Crosswords

• Fun new Ashland word game (nine letters):
  Ashland.news Crossword weekly puzzle leaps into action with -- what else? -- 'Oh, deer'; AN; 2/2/2024
• To list all crosswords, select top menu item Ashland.news > Culture > Crossword ("Crossword Archives"),
  or select the Go to > Home » Culture » Crossword path link at top right of each crossword
• The latest crossword might appear on the main page -- until replaced by other more recent items --
  under one or more of these section headings:
  Latest Posts -- top right;
  Viewpoints & Columns -- middle of page;
  Explore More... -- near bottom of page.
• Search (magnifying glass icon): "Crossword"
• If you aggregate info across different sites using an RSS app (Really Simple Syndication),
  Ashland.news crosswords are included in these RSS feeds: Ashland.news and Steve's Crosswords.

Common Questions -- Answered

• How Do I Ask New Questions?
• Which Formats Are Available?
• Why Crosswords?
• Where Can I Find Crosswords?
• Who Creates and Edits Ashland.news Crosswords?
• How Can I Improve My Solving Skills?
• What’s a Theme?
• What’s a Grid?
• What’s Fill?
• How Should I Read Clues?
• How Are Crosswords Made?
• How Long Does It Take to Construct a Crossword?
• How Do I Solve Crosswords in My Web Browser?
• Why Consider an Offline Solving App?

How Do I Ask New Questions?

• If you don't see your question addressed below, contact crosswordeditor@ashland.news.
• Answers will appear in this section initially, then be merged later into existing questions or moved to new sections!

Which Formats Are Available?

• There are several ways to access and solve crosswords:
• 1. Online app: solve a crossword interactively in a web browser,
  preferably on a larger screen with a physical keyboard.
• Check and Reveal commands can provide help.
• If the incorrect (previous) crossword appears in the Archive page (a browser caching issue),
  it's simplest to click the title at top to open crossword article in a new window.
• If the crossword is not visible, e.g., Chrome displays a gray box,
  or for a larger view, click on provided link to open crossword by itself in a new window.
• Although it is possible to solve on a smaller device, e.g., phone or mini tablet,
  seeing clues and entering answers may require more scrolling of the
  limited puzzle area and hiding/showing of the on-screen keyboard.
• 2. Paper: download crossword and solution .pdfs to print yourself,
  or ask a friend with a printer. Budget-friendly ink saver format.
• Pick up hardcopies of Ashland.news (and other) crosswords and solutions
  at Ashland and other Jackson County Library branches.
• 3. Offline app: download crossword data file (.puz) to open in a solving app
  (.puz available from Steve's crossword page).

Why Crosswords?

• Quotes from Will Shortz, 4th NYT crossword editor:
  "With a crosword, we're challenging ourselves to create order out of chaos."
  
  "As human beings, we have a natural compulsion to fill empty spaces."
  
  "Solving crosswords eliminates worries. They make you a calmer and more focused person."

• 
  

  Well-designed crosswords are a fun and challenging pastime, whether by yourself or with a partner or friend.

• A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence showed that brain shrinkage
  (in MRI images) was less in crossword solvers than players of some other mental games.
• By building a cognitive reserve, you might even delay the onset of dementia.

Where Can I Find Crosswords?

• Many newspapers license puzzles for their print edition and websites from national syndicates such as
  New York Times (NYT), Tribune (LA Times), McMeel (Universal), Arkadium (Newman, Sheffer, ...).
  You can access their web sites often for free (with ads).
• Site list: crosswordfiend.com [image on right]
• Steve's site list and crosswords (including Ashland.news).
• For local crosswords, hand-crafted for the Rogue Valley community with regional topics,
  events, people and organizations: Ashland.news > Culture > Crossword.
• Ideally, solvers might like a daily Ashland.news crossword.
  However, that's impractical without an influx of crosswords from other pro bono constructors
  or focusing on minis (which have limited local content). 1-2 crosswords/month seemed too infrequent.
  A weekly crossword seems just right -- and sustainable for a few years, given current ideas in the queue.
• Jackson Country Library crosswords typically include some local entries and clues.

Who Creates and Edits Ashland.news Crosswords?

