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XWord Info Home Unchecked thumbnails | Grids with no short answer words | Answers that float outside the grid | Text inside black squares

57 Modern Era puzzles with unchecked squares

One of the "rules" of crosswords is that each white square must be checked. In other words, each is part of two answers, one across and one down. When that rule is broken, the results are often interesting. If you look closely at these puzzles, you'll realize that in most cases, every letter is indeed "checked," just not in the usual way.

Recent constructors and grids:

Thu 7/18/2024
S	T	A	R		C	O	M	E	T		N	O	V	A
T	I	L	E		I	N	A	P	P		B	R	O	S
E	P	P	S		G	L	U	E	S		C	I	T	I
E	T	A		O		O	L	E		T		S	E	A
L	O	C	K	J	A	W		S	P	Y	R	I	N	G
S	P	A	C	E	R				T	O	O	T	O	O
			A	S	T	R	O	N	A	U	T
H	O	W	R	U		U	V	A		R	I	F	T	S
I	D	O		S	Y	N	A	P	S	E		L	O	T
P	A	R	A	M	U	S		E	O	N	S	A	G	O
S	Y	M	B	O	L		C		A	G	E	G	A	P
		H	O	M	E	B	A	N	K	I	N	G
G	E	O	D	E		A	N	I		N	O	I	S	Y
A	R	L	E	N		I	C	K		E	R	N	I	E
B	R	E	S	T		L	Y	E		S	A	G	A	N

Sun 4/21/2024 Get Cracking
C	C	L	E	F			G	A	S	C	A	N	S			G	S	U	I	T
L	A	I	D	U	P		O	B	L	I	G	E	E		S	P	E	N	C	E
A	D	V	E	R	B		T	E	E	N	A	G	E		P	A	I	D	A	D
M	I	E	N		S		T	R	E	E	S	A	P		Y		K	E	N	T
B	L	A	S	E		T	A	R	P		S	T	A	B		A	O	R	T	A
E	L	M			J		G	A	Y		I	R	S		S			T	E	L
R	A	M	S		E	C	O	N				O	T	T	O		P	O	L	K
S	C	O	O	P	E	R		T	I	M	O	N		E	L	F	O	W	L	S
			M	I	R	O			N	A	N			A	D	O	S
C	H	U	M	S		W		P	L	A	T	T		L		M	I	T	Z	I
S	T	R	E	A	K		M	O	I		A	R	K		N	O	T	I	O	N
I	T	S				C		P	E	P	P	A		C				L	O	X
S	P	A	M	M	E	R		Q	U	E	E	N		P	O	S	S	E	S	S
			Y	E	S	Y	O	U		A		S	T	R	A	W	S
C	C	L	A	M	P		L	I	P		S	I	R		T	A	N	T	R	A
O	R	E		E		A	D	Z		L		T	A	B		N		W	I	N
L	O	A	N		D	A	M		B	A	S		I	O	U		T	O	P	S
B	O	P		O		S	O	L	A	R	P	U	N	K		O		F	E	W
E	N	D	I	V	E		N	U	G	G	E	T	S		U	R	B	A	N	E
R	E	A	P	E	R		E	T	I	E	N	N	E		S	A	U	C	E	R
T	R	Y	O	N	E		Y	E	T		T	E	T		A	L	T	E	R	S

Sat 12/30/2023
D	R	E		R	E	C	O	N		P	O	E	T	S
J	U	N	K	E	R		V	E	I	L		X	I	I
M	E	D	I	C	I	N	E	D	R	O	P	P	E	R
I		U	L	S	T	E	R		A	T	A	R	I
C	E	R	T		R	E	H	A	B		W	E	N	T
	B	A	S	I	E		I	G	U	E	S	S	S	O
C	A	N		T	A	B	L	A		P	A	S		N
O	N	C	E	I	N	A	L	I	F	E	T	I	M	E
T		E	R	N		C	A	N	O	E		O	E	D
T	A	R	R	A	G	O	N		U	S	I	N	G
A	Q	U	A		U	N	D	E	R		R	I	S	E
	U	N	T	I	L		D	R	A	P	E	S		F
F	I	N	A	N	C	I	A	L	C	E	N	T	E	R
O	L	E		K	H	A	L		E	L	A	I	N	E
P	A	R	T	Y		M	E	E	S	E		C	O	M

