Puzzle #50: This Year, No Children (Cryptic)

Holy cow, a cryptic!

It's the one-year anniversary of this blog! Thanks to everyone who's solved any of my puzzles along the way.

This week, to celebrate Half Baked's birthday, we're back in cryptic land. I feel like I learned a ton making this puzzle, and I hope at least some of that comes across in the clues.

A huge thanks to Steve, who has both easy and trickier cryptics on Square Pursuit, and k0rmad-- they both were invaluable in their help critiquing this puzzle, and it wouldn't be half as good without them. Any errors/mistakes are mine alone.

This puzzle has a hidden theme! It's meant to be solved without any knowledge of the theme, so feel free to ignore it. If you'd like to try to puzzle it out, the first hint is the title.

Hint #2:

(Theme explanation down below)

Best of luck in solving, and I'd love to hear your feedback! Constructing a cryptic is a lot of work, but very fun, and I appreciated all the feedback on my first.

.puz

PDF

Solution

Mmm, peppermint Oreos!

Theme explanation (spoilers)

Comments

Puzzle #100: We Want A Pitcher (with Brian Thomas)

Hi friends, 100 puzzles! Wow. That's pretty crazy. If you've solved even one along the way--THANK YOU. There are too many of you to thank but I'm so grateful to everyone who has solved a puzzle, made a puzzle with me, and even just talked about puzzles with me. This week's offering is a themeless puzzle with Brian Thomas that's chock full of fun indie vibes. Go solve Brian's other puzzles too! I'm also very excited to be able to share an essay of mine that Daily Crossword Links has been kind enough to host, titled "No Scrubs" . It's a philosophy of solving crosswords that I hope will be beneficial to new solvers and competitive solvers alike. .puz PDF Solution (If OneLook prompts a log-in, try opening in a private window) Mmm, gooey butter cake

Puzzle #94: Better Than Ever

Hi friends, Back with a themeless that I think you'll find to be a fun romp. Thanks to Norah for help in testing this one. I'm posting this unusually on a Saturday because I'm in the midst of kind of a fun run of puzzles! Thursday: Los Angeles Times with Norah Friday: Puzzmo (if you haven't checked it out yet, it's free to register and you should definitely give it a look) Saturday: This puzzle! Sunday: Browser cryptic with Norah Monday: MYSTERY OUTLET with Norah It's also a nice run for Norah (who has a puzzle over on the app Crossword Flow today), and for us collaboratively. Thanks to everyone who's helped test, streamed a puzzle of ours, or just said nice things. The crossword community rocks, and we're happy to be a part of it. (If OneLook prompts a login, try opening in a private browser window) .puz PDF Solution Mmm, cranberry-pomegranate mousse pie

Puzzle #95: 10% Luck, 20% Skill

Hi friends, Back at it with a themeless for you today that I think you'll find an engaging challenge! If you're a Browser subscriber, go check out the cryptic Shannon and I made over. If you're a Defector subscriber, we also made a really fun sports-heavy puzzle over that way. (If OneDrive prompts a login, try opening in a private window.) .puz PDF Solution Mmm, salty rosemary nut tart

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