O | M | A | L | I | N | D | A |
Sat 6/28/2008
| Z | I | P | L | O | C | B | A | G | | H | A | R | P | S |
| O | N | I | O | N | R | O | L | L | | A | G | O | R | A |
| M | R | R | O | M | A | N | C | E | | Y | O | Y | O | S |
| B | E | A | M | E | N | G | I | N | E | S | | A | T | H |
| I | A | N | | | | O | D | D | S | | P | L | E | A |
| E | C | H | O | I | C | | S | O | C | K | A | W | A | Y |
| S | H | A | F | F | E | R | | W | A | R | R | E | N | S |
| | | N | I | L | E | | E | P | O | S | | | |
| A | L | C | O | V | E | S | | R | E | N | E | G | E | S |
| T | A | S | T | E | S | O | K | | S | A | C | R | U | M |
| E | R | L | E | | T | R | E | F | | | | A | G | A |
| I | D | E | | W | A | T | E | R | H | E | A | T | E | R |
| N | E | W | D | O | | S | P | E | A | R | M | I | N | T |
| T | R | I | C | K | | T | U | R | N | S | T | A | I | L |
| O | S | S | I | E | | O | P | E | D | E | S | S | A | Y |
Sun 6/29/2008 TEN GRAND SURPLUS
| L | A | P | L | A | T | A | | A | P | E | S | U | I | T | | | P | E | N | S |
| E | C | L | A | I | R | S | | R | O | M | A | N | C | E | | P | E | R | O | T |
| S | H | O | W | M | E | T | H | E | M | O | N | K | E | Y | | E | D | I | N | A |
| T | E | T | R | | E | R | A | S | E | | G | N | U | | N | E | A | T | E | R |
| | | E | P | S | O | N | | | T | R | I | P | L | E | K | L | U | T | Z |
| P | O | R | N | O | | | S | T | R | A | I | T | | O | W | I | E | | | |
| D | R | A | C | U | L | A | | R | I | C | A | | U | G | A | N | D | A | N | S |
| A | F | T | E | R | A | S | K | O | R | T | | A | M | O | R | | | R | E | O |
| S | E | E | | | S | N | I | D | E | | P | L | A | N | K | A | H | E | A | D |
| | | M | A | I | E | R | | | M | O | I | | | | V | O | I | L | A |
| | W | I | N | K | W | I | N | K | S | I | T | U | A | T | I | O | N | | |
| E | N | O | L | A | | | | Y | I | N | | | S | H | O | A | T | | | |
| B | A | R | K | T | E | N | D | E | R | | E | S | S | E | N | | | C | T | R |
| A | T | M | | | D | I | R | T | | A | V | E | R | A | G | E | J | O | K | E |
| N | O | S | E | D | I | V | E | | B | R | E | R | | P | A | L | M | T | O | P |
| | | L | E | S | E | | C | O | I | N | E | D | | | A | B | Y | S | S |
| G | U | N | K | C | O | N | T | R | O | L | | | U | V | U | L | A | | | |
| U | T | A | H | A | N | | E | A | T | | A | C | M | E | S | | R | B | I | S |
| I | T | M | A | Y | | I | N | F | L | A | T | A | B | L | E | K | R | A | F | T |
| L | E | E | R | S | | D | E | T | E | N | T | E | | M | I | N | I | B | A | R |
| E | R | S | T | | | S | T | Y | G | I | A | N | | A | T | T | E | S | T | S |
Mon 6/30/2008
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| H | O | N | E | | E | C | O | L | I | | O | R | E | O |
| D | U | R | A | N | D | U | R | A | N | | S | T | E | W |
| S | T | A | T | U | S | | | S | D | I | | U | R | I |
| | G | O | D | | M | O | S | U | L | I | R | A | Q |
| I | T | I | N | E | R | A | R | Y | | L | O | O | T | S |
| S | A | N | | | E | N | D | | S | E | T | | | |
| H | I | G | H | W | A | Y | E | N | T | R | A | N | C | E |
| | | T | I | P | | R | C | A | | | A | H | A |
| S | P | I | T | Z | | T | E | A | T | A | S | T | E | R |
| G | R | A | P | E | S | O | D | A | | H | O | I | | |
| T | A | G | | N | I | B | | | D | E | N | O | T | E |
| M | I | R | O | | F | O | U | N | D | M | O | N | E | Y |
| A | S | E | A | | T | O | S | C | A | | R | A | R | E |
| J | E | E | R | | S | T | O | R | Y | | A | L | M | S |