• Steve Weyer is Ashland.news crossword editor and chief constructor.
• He has been a cruciverbalist (crossword aficionado) and logophile (word buff) since the 1990s.
• In 2002, he developed CrozzWord, a mobile app for crossword solving [image: on Zaurus, right].
• Since 2010, he’s taught crossword courses at OLLI
  and constructed crosswords for friends and local organizations: Steve's crosswords
  (communicrossings.com also hosts this FAQ and OLLI course materials).
• His first NYT crossword debuted recently: Wed, Nov. 1, 2023 [image: below].
• Steve has lived in the Rogue Valley since 2006. When not solving or constructing crosswords,
  he volunteers with Ashland’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT),
  adventures with the Ashland Hiking Group, and enjoys craft beer (he’s a zythophile).
• In his professional career, he developed and managed software in Silicon Valley with research interests
  in e-books, learning environments, programming languages, mobile devices and AI. [Longer bio].
• Steve's wife, Maria Geigel, provides feedback on draft puzzles.
• Tod Davies of Ashland.news reviews and makes suggestions.
• We welcome your feedback, suggestions and questions: crosswordeditor@ashland.news

How Can I Improve My Solving Skills?

• Practice, patience, persistence and perspective are good starts.
• Pick puzzles of appropriate level of difficulty that also challenge you.
• A crossword’s difficulty depends on the words used, phrasing of clues and type of theme.
• NYT crosswords increase in difficulty through the week: Monday is easiest, Saturday the hardest;
  larger Sunday (21 x 21) and Supermega (50 x 50) [below right] take longer and seem more daunting,
  but are similar in actual difficulty to mid-week crosswords.
• Ashland.news crosswords will aim for a Tuesday-level of difficulty.
• Using the Check and Reveal commands in the interactive crossword version
  or peeking at part of the printed solution can provide a boost if you get stuck.
• Search online for a word, name or entire clue.
• Click "Explanations of selected entries, theme, clues, etc.: (spoilers)"
  in a crossword posting to provide additional info/insights.
• No, it’s not really cheating -- unless you're in a tournament or bragging about your solving time.
  It’s all about learning and enjoying what you’re doing.
  The more crosswords you do, the easier they will become.
• NYT: How to Solve The New York Times Crossword
• NYT: Mini to Maestro (3-part series): Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced
• Attend one of Steve’s OLLI crossword courses or local presentations.

What’s a Theme?

• A theme is an idea or pattern that ties together the longest (usually Across) answer entries,
  which might be single words, phrases, or a combinations of words -- symmetrically placed.
• Many newspaper crosswords feature themes, with themeless crosswords later in the week.
• There are many kinds of themes, e.g., categories, idioms and embedded letters or anagrams.
• A puzzle’s Title or Note (if any) might provide a hint about the theme,
  e.g., "Under Construction" title for example on right.
• A Reveal entry (often last) might explain the theme and refer to the theme entries,
  e.g., Under Construction's 59-Across: "Constructor's do-or-die instinct?
  17-, 27-, 38-, 45-, 59-Across circles: crossword constructor's checklist"
• Figuring out the theme can often help in solving other theme entries,
  and offer a satisfying meta-challenge of discovering a puzzle-within-a-puzzle.
• Theme entries in Ashland.news will typically refer to local people, organizations,
  fauna, flora, places, news and events in Ashland, our region and beyond.
• The theme might be informative or serious, but more often,
  the crossword will aim for playfulness, and possible punniness, in themes, clues and answers.
• Don't expect difficult themes, e.g., rebus -- where a square can contain more than 1 letter.
• Theme ideas and entries come from serendipitous inspiration and solver's suggestions;
  a suggestion might be as simple as an idea, idiom, event or organization, preferably with a resource link;
  best would be 2 pairs of matching-length theme entries, each 9-15 letters, e.g., 15,12,12,15; 11,13,13,11; etc.;
  an optional 5th entry would be odd-length and could appear in the center.
• Although theme entries will generally follow standard crossword conventions,
  the Dalai Lama has said: "Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
• To create crosswords for an otherwise unworkable set of theme entries,
  a very long theme entry might be shortened by abbreviating words
  or by moving words to a FITB clue, e.g., ___ of the ___.
• To keep idioms/phrases readable and long enough, some theme entries might include the same word.
• Two shorter entries might be combined to create a longer theme entry, e.g., aaaaaaaaabbbbbb,
  with a compound clue, e.g., [9 letters, 6 letters]: 1) clue for aaaaaaaaa; 2) clue for bbbbbb
• Some titles reflect an ongoing series, which riff on a theme, e.g., Oh, Deer! #01,
  or a yearly occurrence such as a theater season, e.g., Rogue Theater Company 2024.
  This means that you can expect to see more of these in the future,
  though usually not right away in order to provide variety.

