Games World of Puzzles May 2021

Welcome to the May issue of GAMES WORLD OF PUZZLES. This month we’ve got a special treat for you: “Call Me Steve” by Andrew Parr (page 33). So what’s the big deal? Parr, our “uncontested Games historian,” spoke to world-famous Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. Now, you may be familiar with Sondheim for his work on shows like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sweeney Todd, and Into the Woods. But did you know that he is also an accomplished constructor, collector, and solver of puzzles? You’ll learn that and much more from Parr’s wide-ranging conversation about puzzles with Sondheim. This is a must-read for both casual fans and dedicated puzzle enthusiasts. While we’re on the subject of folks who have made notable contributions to the…

Each answer word in this crossword variation has two clues leading to it, using different meanings of the word. The clues are separated into Across and Down, but are otherwise ordered randomly. When you find two Across clues or two Down clues that seem to have the same answer, add up their clue numbers to determine the place in the grid at which the answer should be entered. For example, if the clue for 1-Across were “Metallic element” and the clue for 17-Across read “Starring role,” the answer would be “lead,” which would go in 18-Across (1 + 17). Note: Tags such as “Hyph.” and “2 wds.” have been omitted. ACROSS 1 Elbows, say 2 Former 3 Pitcher who comes in to finish the game 4 Early settler 5 Pop the question 6 Mink relative 7 Yuletide cocktail served…

There is one place for each letter of the alphabet in the 26 empty squares of each blank column in the diagram below. Fill in each letter so that a word of at least five letters is formed reading across only. Not all of the letters to the left and right of the empty box are used; it’s up to you to determine which ones are needed to complete familiar words. Some letters may fit in more than one of the empty squares to complete words, but we only came up with one arrangement that would complete a word in each row. Maybe you’ll find a better solution. Proper names are not allowed. ANSWERS 52-SKIDDOO…

We all know that vegetables are chock-full of vitamins and minerals; we also know that we should eat more of them. So take a walk with us through the produce section of your local market, and load up your shopping cart with 50 varieties of good-for-you treats. Enter the names of all the veggies you choose in the grid below. We’ve made your task a little easier by providing some letters; all you need to do is fill in the rest. After you’re done shopping, start chopping…and enjoy a nice salad! ANSWERS VEGGIE CRAZY…

Here’s a quiz that answers some burning questions. The answer to each clue below is a word, phrase, or title containing the word FIRE. For example, the clue “Computer security measure” would lead to the answer FIREWALL, while “1985 Brat Pack movie” would be SAINT ELMO’S FIRE. Getting 10 or more correct answers qualifies you as “hot stuff.” 1. Temporary truce 2. FDR’s radio talks 3. Guaranteed to succeed 4. Web browser developed by Mozilla 5. Stephen King novel, later a Drew Barrymore film 6. Katy Perry song performed at Biden’s inauguration 7. 1981 film about Olympic runners 8. Goodyear competitor 9. Lightning bug 10. Have the opposite of the intended effect 11. 1967 #1 song by The Doors 12. Stravinsky ballet 13. Pacific region with frequent eruptions and earthquakes 14. Jerry Lee Lewis’s “goodness gracious” hit ANSWERS HOT STUFF 1. Ceasefire 2. Fireside chats 3. Surefire 4. Firefox 5. Firestarter 6.…

ACROSS 1 Book for stamps or snapshots 6 Sunday rite for Catholics 10 Fido’s feet 14 Letter between gamma and epsilon 15 “Beetle Bailey” pooch 16 Sharing (the secret): 2 wds. 17 Hell’s host 18 Those folks 19 Kolkata woman’s cover-up 20 Cardi B or Drake, for example: 2 wds. 23 Doctors’ group: Abbr. 26 Young girl 27 Unleashes 28 Small ape 30 Where grain gets ground 31 Good scrubbing action: 2 wds. 34 They may marry: Abbr. 37 Have to have 38 Tie-breaking periods: Abbr. 39 Fly alone 40 Endeavor 41 Dimwit 45 Cheer (for) 46 Aviatrix Earhart 47 “The Lion ___ Tonight” (Tokens hit) 50 Bottom-feeding river fish 52 Gridiron gains: Abbr. 53 The silent treatment: 2 wds. 56 Metamorphoses poet 57 Rice-shaped pasta 58 Military standings 62 Transportation Secretary Buttigieg 63 City south of Fort Worth 64 Planet’s path 65 Barbara or Sir Anthony 66 Sow chow 67 Prepared DOWN 1 Billboard messages 2 Grazing spot 3 Diner sandwich, for short 4 Home of the NBA’s Jazz 5 “Copacabana” singer…