Examples: CCH
- 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 - CCH includes 45 themed (and 25 themeless) puzzles (.pdf, .puz); selected theme examples (below):
- 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 - 22. "Brand Id-N-tity" [category; products with middle letter]:
KENLRATION=10; RICEARONI=9; MALTOMEAL=9; SHAKENBAKE=10 - 24. "Shades of Meaning" [one-word {color clue}]:
COMMUNISTIC=11 {RED};
SPINELESS=9 {YELLOW};
INEXPERIENCED=13 {GREEN};
DEPRESSED=9 {BLUE};
OVERWRITTEN=11 {PURPLE} - 25. "Business Directory" [businesses with clever {clues}]:
PLANTATION=10 {Growing business?}
BOOKSTORE=9; {Volume business?}
FERTILITY CLINIC=15 {Family business?}
HAIR SALON=9 {Do business?}
LUMBER YARD=10 {Unfinished business?} - 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; LIAISOFF ONICERS=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?} - 30. "Rev. Spooner Builds His Dream House" [spoonerism; punny phrase w/ swapped letters]:
RIPPED HOOF=10; RED BOOMS=8; TOFFEE CABLE=11; RARE BUGS=8; PLIER FACES=10 - 32. "Who’s Minding the Store" [rebus: MOM/POP]:
SEIS[MOM]ETERS=10; [POP]ULACE=6; [MOM]AND[POP]=5;
CARDA[MOM]=6; LOLLI[POP]LADY=10 - 34. "Full Names" [circled squares spell out first name]:
DRAVECKY=8; OLIPHANT=8; THURMAN=7; KRISTOFFERSON=13;
KNIEVEL=7; BRADBURY=8; MAGNUSON=8 - 36. "Comparatively Famous" [addition; famous person w/ -ER comparison ]:
ANNE ARCHER=10; BEN STILLER=10; MORLEY SAFER=11; BILLY WILDER=11