What’s a Grid?

• The grid is the layout of letter and dark squares.
  Examples on right: mini, criss-cross; below: American, cryptic

• 
  

  Ashland.news crosswords will usually be 15 x 15 in size, symmetric,
  and follow typical crossword rules and conventions.

• Smaller “mini” themeless crosswords might occasionally appear.
• In a fully-crossed US-style crossword, every letter square is part of both an Across and a Down entry
  vs. British-style cryptics (lattice-like) or asymmetric, vocabulary-style, free-form or criss-cross word puzzles.

• 
  

  Many crosswords have rotational symmetry, i.e., when they're turned upside down,
  the pattern of white squares and dark squares (blocks) and
  the rows containing paired-length theme entries appear in the same places.
  Other types of symmetry might be used: left/right, diagonal.
  If the number of theme entries is odd, an odd-length entry appears in the center row,
  e.g., Under Construction example earlier.

• If letter sequences are highlighted (circled), a Title, Note and/or Reveal entry might explain why,
  e.g., common embedd element/category or anagrammed letters.
  Editors prefer that these sequences span across phrases, but they might be split instead,
  or perhaps occur only within a single word.

What’s Fill?

• Fill: other words/phrases added to the grid after the theme entries are set.
• Generally, fill entries are at least 3-letters in length.
• Identical words (and word roots) are generally avoided,
  though repeated letter patterns may appear.
• Crosswordese -- i.e., obscure words and abbrev. that appear in dictionaries
  but are rarely encountered in real life -- should be minimal.
• In "quantum" (aka Schrödinger) crossword [on right], 2 fills are possible
  for 39-Across crossed by 23-, 27-, 35-, 39-, 40-, 41- and 42-Down.
• In Ashland.news crosswords, expect to see names/words
  that are familiar only to locals and references to Shakespeare and
  Rogue Valley organizations and cultural events.

How Should I Read Clues?

• The format or syntax of a clue is almost as important as its content.
  For example, noun plurals, verb tenses, foreign language, abbr., etc. are mirrored between clue and answer.
• Another convention: answer words should not appear in clues or title.
• Shorter clues are preferred by most publications, not only for their clarity
  but also for print publication constraints, usually ~1600 total clue characters for a 15 x 15 crossword.
• Some Ashland.news clues may be more verbose and redundant or dual-difficulty:
  with a more obscure, ambiguous or punny 1st half to challenge experienced solvers,
  and a more straightforward 2nd half to reduce beginner frustration;
  some clues provide local flavor and details -- unfamiliar to a national audience.

How Are Crosswords Made?

• The construction process follows the topics outlined earlier and highlighted in the Under Construction example:
  create a theme, lay out the grid, fill in other words, craft the clues -- then distribute or publish.
• There are no automatic AI generators to construct quality crosswords, at least not yet.
  Crosswords are still human-crafted, with assists from construction apps and word databases
  for grid layout, finding fill words and writing clues. One editor imagined the crossword as
  "a part of the newspaper that seemingly shows up automagically each day, probably done by
  crafty little Keebler elves with ink-stained hands when no one in the newsroom was looking."
• AI crossword tools use an LLM (large language model) to generate criss cross entries and clues from a suggested topic.
  In a recent test using Doggerel theme, entry selection and layout (ignoring format differences) were similar;
  clues were quite different -- perhaps AI could eventually incorporate difficulty and canine audience perspective.
  Auto-generating a fully symmetric crossword, especially themed, would be a greater challenge.
• DoggereLLM (AI version from "dog sounds" prompt): interactive; .pdf: puz, sol

• 
  

  Doggerel (Steve's version; Ashland.news 5/15/2024): interactive; .pdf: puz, sol

• NYT (5-part series): How to Make a Crossword Puzzle
• video: How a Crossword Puzzle Gets Made; 3:32
• e-book: Crossword Constructor's Handbook by Patrick Berry; $10; .pdf
• Attend Steve’s OLLI Constructing Crosswords course or local presentations.

