Time for a “Something Different” puzzle — with some hot triple- and quintuple-stack action! If you’re new to this kind of puzzle, here’s how it works: most of the answers are completely made up words and phrases that would never pass muster in standard crosswords, but you can still figure them out because the clues are straightforward enough to lead you to the correct answers. For instance, a clue like [Tool you might use to call a toy dog] might yield the answer PUG WHISTLE. The short answers are usually legitimate answers, so that’s where you should start to solve the grid. I wrote a couple of these puzzles last year, and it’s remarkably fun to create them — the vast, wide open space in the grid allows you to jam in some really insane answers, and the clues are just as crazy. Trip Payne has made other “Something Different” grids that you can check out here.
In other puzzle news: the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament is next week in Stamford, Connecticut. If you’re attending, come say hi to me there. That’s an order.
Enjoy the puzzle. There will be a new one on March 28 (and I’ll be handing out copies at the ACPT).
You ever seen double-triple and quintuple stacks in the same puzzle? No ya haven’t. Until now! http://t.co/vjcmsKShbU
@devilcrosswords This is amazing, I cracked up big time at 34A in particular.
@devilcrosswords jaw: dropped.
P.S. I’ll be at the ACPT for the finals on Sunday (my birthday!) and I can’t wait to say hi!
The puzzle that bloggers want to ban! http://t.co/pNpmCBwTSB #SaveTheStacks
This was a great solve for me at only 10 minutes! It’s wonderful because I’ve never completed on of these before (without the Internet, that is). Only got one letter wrong at the intersection of 54-Across and 48-Across. Yippee!
Loved 16-, 33- and 50-Across. 7-Down wasn’t too shabby either. Keep up the great work!
10 minutes — nice! Not sure which intersection you’re talking about, though, since those clue numbers don’t exist.
Fuck yes 50-across
That was my favorite too. Seed entry? theme entry for another puzzle that didn’t work out?
Wow. Just wow. These are my favorite types of puzzles, and this one ruled.
34-Across made me want to barf a bit.
17-Across reminded me that I still haven’t figured out this week’s and it’s driving me absolutely insane.
I’m guessing 16/50 Across were seeds? So, so good.
First time I solved a Devil Cross was while playing piano for a high school musical about a year ago. Any guesses what I was doing tonight? (missed a cue btw… thanks)
Thanks, y’all.
16- and 50-Across were indeed seed entries — neither of them from rejected puzzles that couldn’t find a home; just something I came up with for this puzzle alone. There was a third seed entry, however. Care to guess which one? (It’s kind of a really, really inside joke.)
34-Across other seed perhaps? Care to explain?
Nope, not 34-Across. But that one was my ultimate OH PLEASE LET THIS FIT entry.
Gonna let a few more guesses come in before I spill the answer.
Found this fun. 16 and 50 A are hilarious and 51 A was funny as well. Thanks.
I am guessing 17A is the third seed entry, partly because of idAAndcorey crossing, which is a bit of a stretch, but needed to get the double AA.
Am I correct in assuming that “Birdic” is a not so subtle reference to the overuse of “odic?”
It’s not. In fact, that answer was part of my last-minute change to the grid. It used to be SIR RIC [Wrestler Flair after being knighted].
The third seed entry was 26-Down. My brother has long joked that it needed to become an answer in crosswords, so I made it so. No reason anyone else would know that, but “Something Different” puzzles are basically breeding grounds for inside jokes.