by Ross Trudeau
[.puz][PDF][Solution] Difficulty: 4/5
N.B. Today’s puzzle is a Sunday-sized 22×22 grid, so clues may populate above/below the grid rather than on the side as usual. For best results, perhaps print the PDF and solve by hand!
Today’s grid can be solved and enjoyed as a standalone crossword, but I’m also calling it a light contest puzzle. Email your answer (with the subject CONTEST ANSWER) to rosswordpuzzles AT gmail DOT com by 12:00p eastern on 10/22/22. I’ll draw the winning entry from among correct respondents and report the results to you here on the 23rd!
Thank you to Rachaar, Enrique of Datalexic, Jacob, and Ben of Nautilus Puzzles for test solving this bad boy, as well as Joon for his advice in the planning stages!
SPOILERS for the puzzle below; don’t click any of the links until after you’re done solving!
I was inspired to “play in the space” by several similar puzzles that you’ve perhaps run across: a 2005 NYT Sunday grid by Derrick Niederman; a 2019 NYT Sunday grid by Jack Reuter; a 2020 Peter Gordon grid; and a Patrick Blindauer grid from back in ’07. I’m sure there are others!
Ultimately, there were a few ways in which I thought I could add to the tradition. Feel free to leave a comment! Was this a step forward or back?
Happy solving, friends!
-Ross