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Themed #36 - Fire Starter
Pretty typical "first word follows" type theme. I think 16-across was the entry I built the puzzle around. I like the phrase and have...

Brian Gubin
Feb 15, 20211 min read
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Themed #35 - Tennis Anyone?
I grew up watching tennis and played in high school, which seems like ages ago now. I still try and play with my wife - it was one of the...

Brian Gubin
Feb 8, 20211 min read
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Themed #34
Honestly this is almost a themeless. It's not but there isn't a reveal or a title and the theme isn't overly complicated; it's probably...

Brian Gubin
Feb 1, 20211 min read
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Themeless #7
LATEST, AND DARE I SAY GREATEST, THEMELESS? GREATEST CREATED BY ME, THAT IS. 17-ACROSS WAS THE ONLY SEED ENTRY. I SWEAR I SAW HER WALKING...

Brian Gubin
Jan 26, 20211 min read
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Themed #33 - Author's Beginnings
THE FIRST ITERATION OF THIS PUZZLE HAD CC SABATHIA AT 16-ACROSS. I THEN REALIZED THE OTHER 4 ANSWERS WERE ALL AUTHORS AND REALIZED I...

Brian Gubin
Jan 19, 20211 min read
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Themed #32 - End Pursuit
A PRETTY BASIC THEME TYPE BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT BAD! I THINK TOM CRUISE HAS AWESOME MOVIES SO I THINK 46-ACROSS MAY HAVE BEEN THE...

Brian Gubin
Jan 12, 20211 min read
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Themed #31 - The Sounds of Breakfast
MY TYPICAL BREAKFAST REVOLVES AROUND EGGS AND SAUSAGE. I USED TO EAT LUCKY CHARMS REGULARLY BUT UNFORTUNATELY I GREW UP. HOW FOOLISH OF...

Brian Gubin
Jan 5, 20211 min read
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Themed #30 - Help is on the Way
I KIND OF GOT INTO A STREAK OF MAKING THESE PUZZLES WHERE I ADD WORDS TO A FAMILIAR PHRASE. THEY ARE KIND OF FUN. I LIKE 18-DOWN AS A...

Brian Gubin
Dec 29, 20201 min read
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Themed #29 - It Rises​
AS I FREQUENTLY SAY ON THIS SITE, I'M NOT SURE THE THEME WORKS BUT THE BEAUTY OF THIS IS THAT I GET TO EXPERIMENT. I THINK IT WORKS FINE....

Brian Gubin
Dec 22, 20201 min read
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Themed #28 - Positive Thinking
I GREW UP WATCHING BASEBALL AND PROBABLY DIDN'T REALIZE 28-ACROSS'S "FIRST NAME" WAS ACTUALLY A NICKNAME BUT HEY, KIDS ARE DUMB. I WAS...

Brian Gubin
Dec 15, 20201 min read
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Themed #27 - Face Peel
I THOUGHT ABOUT TITLING THIS "SPA TREATMENT" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT BUT OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T END UP USING THAT TITLE. I THINK WHAT I HAVE...

Brian Gubin
Dec 8, 20201 min read
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Themed #26
CAME UP WITH THE THEME AT SOME POINT AND DON'T THINK I HAD CREATED A PUZZLE WITH THIS TYPE OF THEME BEFORE SO IT WAS FUN TO BUILD....

Brian Gubin
Dec 1, 20201 min read
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Themed #25
I THINK THIS THEME GREW AROUND 20-ACROSS. LIKE THE BAND AND THE SONG SO IT WAS NICE IT WORKED. MAYBE NOTHING SPECTACULAR IN THE...

Brian Gubin
Nov 24, 20201 min read
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Themed #24 - Twisted Metal
THE TITLE OF THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES GROWING UP. THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT SHOOTING MISSILES OUT OF YOUR CAR THAT IS...

Brian Gubin
Nov 17, 20201 min read
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Themed #24 - Twisted Metal
THE TITLE OF THIS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES GROWING UP. THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT SHOOTING MISSILES OUT OF YOUR CAR THAT IS...

Brian Gubin
Nov 17, 20201 min read
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Themed #23 - Musical Rhyming and Dining
I STARTED WITH 58-ACROSS. I DON'T KNOW WHY I THOUGHT OF IT BUT ONCE I DID I FIGURED I COULD BUILD SOMETHING AROUND THIS. THEN I TRIED TO...

Brian Gubin
Nov 10, 20201 min read
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Themed #22 - Mic Drop
I THINK I REALLY JUST WANTED TO GET 9-DOWN INTO A PUZZLE AND HIS NAME JUST SO HAPPENED TO WORK WITH THE THEME PHRASE. SERENDIPITY INDEED....

Brian Gubin
Nov 3, 20201 min read
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Themed #21
I ACTUALLY DON'T REALLY CARE FOR THE MOVIE THE THEME IS BASED AROUND. I DON'T DISLIKE IT I JUST NEVER QUITE GOT THE HYPE. EITHER WAY, I...

Brian Gubin
Oct 27, 20201 min read
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Themed #20 - Role Reversal
A THEME IDEA I CAME UP WITH A WHILE AGO BUT JUST RECENTLY FINISHED. I WASN'T SURE ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF 20 AND 57 ACROSS, BUT THEN I...

Brian Gubin
Oct 19, 20201 min read
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Themed #19
UNTITLED PUZZLE TODAY AND NO REVEAL PHRASE. 18-ACROSS WAS THE NAME THAT GAVE ME THE IDEA. I CAME UP WITH OTHERS BUT EVENTUALLY NOTICED I...

Brian Gubin
Oct 12, 20201 min read
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