Fri 9/9/2022
P	E	R	T	U	R	B	S			L	A	D	E	D
E	X	N	I	H	I	L	O		F	E	L	I	P	E
T	E	A	M	U	P	O	N		T	A	P	S	I	N
				R	E	C	O	R	D	D	E	A	L	S
H	Y	D	R	A		K	G	B				P	E	E
E	U	R	O			B	R	I	T		A	P	P	S
A	G	O	G		T	U	A		H	O	N	E	S	T
P	O	P	U	L	I	S	M		A	M	W	A	Y
		M	E	A	N	T			T	S	A	R
		E	S	P	T	E	S	T	S		R	I	G
S	P	A	T			R	O	E	G		S	N	O	G
A	L	L	A	H			S	L	R		A	G	E	R
G	U	I	T	A	R	S	O	L	O		D	A	T	E
A	M	N	E	S	I	A			S	T	A	C	H	E
S	E	E	S	P	O	T			S	E	T	T	E	R
										T
										R
										I
										S

Click here to see all the thumbnails.

Date	Author	Title
Thu Jul 18, 2024	Kareem Ayas
Sun Apr 21, 2024	Michael Schlossberg	Get Cracking
Sat Dec 30, 2023	Simeon Seigel
Fri Sep 9, 2022	Brandon Koppy
Sun May 29, 2022	Daniel Bodily and Jeff Chen	A Monumental Centennial
Sun Mar 27, 2022	August Lee-Kovach	I'M STILL STANDING
Tue Mar 22, 2022	Adam Wagner
Sun Mar 6, 2022	Matthew Stock and Will Nediger	PARLOR TRICK
Thu Nov 11, 2021	Mark MacLachlan
Thu Oct 7, 2021	Timothy Polin
Wed Jul 21, 2021	Alex Vratsanos
Sun Mar 29, 2020	Ricky Cruz	KEEP THE CHANGE
Fri Mar 13, 2020	Alex Eaton-Salners
Wed Nov 27, 2019	Matthew Sewell and Jeff Chen
Tue Jul 16, 2019	Ross Trudeau
Thu Dec 13, 2018	John Westwig
Wed Oct 31, 2018	Bruce Haight
Thu Sep 20, 2018	Sam Ezersky
Thu Sep 28, 2017	Joe Krozel
Thu Jan 19, 2017	Jacob Stulberg
Thu Nov 17, 2016	Timothy Polin and Joe Krozel
Sun Jul 24, 2016	David Steinberg	OUT OF THIS WORLD
Sun Feb 14, 2016	Mary Lou Guizzo	ALL YOU NEED
Fri Dec 25, 2015	Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen
Thu Nov 12, 2015	David Kwong
Fri Oct 16, 2015	Joe Krozel
Wed Oct 14, 2015	Joel Fagliano
Wed Jan 7, 2015	Greg Johnson
Sun Sep 7, 2014	Tracy Gray and Jeff Chen	ALL-ENCOMPASSING
Sun May 11, 2014	Peter A. Collins	FOR MOTHER
Wed Nov 20, 2013	Peter A. Collins
Thu Aug 29, 2013	Timothy Polin
Thu May 9, 2013	Patrick Merrell
Thu Jan 17, 2013	Milo Beckman
Tue Sep 25, 2012	Ian Livengood
Wed Jun 27, 2012	Mike Buckley
Thu May 17, 2012	Joe Krozel
Thu Apr 5, 2012	Elizabeth C. Gorski
Fri Jan 27, 2012	Joe Krozel
Fri Oct 21, 2011	Patrick Berry
Wed May 4, 2011	Jeff Chen
Sun Feb 27, 2011	Peter A. Collins	V-2
Thu Jul 22, 2010	Jeremy Horwitz
Thu May 27, 2010	Josh Knapp
Thu Mar 18, 2010	Daniel A. Finan
Sun Dec 27, 2009	Elizabeth C. Gorski	TOASTING THE NEW YEAR
Sat Mar 7, 2009	Joe Krozel
Thu Nov 22, 2007	Oliver Hill
Sun Apr 30, 2006	Elizabeth C. Gorski	LIGHT THINKING
Thu Nov 10, 2005	Lee Glickstein and Craig Kasper
Tue Nov 2, 2004	Patrick Merrell
Mon Mar 15, 2004	Patrick Merrell
Sun Mar 16, 2003	Elizabeth C. Gorski	Works Like A Charm!
Thu Nov 7, 2002	Patrick Merrell
Thu Nov 29, 2001	Patrick Merrell
Sat Oct 27, 2001	Trip Payne
Thu Feb 2, 1995	Bob and Sharon Klahn

