Wordy Wednesday 638: Mini Touchword 3

WORDY WEDNESDAY #636
SECTION SIX 63 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Derek Allen **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
CP80 **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #637
CODEWORDS 31 (hint)

As of this writing, 11 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #638
MINI TOUCHWORD 3
(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Cathy Bowen. Support me on Patreon at the Super Fan level ($5/month) and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the Ultra Fan level ($20/month) to suggest one seed word every month!
In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, all answers read across, and every letter shares an edge with at least one identical letter either immediately above or immediately below. The top and bottom rows are considered adjacent. (If you want more of these puzzles, the author offers the Touchword subscription service Outside the Fox Puzzles.) Arrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the final answer, a Scrabble-legal (unhyphenated, uncapitalized, etc.) 6-letter word.

1 Long reclining chair / ____ Danger (2014-2020 Nickelodeon series)
2 The scientific study of apparently random behavior: 2 wds.
3 Guitar-playing accessories / Multitude
4 Superman wears one / “____ at the Sun” (U2 song)
5 Small stream of water / Oceanic
6 “It’s all ____ to me!” / Three-time NBA MVP Moses
7 Classified / Money borrowed at interest
8 Company of theatrical performers / Long couch without a back
9 Common Christmas decoration / Vehicle for a stereotypical soccer mom
10 Sovereignty
11 Commend / Ergo

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 4-letter word for "____ John’s (pizza restaurant chain)"?
* Patron Puzzle #130, which will be delivered on March 8, 2025, exclusively to Patreon supporters at the Super Fan level and up ($5 or more per month), is a Framelinks.

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9: Final hint and final week!

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 4 (Why Can't We Be Friends?): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 5 (Musical Letter Chairs): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 20 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 6 (Perplexing Pearls): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 7 (Love Connection): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 8 (Meta) (And Bingo Wasn't His Game-O): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!) 

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 150 points apiece. 

 

The total number of points scored is 9175. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $91.75. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $367.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, or the meta for 75 points, possibly with the aid of the hints. This week is your final chance to score points and earn money for the food bank!
 
Stay tuned next week for all of the solutions and the final results. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 637: Codewords 31

WORDY WEDNESDAY #635
PENT WORDS 127 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Derek Allen **
Joe Bernard **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
CP80 **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #636
SECTION SIX 63 (hint)

As of this writing, 14 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #637
CODEWORDS 31
(click here for a PDF version)

In the crossword puzzle above, every letter is represented by an integer from 1 through 26. You must decipher the code to reveal the words.

Arrange the letters in the shaded spaces to spell the final answer, an eight-letter word.

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's an 11-letter, 2-word answer for "The scientific study of apparently random behavior"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 8 (Meta): And Bingo Wasn't His Game-O

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 4 (Why Can't We Be Friends?): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 5 (Musical Letter Chairs): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 20 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 6 (Perplexing Pearls): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 7 (Love Connection): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

 

The total number of points scored is 6600. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $66.00. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $264.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint. These 7 answers will also be necessary for solving the meta below.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 8 (META):

AND BINGO WASN’T HIS GAME-O

(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin hasn't had very good luck in his last seven games of bingo; despite using a different card in each game, he always seemed to wind up one space away from a winning line. What game should Kevin play next if he wants to turn things around?

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 150 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 8's hint, and then the week after for all of the solutions. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 636: Section Six 63

WORDY WEDNESDAY #634
MINI TOUCHWORD 2 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Cole Kendall **
Derek Allen **
Joe Bernard **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
CP80 **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Patrick Jordan **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #635
PENT WORDS 127 (hint)

As of this writing, 15 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #636
SECTION SIX 63
(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle’s grid has six rings and six sections. Each ring contains a series of words placed end to end, reading either clockwise or counterclockwise; all the words in a given ring will read in the same direction. Ring 1 (the outer ring) contains six answers that read clockwise; the starting spaces are numbered in the grid. Clues for the answers in the remaining rings are given in order, but their starting points and direction are for you to determine. The sections (separated by the heavy lines radiating from the center) will help you place the inner rings: in a given section, each ring segment contains all but one of the letters in the next segment outward. In other words, a section’s outermost segment contains six letters; the next segment inward contains five of those six letters in some order; and so on, until only one of the original six letters remains.

