Midi #1: Something to Believe In

Hello solvers!  For this puzzle, I put an effort into making something extra accessible to new cryptic solvers.  I've tried (and almost succeeded!) to use only one device per clue, like Steve Mossberg does in his excellent Quiptic series on Square Pursuit.  (And if you're a newer solver, those are a great place to learn!)

As usual for my puzzles, there are hints for individual clues available in the puzzle, by clicking "Reveal" on a computer, or tapping the light-bulb icon on mobile.  The hints will tell you what part of the clue is the definition, and what type of device is going on with the wordplay.  

Thanks to Brigit, Skaldskaparmal, Saroota, and jeenbeans for test solving!

Have fun!
(Fullscreen link)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Filling Time

Here's a very special puzzle. Filling Time was the first cryptic crossword I ever made, way back in 2008.  I showed it to a couple friends and then put it in a drawer and didn't think about it for a long time.  Then in 2022 I showed it to some new cryptic friends I made online and felt inspired to keep going at it...  It's probably not too much of an exaggeration to say that I've spend the last couple years trying to get good at making cryptics specifically so I could do this one justice.  And in the last couple months I've tweaked the grid some and rewritten all the clues, did a ton of testing, and now am putting it out.  I hope you enjoy it. Thanks a ton to the too-many-to-list test solvers who've improved this puzzle over the years and especially months. There's an in-browser solving option below, or you can print this pdf , or some people prefer Google Sheets .
Read more

It's 3am

 Hi all.  Today I'm here with another Frisco collab--this time a variant on a cryptic acrostic, called "It's 3am I Must be Lonely."  This makes what, 3 Frisco collabs?  Frisco recently graduated high school and is starting college and now I don't have an excuse to stop him from putting dirty clues in our puzzles, so please be prepared... Sheets (sign into google and make yourself a copy) pdf Solutions (Also, I should probably mention that since my last post, I was in the Browser two more times, with Cryptic #173 and Cryptic #185, edited as always by the amazing Dan Feyer..  Also, I made [to audience] , edited by the wonderful Dob Olino, and hosted on the Crossweird site. ) More exciting stuff coming down the line...  Yay, cryptics!
Read more

Blowing Your Nose

Hi all, I'm on a roll with puzzles lately? I'll see how long I can keep dropping one a week. Off this blog, joeadultman and I dropped another Alphabet Jigsaw (you don't have to solve it as a jigsaw though). Also, Longyfan and I appeared in The Browser on March 10, with a movie-themed puzzle for Oscar night, edited by Dan Feyer. But here's this week's puzzle, which has no shenanigans but does have an interesting property that might be fun to try to figure out as you solve.  This puzzle was also posted as MyCrossword #1674 .  Have fun!  Thanks to Liari, Longyfan, StJtB Skaldskaparmal and Frisco for testing, and to N0hk for clue assistance. Full Screen link .
Read more