Wordy Wednesday 181: Codewords 5

WORDY WEDNESDAY #178

CODEWORDSEARCH (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Adam Weaver **
Bryce Herdt **
J. Lay **
Rained Mirror **
Rusty the Wolf **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Stephan Swoboda **
Walker Anderson **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #179

CRYPTICROSTIC 4 (hint)

As of this writing, 7 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 #180

PENT WORDS 36 (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 #181

CODEWORDS 5

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron M. Sean Molley. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!

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. . .

* A sequel nobody asked for!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 179: Crypticrostic 4 & Wordy Wednesday 180: Pent Words 36

WORDY WEDNESDAY #177

ELIZA PSEUDONYM WATCHES MOVIES (answer)

Here is the answer to this puzzle. If you still wish to solve it yourself, please go here for the puzzle, or here for a hint. Here's a list of people who solved it:
Anthony Bailey **
Edderiofer He **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
John Reid **
Adam Weaver **
Bryce Herdt **
Michael Madsen **
Ryan Faley **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #178

CODEWORDSEARCH (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 #179

CRYPTICROSTIC 4

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Anthony Bailey. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!
The answer is a 9-letter word.
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
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

Billy Joel song, "Sweet Stuff", about saint __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                            29 33 41 12 45 02 27
Ingests birds __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
              55 36 16 13 05 43 46 28
Joanna, a vessel is full of good humor __ __ __ __ __ __
                                       09 30 21 06 50 38
Retest erratic thoroughfare __ __ __ __ __ __
                            39 26 14 03 53 18
Scooter, for example, seized by authority __ __ __ __ __ __
                                          48 25 08 31 54 15
sin(π/2), in Bonn, is “bad sine” __ __ __ __
                                 19 24 07 34
Stranger, twangier purpose of a can, perhaps __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                             11 22 35 47 20 37 51 42
Thus, a government agent protecting the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
   museum offering is sympathetic       01 40 17 49 32 10 04 23 56 44 52

DOUBLE WORDY WEDNESDAY!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #180

PENT WORDS 36

(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 During the time that / Not invitational
2 Country singer Ricky / Created
3 Weapon on a firearm / Soviet Union space station
4 A type of bed / Unfortunate
5 Princess who sings "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" / Dark shape formed when light hits an object
6 Have an affinity for / Place to keep credit cards, often
7 Panic! at the Disco guitarist Harris / Musician Brian
8 Priscilla's former husband / Chart of multiplication results, for example
9 Famous impaler / Nearly
10 Prisoner / Aladdin prop

PENTOMINOES:
* HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* England neighbor
* Orson Scott Card title character Wiggin
* Like an online multiplayer game played on a bad Internet connection
* Sassoon of hair care
* Impressionist Claude
* Express gratitude toward
* Of high rank
* Animal on a deviantART badge and in an Ogden Nash poem
* Little hooter
* Foreign
* Pull out all the ____
* Not quite right
* Utensil for aerating a mixture
* Greek letter associated with plane angles, often
* Philatelist's item
* Argue a case in a court of law
* Very pale
* ____ 6 (lodging chain that will leave the light on for you)

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A Codewords!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy update: Now accepting donations to American Red Cross

Sorry for the lack of Wednesday updates lately; I've been battling suicidal depression again, and underwent inpatient therapy. Starting next month, I'll have more limited Internet access; as far as my readers are concerned, this will manifest itself mostly in slower responses to e-mails. I will still have enough access to hopefully keep this blog alive and to keep my Patreon promises.

In light of Hurricane Harvey's recent damage and Hurricane Irma's impending damage, I have decided to add another noble cause to the list of noble causes to which one can donate to support my Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy initiative: the American Red Cross. I have even donated $30 myself to get the disaster relief ball rolling.

As a reminder, this is a charity initiative. Please e-mail me (glmathgrantATgmailDOTcom) a copy of your charitable receipt (it must be a new donation, dated no earlier than one day before you email me) to receive this pack of magazines. I am currently soliciting donations to these four charities:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which aims to prevent suicide. As a suicidal depression sufferer and near victim myself, it seems like a worthy cause.
• American Red Cross, which provides disaster relief in the USA.
• Child's Play Charity, which outfits children's hospitals and shelters with toys and games, making coping with the circumstances which put them there just a little bit easier.
• Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders, which provides emergency medical aid around the world.

