Puzzle Ninety-Five: Colorful Character (meta)

 Easy (and small) one this time.

I had the Universal crossword back on February 18 if you want to backtrack, it should still be available.

The meta answer is a cartoon character. Entries are due at 12 PM, Friday, March 7.

Submit answers via Crosshare link below, which also provides PDF and .puz downloads. 

Puzzle Ninety-Three: Reach for the Stars (meta)

Cassette cover scan by Rene Walter.

Once you're done with this puzzle, take a moment to check out my AVCX Classic puzzle, published yesterday: "All-Around Incredible," and my article on Crossword Craze, a chronicle of notable moments in crossword history during the pivotal year of 1924, about Foster's Cross-Word Puzzles, a short-lived crossword variant.

The meta answer is something that might be in the stars for a star. PDF and .puz available through Crosshare below. The deadline is 12 PM EST, Thursday, December 12, 2024. 

Puzzle Ninety-Two: Thanks I Hate It (A Spooky Season Puzzle)

 

UPDATE (2/26/2025): A PDF of answers and explanations is available here.

Before we get to the puzzle, let's talk about VOTING.

I am going to assume that puzzle solvers are sane, responsible people nd as a result are planning to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, or already have. (If you're a Trump voter, stop reading here. And I mean stop reading this blog for good. This isn't the place for you.)

I have worked as a volunteer doing voter protection, vote curing and poll observing since 2012. Here is important information for anyone who hasn't voted yet. State laws vary on these points, but these are general principles.

• CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION to make sure you are still registered, and confirm your assigned polling place, before heading to the polls. There have been all kinds of voter disenfranchisement schemes this year. If there's a problem, report it to your local Board of Elections ASAP. If you're not registered, see if your state has same-day registration.
• BRING APPROVED ID if you have it, and check the list of approved IDs beforehand if your state requires voter ID. Republicans in my state, North Carolina, have successfully instituted very restrictive voter ID laws beginning this year. Even if your state doesn't have voter ID laws, why not just bring it anyway? If you don't have the right ID and still need a voter ID card, contact your local BoE ASAP.
• VOTE EARLY IF YOU CAN to avoid unexpected lines and in case something goes wrong.
• VOTE THE WHOLE BALLOT because state supreme courts and state legislatures control things like who will have the right to bodily autonomy, and which states will have some semblance of fair elections. You would be shocked to learn how many people don't flip the ballot over.
• KNOW THAT THERE ARE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE DISABLED in place even in restrictive states like NC. They include curbside voting and the ability to have someone else fill out your ballot for you, though this may require the involvement of a poll worker.
• CAST A PROVISIONAL BALLOT if necessary but DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT VOTING.

On to the puzzle. A little departure today, in the spirit of last December's puzzle suite. You will submit the four shorter answers via the Crosshare link below. Instructions (also posted on the Crosshare page):

The Crosshare page is just a way to submit answers to the PDF-only puzzle available at the Dropbox link below. You'll have the ability to submit the full meta answer once you enter the four shorter answers correctly. Please use the honor system and don't check / reveal on Crosshare unless you think you've got at least three of the answers, as solving the meta will be fairly trivial if you have all four correct four-letter answers.

Deadline is Wednesday, November 6 at 12 PM EST (to make sure there's no conflict with Election Day).

PDF link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/4ziyxje86c5imjgrinhnb/LD92_ThanksIHateIt.pdf?rlkey=nimsqb9mdp890plom395pstf5&st=ssew2daj&dl=1 

Crosshare link: https://crosshare.org/crosswords/4YCBUHxgV1aPkzxhxWVs/thanks-i-hate-it

Many thanks to Crosscord members bolgat and Onefin for play-testing and providing helpful feedback.

Puzzle Ninety-One: Hangers-On (meta)

Heading out of town so rushing this one a little. Should have come out yesterday but such is life. The meta answer is an eight-letter word. Submissions due Friday, September 27 at 3 PM Eastern time. .puz and PDF available through Crosshare applet below. 

Puzzle Eighty-Eight: Super Secret Contest Meta

I hope you're all ready for something different this time around. 