Arrange the letters in the starred spaces to form the final answer, a Scrabble-legal (unhyphenated, uncapitalized, etc.) 6-letter word.

Ring 1
1 Ringing kitchen gadget
2 The universe
3 Extreme
4 Michelin product
5 Relevant
6 Explosive that is thrown

Ring 2
• Cowell of America’s Got Talent
• The calm before the ____
• Yield
• Real number without a fractional component
• Treaty

Ring 3
• Large striped feline
• Enthusiastic
• Systems made up of microphones and loudspeakers
• Symbols on a music staff

Ring 4
• Certain male choir member
• Dispute
• Jamaican music genre associated with Bob Marley

Ring 5
• Snorkel’s rank in Beetle Bailey
• ____ beer

Ring 6
• ____ 63 (name of a NATO assault rifle, and not the 63rd person to use marijuana)

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A Codewords!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 7: Love Connection

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 4 (Why Can't We Be Friends?): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 5 (Musical Letter Chairs): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 20 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 6 (Perplexing Pearls): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece. 

 

The total number of points scored is 5725. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $57.25. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $229.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 7:

LOVE CONNECTION

(click here for a PDF version)

While Kevin is content to stick with puzzles and stay away from romance, he can’t help but be fascinated when the people around him pair up and make meaningful connections.

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 7's hint and Episode 8's puzzle, a meta requiring the 7 previous answers to be solved. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 635: Pent Words 127

WORDY WEDNESDAY #633
FRAMELINKS 26 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Michael Lebowitz *
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #634
MINI TOUCHWORD 2 (hint)

As of this writing, 17 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #635
PENT WORDS 127
(click here for a PDF version)

In this puzzle, you must divide the grid into pentominoes (regions containing five cells each), and write a letter in each cell. The rows, reading from left to right, will contain the words hinted at by the Across clues. The letters in the pentominoes, in reading order (left to right starting with the top row), will form the words hinted at by the Pentominoes clues; these clues are presented in no particular order. (In the example, the rows spell PLANT, SHARE, and BITES, and the pentominoes spell the words PLANS, TREES, and HABIT.) Use the ACROSS answers to determine where the pentominoes are.

ACROSS (two answers per row):
1 Quantity with magnitude, but not direction / Shopping center
2 President who’s the namesake of a dam / Gull relative
3 Walks leisurely / “Cut me ____ slack!”
4 Hit with the foot / Robinson ____ (Daniel Defoe novel)
5 Make into law / Masked vigilante created by Johnston McCulley
6 The largest organ in the human body / Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis ____
7 Title role for Bruce Boxleitner in a 1982 sci-fi flick / Delivered a blow to
8 Ribald / Post that supports a sail
9 Nimble / Genghis Khan was one
10 “All ____ the Watchtower” / Cleanse of soap
PENTOMINOES:
• HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• Wrinkle-removing implements
• Tim of Home Improvement
• Smiles
• Surrounded by
• “____ Your Groove Thing” (hit song for Peaches & Herb)
• “The ____ is in the mail”
• Interrogate
• Place to get your hair done
• Partitions into regions
• Juliet’s lover
• The outermost part of a loaf of bread
• Consecrate
• Committed robbery
• Mistake
• Clever trick
• Beeping clock feature
• Plainly manifest
• Play a guitar

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What is Snorkel’s rank in Beetle Bailey?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 6: Perplexing Pearls

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 4 (Why Can't We Be Friends?): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 5 (Musical Letter Chairs): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 20 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece. 

 

The total number of points scored is 4600. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $46.00. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $184.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 6:

PERPLEXING PEARLS

(click here for a PDF version)

Can you help Kevin make a chain using these black and white pearls?