I'm offering the original Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy pack (24 previously Patreon-exclusive word puzzles for US$11.10), the LiveJournal Logic Pack (300 logic puzzles for US$3), the Signed Magazine Four-Pack (four signed puzzle magazines for US$30, while supplies last), and the Section Six Six-Plus-Six Pack (12 Section Six puzzles for $6). No matter what your budget is, I hope you will support these causes and get some fun puzzles to solve.

Wordy Wednesday 178: Codewordsearch

WORDY WEDNESDAY #176

SECTION SIX 17 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Benjamin Smith **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Bryce Herdt **
Rusty the Wolf **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #177

ELIZA PSEUDONYM WATCHES MOVIES (hint)

As of this writing, 9 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's a hint. 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 #178

CODEWORDSEARCH

(click here for a PDF version)

While I was away, some prankster replaced the letters in my word search with numbers. Maybe I can still solve it . . .
The answer is 3 words, 15 letters total.

ALGEBRA, ARUGULA, ASSESSOR, BARROOM, BREATHE, BUGABOO, CANASTA, CHIRRUP, CLARION, COUSCOUS, CYCLICAL, EGGSHELL, ENCLAVE, HEINOUS, HOLINESS, MAMMARY, MEATLOAF, MEDIEVAL, MISSTEP, MULLIGAN, POPULACE, REGATTA, SCARLET, SENTIENT, SWALLOW, VAMOOSE, VARIETY, WHITTLE, WRESTLE.

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* Cryptic clues!
* What's a 5-letter word for "Animal on a deviantART badge and in an Ogden Nash poem"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 177: Eliza Pseudonym Watches Movies

WORDY WEDNESDAY #175

PENT WORDS 35 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Bryce Herdt **
J. Lay **
Rusty the Wolf **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #176

SECTION SIX 17 (hint)

As of this writing, 9 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 #177

ELIZA PSEUDONYM WATCHES MOVIES

(click here for a PDF version)

Over the course of a week from Sunday through Saturday, Eliza Pseudonym has used her Webflix subscription to watch 7 different movies. Each one was watched with a different friend (including Delilah) and while eating a different snack (including Sicklets). After watching each movie, Eliza and her friend gave it a different rating from 1 through 7 stars. Using the clues below, determine what movie Eliza watched each day, the rating it was given, the friend she watched it with, and the snack she ate while watching it. You might even figure out the title of the movie Eliza plans to watch next.

1. W&W's were eaten either 2 days before or 2 days after the day Eliza watched that movie where police officer Alex J. Murphy is turned into a cyborg.
2. The following movies are all different: the one watched with Carla, the one watched while eating the Venus candy bars, the one watched while eating Happy Cowboy hard candies, and that horror movie with the cursed videotape.
3. That 2004 movie with the demonic superhero was seen 2 days after that movie with the song "A Whole New World".
4. Barbra watched a movie the day before or the day after that movie where police officer Alex J. Murphy is turned into a cyborg was viewed.
5. That 2004 movie with the demonic superhero was given a rating 1 star higher than that of the movie seen on Wednesday, but 1 star lower than the one watched with Anna.
6. Hannah watched a movie with Eliza the day after Eliza ate the Hisshey's chocolate bars.
7. The 7-star movie was watched on Sunday.
8. Of the movie watched on Saturday and the movie watched with Barbra, one was given a rating 3 stars higher than the other's rating.
9. Fiona watched a movie whose rating was an even number of stars 5 days before Eliza ate Venus candy bars.
10. Anna watched a movie with Eliza either 2 days before or 2 days after Eliza saw that movie with the yellow creatures from Despicable Me.
11. The 5-star movie was watched the day after Georgia watched a movie, and 2 days before Pop Papers were eaten during a movie whose rating was an odd number of stars.
12. That romantic movie on the sinking ship was watched sometime before that movie with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in space.
13. Neither that horror movie with the cursed videotape nor that movie where police officer Alex J. Murphy is turned into a cyborg was the movie with the one-star rating.
14. Gummy Tummy candies were eaten while watching the movie rated 4 stars.