How Long Does It Take to Construct a Crossword?

• Construction time depends on the constructor's skills, tools, computer speed, and the crossword's complexity.
  Words that cross or abut the main theme entries often severely constrain nearby fill options,
  which can lead to backing up, moving theme entries, modifying the grid and even starting over.
  Minimizing crosswordese and crafting original clues take time.
• For Steve, a typical crossword for Ashland.news, from idea to publication,
  might take 8+ hours to construct and publish, spread over several days.
• Constructing steps (similar to those outlined earlier):
• select initial theme entries of appropriate lengths (discussed earlier: Theme and Grid)
• draft clues for those to ensure clarity and consistency
• create an initial grid layout
• fit satisfactory fill words, modifying theme placement or grid if needed
• clue all entries, either crafting original ones or copying from a clue database
• review, review, review
• Publishing steps:
• edit text and links for the crossword Note, and Ashland.news page Intro and Spoiler section
• generate and review .pdfs for the puzzle and solution
• edit, preview and revise crossword template on the Ashland.news web site
• post to the world on early Friday morning

How Do I Solve Crosswords in My Web Browser?

• The interactive app should be fairly simple to use for a 15 x 15
  on devices with a larger screen and physical keyboard.
• Although it is possible to solve on a phone or mini tablet,
  seeing clues and entering answers may require more scrolling of
  the limited puzzle area and hiding/showing of the on-screen keyboard.
• For details about navigation, entering letters, settings and other commands,
  use the File:Help command [image: right] or see the summary below;
  some options vary by device, i.e., size of screen and kind of keyboard.
• click/tap (mouse/trackpad/gesture): on a square or clue
• keys: A-Z, space, Delete, ← → ↑ ↓, Tab, Enter, Home, End, Insert, Esc
• buttons/menus:
• Check: Letter, Word, Puzzle
• Reveal: Letter, Word, Puzzle
• File: Help, Info, Notepad, Rebus,
  Print, Clear, Export JPZ
• Settings: filling, arrow keys, space bar, tabbing, misc.
• 00:00: timer
• Applet used: Crossword Nexus HTML5 Solver (open source code*);
  *local version for Ashland.news crosswords includes: File:Help, File:Rebus;
  other crossword sites using this applet: Jonesin'; Alex Boisvert; Brendan Emmet Quigley (BEQ);
  or upload a .puz/.jpz file

Why Consider an Offline Solving App?

• Solving occasional crosswords online in your browser is simplest.
• However, if you access crosswords from multiple sources
  and would like to solve offline, i.e., while not connected to the internet,
  there are some advantages to installing and using a standalone solving app.
• Besides Check, Reveal, Print commands and more format settings,
  a solving app provides a more consistent user interface, i.e., puzzle layout and
  navigation commands, compared to different interfaces on multiple web sites.
• Apps designed for smaller devices, esp. with no external keyboard,
  may include a custom, compact on-screen keyboard
  and make better use of the screen area.
• The app opens a crossword data file that contains the grid layout, clues,
  solution and meta info (Title, Author, Copyright, Note), e.g.,
• .puz: aka "Across Lite format"; most commonly used
  
• .jpz: a more open and flexible format
• Example solving apps:
• Across Lite Mac, Win, iPad; .puz only; free
• Crosswords Android, iOS, iPadOS; .puz, .jpz; $ [image: on iPad, above right]
• XWord; releases: Mac, Win, Lnx; .puz, .jpz; free (open source);
  XWord can automatically download crosswords for selected sites
• More details and other solving apps
• Where to obtain .puz/.jpz versions of a crossword:
• Download crossword files to your device from web sites, save email attachments, transfer via AirDrop, etc.
• browser app: File: Export JPZ -- for Ashland.news (and other sites using Crossword Nexus HTML5 Solver)
• browser app: download .puz or .jpz using "Crossword Scraper" browser extension (Firefox, Chrome)
  -- this works on many other crossword sites too, e.g., NYT, LAT, WSJ, ...
• download .puz or .jpz from the links in Ashland.news crosswords listed on Steve's web site;
  crosswordfiend.com for other publications
• to reduce clutter, .puz/.jpz links are not included currently in Ashland.news crossword articles;
  however, with enough requests, they could be added later.

