I haven't been doing much at all with crossword puzzles the past few months. I dropped my book right before the New Year, and then I participated (virtually) in a Boswords event, and then I helped officiate at ACPT, and then I got a little burnt out, I guess. I've been solving regularly because crosswords are a crucial component of my daily word game habit (along with Wordle, Spelling Bee, and Anigrams*), but I haven't been constructing or submitting much at all. I haven't had any good ideas randomly pop into my head, and I haven't had the desire to brainstorm. I've temporarily lost my vim. It happens. But don't worry, I'll be back soon enough, piling up the rejections, and Shortz willing, the occasional acceptance.
*I'm stuck on today's GOAT word. The letters are ACDEIILNT, and I thought I had it with INCIDENTAL and then INDELICATE only to realize those are both too long.
I also haven't been reading the crossword blogs much at all. But I sought out Crossword Fiend today because I constructed the LAT puzzle, and I wanted to see what they say about it. I should have skipped it, as the review is short and negative. Actually, I don't really mind. I'd rather somebody say good things about my puzzle than bad things, of course, but not everybody is going to like every puzzle, and it's okay to be critical about somebody's public work when you think it's warranted. It comes with the territory, and it's not necessarily a bad thing to be on the receiving end of it. As Aristotle maybe once said: "There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."
Plus, I'm my own harshest critic -- everybody says that but I have the documentation to back it up (see link to book above) -- and although I like my puzzle better than the reviewer (Stella Zawistowski) I agree with some of her critique. YARE, for example, was not in the grid I originally submitted. That corner looked like this:
But Patti Varol, the LAT editor, suggested it be changed to the published version because she doesn't love the neological variant WOAH. Who am I to disagree?
Also, it should be said, some people enjoyed the puzzle. A lot of commenters on the LA Times Crossword Corner said favorable things about it and thanked me for it (to which I say, You're Welcome -- actually, I am getting pretty buff these days; I mean, not Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson buff, but, like, non-celebrity middle-age dad buff). I also got a kick out of the picture of me accompanying the write-up. It's my LinkedIn head shot, and I don't love it, because it's from that in-between stage where I was clearly balding but hadn't yet started shaving my head, but still it's fun.
Alright that's all for now. Until next time...