(This alternate solving grid is available for solvers who would prefer it. Click on it to enlarge it.)

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A word search!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 176: Section Six 17

WORDY WEDNESDAY #174

HEX PATHFINDER 10 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Bryce Herdt **
J. Lay **
Lewis Chen **
Rusty the Wolf **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #175

PENT WORDS 35 (hint)

As of this writing, 9 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 #176

SECTION SIX 17

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron M. Sean Molley. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!

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 six starred spaces to form the final answer, a 6-letter word.

Ring 1
1 Indigenous
2 Bert's cohort on Sesame Street
3 One making bread
4 Laws-to-be
5 Jordan of Space Jam
6 Like some classics

Ring 2
* You might swear on one
* Originating from Dublin, for example
* A place's average weather conditions
* Singer Gomez
* November 11 honoree

Ring 3
* Compound countered by certain allergy meds
* 12 Years a ____ (2013 film)
* Teach to be obedient, as an animal
* Defamatory written statement

Ring 4
* x and y, in algebra
* "The sky's the ____"
* Christian period of fasting

Ring 5
* A Starbucks drink size
* Region after which a husky breed is named

Ring 6
* "Edge of Seventeen" singer Nicks

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A logic puzzle????

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy update: Section Six Six-Plus-Six Pack!

THESE PUZZLES AREN'T AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE EXCEPT FOR THIS CHARITY INITIATIVE!

For a charitable donation of US$6 or more, you can buy yourself a 12-pack of Section Sixes, my miniaturized version of the venerable Patrick Berry's Section Eight. Ever since WW56, every Wordy Wednesday ending in a 6 has been a Section Six. If you enjoy the Section Sixes on this blog, you're sure to enjoy the dozen puzzles I've cooked up for this packet. Puzzles will be sent as a PDF with instructions, puzzles, and answers.

As a reminder, this is a charity initiative. Please e-mail me (glmathgrantATgmailDOTcom) a copy of your charitable receipt (it must be a new donation, dated no earlier than one day before you email me) to receive this pack of magazines. I am currently soliciting donations to these three charities:

• Child's Play Charity, which outfits children's hospitals and shelters with toys and games, making coping with the circumstances which put them there just a little bit easier.
• Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders, which provides emergency medical aid around the world.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which aims to prevent suicide. As a suicidal depression sufferer and near victim myself, it seems like a worthy cause.

I'm also still offering the original Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy pack (24 previously Patreon-exclusive word puzzles for US$11.10), the LiveJournal Logic Pack (300 logic puzzles for US$3), and the Signed Magazine Four-Pack (four signed puzzle magazines for US$30, while supplies last).

Contest: Words Without Friends 4: Game Version (RESULTS!)

I received a paltry 3 entries for this contest.

Christian H.P. 1095
Michael Tang 1054
Sam Levitin 815

Their grids may be seen here.

Since I received so few entries, I'm making the executive decision to award all three entrants the grand prize! (For what it's worth, random.org would have awarded Michael Tang the grand prize and Christian H.P. second prize.) I really tried to make it easy to enter (750 is really easy to beat; your entry doesn't have to be optimized to have a chance at winning, but optimizing it will increase your chances), but only three people showed up. Maybe now that you see how easy it is to get a prize, you'll enter next time, eh? :)

Wordy Wednesday 175: Pent Words 35

WORDY WEDNESDAY #173

WORDS WITHOUT FRIENDS 4 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #174

HEX PATHFINDER 10 (hint)

As of this writing, 10 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 #175

PENT WORDS 35

(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 Tool with jaws / Meager
2 ___ the King's Men (Robert Penn Warren novel) / Surrounded by
3 Off-color / Match Game Hollywood Squares ____ (1983-1984 game show where each episode was 60 minutes of two other game shows)
4 False teaching / Gray wolf
5 Actress Carmen / How a period is pronounced, sometimes
6 Atlas contents / Tax on imported goods
7 ____ heap / Error causing massive confusion
8 Groom oneself carefully / Strong cloth made of flax
9 Moray, for one / ____ Michigan University (university in Ypsilanti)
10 Upsets / "____ me banana. . ."

