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Puzzles for October, 2024
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (4)Editor (4)Jim Horne (17)Hide comments
Tue 10/1/2024
ASHPAWNEDNAPA
CEOISAYSOOVID
TENNESSEETITANS
HOORAHCORE
TERMMUCKRAKING
AREELIRONCUP
PEDROARALSETS
CUBICFOOT
SPRYROUTLOGOS
IREDELIDRAPE
COPYEDITORIGOR
GLIBBEINGS
CRYPTOZOOLOGIST
HATEWEREINFUR
AMOSLEASTSTMI

The creatures are misspelled because you didn't quite see them through the gray shadows. They are false sightings.

Wed 10/2/2024
FINESTBARKER
USURERANTEATER
DOMININEMATODE
GUINEAPIGDANDY
ETSCLAMSSN
MBACARPABES
ACAILIONAXE
PRTEAMCARDINAL
REINDEERTACKLE
OPSDODOARTS
NETSWASPANO
UHSSEALBAM
AMINOKINGCOBRA
MASTODONLOMEIN
TREEFROGEVERSO
TEASELTENSER

Every entry crossing 14-Down is an animal.

Thu 10/3/2024
SLAPSMEWINC
TUNETORELOTIA
ESTEEMEELRHSN
WHILESUPPSLAST
BELSPLITACAB
CHARSHEENPANE
PARCCEDSKA
ASKSFORBOYTOYS
PORSALLPEI
IPSONONBEVERS
TRACKSHOEAER
SPIKEPOLYGRAPH
SUNINOTIGOTIT
ASTTAOSNINEPM
DHSHEHEASEL

Each LIE causes a bump in the POLYGRAPH needle. Follow the bumpy path to match the clue.

Rena Cohen was part of the New York Times Diverse Crossword Constructor program.

Fri 10/4/2024
MWAHIPADRBIS
PINOTNOIRBOOTH
HIDEYHOLELANAI
SPARASARULE
BIOENIGMASSIR
UNREADLGBTQIA
SIGNSHEIRUSNA
ETATCIARAASHE
DINEHTMLBLUES
AIRBASENUMERO
LLCLOADSOFSOP
AHBLISSPDFS
TEEUPNOISELAWS
CRESSAUNATUREL
HEFTGISTGENY
Sat 10/5/2024
LYMEBAWLCULTS
GOODKARMAASAHI
SUBWAYADSSERIF
FBILABTSARIST
NOONERNBANABS
SOSADREAMDATE
ALSCREWTEAMS
TOUCHTONE
MARSEILLEDIP
BONETIREDROME
FINKIVESTATIC
LASAGNASTUNTS
ULTRABLOODTEST
BIRDSLIPREADER
SKOSHETSYTIDY
Sun 10/6/2024 Teacher's Marks
SLEPTINMADAMEXAOK
UPANDATEMONENAMEBYE
DONTQUOTEMEONTHISLSD
ORDSMIASEALLETS
NTHBONANZASLIPASE
YOURMONEYSNOGOODHERE
NOAHPOORARABY
HALTWHOGOESTHEREMAE
SHEENANBASWEARJARS
NAANSUITESSCIONS
DONTSTARTWITHME
AMELIETREADSWARE
CRUDENESSILLFLAMES
OTSALLYOUNEEDISLOVE
MCCOOUNPCOLAS
PULLYOURSELFTOGETHER
REDSUNCALIPERSNAP
FACEICESAMIALIA
ETAYOUCANTWINTHEMALL
NORAURORAEDEMONICAL
DRSPILLAGESINGLET

Fun puzzle. The clue markings displayed below are a pale approximation of the PDF, which shows more detailed teacher's marks.

Mon 10/7/2024
SPECASADAABIDE
LIRALAMARREMAX
AVISSLOTMACHINE
MOCHASUESHANKS
STAMPCARDTEL
ENOSAIRFLOW
SOIREEALIOBI
TIMEANDTIMEAGAIN
ALPUMPCRIMES
NYSTATEIONA
USEOFFLIMITS
STANCEMIIEATER
PERIODPIECETSPS
ARENTATRASTOIL
SNAGSNSYNCINDY
Tue 10/8/2024
SOLVEBLAMEMEA
APIANPOSIESAPB
FEARTHEWURSTDIS
ENBYASSHAVETO
SELPHOTOSTABOR
TREATONTHELAMB
SASSMAAICES
RAISETHESTEAKS
SETAROOHEWN
WHATABOARATLAS
AEGISPROTONATE
GAUCHEVIEEYES
GREMAKEENDSMEAT
ESSAVIARYPURSE
RESNEXUSASSET

Patrick Berry had a similar theme in this amusing Sunday from 2007.