I just released a new instrumental hip-hop EP on Bandcamp. That's where the challenge starts. See below.

Questions and Answers

How do I get access to the meta puzzle?

Download my new release at https://rickydollars.bandcamp.com/album/checkered-future

The bonus material consists of the puzzle and an extra audio track that contains hints to the answer. There are additional hints along the way.

Do I have to create a Bandcamp account?

No. But consider doing so, as it is home to great independent music of every imaginable genre.

Do I have to pay to download the files?

No. It’s pay-what-you-wish. It would be great if you contributed something, though. I haven't charged in the past for my meta puzzles even though constructing them is very labor-intensive, and this is the most labor-intensive puzzle to date. 

How do I submit my answer?

Send me an email to my personal email address (rchrdlln (at) gmail dot com) with the answer in the subject line. 

What’s the deadline?

The deadline is December 31, 2024. You’ve got more than enough time to ponder this one. I’m hoping additional solvers will come across it between now and the end of the year and I want them to have enough time to take a swing at it.

Is there a better prize than usual for this contest?

Yes. For the first time, two winners - the first correct answer and another randomly selected correct entry - will receive an actual Lexicon Devil mug, the meta world’s traditional contest prize.

Wait, this is all we get for an answer prompt?

Yes.

Are there clues in the other tracks?

Probably not, in the audio at least, but listen to them just to make sure. 

Is this whole thing just a ploy to get us to download your music?

Maybe? It’s an experiment in combining two creative endeavors I invest a lot of time and effort in.

Is it going to hurt your feelings if I hate this music?

Definitely not. It’s not for everyone.

Puzzle Eighty-Five: Start the Day Off Right (meta)

Excerpt from "Breakfast: A History," by Heather Arndt Anderson

The meta answer is a breakfast food. Submit answers (and get .puz and PDF) via Crosshare applet below. Deadline is Tuesday, July 2 at 12 PM EST. 

Check out my recent puzzle "Get the Digits" at Spyscape. 

And, as mentioned last month:

the second issue of the Lexicon Devil midi crossword zine, Midi Controller, is here! It's fifteen 9x9 midis with a little Easter egg tying them all together. Your download will include a PDF of the zine that you can print out and staple yourself, as well as .puz files and individual PDFs. It's pay what you wish, but a little financial contribution always helps. 

Puzzle Eighty-Three: Coming of Age (meta)

The meta answer is a five-letter word. Submit answers (and get .puz and PDF) via Crosshare. Deadline is Tuesday, April 30 at 12 PM EST. 

Recent puzzles:

"Mightier Than the Sword (By a Lot)," Spyscape, March 23, 2024

"Girls Gone Wild" with Quiara Vasquez, QVXwords, April 14, 2024. Mostly Quiara, one of the funniest constructors out there, who also has a new gig as editor of Slate's new daily midi crossword (link to today's).

(Regarding the song above: DC modern rock station WHFS used to play it a fair amount when I was a little kid. Until I looked it up on YouTube I never had any idea who it was by, or how 80s the video was, or what kind of hats the band wore. YMMV, especially if Canadian.)

Puzzle Eighty-One: This Place Looks Familiar (meta)

This month's meta answer is a famous singer who would be an apt sixth theme entry. Deadline is Tuesday, March 12 at 12 PM EST. Enter through the Crosshare applet below.

.puz / PDF

Puzzle Seventy-Eight: First Quarter (meta)

The meta answer is a six-letter word. Deadline is Tuesday, January 30 at 12 PM EST. Enter, and get PDF and .puz files, through the Crosshare applet below.

Puzzle Seventy-Seven: Peak Performance (meta) + 2023 Puzzle Pack Announcement

It's the last contest meta of the year. This one is reportedly difficult -- I'm thinking a Week 4 on the Gaffney Scale. And I'll try to be available to provide hints, but I'm going to be out of town... Hopefully solvers can trade hints among themselves? The deadline, in keeping with Crosshare's features, is 12 PM EST Thursday (not Tuesday), December 28. 

