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Themed #79 - A Difficult Time
If anyone listens to Fill Me In, and if you don't you should, then this was the puzzle I mentioned in my email. It has an ice cream...
Brian Gubin
Feb 28, 20221 min read
181 views
0 comments


Themeless #18
I'm still very amazed and impressed by people who can crank out themeless puzzles. I see the constructor lineup at The New Yorker and...
Brian Gubin
Feb 21, 20221 min read
194 views
0 comments


Themed # 78 - Get an A+ in Spanish
I forget how I came up with the theme or what the first theme answer was I came up with. I think 24-down. It was actually pretty easy...
Brian Gubin
Feb 14, 20221 min read
198 views
3 comments


Themed #77 - Let's Eat
I often start with an idea and think "could I get this published somewhere?" Then I conduct a cursory search on Cruciverb to see if the...
Brian Gubin
Feb 7, 20221 min read
212 views
0 comments


Themed #76 - Spreads
I've definitely used this phrase/expression before. I'm pretty sure I first heard it from the late Stuart Scott *Googling. Confirmed he...
Brian Gubin
Jan 31, 20221 min read
177 views
0 comments


Themed #75 - You Need To Calm Down
Another puzzle inspired by my muse, Taylor Swift. I didn't use any reveal or indication of theme answers but the title makes it pretty...
Brian Gubin
Jan 24, 20221 min read
247 views
0 comments


Themed #74 - Get a Grip
Since I tend to create puzzles a few months prior to posting I sometimes forget the inspiration. I think this one may have come from the...
Brian Gubin
Jan 17, 20221 min read
174 views
0 comments


Themeless #17
I still haven't figured out the "art" of constructing a themeless puzzle. I need Robyn Weintraub or Nam Jin Yoon to give me a lesson. I...
Brian Gubin
Jan 10, 20221 min read
166 views
0 comments


Themed #73 - Bad Start
Happy new year my people! I hope everyone had a nice NYE and is ready to welcome in 2022. As the Counting Crows say in "Long December",...
Brian Gubin
Jan 2, 20221 min read
173 views
0 comments


Themed #72 - That Is
I had another puzzle scheduled to run today and as I was doing the write-up, I realized I didn't like one of the theme answers, so I...
Brian Gubin
Dec 27, 20211 min read
117 views
0 comments


Themed #71 - Gridiron Gang
I'm not sure which of these was the seed entry, maybe 41-across, which made me make a 16-wide grid. I always hate that because I don't...
Brian Gubin
Dec 20, 20211 min read
166 views
0 comments


Themed # 70 - Shout-out to Red, 1989, Reputation, and Lover
One of my personal heroes is the subject of this week's puzzle. I started listening to her music in 2006 when I fellow intern asked me if...
Brian Gubin
Dec 13, 20212 min read
2,070 views
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Themeless #16
I was supposed to publish this next week, at least based on my publication schedule, but I have a puzzle that has to be published next...
Brian Gubin
Dec 6, 20211 min read
135 views
0 comments


Themed #69 - Animal Tales
I wasn't exactly sure what to title this one. I didn't really think a reveal phrase was required but figured I should at least have a...
Brian Gubin
Nov 29, 20211 min read
154 views
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Themed #68 - I'll Have One
I actually used this exact revealer in a puzzle I had published with David Steinberg at Universal. That puzzle came out on 09/11/2020....
Brian Gubin
Nov 22, 20211 min read
157 views
0 comments


Themeless #15
I try to publish a themeless puzzle about once a month, partially to mix things up and partially because I need practice constructing...
Brian Gubin
Nov 15, 20211 min read
142 views
0 comments


Themed #67 - Forward Roll
I kind of like puzzles where I have the reveal phrase be the title instead. That allows the grid a bit more space to breathe - lessening...
Brian Gubin
Nov 8, 20211 min read
157 views
2 comments


Themed #66 - Wind Down
Started this one with a completely different idea in mind. I wanted to hide wind instruments in the down answers, but I couldn't make it...
Brian Gubin
Nov 1, 20211 min read
152 views
0 comments


Themed #65
This is obviously inspired by the song at 67-across, which happens to be one of my wife's favorite songs, at least go-to karaoke song....
Brian Gubin
Oct 25, 20211 min read
151 views
0 comments


Themed #64 - The Last Dance
Obviously came up with this theme while watching The Last Dance. If you haven't seen it and have Netflix I recommend giving it a watch....
Brian Gubin
Oct 18, 20211 min read
128 views
0 comments
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