Wed 10/9/2024
MTVAPLOMBZETA
OOOBEEMERERIS
NUTCAMERAFLASH
ICEDHUNCHED
CHARGERSLAPUP
AEGEANWETUNO
ADSSNAGFLIP
LIGHTNINGBOLT
WINECOLDODE
HESSUBABODES
ONTAPGATORADE
PROTECTSHIA
HARRYPOTTEREBB
OHNOENMESHALE
NAANNEEDTODEE

It's been 5 years since the last connect-the-dots alphabetically crossword. You can see the complete list here.

Thu 10/10/2024
CAFEACESPAD
ODICBWANADESI
DASHBOARDSALIT
HOODIEHAHHAH
FATWITPATAGE
LIABLEDRYHUMOR
EDIESPIESON
DELLSANYSCRAP
LARGESTLULL
DAYAHEADOPENTO
ICEINNANISOD
STROBEEDITOR
HOOFWORDCHOICE
ENUFARIESZOOM
SETLENDETTU

In this Schrödinger puzzle, each circle can contain either a W or a D and both the Across and Down clues fit either way. 58-Across can parse as W OR D CHOICE.

In the answers below, I have arbitrarily used W for the Across answers and D for the Downs.

Fri 10/11/2024
PAVETHEWAYJIG
AMITOOLATEDEMO
CONARTISTSELSE
TRYCRETETALES
PHOEDGELORD
SEEDEDLASSIE
YEASAPLUSHOE
BOCKBROOMSOUP
OURPASTAOPTS
ONEALLENSUES
BATWOMANITD
IMMADSTANKARF
REEKRAINBARREL
DINETHATISALIE
STUSILENTMODE
Sat 10/12/2024
THATSIMPOSSIBLE
HONEYMOONPERIOD
ITTAKESAVILLAGE
SHAMEDCITELON
RUSCHENAYS
CCCPGEEWHIZ
HATSEEDETUDES
AMINUTSBEELINE
DECOCTMUDSSYN
SKYWAYSMCAT
UGHSAGSBYO
PROWARNDRIVES
HITTINGADEADEND
EATINGONESWORDS
WHATDIDITELLYOU

This is the NYT debut for Ms. Hoody, but she has been published elsewhere.

Two triple-stacks are tough even for seasoned constructors, and the spanners here are good, but there's a cost. This grid has eleven words Jeff Chen has scored at 25, a rating he calls "hard to defend as fine": AGS, BYO, CEES, DESE, DET, ENDO, IMED, IRL, RUS, SYN, and UGHS. Most puzzles have one or two. Whether a high number of iffy words balances out the fun of the stacks is a matter of considerable debate amongst the crossword cognoscenti.

None of those words are puzzle-killers by themselves. If you click the links above, you'll see that each has been used many times.

Sun 10/13/2024 Manual Dexterity
IDOLSEROSMARCWARPS
DIDOKGUSTALOUAVERT
KNOWINGTHESCOREDECOR
ORLEANAVATYCONONE
ADHOCEARACTUATE
GOONGOINGOVERTHETOP
AMIDSTRNSTINDER
SNLLOAFSCASTEBET
PICKINGUPSTEAMSERENE
HIPTOOEUVRESALIT
SWANSONGRBILIMORIDE
OINKYAYTEAMNOFEE
DIGSUPLEARNINGCURVES
AGENAILSCASKSEVA
LINENSERGSEAMEN
GETTINGYOURGOATSEND
ORBITERMOOTRESS
BOILDATAITOAMOUNT
LILTSTACKLINGDUMMIES
ECLATECHOSUPEMETRO
TASTYSKYSTSAREDENS
Mon 10/14/2024
NAPSWALSHICED
CREWASANATOGA
ACCESSHOLLYWOOD
ASKAWAYFEASTS
RIBAAAS
MISSMISSISSIPPI
ANTISHERSLED
CAINREPMETA
AWLTOTOPEACH
WELLWHOOPDEEDOO
AHEMEST
DARNITCATCAFE
QUADRUPLEDOUBLE
ETREBSIDETEAL
DOEREATENELKS

We haven't played RegEx in a while, so here's a query that can find QUADRUPLE DOUBLEs in your word lists.

Other interesting 15s include AD HOC COMMITTEES and TENNESSEE VALLEY. If we allow for other lengths, we can have PEEWEE FOOTBALL and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. Trying to find more without computer help would probably lead to SUCCESSLESSNESS.

I had never heard of Access Hollywood until this clip surfaced.

A quadruple-double in basketball is when a player records double-digit numbers in four of the five statistical categories in a single game — points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. The Sporting News says it's been done four times.

Some solvers have expressed consternation at 62-Across. The plural of ELK is usually ELK but can be ELKS.

