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Puzzles for June, 2013
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (4)Jim Horne (9)Hide comments
Sat 6/1/2013
CREEPSHOWOXBOW
HURRICANELARGE
OPENLANESINALL
RECANDIEVADED
DETESTEDXED
OPTLASCRUCES
BURIEDSTEOLE
UNSCREWUPRIGHT
RTEMABTETRIS
BOTTLECAPTEA
VIANEARMISS
POLLENDEMOLEI
AREASBIKINIWAX
LEANTATANYRATE
MONDOSOTOMAYOR
Sun 6/2/2013 STIR CRAZY
SAMCOOKEOLETABEADS
OLEANDERSOLOSGUSSET
TALKEDABSTREAKUMPIRE
IDEAERECTCMSMIV
ORRSGILTLOSTLOVE
BINTHEFACEMYBHEAVEN
PERHORAHISOROED
SEABSUVSHEIFERISM
AMEBAMOONDANCEELHI
AMPBBOOKDRESSBS
BPERIODSCRIPSURPASS
HOPONTOAMEANBOA
ONINSCENARIOSONEBC
TECBBEARDBBOYAMIB
RAUSTOATLUMPAGO
STAYSLATESOMETHINGB
HIREABLEAPEAHATE
OSEBUBTCELLBAAS
BANGELTHECOLORPURPLE
UNDOESAALTOSAILBOAT
PETITGRASPANALYSTS
Mon 6/3/2013
CEDARZIONPHIL
AMOREIRAERONA
PIGINAPOKEEGGY
ELIEEONDASHES
SEETHRUOSOLE
TOOTATKEANU
JIHADSTOWYVES
USASOWSEARERE
DEMILIESOUNDS
DEFOECARHOP
ININKATTACHE
ASSISIGNUTAIL
RITZPORKBARREL
ALEEARALDEERE
BODSTOBESEWON
Tue 6/4/2013
CMDRROBOTMPEG
ROUEEDITHIAMA
ARBSADDTONUMB
BRAESBEEISLAS
SAINTPATRICK
TULLSROFDA
SCAFFOLDENURES
OAHUSEANASH
IMELDAIRONDUKE
REMRHOMOLE
SNAKECHARMER
CINCOANATWINE
AMAHLYNNEEDDY
PATESEEDSAGUE
EYEDDDAYSREPS
Wed 6/5/2013
JIBSPEROTSHED
EMUSERICHAERO
THERESNOTELLING
SINLEESDEERES
POSITSONS
THATSNOTTRUE
PALAUHARAURA
AMOFGLASSREGS
ROLFUALAGREE
TILLNEXTTIME
OYSONATIP
NOFUSSGRANSES
THENEWTESTAMENT
WINGHANOILEIA
TONEOBESEBANG
Thu 6/6/2013
ESEPISAISWEAR
CONCEDEDSPELLO
ARTICLESLANDAU
STRIKEOSAWTOIT
HOEUPCNOR
FERRETSONAPS
OEDSUETDIP
TEENAGETRILOGY
IRSMESANEA
TACOPAPERBAG
AREYAONOI
ASPECTSTEAROOM
CHILLOFALLINGO
NASSAUITOLDYOU
EMMETTTONYMOT
Fri 6/7/2013
CATSPAWEMAILED
ONATEARMISSIVE
MAKETHEBESTOFIT
EGERSNARERENO
DRANKLYRAICU
UALOPELLASER
EMOBETTYSIVS
OVERTHEEDGE
TKOTEETERRCT
BRANSJIMIYAO
UARUSNABASRA
MIOICICLERHOS
PLUMTUCKEREDOUT
PENROSEDIVERSE
ORDERINSCENTED
Sat 6/8/2013
IPHONEAPPDCUPS
MROLYMPIAERNIE
PETEACHERSEGER
UMSHEIRDATE
MITEEDSULLIVAN
PEONNASTASE
ERNESPLINTS
DEERTRITECOBB
GROOVESOPAL
ONLYYOURENE
LOADEDDICEENNE
IBAROASTTED
VALIDCURSEWORD
ELANDASIANPEAR
SLAKEBABYDADDY
Sun 6/9/2013 FAST ONE
PALPAJAMEWATACK
AURALRANROIACHILLE
PLAZAINKLINGSHIRLEY
ALBINOILESMAYIETAT
CELEBRATEDSAVORDIVA
EYERTHOHIKEUPOMER