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
  Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: Sip (Northwest) Magazine; Zeeks Pizza; Single Hill Brewing
• Sip Product Review: Single Hill Brewing's Lateral A IPA 6/30/2020
• 4 Questions with Zach Turner of Single Hill Brewing 6/17/2020
• Fresh from the Tap: The Story Behind Lateral A IPA 5/26/2020
• The Full Pour, Episode 8: Meet the new Lateral IPA 5/21/2020
• Lateral A IPA, An Experimental, Collaboration Beer With A Great Backstory WA Beer Blog; 5/20/2020
• Lateral A IPA, An Experimental, Collaboration Beer With A Great Backstory BrewPublic; 5/20/2020
• A beer with a purpose, Single Hill Brewing collaborates with Zeeks Pizza and SIP Northwest to release Lateral A NW Beer Guide; 5/20/2020
• Lateral A IPA: Sip Collaborates with Single Hill Brewing + Zeeks Pizza Sip; 5/19/2020
• two other crosswords featuring "Single Hill": Peak Brewing; Hoppy Anniversary
• More about beer (and oreos) and crosswords

• I constructed "Across the Border" crosswords (below) for the Jackson County Library's Winter 2024 Reading Program
• All grids are 15 x 15, with 4-5 theme (Down) entries each (*-prefix clues).
• If an entry's clue is specific to Ashland or the Rogue Valley, it often includes a non-local clue too.
• Thanks to Maria, my patient test solver.
• #01; #02; #03; #04; #05; 11/27/2023
• Level Up #01-#18; Summer 2023 Reading Program
• Fall into Adventure #01-#05; Fall 2023 Reading Program
• Stemming and Steaming Across #01-#09; Spring 2024 Reading Program

The Puzzle

• Solve in Browser: an interactive crossword appears below (see File: Help for how to use).
  A larger screen can provide a better solving experience compared to a phone or mini tablet.
• Print: download .pdf files: puzzle; solution.
• App: download puzzle file [.puz] for a solving app.

Bloomin' Like Crazy

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: similar puzzle: NYT: Tue, 3/7/2023

The Puzzle

• ashlandcert.org:
  Map Your Neighborhood (MYN) page;
  MYN workbook .pdf; with hints about the 9 steps
• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Creature Cards

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Cyclops

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Eleven

• Interactive version [v2 -- below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: v1: puzzle; solution; v2: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz]: v1, v2 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

• I constructed "Fall into Adventure" crosswords (below) for the Jackson County Library's Fall 2023 Reading Program
• All grids are 15 x 15, with 4-5 theme (Down) entries each (*-prefix clues).
• If an entry's clue is specific to Ashland or the Rogue Valley, it often includes a non-local clue too.
• Thanks to Maria, my patient test solver.
• #01; #02; #03; #04; #05 9/1/2023
• Level Up #01-#18; Summer 2023 Reading Program
• Across the Border #01-#05; Winter 2024 Reading Program
• Stemming and Steaming Across #01-#09; Spring 2024 Reading Program

Firefox

• Interactive version [v2 -- below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: v1: puzzle; solution; v2: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz]: v1, v2 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: a puzzle with a related theme appeared later:
  "Online Dating," WSJ, 8/31/2022: web, discussion, .puz

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: sample crossword for debut of Ashland.News

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Jello Shots

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Solve in Browser: an interactive crossword appears below (see File: Help for how to use).
  A larger screen can provide a better solving experience compared to a phone or mini tablet.
• Print: download .pdf files: puzzle; solution.
• App: download puzzle file [.puz] for a solving app.

