Category Archives: Callin’ Them Squares

Puzzles in general are thriving, and new types emerge almost more quickly than we can classify them. Sudoku have exploded in popularity since their introduction to Britain and America in 2004, and it’s inspired enough varieties to headline an essay … Continue reading →

So how do all these genres add up? What’s the picture of crosswords today? To answer that question, I’ve taken a small survey of 100 puzzles from this blog (August of last year). Just a few weeks ago, I was … Continue reading →

You’ve probably seen this kind of crossword in school. It’s also the kind we mocked All About Steve for publishing as if it were a newspaper crossword. It doesn’t even come close to the no-uncrossed-square rule, because solvers are expected … Continue reading →

There are more than two directions in the world, you know. The Vector Three has already reminded us of that. But while Vector Threes link letters find unusual connections among letters that are still organized in a traditional configuration, metamorphic … Continue reading →

Man, I hate these @#$% things. Cryptic crosswords are not considered “mutants” in their natural habitat. In fact, often enough, they’re simply called “crosswords.” Strange as this may seem to American sensibilities, there are some British solvers who treat them … Continue reading →

“What the hell? The answer has to be ZZ TOP! But it’s four letters and not five… I know ZZ TOP is spelled with two Z’s… all the crossings fit for T and O and P… what the hell what … Continue reading →

Sherlock Holmes is the puzzler’s hero. With his hag-ridden, obsessive energy and relentless intelligence, he solves and solves and solves, saving lives, justice and country in the process. He embodies the principle that everything can be solved, and solved correctly. … Continue reading →

“Wait a second… DUMB DAD SORRY FOR HIS BET. Wow. It’s almost as if Dad planted that message. No, it must just be a weird coincidence. But what if it’s not? No, it must be. Or mustn’t it not?” Lisa … Continue reading →

Pop quiz! Enter the missing letter in each word. Stick with the first workable answer that comes into your head. We’ll review the answers later: Scheme: PL_Y Almost certainly biased: _EALOUS Big no-no in many religions: POR_ Collapse: FA_L Website … Continue reading →

Storytelling media run “hot” and “cool” in Marshall McLuhan’s estimation. As a crossword constructor who also writes fiction, I can testify that there’s a lot of crossover potential between the two, and narrative crosswords are still a largely unexplored frontier … Continue reading →