Wordy Wednesday 654: Sudokurostic 8

WORDY WEDNESDAY #652
NEW MATH (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:
Cathy Bowen **
Christian H.P. **
Derek Allen **
James Haddad **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
CP80 **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Steve Levy **
Tower **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #653
MINI TOUCHWORD 6 (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 #654
SUDOKUROSTIC 8
(click here for a PDF version)

Solve the clues by writing one letter per blank; the clues are alphabetized by the answers as a solving aid. Transfer the letters to the corresponding spaces and fill in the remaining spaces to form a valid sudoku, but with 9 different letters instead of numbers. (Each row, column, and box must contain those 9 letters in some order.) Treat the finished grid as a word search and look for a 6-letter word, which is this puzzle’s final answer. 

Injury from a snake __ __ __ __
                    C2 B3 F8 D2
Pirates of the ____ (Disney movie franchise) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                             C3 E1 D3 F9 H7 B5 H5 I9 E8
Officially grant kingly power to __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                 I4 A1 G8 B4 H6 F7 E2 A6
Subject of Newton’s first law of motion __ __ __ __ __ __ __
                                        I5 F1 E9 A5 G7 D1 A4
“I Won’t Hold You Back” band __ __ __ __
                             I6 G6 C4 D9

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 5-letter word for "Chris who played Peter Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy"?

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

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10, Episode 8: Cruel Crisscross

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10"): click here
Episode 1 (Crazy Clocks): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 2 (Before and After): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 3 (Tabletop Talk): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 4 (Scrambled Crossword): 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 (Mystifying Midpoints): 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 6 (More Horsing Around): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 15 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 7 (Tales of the Cryptogram): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored 6275. Thus, the current money pool for the Food Bank of West Central Texas is $62.75. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that the Food Bank of West Central Texas will actually receive $251.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points each, possibly with the aid of the hints.

KEVIN'S PUZZLES AT HOME
SEASON 10, EPISODE 8:
CRUEL CRISSCROSS
(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin’s name isn’t Criss, but he’s definitely feeling cross! Can you find a way to put these words into the grid?

ADIEU BEAST BINGE CAPER CARRY CATCH CHEAT DWELL FUNGI FUROR GREED HYENA INPUT LASSO LIEGE LIMIT LLAMA MAFIA MOTIF OCCUR RUMBA SCARF SERVO SINUS SWEPT TEETH TRACT TUTOR UTTER WAFER YACHT ZEBRA

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(This illustration by Infernal 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 8's hint and Episode 9's puzzle, a meta requiring the 8 previous answers to be solved. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 653: Mini Touchword 6

WORDY WEDNESDAY #651
ANACROSSWORD 44 (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 **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
John Bulten **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Steve Levy **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #652
NEW MATH (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 #653
MINI TOUCHWORD 6
(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 Lack / 1/50 of a rapper?
2 Maltreatment / Mortar ingredient
3 Animal in “Hickory Dickory Dock” / Grieve
4 Tasty nugget / “. . . for ____ waves of grain. . .”
5 Measures of music / Pound mercilessly
6 According to May 2025 courtroom testimony, Sean “Diddy” Combs took ecstasy pills shaped like this politician’s face: 2 wds.
7 Lustrous fabric made on a jacquard loom / Confessions of a Teenage ____ Queen (2004 film starring Lindsay Lohan)
8 Death / Adorn, as with folds of cloth
9 Place to buy meats and sandwiches / Excessive bureaucracy: 2 wds.
10 Upset / Give back
11 Increased / Chaperon

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What's a 7-letter word for "Subject of Newton’s first law of motion"?

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

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10, Episode 7: Tales of the Cryptogram

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10"): click here
Episode 1 (Crazy Clocks): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 4 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 2 (Before and After): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 3 (Tabletop Talk): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 17 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 4 (Scrambled Crossword): 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 (Mystifying Midpoints): 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 6 (More Horsing Around): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 15 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 5325. Thus, the current money pool for the Food Bank of West Central Texas is $53.25. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that the Food Bank of West Central Texas will actually receive $213.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points, possibly with the aid of the hints.

KEVIN'S PUZZLES AT HOME
SEASON 10, EPISODE 7:
TALES OF THE CRYPTOGRAM
(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin’s not quite sure how this substitution cipher can be considered “simple”, but maybe you’ll have better luck reading it.

BU DBSM JBIFSNRM VRDPBLMY, NOXA XA NOR VRD NOLN

JLFXNLTXGRA TRNNRMA LUY NSMUA UXURA LUY GRMBRA XUNB

FLMRUNORARA.