The meta answer is a six-letter name.

Please submit answers and contact info through the Crosshare applet below.

And another announcement:

The contest meta prize this year has been a Puzzle Pack containing the following:

One 22x21 Sunday-style puzzle

2-part puzzle hunt puzzle

One cryptic crossword

Two themed crosswords

One Marching Bands variety puzzle

One Something Different crossword

One Packing Crates variety puzzle

Two freestyle crosswords

And I'm now going to send it to anyone who emails a record of a donation to a charitable organization made between December 1, 2023 and January 1, 2024 to lexicondevillive@outlook.com. No specific dollar amount required. 

I would prefer that donations be to Doctors Without Borders or other organizations providing aid to civilians in Gaza, but I don't want to exclude other good causes. 

Thanks as always for solving.

Puzzle Seventy-Six: Forget the Past (meta)

I was excited to have a themeless puzzle included in this year's Boswords Fall Themeless League and to be interviewed on their Twitch stream back on the 13th. The season ended on Tuesday, so the whole set of puzzles is now available for purchase, and they are all excellent as usual (I've also had the pleasure of being a test solver this season). I also recommend the Boswords t-shirt, available at the same link. I just got one and the quality is top-notch.

I have another themeless coming out tomorrow from AVCX+, so keep an eye out for that too. 

This month's meta answer is a four-letter word.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: There's an unintentional dupe at 4-Down that is not meta-related, just a goof I don't have time to fix. 

Deadline to enter (use Crosshare link here and below to submit) is Tuesday, December 5 at 12 PM EST.

Two correct answer submitters will receive the LD Puzzle Pack 2023, a special set of unreleased puzzles.

.puz / PDF / Crosshare

Puzzle Seventy-Five: October Quartet (midi-meta)

I can never resist doing a Halloween puzzle. If you're solving on November 1, just remember that the Halloween spirit lives in your heart all year long. You just have to believe in it.

Puzzle Seventy-Four: Fall Out (meta)

 A little screw-up this month: this puzzle went live on Crosshare last Thursday, and was supposed to go out to list subscribers and appear on the blog at the same time, but other things intervened.

For efficiency's sake, please use the Crosshare solver below to view the meta prompt and submit answers as well as download .puz and PDF files. 

And I wanted to extend the deadline, but the answer is set to become public on Crosshare at midnight on Wednesday night, and I can't figure out a way to change that setting! 

So hopefully you can get this one by the above deadline. But if you want to email me before Sunday, promising that you didn't reveal the meta answer until you got it right, I'll try to get you in the running.

I do want to note that I have had serious time limitations on construction this year, and metas are harder to construct than regular puzzles. I have a backlog of standard puzzles to potentially post, but I can't promise I'm going to be posting monthly metas as I once did. I would really like to move into meta suites. I've been working on one for about a year. But those are HARD to put together. I'll keep you posted.

And keep your eyes peeled for my AVCX+ debut themeless sometime in the near future.

Puzzle Seventy-Two: Wide Body (meta)

 

image from mentalhealth.org.uk

Today is my anniversary. My wife's a writer, and this puzzle is an oblique tribute to some of her work. I'll explain once the contest is over...

The meta answer is a three-word place name.

Submit answers at the Google Forms or Crosshare link below before 12 PM EST, Wednesday, August 23 at 12 PM EST:

https://forms.gle/EiX5oXMpNbkCRe5h8 

.puz / PDF / Crosshare

Puzzle Sixty-Eight: Bad Move? (meta) + Bonus Puzzle: Marching Bands No. 1

 

One of many amazing drumline battle videos on YouTube

The meta answer is a ten-letter word. Submit answers through the Crosshare applet below (which also exports .puz and PDF). All answers due by Tuesday, January 31 at 12 PM EST. Two winners receive an unreleased puzzle pack! 

After you've solved, scroll down for a bonus Marching Bands puzzle that's a little different - you'll find out how.

