This one almost looks and feels like a themeless puzzle, with this wide open grid. Indeed, just 6 blocks in a 7x10 grid amounts to 6/70 = 3/35 ≈ 8.57% of the grid, which is the lowest I've been able to achieve in any puzzle. Still, I think the shorter fill and knowing the rhyming theme will help you crack into the puzzle.
Just now when I did the calculation 3/35, I noticed a pattern in the decimal digits that is quite interesting and reminds me of another fantastic number: 142,857. If you multiply that number by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, the result is a cyclic permutation of the same digits; for instance, 142,857 × 4 = 571,428, found by starting at the 5 and "wrapping around." I'll leave it to you to read a bit about this number and it's connection to 1/7, and then ponder why you think that same pattern shows up in the 3/35 calculation I mentioned.
Finally, this is set to post on the Friday just before the 1st week of classes of my Fall 2021 semester. I expect to be pretty darn busy this year (teaching three different courses and working on a grant for open-access educational resources, among many other things!), so I may slow down to every other week sometimes, instead of posting every Friday. Hope that's alright with y'all and that you'll still look forward to some puzzling fun when I have something to share. 😎
Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedback in the comments is always welcome.
Download links: [puz] [pdf] [solution] Direct link: [play online]
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