This post has the "harder clues" version of today's 10x10 themeless puzzle, both in the embedded applet and the download links below. If this proves too challenging, click this link here for the "easier clues" version of the very same puzzle. I want to briefly comment on this puzzle's grid, too, because I've been trying to experiment with and learn more about grid designs lately. I've seen a lot of really cool and innovative grid symmetries and designs (some of which I mentioned in a recent post ) and I've been trying to apply some of those ideas to my own puzzles. This particular grid (shown above, top-left) uses one basic shape: that wide L thing with 5 blocks along and then 1 block around the bend, so to speak. That basic shape recurs four times and, overall, the grid does have standard rotational symmetry, but it almost  doesn't look like it should. I'm particularly intrigued by how this grid turned out because of the word lengths it...

New themeless puzzle today! A few entries and clues were inspired by recent events and pop culture, and I'm also continuing to experiment with grid designs (which I'll say more about in the "harder clues" post ).  This post has the "easier clues" version of this puzzle. As with the last midi themeless puzzle , I had my parents in mind as a stereotypical solver for this version, so I'm hoping these clues are doable for them and enjoyable for anyone else out there reading. I specifically tried to make some of the shorter clues really easy so that you can make inroads on the longer entries and, hey, maybe you'll learn a few fun things, too! (If you're looking for more of a challenge, click this link here for the "harder clues" version of this very same puzzle.) Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedback in the comments is always welcome. Download links:   [ puz ]   [ pdf ]   [ solution ]

I'm having a lot of fun making these 10x10 themeless puzzles, so here's another! On the constructor side of things, I am finding these immensely helpful for pruning my word list and gaining experience in filling a grid with decent entries. On the solver side, I hope these "bite-size" puzzles are quick and fun. And just like with the previous puzzle, I've written two sets of clues for this puzzle so you can choose the challenge that is appropriate for your level. This post has the "easier clues"  version of this puzzle. While writing these clues, I honestly had my parents in mind! They've told me my puzzles are tough for them, so I'm hoping this one is... well, maybe not necessarily super easy , but I did try to make sure this one is doable for them :-) (If you're looking for more of a challenge, click this link here for the  "harder clues"  version of this very same puzzle.) Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedba...

This post has the "harder clues" version of today's 10x10 themeless puzzle, both in the embedded applet and the download links below. If this proves too challenging, click this link here for the "easier clues" version  of the very same puzzle. Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedback in the comments is always welcome. Download links:   [ puz ]   [ pdf ]   [ solution ]

This post has the "harder clues" version of today's puzzle, both in the embedded applet and the download links. Click this link here to open a post with more information about this puzzle, as well as the "easier clues" version of it . Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedback in the comments is always welcome. Download links:   [ puz ]   [ pdf ]   [ solution ]

I'm continuing to work on themeless puzzles this week, and I'm finding these 10x10 puzzles to be a good size for practicing filling and cluing. They've helped me hone my word list and problem-solving skills while constructing. For this particular puzzle, I wanted to work on cluing and setting an appropriate level of difficulty. To do that, I actually wrote two different sets of clues for the same puzzle. I'm calling them the "easier clues" and the "harder clues" because I'm only certain of how they compare to each other. For y'all out there solving: I'm hoping you might share your thoughts about which version you tried and whether it played to your expectations. Below is the "easier clues" version, both in the embedded applet and the download links. Click this link here to open a post for the "harder clues" version of the same puzzle. Enjoy the solve, and share if you do! Constructive feedback in the comments is alway...