Half-Baked Puzzles

 Hi friends,  Very cool themeless puzzle this week, a collaboration with the incredible Rafael Musa!         (if OneDrive prompts you to log-in, try opening in a private window)   .puz     PDF Solution   Mmm... patterned pumpkin roll

 Hi friends,   Back with a themeless puzzle--I think there's a lot of fun entries and clues in this one, so I hope you enjoy.   Lil AVCX is currently looking for folks who want to apply to be part of the 2026 roster , so check that out!   Lately, I've been making some puzzles for People magazine--you can check them out on their  Google Play  or  iPhone app  if you'd like to solve some celebrity-themed puzzles (including some other fantastic constructors like Shannon Rapp, Robyn Weintraub and Neville Fogarty)     (if OneDrive prompts you to login, try opening in a private window) .puz     PDF   Solution Mmm… sticky toffee pudding Created by Will Eisenberg

 Friends, you're in for a treat!   Today's puzzle comes to us via the incredible mind of Alex Boisvert, Simpsons fan and all-around boon to the crosswording community . Alex was kind enough to pitch this idea, and collaborate with me on this cryptic, which was a ton of fun to make. We think you'll enjoy it regardless of your level of Simpsons knowledge/appreciation. Thank you to Steve Mossberg  and Tyler Hinman  for their help in testing this puzzle.   Alex says: "I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about cryptics from Will while working on this puzzle. Enjoy!"   Mmm, donuts If OneLook prompts a login, try using a private browser window. ipuz can be solved with the Crossword Nexus solver . ipuz   PDF   Solution and Parses   Created by Will and Alex using PuzzleMe's free crossword puzzle maker

 Hi friends,  Been a second since I put a puzzle up here. This one's a themeless, and thanks to Norah for help in testing.  Had a blast at Westwords , including coming third overall! If I didn't see you there, hopefully I'll see you at Lolla . That's on a Saturday in August.   (if OneDrive prompts a log-in, try opening in a private window) .puz  PDF Solution Mmm, chocolate cake    

 Hi friends,  I'm back home from ACPT, and what a weekend! It was, by turns, incredibly fun and completely overwhelming. I had a blast. I finished the tournament clean, coming 43rd overall, 20th in B Divison, and 3rd in Midwest. That was a lot of my goals for this year's ACPT achieved, so I feel great. This puzzle was made for the ACPT lobby. I printed 300 copies, which was woefully inadequate. Since it was made for folks at ACPT, it's definitely a little more "inside baseball" than my usual blog posts. But I got nice feedback on it, and hopefully it's enjoyable for everyone.  This puzzle is a collaboration with Rich Iurilli , go check out Rich's other puzzles. Thanks also to Shannon Rapp and Matthew Gritzmacher for help in test solving. Rich, Shannon, and Matthew are all contributors to Daily Crossword Links , an invaluable resource and a great way to get even more into puzzles.  And lastly, thanks to the person who inspired this puzzle, for being a good ...

 Hi friends,  Today's puzzle comes to us from Matt Forest, who not only graciously made us this guest puzzle but has also provided an absolutely incredible-looking bake to go along with. You can find more of Matt's puzzles on his blog , and in a recent offering over at Defector .  Thank you, Matt! This puzzle is a mid-sized themed offering that's laden with fun.  Matt says: "This puzzle came into existence after the revealer phrase popped into my head one day, and I thought, "Maybe that could be something." So, I jotted it down, and later went searching for theme answers to see if anything would fit the bill. I ended up parking this on a midi-sized canvas because I didn't think the theme necessitated anything larger. I chatted with Will about it one day and he graciously offered to run it as  a guest puzzle on his site. I just so happened to be baking some banana chocolate chip muffins on the day we discussed the puzzle, so giving it a home on Half Baked ...

 Today's puzzle is small, and silly. Someone encouraged me to blog it, despite that. Enjoy!  (If OneDrive prompts a log-in, try a private browser window) .puz   Solution Mmm… lemon shortbread cookies

 Hi friends,   Today's puzzle is a themed offering, and a lesson in striking while the iron is hot. It's one of my oldest crossword ideas, but I was never quite able to make a grid that I was happy with for it. Years later, I revisited it. I did find my grid-making skills had improved, but I dithered in making and cluing it. By the time I sent it around and got feedback from venues, I got told by not one but two different editors that they already had a very similar puzzle in their queue. Such is life! I still love this theme, and I'm happy I finally managed to make the puzzle a reality. I'm excited to see the different paths people took with a similar concept as well, so keep your eyes peeled for those other puzzles.  Thank you to Geoffrey Schorkopf for invaluable help in testing this puzzle!   You can find Shannon and I over at The Defector .      If OneDrive prompts you to log-in, try opening in a private window.   .puz PDF Solution  ...

