Puzzle 222 – “Formal Attire Requested”
puz here / pdf here / solution here
This week’s puzzle is themed, and I’ve been hanging onto this one for a little while now, for a reason that any constructor can recognize as a stroke of bad luck. This puzzle was rejected by a major daily outlet a while back with a kind note pointing out that it was just too similar in concept to something they’d published recently. (Which was this, by the way–spoilers at link, obviously.) Sometimes multiple puzzlemakers get ideas, semi-simultaneously, that look a bit the same, maybe even share some theme entries, and even operate with accidental semi-simultaneous timing. Looking back through the un-blogged puzzles have on file, I revisited this one and thought, “eh, I still like this one.” And it’s different enough from the (very good!) puzzle linked to a few sentences back, I suppose, to share here.
As always, comments are welcomed. Happy solving, friends. Hope you enjoy.
Really liked this one, Matt. I do remember that other puzzle. As clever as it was, I’d argue your theme set is even tighter, as all four entries are animated characters. Favorite clues: 19A, 37A, 47A, 67A and 56D. (Should the clue for 12D be ‘Stitched’…?) Thanks for a fun solve!
Aww, that’s very kind! Yeah, I oughta revisit the tense in that clue. I appreciate the heads-up.
Good one thanks!
Good to see you here!
Fun puzzle! Oddly enough, my highest score yet on one of yours. But I took forever to decipher 47A (got it on the crosses easily enough, but wanted to understand the cluing and I stared at that one for WAY longer than I am willing to admit!). Great job, as always!
Yeah, that exact clue formulation to hint at a single letter… it’s a bit polarizing. I don’t break it out too often, but yep, crossings seemed fair.