PENTOMINOES:
* HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* Danger
* Country estate
* Automaton
* Part of a calyx
* Nickname for Walter Eugene O’Reilly
* Bide for time
* Brief summary
* Rent
* You might be made one you can't refuse
* Rendezvous
* Peasant's ____ (homestarrunner.com adventure game)
* Just plain silly
* Come up
* Scooby-Doo and the ____ School (1988 TV movie)
* Banana ____
* _____ and Punishment in Suburbia (2000 film)
* Controls
* The Wii Remote has one that goes around your wrist

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 6-letter word for "'Edge of Seventeen' singer Nicks"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 174: Hex Pathfinder 10

WORDY WEDNESDAY #172

CRYPTICROSTIC 3 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Edderiofer He **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Deusovi **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin *

WORDY WEDNESDAY #173

WORDS WITHOUT FRIENDS 4 (hint)

As of this writing, 7 people have solved this puzzle. Haven't solved it yet? Here's an easier version. I also have two entries for the contest version. All entries with a score of 750 or more have a chance to win a prize, but entries above the median score have a greater chance, so regardless of your skill level, I hope you will enter! 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 #174

HEX PATHFINDER 10

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Jack Bross. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!
In this puzzle, each answer starts in the correspondingly numbered hexagon and winds through the grid, starting in the indicated direction. When you have finished, every letter will be used in exactly two entries.

Rearrange the letters in the shaded spaces to get the final answer, a 7-letter word.

1E The author’s were checked twice daily while he was in a mental hospital (10, 2 wds.)
2NW Repeat performance (6)
3NW Black and white African mammal (5)
4W Clank’s partner (7)
5NE Mar (7)
6W Figure skater’s move (4)
6SE One in a U.S. government trio (17, 2 wds.)
7NW Dr. Dre’s forte (7)
8W Easily broken (5)
9NE Engagement or wedding item (4)
9SE Horned mammal, for short (5)
10W Annoying (5)
10W Round pizza toppings (10)
11W Lower part of the leg (4)
12E Borden mascot (5)
13W Makes safe (7)
14NW Popular brand of peanuts (8)
14NW Ouija prop (10)
15E Shakespearean king (4)
16E Put out of one’s memory (7)
17NW Code namesake (5)
17SW Dragon in a Disney movie (5)
18NW Flop (4)
19NE The Shining director (14, 2 wds.)
20W Sentence uttered by the Borg (18, 3 wds.)
21SW Underdog’s victory (5)
22W Tracks worn by going over the same place over and over (4)
23SW Most frigid (6)
24E Reeled (4)
25SW Completely destroyed, in Internet lingo (4)
25SW “The Biggest Little City in the World” (4)
26SE Under (5)
27NW Happen as a result (5)
28NW Bristly organ (4)
29E Observe (4)

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 5-letter word for "Peasant's ____ (homestarrunner.com adventure game)"?
* Patron Puzzle #17, which will be delivered exclusively to Patreon supporters ($5 or more per month), is titled "Anagramming and Adding 2 More".

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Contest: Words Without Friends 4: Game Version

Click here for the PDF version.

This game of word solitaire is inspired by Solicross.

You have 15 turns to score as many points as possible by building words on the grid. Start by taking the first 7 letters from the LETTER LIST (which is taken from Wordy Wednesday 173). Form an English word using two or more letters, and place it reading across (from left to right) or down (from top to bottom) in the grid, either starting in or ending in the outlined cell. On each successive turn, cross out the letters you used and replace them with the next letters from the LETTER LIST, and then play a new word using some or all of those letters. As in Scrabble, you can play at right angles to a previous word (either incorporating a letter from it or expanding it) or parallel to a previous word, but must adjoin some previous word; adjoining letters must always form words in crossword fashion, and all letters used in a single turn must be part of a single word.

Every turn, you score for the words you made on that turn. The score for a word is the sum of all the numbers it covers (whether those letters were played on that turn or not); multiple words formed in a single turn are added up together (with shared letters counting twice). If you use all 60 letters within 15 turns, give yourself 50 extra points. If you use all 21 of the shaded cells, give yourself 500 extra points! (These are the cells I didn’t use in Wordy Wednesday 173.)

