27D: TIL that UKES come in different varieties.

35D: Who else is going to “squeak by,” except MICE?

50D: I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this clue. “Small part of a pound?” sounds like it’s talking about money, and PENNY fits but is wrong. The answer happens to be PUPPY, a small part of an animal pound. Adopt, don’t shop. Also, spay and neuter your pets, please.

Today’s Theme

Mr. Merrell’s theme clues consist of the letters of the English alphabet, in order and broken up into seven segments. That’s it. That’s all we get.

The theme is somewhat cryptic, and I mean that in the tersest sense of the word. All we have are those segments, and there is no revealer to help us. So what are to do with these letters?

We work the crossings like our lives depend on it, that’s what we do. It turns out that the theme entries are simply words that contain the letters in the clues in alphabetical order. For example, at 17A, the answer to the clue ABCDE is ABSCONDED. The answer does not have to have the first letter of the clue in the first position; at 21A, the answer to FGHI is AFGHANI.

Constructor Notes

EZRA Pound (59-Down) aimed to write poetry that was succinct, precise, and evocative. No wasted words, the exact right words, and words that were full of meaning. That’s a good approach for writing crossword clues … except for one thing. Pound’s poetry isn’t exactly fun, and fun is something you definitely want in a crossword. So maybe add in a bit of Ogden Nash, then you’ve got something. In other news, you might enjoy a new crossword-like app called Flow Fit. There are no clues, just a jumble of crossword pieces you need to reassemble. I advised and wrote puzzles and fun facts for it. Warning: It can be addictive.

Puzzle News

Crosswords are very popular in Italy, and you can see puzzle magazines on many newsstands (at least the ones I came across). Luca Desiata, a businessman in Rome and polyglot, has been trying to revive use of Latin through his puzzle magazine, Hebdomada Aenigmatum. Now, Mr. Desiata has gathered many of the puzzles into a book, offering puzzle addicts a very different and refreshing challenge: Test your knowledge of the language of Julius Caesar (or at least learn a little of it) while trying to get the answers right.



Mr. Desiata was kind enough to send me a sample from the book for Wordplay readers to print out and try. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, is this book really made for English-speaking puzzle solvers? Well, remember that much of our English vocabulary is made up of Latin words and roots, and rediscovering one’s roots is never a bad thing, especially when you can do it in such a fun and colorful way.

[“Roma caput mundi” puzzle]

[Puzzle solution]

[Read more about Hebdomatum Aenigmatum and buy the book]

The Tipping Point

Almost finished solving but need a bit more help? We’ve got you covered.

Warning: There be spoilers ahead, but subscribers can take a peek at the answer key.

Trying to get back to the puzzle page? Right here.

Your thoughts?