feat. 62 words + the famous anagram of “what am I, a mind reader?”
test-solved by sid sivakumar
NOTES WITH SPOILERS (click after solving)
I don’t know if RUTHLESS DUPE is as common as a phrase as I thought it was when I started making this puzzle, but I definitely use it all the time when talking to people like Paolo or Adam. This particular puzzle was inspired by my most recent Patreon themeless, which has a pretty bad dupe that I acknowledge in the grid. I’m not super proud of it, but I’ll take theme inspiration where I can get it.
Assorted notes on entries/clues
- 17A/18A: I really wanted to clue BABY and SHOWERS together as BABY SHOWERS but I didn’t want that distracting from the theme. I can’t tell if it’s more distracting if I don’t acknowledge their proximity in the grid. Is it? Is that just “constructor brain” talking?
- 27A: I don’t know why I keep putting LARP in puzzles. It is impossible to try to clue it without using the words “live,” “action,” “role,” or “play.”
- 35A/28A: Olive Brinker (creator of “RAE the DOE“) is one of the trans webcomic artists whose work I enjoyed even *before* coming out. Alongside her, I was also a reader of Julia Kaye (“Up and Out” and “Super Late Bloomer”) and Pseudonym Jones (“Fanlee and Spätzle”). Their works endlessly inspire me, and I’m even friends with Pseudonym now! Funny how life works. Support independent artists!
- 26D: If you don’t know about the little LAD who loves berries and cream, you were not on TikTok in 2021. Here’s one of the Starburst commercials for that ad campaign.
- 40D: Whenever I have ASMR in a grid, I think about the first themeless grid on this blog, which contains the entry ASMROTICA(!!). In hindsight, the grid is kind of a bummer, with entries like POLICE VAN, ANTI-TRUMP, and the horribly-aged VOLDEMORT. That being said, I have to give Erik Agard props for letting me share a byline with him all those years ago. Incredibly cool of you, Erik!
I announced this a few days ago on my Patreon, but I’m officially putting it here too: I’m posting a new puzzle on the blog every day in November! I have a whole blurb I’ll post on the 1st, and I have another puzzle scheduled for Halloween, but brace yourselves! One thing I forget about being a self-employed artist is that sometimes I can challenge myself with fun projects like this. I’m excited! 🙂
In the meantime, I hope have fun with today’s puzzle. I added a little spoiler box for various notes on the theme and grid entries, which I might continue to use going forward. If you like it, let me know in the comments down below!
Today’s music embed is a Bo Burnham song that *isn’t* “Repeat Stuff”:
Enjoy the puz! Also: feel free to share the link, comment below if you like the puzzle, and check out my Patreon!
– Ada
Leave a Reply