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 6's hint and Episode 7's puzzle. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 634: Mini Touchword 2

WORDY WEDNESDAY #632
MINI TOUCHWORD (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Cole Kendall **
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Joe Bernard **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Patrick Jordan **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #633
FRAMELINKS 26 (hint)

As of this writing, 13 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #634
MINI TOUCHWORD 2
(click here for a PDF version)

In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, all answers read across, and every letter shares an edge with at least one identical letter either immediately above or immediately below. The top and bottom rows are considered adjacent. (If you want more of these puzzles, the author offers the Touchword subscription service Outside the Fox Puzzles.) Arrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the final answer, a Scrabble-legal (unhyphenated, uncapitalized, etc.) 6-letter word.

1 Poker hand just below a full house / Type of cuisine associated with Louisiana
2 Close grouping, as of stars or galaxies / Lack of difficulty
3 Linkin Park vocalist Bennington / Foundation
4 Cheese named after a village in Somerset / Porgy and ____
5 ____ & Crazy Kids (1990-1992 Nickelodeon game show) / Makes moist
6 Quaker who founded the city of Philadelphia: 2 wds.
7 “Thanks a ____!” / Localized aching sensation
8 Wisconsin’s capital / Water container fetched by Jack and Jill
9 Vegetable of the mustard family / “____ showers bring May flowers”
10 Divides / Pence’s successor
11 Plead the ____ (refuse to testify against oneself) / Christmas songs

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 5-letter word for "'____ Your Groove Thing' (hit song for Peaches & Herb)"?
* Patron Puzzle #129, which will be delivered on February 8, 2025, exclusively to Patreon supporters at the Super Fan level and up ($5 or more per month), is a Super Pent Words.

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 5: Musical Letter Chairs

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 4 (Why Can't We Be Friends?): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece. 

 

The total number of points scored is 3700. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $37.00. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $148.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 5:

MUSICAL LETTER CHAIRS

(click here for a PDF version)

As a pup, Kevin enjoyed this party game in which players scramble to get seated and not get eliminated.

COLUMN A
1. Sewing strand
2. Parody
3. Fourth-year college student
4. A type of skiing
5. Climb, as a mountain
6. Snickers ingredient
7. Dire
8. Apparel
9. Indicator light
10. Rotated, as a crank
11. Was home to
12. Jasper’s partner in crime in 101 Dalmatians
 

COLUMN B
• Exterminator’s target
• Distinguishing quality
• Inputs a phone number
• Passenger car in a three-box configuration
• Be in agreement
• Indian stringed instrument
• Drench
• Absolutely apparent
• Tricks of the ____
• Loud, unpleasant sound
• Emaciated
• Not over

COLUMN C
• Washington bills
• Skipjack or albacore
• Moved smoothly along a surface
• ____ monster (venomous lizard)
• Jack and Jill’s water holder
• Lyric poems
• A couple’s romantic night out
• “____ My Love (To Your New Lover)” (Adele song)
• Acidic in taste
• McDonald’s logo feature
• Elder Futhark symbol
• Mix, as ingredients

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 5's hint and Episode 6's puzzle. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 633: Framelinks 26

WORDY WEDNESDAY #631
ANACROSSWORD 43 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Cole Kendall **
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Michael Lebowitz **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins *
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #632
MINI CROSSWORD (hint)

As of this writing, 17 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #633
FRAMELINKS 26
(click here for a PDF version)

Fill in the empty squares in the diagram with the given letters to form words.
Arrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the final answer, a Scrabble-legal (unhyphenated, uncapitalized, etc.) 8-letter word.

A A A A A A   B   C C C   D D D   E E E E E E E E E   F F F   G   I I I I I   K   L L L L L L   N N N N N N   O O O O O O O   P   R R R R R   S S S  T T T T T   W   Y Y

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's an 11-letter, 2-word answer for "Quaker who founded the city of Philadelphia"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 4: Why Can't We Be Friends?

