source: Crossword Constructor's Handbook (Berry)
Chapter 1: Developing a Theme for Your Puzzle.
What Is a Theme? Following the Rules; Breaking the Rules; Must Puzzles Have Themes?
Exploring Different Types of Themes: Quotes and Quips; Categories; Pattern matching;
Staying in fashion; Backward thinking; Word manipulation (Anagrams, Reversals,
Additions, Homophones, Spoonerisms); Gimmicks; Keeping Your Theme Consistent;
Giving Your Theme a Bit of Oomph; A Sample Brainstorming Session;
Titling Your Puzzle -- Or Not; Payoff Entries
2. "Poetry in Motion" [category: movie titles that rhyme]:
JEEPERS CREEPERS=15; HANKY PANKY=10;
HURLY BURLY=10; MIGHTY APHRODITE=15
3. "On Second Thought" [quote] by Samuel Goldwyn:
I HAD A MONUMENTAL=15; IDEA THIS MORNING=15; BUT I DIDN'T LIKE IT=15
6. "Future Shock" [quip]:
MANY PEOPLE=10; WHO LONG TO=9; BE RETIRED=9;
MAY HAVE TO=9; SETTLE FOR=9; BEING TIRED=10
10. "Water Wings" [category; 1st word: a 'waterfowl']:
GOOSE PIMPLES=12; DUCK AND COVER=12; SWAN DIVES=9; BOOBY TRAP=9
11. "Under Where" [category; 2nd word type of 'underwear']:
LEGAL BRIEFS=11; SHADOW BOXERS=12; LATE BLOOMERS=12; DESK DRAWERS=11
12. "Puns Who Came to Dinner" [punny food phrases]:
YOU TACO GOOD GAME=15; I FONDUE BE ALONE=14;
A PIZZA ONES MIND=14; POTPIE THE SAILOR=15
14. "All Washed Up" [compound; first word precedes 'cleaner']:
PIPE DREAMS=10; VACUUM TUBE=10; STREET NAME=10; DRY ROASTED=10
15. "Wood Finish" [compound; both words can precede 'board']:
BED SPRING=9; BACK DRAFT=9; SCORE CARD=9; CHESS GAME=9
16. "Staying in Shape" [2 categories; place name + geometric shape]:
ANTARCTIC CIRCLE=15; BERMUDA TRIANGLE=15; TIANANMEN SQUARE=15
17. "Name of the Game" [puns based on card games & famous people]:
BOB EUCHRE=9; MONTE HALL=9; JAMES K POKER=11; FARO FAWCETT=11
18. "Colorful Personalities" [2 categories; color + body part]:
BLUE BLOODED=11; BLACK HEARTED=12; WHITE LIVERED=12;
GRAY BEARDED=11; GREEN EYED=9; RED HANDED=9
19. "Five by Five" [word consists of 2 five-letter words]:
OUTRE/ACHES=10; PLAIN/TIFFS=10; GLOSS/ARIES=10; DETER/GENTS=10
20. "Possessed" [hidden; embedded 'DEMON']:
CLAUDE MONET=11; MADE MONEY=9; SIMON DE MONTFORT=15;
DESDEMONA=9; PANDEMONIUM=11
21. "From Point A to Point B" [A...B phrase]:
ADAM'S RIB=8; ASLEEP ON THE JOB=14; ALASKAN KING CRAB=15;
AY THERE'S THE RUB=14; ATOM BOMB=8
26. "Truth in Advertising" [infomercial claims]:
AS IT HAS NO BLADE=14 {The amazing Whacko knife never needs sharpening...}
BECAUSE THEY=11 & WON'T STOCK IT=11 {The amazing Whacko knife isn't sold in stores...}
FROM OUR COMPANY=14 {Once you've tried the amazing Whacko knife you'll never buy another knife again!...}
27. "On/Off Switch" [both "ON" and "OFF swapped in each entry]:
HEIGHT ONASHIOFF=15; CONIN BOFFES=11; CONEE SPOOFF=11; LIAISOFFONICERS=15
28. "Rewritten Endings" [letter swaps in last word of book title]:
A CHRISTMAS CORAL=15 {Charles Dickens novel about sleigh bells on the reef?}
LORD OF THE FILES=14 {William Golding novel about an egotistical office clerk?}
OF HUMAN DOGBANE=14 {W. Somerset Maugham novel about people who turn into poisonous plants?}
A FAREWELL TO MARS=15 {Ernest Hemingway novel about little green men blasting off?}