• I constructed "Level Up" crosswords (below) for the Jackson County Library's
  Summer 2023 Reading Program and my presentations at the Ashland Library:
  Solving Crosswords: Tips and Tricks (7/13/2023); Constructing Crosswords: An Introduction (8/10/2023)
• “JCLS is not just challenging folks to not fall behind.
  We are challenging everyone to go beyond and level up! That goes for all ages — kids and adults alike.”
  -- the crosswords' theme entries explore 'level up' quite literally and broadly
• All grids are 15 x 15, with 4 theme entries each (*-prefix clues).
• If an entry's clue is specific to Ashland or the Rogue Valley, it often includes a non-local clue too.
• The numbers in puzzle titles, e.g., #18, are for convenience and not an indication of difficulty.
• Thanks to Maria, my patient test solver.
• #01; #02; #03; #04; #05; #06; 6/18/2023
• #07; #08; #09; #10; #11; #12; 6/27/2023
• #13; #14; #15; #16; #17; #18; 7/2/2023
• Fall into Adventure #01-#05; Fall 2023 Reading Program
• Across the Border #01-#05; Winter 2024 Reading Program
• Stemming and Steaming Across #01-#09; Spring 2024 Reading Program

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: punny math phrases

The Puzzle

• This crossword honors the Newton on the 20th anniversary of its official discontinuation
  -- 25 years since its initial release.
• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors;
  Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution);
  open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords -- image below
• Newton: xWord Buddy -- note below
• Java (Zaurus, iPaq, Mac, Win, Lnx): CrozzWord -- note& image below
• Author's notes: wherever you see "*" in a theme clue, read "Newton".
  If you get stuck, you can use the Reveal (Word) button (in the interactive version),
  use your device to lookup an obscure clue (or two), or peek at the complete solution (.pdf).
• I'm a budding cruciverbalist and did not plan to submit this puzzle to NYT for publication,
  so I figured it was ok to bend the rules in a few places to get other words/letters to fit/cross,
  mainly by poking a little fun at the Newton and its overly-maligned character recognition.
  So, there are several somewhat strange letter sequences in this puzzle --
  notice '[misrecognized]' in clues. Also, since I live in Ashland, home of the long-time
  Oregon Shakespeare festival, quotes from 'The Bard' appear in several clues.
• Creating croswords provides me with challenges and satisfaction comparable to
  developing software (Steve's Newton page), so I may create a few more
  Newton-themed puzzles, especially if you contact me to let me know you want more.

xWord Buddy

• It was possible once to download a .puz file on the Newton with Newt's Cape and
  open it in Tactile's xWord Buddy (xWB) using a Newt's Cape helper app for xWB 1.x.
  Maybe version 1.0b9 that I found is too old? (plus it expires immediately: no unlock code avail).
  xWB 2.1 has plugin settings for NetHopper & Newt's Cape, which don't appear to work
  -- updating my helperApp page for xWB 2.1 doesn't work due to an apparent xWB API change
  (before it also expired).
• If anyone has a working Newton with a registered version of xWord Buddy,
  and can transfer and display .puz files, could you send me a screenshot of
  newton1.puz? Thx. I'd then replace generic screenshot [on right]

CrozzWord

• CrozzWord, a Java-based app that I developed in 2002-2003,
  can still open local .puz files (Crozzword is no longer supported)
• on right: this Newton puzzle in CrozzWord (macOS High Sierra)

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• hints: see Weak Passwords: Worst from my OLLI course

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes/hints: this puzzle includes clues local to our Southern Oregon area and even more specific to the Ashland Hiking Group
  -- in those cases, some 2nd clues can hopefully help (plus make the puzzle a little easier anyway).
• Theme: Ashland watershed-area trails, named for creatures (real or fictional)
• Solvers: if you like this crossword and/or you'd like to see more (and have ideas for themes), let Steve know.
• An older free-form puzzle: Hikes & Gear, created for the Backpack Interest Group (BIG)

Ow!

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: 3 thematic West-coast brewery names: #1, #2, #3
  (ideally, these would've appeared in exact ascending row order)
• alternate Titles: Lofty Lagers; Alpine Ales; ...?
• section: beer (and oreos) and crosswords

The Quantum (Uni)verse: To Be or Not to Be in Two Places at Once

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Note: Although some titles (*-entries) may seem familiar to theatergoers, scholars have recently unearthed
  journal articles where the playwright first used the same titles to describe earlier contributions in quite different areas
  (subtitles in clues) -- thus revealing him as a previously unknown crossover artist and prescient STEAM polymath.