---

(This illustration by Infernal 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. Good luck!

Wordy Wednesday 652: New Math

WORDY WEDNESDAY #650
PENT WORDS 130 (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 **
Joe Bernard **
Michael Lebowitz **
Pavel Curtis **
Randy Rogers **
Russ Kale **
John Bulten **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Patrick Jordan *
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Steve Levy **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #651
ANACROSSWORD 44 (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 #652
NEW MATH
(click here for a PDF version)

This puzzle contains 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!

Back in my day, we didn’t have Arabic numerals, you whippersnappers!

Comforter on a bed (5)
Employee at a British pharmacy (7)
Figure of speech using “like” or “as” (6)
Focus one’s gaze or attention (6)
Freight-carrying unit on a train (6)
Pertaining to the outer part of something (8)
Secret assembly of cardinals to elect a pope (8)
Shudder (7)
The buying and selling of goods (8)
Wideness or scope (7)
Wisconsin’s capital (7)

____________-1001=____________ (4)
____________-   5=____________ (2)
____________-1000=____________ (4)
____________-   9=____________ (3)
____________-2000=____________ (4)
____________-  90=____________ (3)
____________-  50=____________ (4)
____________- 500=____________ (5)
____________-   1=____________ (3)
____________- 501=____________ (4)
____________-  10=____________ (5)

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* What lustrous fabric is made on a jacquard loom?

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

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10, Episode 6: More Horsing Around

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10"): click here
Episode 1 (Crazy Clocks): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 3 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 2 (Before and After): 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 (Tabletop Talk): 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 4 (Scrambled Crossword): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 0 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 5 (Mystifying Midpoints): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 4450. Thus, the current money pool for the Food Bank of West Central Texas is $44.50. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that the Food Bank of West Central Texas will actually receive $178.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points, possibly with the aid of the hints.

KEVIN'S PUZZLES AT HOME
SEASON 10, EPISODE 6:
MORE HORSING AROUND
(click here for a PDF version)

Remember that chessboard covered in letters that Kevin showed you 6 seasons ago? Turns out that he has another one! Can you help the knight to make a tour of this second chessboard?

__ __   "__ __    __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __",  __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __    __    __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __    __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __?

---

(This illustration by Infernal 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 651: Anacrossword 44

WORDY WEDNESDAY #649
LOGICROSSWORD 15 (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 **
Randy Rogers *
Russ Kale **
John Bulten **
Kevin Orfield **
Marie desJardins **
Ryan Faley **
Sam Levitin **
Steve Levy **

WORDY WEDNESDAY #650
PENT WORDS 130 (hint)

As of this writing, 16 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 #651
ANACROSSWORD 44
(click here for a PDF version)
(click here for rules)

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!

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
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

• ____ of the curve
• Windbag
• “____ Ground” (Stevie Wonder song)
• A tax or levy
• Without any interruption
• She played Lady Lou in She Done Him Wrong (1933): 2 wds.
• Asian cat breed featured in the original animated Lady and the Tramp (but not in the remake)
• Go underwater without a breathing device: hyph.
• The Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, collectively: 2 wds.

COMING NEXT WEEK. . .

* Can you do some math?
* Patron Puzzle #133, which will be delivered on June 8, 2025, exclusively to Patreon supporters at the Super Fan level and up ($5 or more per month), is a Logicrossword.

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

Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10, Episode 5: Mystifying Midpoints

PREVIOUS EPISODES

Introduction (what these puzzles are and why they're called "Kevin's Puzzles at Home Season 10"): click here
Episode 1 (Crazy Clocks): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 16 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 2 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 2 (Before and After): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 18 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece; 0 people solved it later for 25 points.
Episode 3 (Tabletop Talk): 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 4 (Scrambled Crossword): puzzle PDF, hint PDF
* 19 people solved this within the first week for 50 points apiece.

The total number of points scored is 3575. Thus, the current money pool for the Food Bank of West Central Texas is $35.75. Three anonymous benefactors have agreed to match this donation, meaning that the Food Bank of West Central Texas will actually receive $143.00. If you haven't already, you may solve the above puzzles for 25 points, possibly with the aid of the hints.

KEVIN'S PUZZLES AT HOME
SEASON 10, EPISODE 5:
MYSTIFYING MIDPOINTS
(click here for a PDF version)

Kevin could totally draw a loop and solve this puzzle himself, but he’s in the middle of something more important that’s the center of his attention, so he’s outsourced that task to you. Lucky you!

---

(This illustration by Infernal 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!