All words will be checked against http://www.m-w.com/scrabble for validity.

All solvers who score at least 750 points will be entered to win their choice of a signed copy of the May 2017 issue of Games World of Puzzles, whose cover features my original puzzle type Pent Words, or a signed copy of Logic Puzzles 101, a book of 101 of my logic puzzles of easy to medium difficulty. All solvers who score at least the median number of points will be entered into a prize drawing to win both prizes! Send your finished game (with a score of at least 750 points; a picture of the finished grid and a list of words formed each turn should suffice) to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com by 12:59 PM on August 2, 2017. You may submit multiple times during the next two weeks; only your highest score will be counted. Have fun!

Wordy Wednesday 173: Words Without Friends 4

WORDY WEDNESDAY #171

ANACROSSWORD 12 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Lewis Chen *
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin *

WORDY WEDNESDAY #172

CRYPTICROSTIC 3 (hint)

As of this writing, 9 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 #173

WORDS WITHOUT FRIENDS 4

(click here for a PDF version)

You have 15 turns to build words on the grid. Start by taking the first seven letters in the DRAW COLUMN. Form an English word using six of those letters, and place it reading from top to bottom in the cells marked 1. On each successive turn, cross out the letters you used and transfer the unused letters (if any) to the next line in the DRAW COLUMN, and then play a new word using some of those letters, placing them in the next successively numbered spaces. Adjoining letters must always form words in crossword fashion, and all the letters will be used.

All words in my solution are valid according to http://scrabble.merriam.com. However, aside from some 2-letter words, all of them should be very familiar.

Arrange the letters in the shaded cells to form the final answer, a 7-letter word.

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 10-letter word for "Ouija prop"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 172: Crypticrostic 3

WORDY WEDNESDAY #169

ANAWORDSEARCH (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Deusovi **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #170

PENT WORDS 34 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #171

ANACROSSWORD 12 (hint)

As of this writing, 7 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 #172

CRYPTICROSTIC 3

(click here for a PDF version)

The answer is two words of length (6 7).
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
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

Beginning to seize graffiti artist with inebriated gait __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                                        33 28 18 26 08 47 03
Bicycle with some kickstand embellishment __ __ __ __ __ __
                                          14 04 43 49 13 30
Like some flying objects brought   __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
     together around one concavity 39 07 46 35 22 32 05 24 44 34 29 37
Peter’s heart with just a slight hint of a heartbeat __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                                     09 23 06 25 41 19 31 48 12
Saunters with man who freed slaves, eating first bit of yogurt __ __ __ __ __ __
                                                               17 10 15 42 02 21
String instrument storyteller heard __ __ __ __
                                    20 11 38 36
Tossed rings producing smiles __ __ __ __ __
                              01 45 27 40 16 

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A sequel that nobody asked for!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 171: Anacrossword 12

WORDY WEDNESDAY #167

TOUCHWORD 3 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Chris Hendricks **
Deusovi **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #168

TOUCHWORD 4 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
Bryce Herdt **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #169

ANAWORDSEARCH 2 (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 #170

PENT WORDS 34 (hint)

As of this writing, 10 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!

OUTSIDE THE BOX PUZZLES!

A puzzler named Joon Pahk runs a puzzle subscription service where he posts 75 puzzles a year, 50 Rows Garden puzzles and 25 variety puzzles. Soon after opening the latter up to outside submissions, Joon received a Touchword from me, and this past Monday, said Touchword was sent out to his subscribers via e-mail! If you're already a subscriber, I hope you enjoy(ed) it. If not, you can become one for $15 and gain access to this Touchword plus all previous variety puzzles posted this year, plus any future ones. :)

WORDY WEDNESDAY #171

ANACROSSWORD 12

(click here for a PDF version)

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 
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 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97
Withstand
Make butter
Guys and ____
Wagon without sides
____ the Spy (1996 movie based on a 1964 children’s novel)
“____ your horses!”
Emulate an owl
Floozy
Pass away (hopefully after having done all the things on one’s list): 3 wds.
Most licentious
Eli or Peyton of football
Marionette manipulator
T. ____ Price
Stolen stuff
Was very deeply affected by, as criticism or advice: 3 wds.
Keyboard user
Hymn author Isaac
Anyplace
It can precede “number” or “cloth”
Like used clothing