Pre-Shortz puzzles with unchecked squares

There aren't any.

XWord Info Home

260 ms

S	T	A	R		C	O	M	E	T		N	O	V	A
T	I	L	E		I	N	A	P	P		B	R	O	S
E	P	P	S		G	L	U	E	S		C	I	T	I
E	T	A		O		O	L	E		T		S	E	A
L	O	C	K	J	A	W		S	P	Y	R	I	N	G
S	P	A	C	E	R				T	O	O	T	O	O
			A	S	T	R	O	N	A	U	T
H	O	W	R	U		U	V	A		R	I	F	T	S
I	D	O		S	Y	N	A	P	S	E		L	O	T
P	A	R	A	M	U	S		E	O	N	S	A	G	O
S	Y	M	B	O	L		C		A	G	E	G	A	P
		H	O	M	E	B	A	N	K	I	N	G
G	E	O	D	E		A	N	I		N	O	I	S	Y
A	R	L	E	N		I	C	K		E	R	N	I	E
B	R	E	S	T		L	Y	E		S	A	G	A	N

C	C	L	E	F			G	A	S	C	A	N	S			G	S	U	I	T
L	A	I	D	U	P		O	B	L	I	G	E	E		S	P	E	N	C	E
A	D	V	E	R	B		T	E	E	N	A	G	E		P	A	I	D	A	D
M	I	E	N		S		T	R	E	E	S	A	P		Y		K	E	N	T
B	L	A	S	E		T	A	R	P		S	T	A	B		A	O	R	T	A
E	L	M			J		G	A	Y		I	R	S		S			T	E	L
R	A	M	S		E	C	O	N				O	T	T	O		P	O	L	K
S	C	O	O	P	E	R		T	I	M	O	N		E	L	F	O	W	L	S
			M	I	R	O			N	A	N			A	D	O	S
C	H	U	M	S		W		P	L	A	T	T		L		M	I	T	Z	I
S	T	R	E	A	K		M	O	I		A	R	K		N	O	T	I	O	N
I	T	S				C		P	E	P	P	A		C				L	O	X
S	P	A	M	M	E	R		Q	U	E	E	N		P	O	S	S	E	S	S
			Y	E	S	Y	O	U		A		S	T	R	A	W	S
C	C	L	A	M	P		L	I	P		S	I	R		T	A	N	T	R	A
O	R	E		E		A	D	Z		L		T	A	B		N		W	I	N
L	O	A	N		D	A	M		B	A	S		I	O	U		T	O	P	S
B	O	P		O		S	O	L	A	R	P	U	N	K		O		F	E	W
E	N	D	I	V	E		N	U	G	G	E	T	S		U	R	B	A	N	E
R	E	A	P	E	R		E	T	I	E	N	N	E		S	A	U	C	E	R
T	R	Y	O	N	E		Y	E	T		T	E	T		A	L	T	E	R	S