 Hi friends, I'm back, and a bit earlier in the week than I usually publish. If you solve the puzzle, you might find one reason why, but what better to do on New Year's Day than solve some crosswords? I hope your 2025 is filled with good friends and good solves. Thank you to Norah and Steve for testing this one! No .puz file or PDF this week. You'll see why when you see the grid. Mmm, chocolate nut toffee crunch   Amuselabs direct link Created by Will Eisenberg with the online cross word builder from Amuse Labs

 Hi friends, It's been a minute! While I haven't blogged in a while, you can find my puzzles in other places, including a 2000's-themed book (where I have two collaborations with Shannon ) and in the Puzzmo book , where Shannon and I have a collab, and I edited a few of the others. I'm closing in on a full year of being part of the leadership team for Lil AVCX , and what a year it's been! Watching the success of all the editors and mentees involved has been a pure joy. I recently wrote a few words about what Lil AVCX means to me. If you'd like to support our work in 2025, AVCX is in the midst of a subscriber drive . Gift subscriptions make a great present, too! Every cryptic is a labor of love, and I hope this one makes you smile. Steve Mossberg was instrumental in pushing this puzzle where it needed a push and reminding me to trust my instincts, too.  You can find Shannon and me with a themeless this week at AVCX+. I've got puzzles on the Crossword Flow ...

 Hi friends, Got a themed collab with Alex Boisvert this week, coming at you in an oversized grid! Alex is the wizard behind Crossword Nexus and the AVCX solving interface .   It was so great to see so many good friends at Lollapuzzoola last weekend. Tickets are still available for the Midwest Crossword Tournament , both in person and online, so I highly recommend getting one! I'll see you there. Mmm, white chocolate cherry cookies .jpz .puz   PDF   Solution Created by Wil Eisenberg and Alex Boisvert using crossword creator by Amuse Labs

 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

 Hi friends, Back this week with a themed midi. I constructed this puzzle on Twitch  as a way to demo the construction software Ingrid . Spoilers for this puzzle in that video, obviously! Ingrid is fantastic, and continues to be my go-to software for construction--and it's free!  Ingrid also has quite a few features that have been added since I made that video, especially a tool to add and change word scores. If you have an interest in construction, go check it out. And thanks to those who hung out on the Twitch stream. Their ideas helped shape this puzzle, including the title, which I believe was suggested by Dan . Go solve Dan's great puzzles, and congrats to Dan on his incredible 3rd place in the Mountain division at Westwords.  Thanks to Norah for help in testing this one.  .puz PDF   Solution   Mmm, pepperoni pizza  

 Hey friends, Back with a really fun themeless this week, a collaboration with the one and only Rose Sloan! I had the pleasure of hanging out with Rose at Westwords this past weekend, along with a whole bunch of you. Congrats to Rose on an impressive 3rd place finish in the Beach division.  What an amazing tournament, and you should buy the puzzle pack if you weren't able to go. They're all bangers, but some incredible cluing by Amanda Rafkin and some devious theming by Adam Wagner were the highlights for me. Rose says: "I was very excited to make this very nerdy puzzle with Will, and I'm excited that you all get to solve it now!" If these OneDrive links prompt a log-in, try opening in a private window: .puz PDF Solution Mmm, challah

 Hi friends! It's been a little while since I've had a blog puzzle--hopefully I'll have the chance to post a bit more this summer. In the meantime, I'm busy as part of the leadership team for Lil AVC X, editing for Puzzmo, and can be found in Universal, USA Today, and Crossword Flow, among other outlets.  I've got this week's AVCX+ themeless with Shannon Rapp (we also had a recent AVCX Classic that we recommend if you like tougher themed puzzles!). And both of us have a whole lot more great puzzles coming this summer, so keep your eyes peeled. Thanks to Shannon for help in testing this puzzle. It's a themeless that shouldn't play too rough. (If Onedrive prompts a login, try opening in a private window) .puz PDF   Solution     Mmm, cream puffs    

 Hi friends, Still recovering from ACPT here! It was an incredible whirlwind, and I saw so many of you there, and missed so many of you who were there too. I'm hoping to write up something more comprehensive at some point, but for now I'll just say it was an amazing experience. Today we've got a themed puzzle with my favorite collaborator, Shannon . Hope you enjoy! You can also find our work by donating to These Puzzles Fund Abortion 4 , in yesterday's USA Today, and various other outlets.    (If these links prompt a login to OneDrive, try opening in a private window) .puz    PDF   Solution Mmm, blood orange olive oil cake  

 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

 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  

 Hi gang, Back with a new themeless after a little hiatus. The puzzle work continues apace! I'm part of a lovely leadership team over at Lil AVC X, along with Rafa Musa, Olivia Mitra Framke, and Sally Hoelscher. We recently finished putting together the team of editors for 2024, which includes Norah Sharpe (under her government name)! This puzzle, like every collaboration with Norah , was a joy to make. Norah says, "The structure of this one was inspired by some of the gridwork that Brian Thomas has been up to lately (see this one and this one ). My favorite clues are 16A, 39A, and 51D. Thanks as ever to Will for having me over. There's only a few days left to send in your applications for the 2024 Lil AVC X roster! Details here . And speaking of Lil, please try our "Happy Hour" midi from earlier this week."   (If OneDrive prompts a log-in, try opening in a private window)   .puz   PDF   Solution Mmm, mini smores cups

 Hey friends, Back with a themeless 13x puzzle this week--a little bit smaller than a usual full-size grid. This one was constructed with the help of Twitch chat a while back, so thanks to everyone who helped at the time. Thanks to Norah Sharpe for help in testing this one. Speaking of Twitch, you can lately find Norah and I solving cryptics together on Twitch. It's a great way to learn how cryptics work, if you've never solved one before. It was great meeting so many of you at Lollapuzzoola! As a first foray into the world of major crossword tourneys, it couldn’t’ve been more fun. Mmm, key lime pie (If any of these links prompt a log in to OneDrive, try opening them in a private browser window.) PDF .puz Solution