Tue 10/15/2024
OFFOFIDEARAN
KOREADEADDECO
CREDITCARDOMEN
USELAHUPLATE
PAWSPICKPOCKET
ILIEDPORKEENS
DEFEATNOPE
INSULTCOMIC
AGEEDONORS
SEDANASPNOTIP
MMAFIGHTERNAME
UPROSENYCUSC
DINOSWIPERIGHT
GRITTOGAICHOR
YETSEALBUTTE
Wed 10/16/2024
JOEYSMEARDACA
EAVEPURGEEMUS
TRESPASSESPERT
MAYIEVENSO
ABNERCONTENDER
DAUNTSPOSED
OLDOILERORCS
BEGINNERSPANISH
EDENPAEANCPA
ASSETMYRIAD
MASSACREDHENNY
ATHENAROOS
TRONLOCOMOTIVE
TIPSPLANEUKES
EASESEVENPETS
Thu 10/17/2024
CATSATBALMBFF
AGATHAALUMELI
PERIODDRAMACON
ENTRYROMEMORE
RDARUNONFUMES
SANDRASATINS
EARLAPNANCE
TENSEEXCHANGE
BOATSDEPART
ADSALELTSULU
TITLEFIGHTNAP
LEASINREFORGE
IFSALTERCATION
KOIMEETISOPOD
ERAISLAATHENS
Fri 10/18/2024
CHARGERCURTIS
RAGEROOMONEACT
EYECANDYHOTTEA
ANGUSESPNROWR
SEARPITABOOAT
ESPMANETEVITE
GASRETAINER
PAINTBYNUMBER
COUNTERSBEE
LODGEOOHEDPAT
ARIELOLESNOVO
USERDMVSTOKER
SONATAETCETERA
EUCLIDDOORDASH
SLEEPSNONOTES
Sat 10/19/2024
PAWPRINTSMAPS
UFOREPORTSABIT
MAKESADEALCOCA
PRECODEERABUTT
IAMSWEETIE
PBSKIDSSATFOR
CLUENUUKTHANE
LASSIENNASCAP
ANDRASUEDHERS
SERENAPEABODY
STICKUMTEL
AAVEGETAWAYCAR
CREDURANIUMORE
TIRERICKSTEVES
SASSTHATSNEAT

Pre-Code at 19 Across refers to the Hays Code which protected delicate movie-goers' eyes from seeing, say, a married couple in the same bed. Pre-Code films could handle tough subjects like drugs, sex, and out-of-wedlock births honestly and frankly.

Sun 10/20/2024 Triple Features
EGADRAGUFINISUPSET
BALIINONEVOKEKAPPA
BIGGIANTMONSTERELLIS
STATSAWARDOBESMICK
HIEINCNANOBOT
WITNESSALIENARRIVAL
ACHSIREABBAEULOGY
POEJAIRAIMILSTTEE
HANCOCKSIGNSTHEPAPER
ITCHYCLUEAIOLI
DIEUSTOLEMIDSTLOST
RAOULTACOKAFKA
TANGLEDFROZENTRAFFIC
TAZEDSRAREROUTDEI
ALUMNAPESTINSCART
WIREDSLEEPERSMISERY
EMAILEROERERA
CABOSARABOXESNYETS
ALLINMANHATTANHOOKUP
YOUREAGGIEEDIELENA
STEEDSEEDSTYPEADAM
Mon 10/21/2024
PARCHDANATABS
ADOREIPODORAL
PAPERPLATEPINE
AGEDOARSAHEAD
WETCOTTONBALLS
RUBLEFEST
ARISEYUMPET
MACARONINOODLES
IDKPAPVIOLA
PEAKINEPT
PIPECLEANERHAM
AMIGODIVAOOZE
REALELMERSGLUE
KANEBIENALERT
SNOGBEETYESES
Tue 10/22/2024
SAABTOFUMACAO
OMNIAHEMPLANK
LONGSTORYSHORTS
ORACLENEEHAS
HARPAXMAN
SLEEPTIGHTSTSK
PANEOERGLEAN
AIDSTROTSONTO
CRUETWOWSNOB
ESPBILLIEJEANS
OCHRELAOS
RNAIMOREFUSE
CUTMESOMESLACKS
OBOESNAPACLIP
DEPOTSNITEASY

Clever theme.

Wed 10/23/2024
DOULACLAMBUY
EASELLEIAPOSE
BRAILLEALPHABET
SPARKQATARI
AMIRBISURE
MICROSCOPESLIDE
PLOYSSASHDEV
SANEMEANTFIRE
UNIRACKADDIN
POCKETHARDDRIVE
IMHOEIDTED
GAYLITDEERE
AMATTEROFDEGREE
GELSAIDESOAPY
AXEMOORSTYLE

What is a POCKET HARD DRIVE?