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A Crypticrostic!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 169: Anawordsearch 2 & Wordy Wednesday 170: Pent Words 34

WORDY WEDNESDAY #165

PENT WORDS 33 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
M. Sean Molley **
Pavel Curtis **
Bryce Herdt **
Lewis Chen **
Rained Mirror **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #166

SECTION SIX 16 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
James Sinnett **
John Reid **
M. Sean Molley **
Bryce Herdt **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #167

TOUCHWORD 3 (hint)

As of this writing, a number of 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 #168

TOUCHWORD 4 (hint)

As of this writing, a number of 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!

GUEST PUZZLE ON RYAN FALEY'S BLOG!

This week's puzzle on Redhead64's Obscure Puzzle Blog! is a guest puzzle by me. Enjoy!

DOUBLE WORDY WEDNESDAYS ALL MONTH!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #169

ANAWORDSEARCH 2

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Jack Bross. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!

(A sequel to WW67.)

Personal journal __ __ __ __ __
                 H1 F2 A6 G4 B2
Small rowboat __ __ __ __ __ __
              H3 F5 D5 G8 D1 D6
Demystify __ __ __ __ __ __ __
          A2 G2 E4 E3 D4 A5 D8
____ Rapids, MI (RAPIDS and 11 other words of 4+ letters that  __ __ __ __ __
   can follow this answer are hidden in the word search above) E1 H2 B4 H4 G6
Wallflower __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
           E6 C5 H6 H8 A8 B5 C8 A1 C1
Wild canine of Asia and Africa __ __ __ __ __ __
                               E2 D3 A3 C7 G1 B3
Sweat __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
      A4 B1 C2 F3 G5 E8 D7 F4
Umpire’s shout __ __ __ __
               E5 C4 F7 G7
Dog breed whose name comes from the German word for “pointed” __ __ __ __ __
                                                              B7 B8 G3 F6 C6
Like a 9-0 Supreme Court ruling __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                D2 F8 H5 A7 B6 C3 E7 F1 H7

WORDY WEDNESDAY #170

PENT WORDS 34

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron M. Sean Molley. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!

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 "Code Monkey" singer Jonathan / It may come in cubes
2 Item on an abacus / "When The Roll Is Called Up ____" (Christian hymn)
3 Opah's organ / Undoes a mistake, perhaps
4 Scissors sound / Cease and ____
5 Finished / Insect which the Pokémon Scyther resembles
6 Pupa protector / Item at a funeral
7 Title cat of a 2016 comedy (side note: when I used this clue in a GAMES World of Puzzles submission, they replaced it with a boring one about Reeves from The Matrix) / They're followed by the finals
8 Hitch / Sudden, sharp pain
9 First name of the singer of "All I Want For Christmas Is You" / Formation on a healed wound
10 Nolo contendere, for one / Resentful
PENTOMINOES:
* HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* Tree whose leaf is on the Canadian flag
* The Little Engine That ____
* Type of elephant with smaller ears than the African one
* Tine
* "____ Front Property" (George Strait song)
* DVD player button
* Provide food for an event
* Evil spirit
* Yields
* Music staff symbols indicating silence
* With The, site that sells "I Enjoy Branded Merchandise" coffee mugs
* Commence
* Clothing items in a Dr. Seuss title
* Stingy person
* Item for a nun
* Partners of ventricles
* 1990-1997 sitcom set in Nantucket
* Harrison's successor

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What word can precede “number” or “cloth”?
* Patron Puzzle #26, which will be delivered exclusively to Patreon supporters ($5 or more per month), is a giant Anacrossword with 206 letters!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy Update: The Signed Magazine Four-Pack!

Did you know that I've been published in print magazines a few times? It's true!