REARSODERSAUER
PETDOGSTAMERSQTR
ITHACADENEBTAUESP
CHEFSMEETSCARPACCIO
ONTOSECRETARIATROMS
TIREMARKSREEDYBURPS
SCIADVFERNSWADDLE
PHITILTONJONESES
SLIDEEPICADIOS
CHETDEARTHIVESWAP
ARCHGAMESSUPERHORSE
SIREESOSSAHLSOREST
INORBITUSOSHOWNBAER
NEWTONSMEAUMADITTO
ORNOTEARHAGACHS
Mon 6/10/2013
NICEARTYCRTS
IMUSLOEWELOIN
PATPAULSENAUTO
PGSSNEERCIGAR
YESPARTPAYMENT
HISCBS
AMORCREATELOP
PARALLELPARKING
TOTLADIESIKEA
EARGTE
PAJAMAPARTYIPO
OPERAADLERCUB
INSTCOMETOPAPA
SETHELISETRIM
EASYLOTSSELA
Tue 6/11/2013
ACCTECHOLAPIS
NOLALRONEVENT
DRUGABUSETERSE
RENAMEEDAMDIE
EAGLELAGBEHIND
OBIEERGOT
PUBGAMESIONIZE
EVASKIEDOED
WARMTOBIGBANDS
BLURBNEAT
CRABGRASSATARI
YERBYTEZEALOT
CAIROMIXEDBAGS
LIANAAKINONEO
ERNSTNONOYARN
Wed 6/12/2013
PONCETVADLUST
ADIOSRAMSITTO
COCOCHANELMIEN
TREKODINDECAY
IMPELOOLALA
ANGERSLEDGE
GUESSKATESMITH
EDNALAMASOMOO
SEENOEVILSNORE
DIVANBROKER
MUSCLYTHEIR
USERSNCAAAINT
NATEJOHNDENVER
RITAAVIDAGATE
OREMMAPSTENSE
Thu 6/13/2013
ADOESPNIROBOT
RIGALOEDEJAVU
CARTRIPSEGOYAN
ZEEMUTTEROLE
CUSPISINFOR
LOCHSTLCPUFF
APRSNOOKIBUFF
LEAREARENDNIA
ONCETSETSEDCI
SKEETNTFRYER
GOESAPEOTTO
IUDSARTRELOA
GRIPESWINDOWS8
OCCULTODORETA
TEENSYDENYDIM
Fri 6/14/2013
YAWNSTABLIES
ECHOTOURLADLE
CHARLESDEGAULLE
COMMERCIALBREAK
HOSANNACOOED
RIOPHARLAP
DIVANWAITSWEB
EPEECHINSCANE
WANSLANGDAYNE
DESPITEGEL
ZALESPANACEA
YOUCANTWINEMALL
EVERYTHINGBAGEL
GALESANTERENO
GLADTEASISAY
Sat 6/15/2013
SALADBARBAOBAB
ADEQUATEESSENE
VUVUZELACASITA
ELEAZILCHONIT
STEPSTREEESP
LOUDOUTSREO
DISASTERSTORRE
EMANUELHEADOUT
ANNEEICESTORMS
ROTMULEDEER
MTAELALSEEYA
AHABTHICKALER
DENALICONSTANT
ARNHEMALIMENTS
MEANTOSATURDAY
Sun 6/16/2013 QUESTION BOX
TTOPSHIGHBROWROSE
HOPUPAMIEYEAHSOPIE
IFAGIRAFFEHASFOURTEEN
NFLKOSTHUMPSTAURUS
NETETALIITRINARY
MORETHANAWALRUSAND
IVANVNOGSEEMEHMS
SIZEDESPTARIOT
ODEMARTTOPSSIBERIA
TADAREPOTELOPERS
SMARMANERATORAH
MALABARPARTSPLOT
ARAPAHOSMASHAUXSAG
SIMSATMARCZERO
HOOGRAFTTNTCORED
ASQUIRRELHASHALFAS
RATSOUTGIBERSORA
ODESSASUNOCOSUVTWA
MANYASAPIGWHATARETHEY
AGARIRENEETASUSONE
NEMOKEGSRYESPORTS
Mon 6/17/2013
TOASTHARAFADS
IRAQIYVESICET
VIRUSDISCRIPA
OGEEPRAIRIEDOG
AREADIGESTS
JACKINTHEBOX
OROONEAERICAS
BLOCSRATAME
SOLONGPVTSLOW
CARDOORLOCKS
KOOKIERCOOT
INTERNETADEGOS
TREYAWEDSLOAN
EYREDONOALOHA
REIDENDSPOPUP

