[PDF] [PUZ]
difficulty: easy/medium (Tuesday-Wednesday?)
"this was a good time and more fun than homework"
- paolo "skateboard p" pasco
So last week, Matthew Stock (who, incidentally, I did last Sunday's Atlantic puzzle with - please solve that if you haven't) posted a 16x16 themeless on his site with translational symmetry. It got me wondering whether you could do something similar with a 15x15 grid! It turns out the answer is yes, but that there is exactly one grid pattern you can do that with which isn't totally infeasible, and it is, um, totally miserable:
But, with some very minor tweaks, you can get a grid that's far less segmented, far more aesthetically pleasing, and... it has 52 4-letter entries! Which is actually kind of cool. The only problem is it's got 78 words, but hey, I like cluing. Also, since the grid is still pretty segmented, you can stick literally any 15 into this grid and it'll fill. (You'll see what I mean when you solve it.)
Anyway, thanks to Paolo for test solving. Enjoy! Applet under the cut.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great quiz and a great puzzle! I hope you won't mind if I use the grid myself (https://shrinkwrappedpuzzles.blogspot.com/), making sure you get all of the credit of course...
ReplyDeleteHaha, I would LOVE to see other people try to make a puzzle with this grid, or something similar. (I think the next time I try a grid like this I'm going to do it without the cheaters in the corners, so I can get some 5/6 letter entries in there.)
DeleteP.S.: I have solved and enjoyed all the puzzles on your blog and will be thrilled to see what you come up with!
Gave it my best shot!
ReplyDeletehttps://shrinkwrappedpuzzles.blogspot.com/2021/03/march-8-themeless-10.html
Cool puzzle, thanks!
ReplyDelete