Trip Payne had a similar idea in 2006.

Thu 10/24/2024
BARORCABOAST
ATEWEARETCHES
IMPALINGTHEONE
FETEWHITEWAX
SEATTLEFARGONE
ZETAANOSNUTS
ASSUDONBUTS
ANYTAKERS
TAXIINCAPPS
TOMEBRUHSARA
HEADSTOCOCKNEY
ATLHAYEKHISS
WAGERSALLINEED
SPACESSEEDANI
SMOKEEDGERTE

Four rows here have two answers each. ANY TAKERS, that is, "N E" TAKERS, means that to match the clues, the second word in those rows needs to drop the NE, which gets added in the appropriate place in the first word.

So, IMPALING -> IMPANELING, and THEONE -> THEO, etc.

Answers below have been fixed up so NE is taken from words on the right and added in the appropriate place to words on the left.

Fri 10/25/2024
ROBUSTABSORB
IREPEATRATHER
BASSCLEFNIPPLE
ATTTUNAOILLEA
LOISSOLVEDENS
DREAMUSEPRATT
MASTERCLASS
CONEOFSHAME
BRAINFREEZE
ARENATILADMIT
SOPSPEELSYODA
ICETANNINSTEL
TOMLINDNATURAL
IDIOTSGRANITE
SEXTOYKRONER
Sat 10/26/2024
TVSETMAMAMUST
ROUTEIDOLIBAR
ACNEDNOPENONE
PALSVIBESKATE
PLOLOSERESTED
CUSACKHALT
DONTWAITUPFORUS
ORGANTRANSPLANT
IDENTITYTHIEVES
LOOSSETSIN
URGEONIVEYSTL
MERYLEDITRHEA
ASECAXELFAIRS
SITUOPALINNES
SNAPNOSEBIGDO
Sun 10/27/2024 Working the Night Shift
SATSALPSETTUWASH
KARATROUNDTRIPLATHE
IRISHAUTOLOANSUNBOX
DOASETOWINGOCTAVE
SNLBRIEFSBINARYTED
GOINGFULLCIRCLE
WARSONGIOUEMAILED
BADASSPATTERNSUBLET
ARODHABATMREFI
WIRESINLANDSEASUNIN
LONDOEREARTHKEMSABE
ONESHASMEMO
MICRODOTBRITCHES
LANAIGUESTHOSTHAYES
ICANTGOYAHOOMSEMEAT
NADIYAYETEDIBLE
ERINHONEYMSUITELATE
DOTESLYMEEMMEELLEN
OOHITSJUSTAPHASELAB
UNETREETATIMINIMO
TSRHINTOPSTORYTSK

Lunar phases: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, waning crescent, new moon.

Mon 10/28/2024
BOTMOOSETAUT
ACEDONALDANNA
ITSJACKANDJILL
TOTASTELAOTIE
PALEAGOGNATS
HUMPTYDUMPTY
USESEATLOUDLY
GENAMYSAYEAU
ESTATEPUNKARL
LONDONBRIDGE
STEAMAIRELLE
OILIFSITALICS
FALLCLASSICNOT
ARIAINTENTEKE
RASPTIPSYSEW

In the photo, Mr. Lieberman and his son are wearing LA Dodgers caps — a team in this year's Fall Classic.

Tue 10/29/2024
CABSBBALLTHAT
ONZEOLLIEVENA
DOZENSOFCOUSINS
ENTRUSTSHREK
METAADO
SCORESOFDRAWERS
ALGERTISMII
WALDORFPEPBAND
TREORBRAISE
OODLESOFPOODLES
ICEFIRM
MEZZOPIPEDUP
OCEANSOFPOTIONS
CHARTRAILRUTS
SOLDPENNEEGOT
Wed 10/30/2024
SARANROSYERIC
ABONEECHOAERO
PUTTHEMTOGETHER
HAIRWAXAPE
WIIGICONABNER
AFROBEATOMEGAS
DIANAJOINEST
INDULGENT
CASENOLELSAS
MANTRAGOOSEEGG
ABASELYONJEST
NFLNEOCHUM
SAYITTHREETIMES
ORSONAILMCATS
NETSANDSLEDON

Original theme idea. Nicely done.

Thu 10/31/2024
SLEDFOMENTBIT
HALEOLIVERACE
OBVSGENEVABAA
PRIDTHCRESCENT
PARADOXESHORSE
ETABRAHUEY
MANCHACOTE
MONSTERMASH
RINKORDONT
CECEENDDIP
AORTAMANGONADE
PROSSBARPROPER
ODEKENOBIWHAM
TENTREMORANTI
ERSONTAPEYEET

Boo!

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