While supplies last, for a charitable donation of US$30 or more, you can buy yourself SIGNED COPIES of the Winter 2015 and Spring 2015 issues of Will Shortz's Wordplay (to which I contributed two Pathfinder puzzles) and the May 2017 and August 2017 issues of Games World of Puzzles (to which I contributed a Pent Words and a Hex Pathfinder, respectively). That's a bunch of word puzzles and logic puzzles, not to mention four signatures from everyone's favorite furry puzzlesmith!

If you live outside of the USA, please also make a US$20 payment to my PayPal at glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com to cover shipping; I will refund any money in excess of the actual shipping costs.

As a reminder, this is a charity initiative. Please e-mail me (glmathgrantATgmailDOTcom) a copy of your charitable receipt (it must be a new donation, dated no earlier than one day before you email me) to receive this pack of magazines. I am currently soliciting donations to these three charities:

• Child's Play Charity, which outfits children's hospitals and shelters with toys and games, making coping with the circumstances which put them there just a little bit easier.
• Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders, which provides emergency medical aid around the world.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which aims to prevent suicide. As a suicidal depression sufferer and near victim myself, it seems like a worthy cause.

I'm also still offering the original Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy pack (24 previously Patreon-exclusive word puzzles for US$11.10) and the LiveJournal Logic Pack (300 logic puzzles for US$3).

I currently make US$104 a month on Patreon. If, from now until July 31, 2017, I raise at least US$104 with my Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy Initiative, I will construct a giant Anacrossword (around 200 letters) for a Wordy Wednesday puzzle! To get a feel for how a giant Anacrossword solves, check out Wordy Wednesday 100. Please spread the word about Patron Puzzles for Philanthropy amongst all of your puzzle-loving friends to make this happen!

Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 167: Touchword 3 & Wordy Wednesday 168: Touchword 4

WORDY WEDNESDAY #163

PATHFINDER 4 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Bryce Herdt **
Jason Boomer **
John Reid **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #164

HEX PATHFINDER 9 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Bryce Herdt **
Jason Boomer **
John Reid **
Lewis Chen **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #165

PENT WORDS 33 (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 #166

SECTION SIX 16 (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!

DOUBLE WORDY WEDNESDAYS ALL MONTH!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #167

TOUCHWORD 3

(click here for a PDF version)

In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, 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. (You can think of it as a diagramless, cylindrical Share-A-Letter puzzle.)

Arrange the letters in the shaded spaces to form the final answer, an 8-letter word.

1 Capital on the River Thames / Popular gum flavor
2 Reduce the volume of, perhaps / Unwanted critter
3 Satisfied / Always
4 Deplaned / ____ the Dragon (Bruce Lee flick) / Disney character who says, “Thanks for noticin' me”
5 “Where were you on the night of the murder?” response / “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer / ____ a reasonable doubt
6 Language of the Qur’an / Parsley, for example / “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, often
7 College student organization, briefly / Crossword writers’ favorite tennis player Arthur / Revel
8 Mister ____ (Marvel character) / Completely comfortable: 2 wds.
9 Airline with a kangaroo logo / A region in China / “Days in the ____” (Drake song)
10 Repeat someone else’s words, perhaps / 2017, for example / Long pole on a ship
11 Part of the small intestine / State for which Bernie Sanders is a Senator
12 Place from which the only way to go is back: 2 wds. / Connotation
13 Diane of Annie Hall / Recipient of a charitable gift / Kind
14 Bootlick / Second to ____ / The Prince of ____ (1998 film)
15 Dope / Henrik Ibsen play with incidental music by Edvard Grieg: 2 wds.

WORDY WEDNESDAY #168

TOUCHWORD 4

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Anthony Bailey. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!
In a crossword, words cross each other; in this puzzle, they merely touch. More specifically, 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. (You can think of it as a diagramless, cylindrical Share-A-Letter puzzle.)

Arrange the letters in the shaded spaces to form the final answer, an 8-letter word.