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 3 (Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 2725. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $27.25. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $109.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 4:

WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS?

(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin is a firm believer in maintaining international relations by having U.S. embassies all around the world.

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 4's hint and Episode 5's puzzle. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 632: Mini Touchword

WORDY WEDNESDAY #630
PENT WORDS 126 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Cindy Heisler **
Cole Kendall **
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Joe Bernard **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis *
Randy Rogers *
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Patrick Jordan *
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Squishmallows United **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #631
ANACROSSWORD 43 (hint)

As of this writing, 12 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #632
MINI TOUCHWORD
(click here for a PDF version)

In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, all answers read across, and every letter shares an edge with at least one identical letter either immediately above or immediately below. The top and bottom rows are considered adjacent. (If you want more of these puzzles, the author offers the Touchword subscription service Outside the Fox Puzzles.) Arrange the letters in the shaded squares to form the final answer, a Scrabble-legal (unhyphenated, uncapitalized, etc.) 6-letter word.

1 Intimidate / Trademarked name of a nonstick coating
2 Disney Princess voiced by Paige O’Hara / Render less harsh
3 A ____ of Unfortunate Events / Lyle or Pascal of the Animal Crossing games, for example
4 Indian’s women’s garments / Empty talk: 2 wds.
5 Overly flashy / Country where the Cantabrian Mountains are located
6 Dingy diner: 2 wds.
7 Local ____ network / Asian hurricane
8 Not together / Shape of a ball
9 What slashes on a bowling score sheet represent / “I Saw Her Standing ____” (hit song for the Beatles)
10 Insinuate / Boxer Michael Spinks’s brother
11 Horse-drawn carriage / Rat out: 2 wds.

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A Framelinks!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 3: Hopefully Not "Sew" Much Harder

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 1 person solved it later for 25 points.

Episode 2 (Scintillating Sci-Fi): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 1775. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $17.75. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $71.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 3:

HOPEFULLY NOT “SEW” MUCH HARDER

(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin just found another childhood quilt that his grandmother made him, titled “Sema IV”. Kevin doesn’t remember there being a “Sema I”, “Sema II”, or “Sema III”, though. Is there perhaps a puzzle hidden in this quilt, too?

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 3's hint and Episode 4's puzzle. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 631: Anacrossword 43

WORDY WEDNESDAY #629
LOGICROSSWORD 13 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #630
PENT WORDS 126 (hint)

As of this writing, 13 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #631
ANACROSSWORD 43
(click here for a PDF version)
(click here for rules)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Jeri Feaster and a word suggested by patron Russ Kale. Support me on Patreon at the Super Fan level ($5/month) and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the Ultra Fan level ($20/month) to suggest one seed word every month!

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
• One trying to get the upper hand, literally: 2 wds.
• Fast-growing Asian plant
• A grizzly, for example: 2 wds.
• Common bagel spread: 2 wds.
• “I beg to ____!”
• Respect
• Devil’s ____ cake
• Seethe
• Bookmaker’s concern
• Italian artist/archaeologist Giambattista
• Rough drawing
• “____ & Snakes” (Jim Stafford song)
• Ocean predator with dark stripes on its body: 2 wds.
• Rough woolen fabric
• One dozen

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What do slashes on a bowling score sheet represent?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9, Episode 2: Scintillating Sci-Fi

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 9"): click here

Episode 1 (This One's for the Dogs!): puzzle PDF, hint PDF (new!)

* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 850. Thus, the current money pool for Palm Beach County Food Bank is $8.50. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that Palm Beach County Food Bank will actually receive $34.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzle for 25 points, possibly with the aid of the hint.

KEVIN’S PUZZLES AT HOME

SEASON 9, EPISODE 2:

SCINTILLATING SCI-FI

(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin is trying to remember some of his favorite science fiction movies, and wouldn’t you know it, this wouldn’t be a puzzle if he didn’t need your help.