D	R	E		R	E	C	O	N		P	O	E	T	S
J	U	N	K	E	R		V	E	I	L		X	I	I
M	E	D	I	C	I	N	E	D	R	O	P	P	E	R
I		U	L	S	T	E	R		A	T	A	R	I
C	E	R	T		R	E	H	A	B		W	E	N	T
	B	A	S	I	E		I	G	U	E	S	S	S	O
C	A	N		T	A	B	L	A		P	A	S		N
O	N	C	E	I	N	A	L	I	F	E	T	I	M	E
T		E	R	N		C	A	N	O	E		O	E	D
T	A	R	R	A	G	O	N		U	S	I	N	G
A	Q	U	A		U	N	D	E	R		R	I	S	E
	U	N	T	I	L		D	R	A	P	E	S		F
F	I	N	A	N	C	I	A	L	C	E	N	T	E	R
O	L	E		K	H	A	L		E	L	A	I	N	E
P	A	R	T	Y		M	E	E	S	E		C	O	M

P	E	R	T	U	R	B	S			L	A	D	E	D
E	X	N	I	H	I	L	O		F	E	L	I	P	E
T	E	A	M	U	P	O	N		T	A	P	S	I	N
				R	E	C	O	R	D	D	E	A	L	S
H	Y	D	R	A		K	G	B				P	E	E
E	U	R	O			B	R	I	T		A	P	P	S
A	G	O	G		T	U	A		H	O	N	E	S	T
P	O	P	U	L	I	S	M		A	M	W	A	Y
		M	E	A	N	T			T	S	A	R
		E	S	P	T	E	S	T	S		R	I	G
S	P	A	T			R	O	E	G		S	N	O	G
A	L	L	A	H			S	L	R		A	G	E	R
G	U	I	T	A	R	S	O	L	O		D	A	T	E
A	M	N	E	S	I	A			S	T	A	C	H	E
S	E	E	S	P	O	T			S	E	T	T	E	R
										T
										R
										I
										S

S	T	A	R		C	O	M	E	T		N	O	V	A
T	I	L	E		I	N	A	P	P		B	R	O	S
E	P	P	S		G	L	U	E	S		C	I	T	I
E	T	A		O		O	L	E		T		S	E	A
L	O	C	K	J	A	W		S	P	Y	R	I	N	G
S	P	A	C	E	R				T	O	O	T	O	O
			A	S	T	R	O	N	A	U	T
H	O	W	R	U		U	V	A		R	I	F	T	S
I	D	O		S	Y	N	A	P	S	E		L	O	T
P	A	R	A	M	U	S		E	O	N	S	A	G	O
S	Y	M	B	O	L		C		A	G	E	G	A	P
		H	O	M	E	B	A	N	K	I	N	G
G	E	O	D	E		A	N	I		N	O	I	S	Y
A	R	L	E	N		I	C	K		E	R	N	I	E
B	R	E	S	T		L	Y	E		S	A	G	A	N

