Puzzles that make you go, "Oops"
There's always a puzzle available to do in various places at home: an S&S collection on my bed, an old Dell Champion on the dining room table, and a TV Guide in the bathroom. All these sources recently had puzzles that I tore out for comment.
S&S Mega 4, puzzle 91 (Vic Fleming)
61D: "Skater of cinema" (HIE). Huh? Research found the same clue used in an Estes/Salomon NYT puzzle from 1/25/04, where the H stood in for HEN which now makes sense (HENIE). Looks like Vic or editor John Samson snagged the clue from a database without realizing it was part of a theme.
Dell Champion, April 1986, p. 13 (William Lutwiniak)
The title is "Pigskin Pranks" with football phrases clued in non-football ways.
Flirted with? ATTEMPTED PASSES
A good harvest? FIELD GOAL
Returning quickly? RUNNING BACK
Discarded freebie? DROPPED PASS
Feel feathers? TOUCHDOWN
Barber's tax? CLIPPING PENALTY
Bag returnable for two bits? QUARTERBACK SACK
Except for this non-football phrase: Free agent linemen? SHOPPING CENTERS
TV Guide, November 25, 2000
I always say that TV Guide puzzles are not easy, and this one is no exception. I had "Ripstein marks" (ticks along the side to check later) on 16 entries, and 9 wrong squares. But that's not why I flagged it. I had a "No, it can't be! Maybe it is?" moment when 37A "Rap music performers" turned out to be RAPPERS.
S&S Mega 4, puzzle 91 (Vic Fleming)
61D: "Skater of cinema" (HIE). Huh? Research found the same clue used in an Estes/Salomon NYT puzzle from 1/25/04, where the H stood in for HEN which now makes sense (HENIE). Looks like Vic or editor John Samson snagged the clue from a database without realizing it was part of a theme.
Dell Champion, April 1986, p. 13 (William Lutwiniak)
The title is "Pigskin Pranks" with football phrases clued in non-football ways.
Flirted with? ATTEMPTED PASSES
A good harvest? FIELD GOAL
Returning quickly? RUNNING BACK
Discarded freebie? DROPPED PASS
Feel feathers? TOUCHDOWN
Barber's tax? CLIPPING PENALTY
Bag returnable for two bits? QUARTERBACK SACK
Except for this non-football phrase: Free agent linemen? SHOPPING CENTERS
TV Guide, November 25, 2000
I always say that TV Guide puzzles are not easy, and this one is no exception. I had "Ripstein marks" (ticks along the side to check later) on 16 entries, and 9 wrong squares. But that's not why I flagged it. I had a "No, it can't be! Maybe it is?" moment when 37A "Rap music performers" turned out to be RAPPERS.
