Glazed & Confused

This has been the most difficult crossword to make so far - not because of the grid, but because food themes always make me hungry. Putting together the puzzle, writing this email… having to think about food and not eat it is extremely difficult. After I finish writing this post, I’m going out and getting myself a |redacted|. Maybe two. I could never be a food writer.

This week it’s time to learn some crossword trickery! For the more casual solvers and those learning among us, some crosswords allow you to enter a rebus - a square with more than one letter in it. It feels illegal, and it usually is… except when it’s not. How do you know when it’s not? Hopefully the constructor gives you a hint (wink wink).

Discussion (and spoilers!) below the break.

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Discussion

You guessed it by now - the thing I’ve been craving so badly for the past few days…

Doughnuts (alternately, donuts)! Sweet, delicious, fried doughnuts. You’re welcome for the increased business today, doughnut shops of Edmonton.

Today’s Theme

3-Down suggests the circled squares look like… donuts! This clues us, in this case, that the middle of each circled square should be a HOLE.

Tricky Clues

15A. People will never stop inventing games where you have to get the thing into/around the other thing. Basketball, horseshoes, soccer, bocce… but the winner for the most ridiculous name has to be CORNHOLE. (Disappointingly, the Wikipedia page neglects to tell us where the name came from.)

19A. This is more of a “learn a cool thing” clue than a “you should get this” clue. [One of the four humours of ancient physiology that represents anger] is CHOLER. It also represents bile and is where the name for cholera comes from (though not the actual disease).

34A. The capitalization here isn’t a typo - we aren’t looking for the person who invented hip-hop, but The Creator of it. That would be TYLER, The Creator, a prolific rapper and producer (and a personal favourite of mine).

4D. [Made like a big purple mascot] is a strange clue, but one meant to evoke this, um, thing…

and though it’s always smiling, if you acted like it’s name you would have GRIMACED.

21D. [Space item used in earthly offices] isn’t astronaut ice cream (gotta stop with all these food thoughts) but a space HEATER.

30D. Need I say more?

I hope you enjoyed this puzzle!

Until next Friday,

Brandon