C	C	L	E	F			G	A	S	C	A	N	S			G	S	U	I	T
L	A	I	D	U	P		O	B	L	I	G	E	E		S	P	E	N	C	E
A	D	V	E	R	B		T	E	E	N	A	G	E		P	A	I	D	A	D
M	I	E	N		S		T	R	E	E	S	A	P		Y		K	E	N	T
B	L	A	S	E		T	A	R	P		S	T	A	B		A	O	R	T	A
E	L	M			J		G	A	Y		I	R	S		S			T	E	L
R	A	M	S		E	C	O	N				O	T	T	O		P	O	L	K
S	C	O	O	P	E	R		T	I	M	O	N		E	L	F	O	W	L	S
			M	I	R	O			N	A	N			A	D	O	S
C	H	U	M	S		W		P	L	A	T	T		L		M	I	T	Z	I
S	T	R	E	A	K		M	O	I		A	R	K		N	O	T	I	O	N
I	T	S				C		P	E	P	P	A		C				L	O	X
S	P	A	M	M	E	R		Q	U	E	E	N		P	O	S	S	E	S	S
			Y	E	S	Y	O	U		A		S	T	R	A	W	S
C	C	L	A	M	P		L	I	P		S	I	R		T	A	N	T	R	A
O	R	E		E		A	D	Z		L		T	A	B		N		W	I	N
L	O	A	N		D	A	M		B	A	S		I	O	U		T	O	P	S
B	O	P		O		S	O	L	A	R	P	U	N	K		O		F	E	W
E	N	D	I	V	E		N	U	G	G	E	T	S		U	R	B	A	N	E
R	E	A	P	E	R		E	T	I	E	N	N	E		S	A	U	C	E	R
T	R	Y	O	N	E		Y	E	T		T	E	T		A	L	T	E	R	S

D	R	E		R	E	C	O	N		P	O	E	T	S
J	U	N	K	E	R		V	E	I	L		X	I	I
M	E	D	I	C	I	N	E	D	R	O	P	P	E	R
I		U	L	S	T	E	R		A	T	A	R	I
C	E	R	T		R	E	H	A	B		W	E	N	T
	B	A	S	I	E		I	G	U	E	S	S	S	O
C	A	N		T	A	B	L	A		P	A	S		N
O	N	C	E	I	N	A	L	I	F	E	T	I	M	E
T		E	R	N		C	A	N	O	E		O	E	D
T	A	R	R	A	G	O	N		U	S	I	N	G
A	Q	U	A		U	N	D	E	R		R	I	S	E
	U	N	T	I	L		D	R	A	P	E	S		F
F	I	N	A	N	C	I	A	L	C	E	N	T	E	R
O	L	E		K	H	A	L		E	L	A	I	N	E
P	A	R	T	Y		M	E	E	S	E		C	O	M

P	E	R	T	U	R	B	S			L	A	D	E	D
E	X	N	I	H	I	L	O		F	E	L	I	P	E
T	E	A	M	U	P	O	N		T	A	P	S	I	N
				R	E	C	O	R	D	D	E	A	L	S
H	Y	D	R	A		K	G	B				P	E	E
E	U	R	O			B	R	I	T		A	P	P	S
A	G	O	G		T	U	A		H	O	N	E	S	T
P	O	P	U	L	I	S	M		A	M	W	A	Y
		M	E	A	N	T			T	S	A	R
		E	S	P	T	E	S	T	S		R	I	G
S	P	A	T			R	O	E	G		S	N	O	G
A	L	L	A	H			S	L	R		A	G	E	R
G	U	I	T	A	R	S	O	L	O		D	A	T	E
A	M	N	E	S	I	A			S	T	A	C	H	E
S	E	E	S	P	O	T			S	E	T	T	E	R
										T
										R
										I
										S

S	T	A	R		C	O	M	E	T		N	O	V	A
T	I	L	E		I	N	A	P	P		B	R	O	S
E	P	P	S		G	L	U	E	S		C	I	T	I
E	T	A		O		O	L	E		T		S	E	A
L	O	C	K	J	A	W		S	P	Y	R	I	N	G
S	P	A	C	E	R				T	O	O	T	O	O
			A	S	T	R	O	N	A	U	T
H	O	W	R	U		U	V	A		R	I	F	T	S
I	D	O		S	Y	N	A	P	S	E		L	O	T
P	A	R	A	M	U	S		E	O	N	S	A	G	O
S	Y	M	B	O	L		C		A	G	E	G	A	P
		H	O	M	E	B	A	N	K	I	N	G
G	E	O	D	E		A	N	I		N	O	I	S	Y
A	R	L	E	N		I	C	K		E	R	N	I	E
B	R	E	S	T		L	Y	E		S	A	G	A	N