ANDREA:

This is my second collaboration with Johanna Fenimore whom I have still yet to meet face to face. We had a fun add-an-o puzzle Tues 7/5/2011. Now Johanna had come up with a super fun idea of things that "pop up".

We both love puzzles that are visual and peppy. She had PRAIRIEDOG and JACKINTHEBOX (love that J and X) and maybe INTERNETAD. we needed a fourth, as Will felt PINGPONGBALL didn't "pop up" in the same way. It was a bitch coming up with a fourth 12 letter word. I think after a lot of trial and error, Johanna landed upon CARDOORLOCKS! Done!

(If only it were CARDOORLOCKZ we'd have had a pangram!)

I added TOAST at 1-Across and matched it with POPUP as the last word. It was a true collaboration and still so funny that we've never met.

Tue 6/18/2013
ABBRSTARCHQED
SERAERIEPAEAU
THAWRODEODRIVE
RAYDAVIESHIES
ONSALEELLY
TOSIRATMFEE
AFLATRAINDELAY
TWORANDDERR
RINGDANCEGRAPE
AWGEEZHAILE
NARCMADCAP
CHAIROALDDAHL
RIVERDELTAAMMO
UFOVIDIOTWEEP
ZINSNOOZENODS
Wed 6/19/2013
GIJOEAMASSAMP
ISERERALPHGAL
FRANKLINIOOERA
NASABIOLOGY
ABATHAMILTONIO
CLUESRRSTENN
TOEEXAMALT
CLEVELANDIOOO
REDGAZELGA
OSSOPOTDRILL
CHASEIOOOOAVES
CAVERNSWAGE
UKEWASHINGTONI
PEAINUITFOYER
YRSNEMEAAPLUS
Thu 6/20/2013
POORPOOLPOLL
EIREIMNOCOKIE
LLBSMATSAKELA
OCACAROFREYA
SACRAPOLEDBL
INHIBITNOTDONE
NONUSERUKES
INSTANTWINNER
KNEEKNEADED
IFORONEYALEMAN
XINROLELEICA
NAGATCITYDEM
BITATMOMANOTA
ATALEALASCRIT
RILERICERICH
Fri 6/21/2013
TABLECLOTHSEGA
MIRACLEGROMARS
AMYPOEHLERARES
NENAMENRALGA
ESTADONMAI
POSTMENIRTORL
OPENEDINSIGNIA
RENALROGBORON
TRESTLESBOWOUT
LAGREAOLDNESS
ATAOEDPAYS
NILEROTICPHD
DOESSNEAKAPEEK
INSPALLTERRAIN
ASEATYLERPERRY
Sat 6/22/2013
INSTAMATICTHAN
DOORTODOORREPO
IMPATIENCEYAPS
GESISLEDEFTLY
TREEREWOVE
AGREESSENORITA
GOONSSPECKSIP
ATTNSTILETINT
SHOAPRESREOIL
PARALLELTEENSY
MOCKUPMEDS
ECOCARDOFFZIP
SITUGUILLOTINE
STESEASTORANGE
EYRESECONDGEAR
Sun 6/23/2013 TWO-BY-FOURS
DIJOPASSSTALEPHDS
EVACEXITTODAYSHOUP
FOBETTEROFOWOSEMANNA
URALMOINESDISONS
PAPERSDUESCELEB
TALOEDURNSORATERBI
ORCASGRADTHOMASOEN
POOHSIGIITHERAICNET
ELTOAGEGURNEYMACRO
DETESTEDNORMBESOS
YEARCHEWYBOAS
AMMANPOOFCARTHAGE
BEAONBOWOUTOLDEVAN
ARGOWENEKLEMPEEFEUD
LIAPIECESNOESBINGO
LEEOPTEDSCUDMERGER
TRIESAWESFOISED
DEFENDPARENSANGS
ARAATTISTATANDTEOTER
BIRDSALEUTKEELNOAH
SCAYWEARYAWRYEURO
Mon 6/24/2013
ESSEBLOBBACH
GLEEBONEPAULA
GIRLSCOUTASTIR
SMASHSTANHOPE
ALIOBI
GRAHAMCRACKERS
DIETPALSAREE
ISLESMOREBANE
SMEARTOGUTEP
HOTMARSHMALLOW
TUTADO
CHESTNUTCEDAR
AURALCHOCOLATE
MERLECRABSHOP
PSSTOURSELMS
Tue 6/25/2013
GOPROBARSKICAP
INFEROREPELOSI
FACEBOOKSTALKING
LIDCARNEG
BESTDOCUMENTARY
CADIZGRERAMP
OMENTRIPITZHAK
IBNTHEMAMBORUN
TIPTOEEROSIAGO
RARAWTOINSET
IMAGINARYNUMBER
TOISRIAFR
WORDSWITHFRIENDS
ARIOSEEARNEARS
SEEGERRHOEDGER
Wed 6/26/2013
ASTRAHEAVENOG
BEHARASKEWORE
EXITRAMPAGERAY
NEILLLAWNS
ICKDIETPILLAGE
KOBETHINDYER
ELIXIRELUDE
AGEDIFFERENCE
CAPRIELTORO
BEAUEARPENID
INSTANTMESSCEE
OTHERAPPLE
NILMUSICALPASS
IREENOCHIGLOO
CEYDOPEYTASTY
Thu 6/27/2013
BRANBEATLEADD
RUTSARTHURLEO
ABBYTITANSMSN
GIANTSQUIDFAME
SKYCAMENERO
CARDINALSIN
DADANEARPLANO
OLINSAKASALES
SLADECANSSASE
TIGERSTRIPE
SNAFUAXIOMS
KWONPIRATESHIP
NESDEVITOLANE
ELIERESTUERIN
ELSABSENTTEST

