Puzzle 174 – “Three in a Row”
puz here / pdf here / solution here
Hey solver friends. I get to once again plug a puzzle elsewhere first thing! This coming Thursday, October 10, I’ll have a mini-cryptic coming out through AVCX Cryptic. It’s my first published cryptic anywhere, and if you’re cryptic-curious, this lil ol’ 5×7 puzzle could be a good way to dip your toe into the cryptic water. If you subscribe, it’ll be in your inbox in mere days.
On to this week’s themeless on the blog! I intentionally leaned a little trivia-heavy on the cluing on this one, but I sense there are still good entry points to those trivia clues and some fair crossings. On the title: it applies to both of those central marquee entries. Three in a row was the goal on 37-Across, and if you immediately hear 29-Across in your head (spoiler at the link), you immediately hear three in a row, in a way. (It’s also pretty literal, if you look at 23-Across too.)
Favorite clues: 11-Down and 40-Down for the fun facts. 51-Down because it’s a great read. And 60-Across for the mild punning.
As ever, hope you enjoy. Comments are welcomed. Happy solving, yall.
Fun one! Forgot all about 54-Down. Enjoyed the clue for 58-Across, too.
Love the 54-D theme song, by the Waitresses. Few things sound more happily 1982.
I just printed out the puzzle and this looks like another good one. Methinks that you are approaching Evan Birnholz status with your wide-ranging puzzles and your interaction with your fans.
Also, thx for the 29A link to Ronnie Spector’s song. She had a good thing going until husband Phil’s “wall of sound” crashed her solo career…
Aww, thanks. A comparison to Evan is high praise. You’re too kind.
11D is a great bit of trivia – love it! Apparently I skipped vocabulary day when we covered 2D…totally new one for me.
Yeah, 2-D is not the most ideal fill, perhaps, but it’s a fun word to pick up, I suppose… just like the 11-D fact!
Both 2D and 11D were highlights for me! Thank you as always for the puzzle!
Good one! Thanks!
As ever, glad you’re solving and enjoying!