by Jessie Bullock & Ross Trudeau
[.puz][PDF][Solution] 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤 Difficulty: 3.5/5
For anyone out there not aware the Boswords Fall Themeless League, there’s a weekly ongoing crossword tournament that takes place on Monday evenings. Founders Andrew Kingsley and John Lieb emcee the event live on their Twitch stream, and most participants solve synchronously at around 9:15p (though you have several days to solve if your Mondays are booked). It’s a delightful way to connect with fellow puzzle nerds, and while this season is well underway, Boswords also runs one-off tournaments like their Winter Wondersolve, which I strongly encourage you to check out.
And not for nothing, but Parker and I commence our Cursewords Live stream directly after Boswords concludes, around 10pm, for some live solving and constructing. Check out the puzzle we made live this past Thursday (minus clues), all in about 30 minutes or so!
A couple of thoughts and spoilers on E = MC^2 below after the diminutive and talented Phife Dawg.
Tiny rappers! Little MCs! Actually, I’ve been trying to figure a way to incorporate E EQUALS MC SQUARED (16) into a themed puzzle for a long time, so I’m happy to include it in part in today’s title. Get it? MC Squared? Aha.
Rebus puzzles will always be divisive in crossword, so when I produce one, I’m really, really keen on a revealer answer that neatly and creatively justifies the cramming-multiple-letters-in-one-box conceit. And while SHRINKWRAPPERS does rely on the “or a phonetic hint…” crutch, it still makes me happy.
Jessie and I were also pleased to be able to get five different (w)rappers in there, with the I CAN’T EVEN / EVER SO of [EVE] stacked right on top of the central revealer. Stacking answers can be harrowing, but the relative smoothness of that center section speaks to Jessie’s ever-impressive fillin’ skills.
Happy solving, friends!
-Ross