This puzzle was born from 20-Across. I noticed the alternate parsing of GIANTSQUID somewhere in my normal (non-crossword) life, and set out to make a puzzle based around it. I originally wanted to include one team from each of the four major sports, but could not for the life of me find a decent two-word term that included an NHL team's mascot with the appropriate number of letters. STARSTRUCK was close, but that's one word; DEVILSTICK was possible, but probably not well-known enough in this context. I eventually gave up that idea and concentrated on baseball teams. I was very worried that TIGERSTRIPE would be a puzzle killer, because the term seemed a little forced and not quite in the language enough, but everything worked out.

Will did ask for a revision to remove two entries: CELIAC at 22-Down and TAE GU at 48-Across. Getting rid of CELIAC was simple, but removing TAE GU meant a complete rework of the southwest corner. When I was finished, I had these entries:

DADD, ALIEN, FLAME, DAFT, DEMEAN, and NERF

…which were later edited to become:

DADA, OLINS, SLADE, DOST, ANDEAN, and SERF.

Pretty interesting stuff, if you ask me. I worked hard on the cluing for this puzzle, and am proud that a slight majority are mine (or very close to mine). However, I am not responsible for 5-Across, which is brutally brilliant.

Fri 6/28/2013
SNAILSHELLAPED
HARRYCARAYXOXO
ESCALATORSELIA
ASHIERYESLETS
TAILSQANDAALI
HUESSTYXXAXIS
SPINLORENA
BOXSTEPWINFREY
USETAXZANY
MORANTENTREBA
PLOCLUEDBETEL
SEXSHOPSASHAY
OMITWEBBANNERS
FINDPLAINJANES
FOGSHORSEOPERA
Sat 6/29/2013
CHAPPRIM
VOICEDSEEGER
LETTERCSTEANNE
OUTSKIPHURLING
GRIMIERADSITES
STANDTOREASON
EDGARWINTER
PAINT
HEARINGDOGS
HANGINGAROUND
LATTICEBILLERS
EVERTOREVILEYE
NOSEATSDETERGE
OCTETSRETEAM
SOSOSSRS

My approach to this 50-word puzzle departed radically from my approach to the 52-word puzzle (see 6/1/2012 notes); The seeds here were three ING fragments which are contained in HEARING DOGS, SHARING A BED and HANGING AROUND. The notion was this: I would have over 2000 choices for each ????ING???? and ????ING?????? — and that sort of flexibility would probably offer multiple fills for one or more quadrant.

So, I loaded my word list with items of those patterns using OneLook and a dictionary of phrasal verbs. It felt like I added thousands to my word list, and it certainly paid off in the end.

Sun 6/30/2013 MATCHING WITS
GMATGMCS
HEUREERMATHOMLOOTS
ANDRESOOTREPOADLER
MODESPLUSIRANMEDEA
SAYAHTOTEMPOLEORALS
WRITEHAILEYARNS
ABAROSSIRESISTWIKI
MOTTOTHEMAXTWOFACED
POEMSERICADOARENA
EZRAMMESLAVROOF
DESKMINUTEWALTZAMAS
IMINKIWIEHSRARE
CHINAITEONTOSELMA
TANGRAMSARGONAUTTOM
STEWMUKLUKBETTEWRY
CHASMENEROHEATH
PESOSWENTROGUEMOIST
OTTOSALTIAGRABOSOM
SHAPEGATESADRANKLE
TASERENOSTNUTTIEON
NYETHEYS

Jeff:

Alex came to me with the idea of a giant M and W made of black squares, and I thought it was clever. However, he had been working with a 15x grid which made for an extremely challenging layout. After playing with it for a while, I felt like it was going to result in too many three-letter words and too much compromise in the fill.

I suggested going to a 21x which would be somewhat more flexible plus it would give us a bigger palette with which to work. It proved to be slightly easier than a 15x but was still extremely challenging. The biggest difficulty was finding a way to place enough M-W theme answers without constraining the grid so much that the surrounding fill would be badly compromised. Luckily, we came upon the crossing pattern of MINUTE WALTZ, MIRACLE WORKER, MONEYS WORTH, and MINIMUM WAGE; a small miracle.

It ended up taking us several months of back and forth iterations before we settled upon the final grid. There were many places we had to work and rework in order to attain a reasonable fill we were both happy with. Quite a challenge!

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