Blue-collar worker Roy Neary and single mother Jillian Guiler discover that they’re not alone in the universe in Close ___ ___ [__] ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___  of the Third Kind.

Characters race to find an Easter egg hidden in a virtual reality world called the OASIS in the 2018 movie Ready ___ ___ ___ [__] ___ ___ One.

In a dystopian version of Los Angeles, Rick Deckard must come out of retirement to fight robots called “replicants” in the cult classic [__] ___ ___ ___ ___ Runner.

Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on the role of a time-traveling assassin sent to kill Sarah Conner in 1984’s hit movie The ___ [__] ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___.

Cloning dinosaurs to make a theme park proves to be a dangerous idea in Steven Spielberg’s ___ ___ [__] ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Park.

Based on a 1963 novel by Pierre Boulle, an astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet dominated by primates in 1968’s Planet of the ___ [__] ___ ___.

Trapped in 1955, Marty McFly must return to the year 1985 in a time-traveling DeLorean in Back to the ___ [__] ___ ___ ___ ___.

Humanity must fight off an alien invasion on July 4 in the action-packed 1996 movie ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ [__] ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Day.

After Leonard Nimoy’s pointy-eared character died in the previous film, Kirk must recover his body in Star Trek III: The Search for ___ ___ ___ ___ [__].

---

(This illustration by Tintinabar is not part of the puzzle. Any resemblance between this Kevin and the one who runs www.kevinspuzzles.com is purely coincidental.)

Submit your answer to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com for 50 points, and stay tuned next week for Episode 2's hint and Episode 3's puzzle. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 630: Pent Words 126

WORDY WEDNESDAY #628
CODEWORDS 30 (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the normal version of the puzzle, or here for the easier version of the puzzle. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Bonnie Veenschoten **
Cathy Bowen **
Derek Allen **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
Kevin Orfield **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #629
LOGICROSSWORD 13 (hint)

As of this writing, 6 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. Send your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com within the next week to appear on the solvers list and be recognized for your puzzle prowess. Good luck, solvers!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #630
PENT WORDS 126
(click here for a PDF version)

In this puzzle, you must divide the grid into pentominoes (regions containing five cells each), and write a letter in each cell. The rows, reading from left to right, will contain the words hinted at by the Across clues. The letters in the pentominoes, in reading order (left to right starting with the top row), will form the words hinted at by the Pentominoes clues; these clues are presented in no particular order. (In the example, the rows spell PLANT, SHARE, and BITES, and the pentominoes spell the words PLANS, TREES, and HABIT.) Use the ACROSS answers to determine where the pentominoes are.

ACROSS (two answers per row):
1 Vincent who voiced the villain Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective (1986) / At a very slow tempo
2 ____ the beans / Laundry detergent’s target
3 Wyoming’s northern neighbor / Mustard ____
4 Like a cloudless morning sky / Torn-up piece of golf turf
5 Power tool for smoothing surfaces / ____ Christianity (book by C. S. Lewis)
6 Concealed / Cocker ____
7 Word-guessing game show whose hosts have included Michael Reagan, Chuck Woolery, Bill Engvall, and RuPaul / Cancel
8 Pay no attention to / ____ pressure
9 Shape of any piece from the board game Hive / Side-to-side rotation
10 Strategic maneuver / Around the ____ (ESPN series)
PENTOMINOES:
• HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
• Bone in the skull
• Man of ____ (2013 film starring Henry Cavill)
• Chocolate mint brand name
• “The thrill of victory and the ____ of defeat”
• Blood of the Greek gods
• Rooms in a prison
• Sleeper’s sound
• Indian monetary unit
• Lowest point
• Overwhelming fear
• Japanese dish made with fish and rice
• Precise
• Subarctic coniferous forest
• With The, 1993-1999 sitcom starring Fran Drescher
• The third most abundant gas in the Earth’s atmosphere
• Australian wild dog
• Muscular strength
• Light-refracting shape

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What ocean predator has dark stripes on its body?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, happy solving!