Rat Race

• Interactive version [v2 -- below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: v1: puzzle; solution; v2: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz]: v1, v2 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Red Crossword

• v1: "SHAKES" (orig.); v2: "QUAKE"
• Interactive version [v2 -- below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: v1: puzzle; solution; v2: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz]: v1, v2 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• related puzzle: Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On Univ. 10/12/2022

Hoppy Grand Opening

• This crossword celebrates the Grand Opening of Single Hill Brewing Co.
  (SHBC) in downtown Yakima, WA, in June 2018.
• Single Hill's "Public Enemy" won for Best Pale Ale
  at Yakima Fresh Hop Festival; 9/29/2018
• Yakima is the birthplace of modern brewpubs,
  thanks in large part to the late Bert Grant in 1983! 9/28/2018
• Community + Beer = Single Hill Brewing Yakima Magazine. Sep/Oct 2018
• Meet the Maker: Zach Turner Craft Beverage, Yakima; 2018
• Forget Rivalries; Yakima Valley's Beermakers Go All-In
  On Collaboration with Crossover Brews Yakima Herald; 10/5/2018
• Where to Eat and Drink During Yakima's Fresh Hop Ale Festival
  Eater: Seattle; 8/31/2018
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution; [last updated: 17-Apr-2018]
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution);
• open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
  Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free);
  Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: If you get stuck, you can use the Reveal (Word) button (in the interactive version),
  use your device to lookup an obscure clue (or two), or peek at part of the complete solution (.pdf)
• Next section: more about the connections between Beer and Oreos and Crosswords
• Interactive version [below];
  Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word

Size Matters

• Interactive version [below]; Check: check puzzle for errors; Reveal: reveal current word
• Two versions avail.: v1 (orig.), v2 (newer)
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle: v1, v2; solution: v1, v2
• Download puzzle file [.puz] v1, v2 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

• I constructed "Stemming and Steaming Across" crosswords (below)
  for the Jackson County Library's Spring 2024 Reading Program: "Full STEAM Ahead"
• All grids are 15 x 15, with 4-5 theme (Down) entries each (*-prefix clues).
• If an entry's clue is specific to Ashland or the Rogue Valley, it often includes a non-local clue too.
• Thanks to Maria, my patient test solver.
• #01; #02; #03; #04; #05; #06; #07; #08; #09; 3/1/2024
• Level Up #01-#18; Summer 2023 Reading Program
• Fall into Adventure #01-#05; Fall 2023 Reading Program
• Across the Border #01-#05; Winter 2024 Reading Program

The Puzzles: 15 x 15 and 21 x 21

• Interactive versions [both below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: 15 x 15: puzzle; solution; 21 x 21: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz]: 15 x 15, 21 x 21 (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

Tot TNT

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]; Check button: check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download puzzle file [.puz] (which includes solution); open .puz in a crossword app, e.g.,
• Mac, Windows, iPad: Across Lite (free)
• Android, iOS: Crosswords
• Author's notes: describes the process of Constructing Crosswords
• Similar themed puzzles:
  Tell Me You're Into Crosswords Without Telling Me You're Into Crosswords
  FOLLOWS THE CLUES; HAS A BLANK STARE; PUTS IN A WORD FOR; LIVES OFF THE GRID; BEQ; 7/28/2022;
  Puzzle Pieces
  OFF THE GRID; HAVE YOUR FILL; HEDWIG'S THEME; BLUES CLUES; CROSSWORD SOLVER; Univ. 4/28/2021

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g., Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords
• For other (better) puzzles commemorating "first" crossword in 1913, see History: 2013

The Puzzle

• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution; LINK page, with puzzle & interview: "Clued in Cruciverbalist"
• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g., Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g., Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords

CMC

• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g., Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g., Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free); Android, iOS: Crosswords

The Puzzle

• Interactive version [below]
  Check button: Check puzzle for errors; Reveal button: reveal current word
  Web version created by Crossword Compiler
• Print versions [.pdf]: puzzle; solution
• Download for a crossword app [.puz]: puzzle w/ solution
  open it in a crossword app, e.g.,
  Mac, Windows: Across Lite (free);
  Android, iOS: Crosswords
• More about beer (and oreos) and crosswords