Puzzle Sixty-Seven: Round One? A Puzzle Suite

 

The last Lexicon Devil meta contest of the year is a suite of three puzzle-hunt-style puzzles and one crossword, each with its own meta answer, the four of which must be combined to reveal a final meta answer: a four-letter object. Sorry, no .puz files or applet this time. 

The rules are a little different for this one. First, working in teams is A-OK. Second, you can use the links below to check your answers to the individual puzzles. However, the final answer must be submitted by email to lexicondevillive@outlook.com. (This is so I can provide better feedback in response to wrong answers, etc.) Third, there's a little more time to submit the final answer for this one. The deadline is Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 12 PM EST. Fourth, any individual or group who submits a correct final answer will receive a digital package of unreleased Lexicon Devil puzzles. 

PDF

Answer Checker #1: Modern Rock

Answer Checker #2: Power Ballads

Answer Checker #3: Yacht Rock

Answer Checker #4: Quiet Storm

Puzzle Sixty-Five: Reality Check (meta)

 

This Thanksgiving, why not introduce your family to the joy of meta crosswords? Maybe Uncle Mort will crack the code and win his very own Lexicon Devil sticker...

The meta answer is a ten-letter word. Answers due Tuesday, November 29 at 12 PM EST. Submit answers through the Crosshare applet below.

puz / PDF

Puzzle Sixty-Two: Very Groovy (meta)

gourd luck everyone

Another contest meta! This one's perhaps a bit more, shall we say, frightening than your average LD meta and may require a little web searching to confirm your answers. This month we're back on Crosshare. PDF and .puz file download are both available through the applet below. 

Feedback from test-solvers was essential this month. Many thanks to Abide, Paolo P., Hoang-Kim Vu, FrankieHeck, and Tane. 

Submit your answers, again through Crosshare, by Wednesday, October 26 at 12 PM EST.

Puzzle Sixty-One: Skip Ahead to the End (meta)

The meta answer is an eight-letter word. 

Submit answers at the link below before 12 PM EST, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 Friday, Sept. 30, 2022 (I'm pushing this out two days because I couldn't get the blog post up until two days after I sent the puzzle via email):

https://forms.gle/FywmP7N4vgUS6qRX7

Check answers here:

https://www.callingit.in/1/#w09bErCt9zrCdQc9-PiXhj9xrqPin9THUryWLQe+Da8dPFDuW-U2tpcCBBaGVhZCB0byB0aGUgRW5k

As always, the winner gets the coveted Lexicon Devil sticker. 

.puz / PDF

Puzzle Fifty-Nine: Now Where Was I? (meta)

 

Hitchhiker stock photos are really weird

It's been an extremely busy past two months for me, with far less time to brainstorm and construct puzzles than in the past. As a result, the July contest meta... is now the August contest meta. 

One of the things I was up to: I went out of town with my family the week before last. While I was there, I had an idea for a meta puzzle. Where was I? Well, that's the meta answer.

The meta answer is a US state.

Submit answers at the link below by Wednesday, August 24 at 12 PM EST. Winners will receive the coveted Lexicon Devil sticker. 

https://forms.gle/cmYUZMRhxScpJxAV7

Check your answer beforehand at:

https://www.callingit.in/1/#qSf50xp8xZUcxVH+-Sv7/A5cW3x5IOp7O/QCxymB9tUPBQTfa-Tm93IFdoZXJlIFdhcyBJPw==

Back in July I was the Week 1 constructor for Guest Constructor Month over at Matt Gaffney's Weekly Crossword Contest. This was a huge honor for me - thank you, Matt! - and I was delighted by all the positive responses to the puzzle - by far the most I've ever received for any puzzle I've published. The link, in case you missed it:

https://xwordcontest.com/2022/07/mgwcc-735-guest-constructor-month-puzzle-1-friday-july-1st-2022-bit-by-bit-by-richard-d-allen.html

I also made my debut on the great AVCX Crosswords with "Bit Flipping," a puzzle I'm proud of and that I hope you'll enjoy. Even if you're not a subscriber (you should be!), you can get it for $1 at:

https://avxwords.com/puzzles/1129/

Have a great rest of the summer!

.puz / PDF

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