High Way ... the heck?

Free puzzle! Registration for October's Midwest Crossword Tournament registration is now open (www.mwxwt.com) — this is the cryptic we made for them last fall.

Ditto.

Hmm … check your inbox.

Sometimes the hardness knob is hard to set correctly. We actually added the “fuses” late in the process to make things easier. It appears to have not helped.

We have noticed that at the halfway point of this one people begin backsolving — this clash would make sense if … and what does that have to do with …. Happy to nudge in DMs or by email, but there’s something to be said for a bsky group solve.

Flipping Fuses It's not easy bein' green.

A two-puzzle day, in collaboration with @gnomoncryptics.bsky.social: He edited our new Rackenfracker, and we co-wrote a monster for his latest issue. Hope your pencil sharpener is working.

This seems to be more common in the UK. The idea that you can use say "This wordplay is used in Louisiana" which then turns it into a part of speech match since that is a noun. But, uh, yeah... not a favorite.

We recently made some recommendations for those who want to solve American Cryptics bsky.app/profile/ther... to which I would only add Fraser Simpson‘s Weekender cryptic in the Globe and Mail.

Three empty crossword grids are shown: One an 11x13 barred grid, one a 15x15 block grid that also has some bars, and one grid on the surface of a 7x7x7 cube that's been unfolded

Coming next week - The Gnomon closes out its first year with our first three-big-puzzles issue. Contributions from Bob Weisz, Bob Stigger, JonMichael Rasmus, Sean Weitner, and Andy Yingst.

Between this list from Dan Chall (chall.us/misc_cryptic...) and this recent Reddit post (www.reddit.com/r/crosswords...) most of what I would recommend is covered.

Not enough good sources of American cryptics to lose this set: web.archive.org/web/20220529...

In the Shadows To celebrate our ORCA nomination, we look into the Dark Souls of popular music.

Oh... well... then...

therackenfracker.com/in-the-shado...

High Definition Today's puzzle is HDMI*-compatible. (*Handleable despite missing instructions.)

The winning puzzle, available to subscribers:

So grateful the ORCA team brought cryptics into the fold, highlighting good work at nominated venues like The Gnomon, Cryptic Crossweird, Square Chase, AVCX, WSJ, Frisco17's Good Clues for People Who Love Bad Clues and PiGuyN's Crosshare page — themselves just a sampling. (R.I.P. The Browser)

Settling Scores It's basically the game ... in reverse.

Thanks to ORCA voters for picking our puzzle as the variety cryptic of the year(!). We do the rest of our thanking below in this month’s new puzzle post. Reminder that you get 12 puzzles for just $12 by subscribing, plus access to mostly unpruned-for-now archives (including that winning puzzle!).

There’s an applicable Apple TV series involved.

Congrats to the mighty @mossdef.bsky.social — it's simple mathematics to see that he's hit his 100th puzzle in his Square Chase variety series. We're honored to have contributed a clue to this celebration. True mogmaxxing is subscribing at www.patreon.com/squarechase

In the Shadows To celebrate our ORCA nomination, we look into the Dark Souls of popular music.

A free cryptic to commemorate the ballot release for the ORCA crossword awards (and congrats to the other nominees) therackenfracker.com/in-the-shado...

What a “Melania” Cinematographer Hoped to Accomplish Dante Spinotti has had a legendary Hollywood career. Why is he making propaganda for the Trump family?

One at the forefront of “calamitous scenario” chat! (5,8)

Egad! That’s, as they say, not hot.

Concerning Developments This too shall pass ....

This puzzle has interesting properties therackenfracker.com/concerning-d...

... and that's not to mention the 75 non-cryptics and all the friends that made those! It's a terrific puzzle bounty and a deserving cause — email theorcaawards@gmail.com to donate and get yours.

Nominated cryptic setters include friends @feathersmcg.bsky.social, Bob Weisz, @bewilderingly.bsky.social, @frisco17.bsky.social, @mossdef.bsky.social, Roger Wolff, @juffowup.bsky.social, and Jess Schulman, plus friends-we-haven't-met-yet PiGuyN, Dean Felch, Ryan Patrick Smith, and Nate Fricker ...+

Great cause + great puzzles alert: The ORCA Crossword Awards are sending out all 84 nominated puzzles for those who make a donation to @trevorproject.bsky.social. This includes 9 block-style cryptics and 10 variety cryptics, and we're honored to have High Definition and Fantastic Fours in the set. +

Yeah, it can be very hard do to a puzzle that not written for you culturally. We usually recommend the archive of New Yorker cryptics, Steve Mossberg’s Quiptics and our own Nerfrackers for Americans looking to learn the ropes.

Meant Saturday… silly

Sunday National Post puzzles are attached to blog posts that explain each clue. But truly these are (North) American setters with an eye toward clean, clear constructions and anywhere you start will be good (not sure about online solving for Post but I think puz files exist for the other two)

If you are looking for more archives, we recommend these three:

kegler.gitlab.io/Block_style/
www3.sympatico.ca/tagies/
natpostcryptic.blogspot.com

If you play with words, you should play Raddle, a top “new thing in 2025” in our books. Our own @dadgumituh.bsky.social contributed another such recommendation for today’s edition: raddle.quest/2025/12/26

The journey we’re always striving for. Happy holidays, Jeff.