1 Six of these clues (including this one) have them / The Amazing ____ (TV series)
2 Richard Carpenter’s sister in The Carpenters / Near miss: 2 wds.
3 It became divided in 1948 / Plumbing problem / Act properly
4 ____ bear (Alaskan mammal) / Rotary kitchen utensil
5 Word after “social” or “mass” / Beer barrels / Depression created by a meteorite
6 Shea Stadium team until 2008 / Eight 0’s and/or 1’s / What some food is made from
7 The Great ____ (F. Scott Fitzgerald novel) / Musical speed / Gateway ____ (Missouri landmark)
8 Open wide, as one’s mouth / Spruce up / TV personality who received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013
9 Escapade / Former Twitter CEO Williams / Cottonwood, for one
10 Brief appearance / Informal speech
11 Message upon losing your last life: 2 wds. / Power
12 Zootopia character voiced by Shakira / Fur ____ (site that probably has much fan art of the aforementioned character)
13 Witch ____ / Page / Complete
14 Unfriendly / Remove imperfections from, as a photograph
15 Sticky note trademark: hyph. / ____ apparent / Martial artist Lee

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 5-letter word for "Dog breed whose name comes from the German word for 'pointed'"?
* What's a 5-letter word for "With The, site that sells 'I Enjoy Branded Merchandise' coffee mugs"?

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!

Wordy Wednesday 165: Pent Words 33 & Wordy Wednesday 166: Section Six 16

WORDY WEDNESDAY #161

CRYPTICROSTIC 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:
Anthony Bailey **
Edderiofer He **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Adam Weaver **
Bryce Herdt **
Deusovi **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin *

WORDY WEDNESDAY #162

ANACROSSWORD 11 (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:
Anthony Bailey **
Giovanni Pagano **
Jack Bross **
Adam Weaver **
Bryce Herdt **
Jason Boomer **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
yyw **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #163

PATHFINDER 4 (hint)

As of this writing, 7 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 #164

HEX PATHFINDER 9 (hint)

As of this writing, 7 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!

DOUBLE WORDY WEDNESDAYS ALL MONTH!

WORDY WEDNESDAY #165

PENT WORDS 33

(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains a word suggested by patron Pavel Curtis. Support me on Patreon at the $5 per month level and solve the monthly Patron Puzzle for a chance to suggest a seed word for a future puzzle, or at the $20 per month level to suggest one seed word every month!

 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 Machine used by Nazi Germany to encrypt messages / Companion of Crackle and Pop
2 Psychiatrist, slangily / Spengler of Ghostbusters
3 Certain sculptures / Triple ____ (orange-flavored liqueur)
4 Avis competitor / Worth
5 Mario Tennis character with an egg on his racket / Slowly wear away
6 ____ baller / Not large
7 "Baby ____ Back" (Sir Mix-A-Lot song) / French painter Marcel
8 The Jetsons' family dog / Hopping mad
9 Craziness / Clue
10 "____ the World" (Eric Clapton song) / Lascivious look

PENTOMINOES:
* HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER
* Andean pack animal
* Preach to the ____
* Comic detective Dick
* ____-hair pasta
* Last Greek letter
* College paper
* Spanish explorer Juan ____ de León
* Pillages
* Midday meal
* Rand McNally offering
* Suppose
* "To ____ own self be true"
* Avoid
* Practitioner of the world's third-largest religion
* Comedian Cheech
* Game show host Tomarken
* Pleasant smell
* Creature in a pit, perhaps

WORDY WEDNESDAY #166

SECTION SIX 16

(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 six starred spaces to form the final answer, a 6-letter word.

Ring 1
1 River in the title of a Strauss waltz
2 A catapult relative, or a wild ass
3 Prefer
4 Secret code in which a message is written
5 Aptly-named Cerulean Gym leader specializing in Water-type Pokémon
6 One worshiping a false god

Ring 2
* Signature hairstyle for Bob Ross
* Plentiful
* Monarchy advocate
* Former Secretary of Labor Robert
* Turn a hypothesis into a theorem

Ring 3
* Perimeter
* Linger
* Restaurant chain renowned for flapjacks
* A Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes

Ring 4
* The blood of the Greek gods
* Big name in door-to-door cosmetics sales
* Belt that holds ammunition

Ring 5
* ____ Bunker's Place (All in the Family spin-off)
* "____ Bridge is falling down. . ."

Ring 6
* One of sixteen in the title of a 1984 romance flick

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* A pair of Touchwords!

Submit your answers to glmathgrant[at]gmail[dot]com. Until next time, keep on living, and yappy solving!