C	C	L	E	F			G	A	S	C	A	N	S			G	S	U	I	T
L	A	I	D	U	P		O	B	L	I	G	E	E		S	P	E	N	C	E
A	D	V	E	R	B		T	E	E	N	A	G	E		P	A	I	D	A	D
M	I	E	N		S		T	R	E	E	S	A	P		Y		K	E	N	T
B	L	A	S	E		T	A	R	P		S	T	A	B		A	O	R	T	A
E	L	M			J		G	A	Y		I	R	S		S			T	E	L
R	A	M	S		E	C	O	N				O	T	T	O		P	O	L	K
S	C	O	O	P	E	R		T	I	M	O	N		E	L	F	O	W	L	S
			M	I	R	O			N	A	N			A	D	O	S
C	H	U	M	S		W		P	L	A	T	T		L		M	I	T	Z	I
S	T	R	E	A	K		M	O	I		A	R	K		N	O	T	I	O	N
I	T	S				C		P	E	P	P	A		C				L	O	X
S	P	A	M	M	E	R		Q	U	E	E	N		P	O	S	S	E	S	S
			Y	E	S	Y	O	U		A		S	T	R	A	W	S
C	C	L	A	M	P		L	I	P		S	I	R		T	A	N	T	R	A
O	R	E		E		A	D	Z		L		T	A	B		N		W	I	N
L	O	A	N		D	A	M		B	A	S		I	O	U		T	O	P	S
B	O	P		O		S	O	L	A	R	P	U	N	K		O		F	E	W
E	N	D	I	V	E		N	U	G	G	E	T	S		U	R	B	A	N	E
R	E	A	P	E	R		E	T	I	E	N	N	E		S	A	U	C	E	R
T	R	Y	O	N	E		Y	E	T		T	E	T		A	L	T	E	R	S

D	R	E		R	E	C	O	N		P	O	E	T	S
J	U	N	K	E	R		V	E	I	L		X	I	I
M	E	D	I	C	I	N	E	D	R	O	P	P	E	R
I		U	L	S	T	E	R		A	T	A	R	I
C	E	R	T		R	E	H	A	B		W	E	N	T
	B	A	S	I	E		I	G	U	E	S	S	S	O
C	A	N		T	A	B	L	A		P	A	S		N
O	N	C	E	I	N	A	L	I	F	E	T	I	M	E
T		E	R	N		C	A	N	O	E		O	E	D
T	A	R	R	A	G	O	N		U	S	I	N	G
A	Q	U	A		U	N	D	E	R		R	I	S	E
	U	N	T	I	L		D	R	A	P	E	S		F
F	I	N	A	N	C	I	A	L	C	E	N	T	E	R
O	L	E		K	H	A	L		E	L	A	I	N	E
P	A	R	T	Y		M	E	E	S	E		C	O	M

P	E	R	T	U	R	B	S			L	A	D	E	D
E	X	N	I	H	I	L	O		F	E	L	I	P	E
T	E	A	M	U	P	O	N		T	A	P	S	I	N
				R	E	C	O	R	D	D	E	A	L	S
H	Y	D	R	A		K	G	B				P	E	E
E	U	R	O			B	R	I	T		A	P	P	S
A	G	O	G		T	U	A		H	O	N	E	S	T
P	O	P	U	L	I	S	M		A	M	W	A	Y
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		E	S	P	T	E	S	T	S		R	I	G
S	P	A	T			R	O	E	G		S	N	O	G
A	L	L	A	H			S	L	R		A	G	E	R
G	U	I	T	A	R	S	O	L	O		D	A	T	E
A	M	N	E	S	I	A			S	T	A	C	H	E
S	E	E	S	P	O	T			S	E	T	T	E	R
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