xwordswithbabka

It has been a while since a puzzle here, so why not two? Be warned: these minis are a little mid-y, if you know what I mean!! I don't feel that either one merits its own blog post, so they're both here. They are both flawed in certain ways, but enough about them is good/interesting that I'm going to post them anyway. Not everything can be 100%! The first puzzle was rejected recently from a publication, and the second one is an idea I had but struggled to make work. This is how it is sometimes! Of course these have not been test solved!!! Please try to enjoy. "means of transport" [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ] "how i roll" [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]

Hello, I was tired of not having a new puzzle out so I decided to make one! This is actually an idea I had about a year ago, but never got around to finishing it until this month. Making a cryptic is difficult!! The only thing is, I'm not sure why I chose this particular theme for a puzzle, which might not make sense to people under 30. Is it just nostalgia? I think I wanted a puzzle about how things were different at one point and that they continue to evolve, but... does it matter? Unclear. In any case, I asked Joe to look at this, so thank you! Any problems with the clues were pointed out to me and ignored. It's a learning process! Please enjoy! [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]

Hello, here is another puzzle! I want to get better at making themeless puzzles, but the only way to actually do that is to keep making them?? What a bunch of shit! Well, please enjoy this offering. To be honest I think it is okay! I am going to try to keep making puzzles because the alternative is to be alone with my thoughts, and who wants that?? Thanks Quiara for the test! [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]

Hello! This is my first blog puzzle of 2025. Like most of my puzzles, it was inspired by overhearing a song. I don't really love counterfactuals, but I am interested in the ways we make choices and the impacts they have throughout time. My mom has a post-it she keeps with a quote from the author Ted Chiang that says, "The things we are told are inevitable are in fact contingent. And the things that we are told are impossible are in fact achievable." That doesn't have anything to do with this puzzle, I guess, I'm just thinking about my mom. Anyway - please try to enjoy the puzzle. Because it's about something that I think only I will find interesting, I didn't test solve it. I'd also like to pre-emptively apologize to my friend Bob , I'm very sorry!! [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]

Hi there! I like to make puzzles that are very silly, and this feels like one of the stupidest ones yet. I hope you enjoy it somewhat! Thanks again to Norah for testing. It feels weird to be at the end of the year, especially because this is the first one in a while that I can remember where I haven't been looking forward to the year to come. One thing that I'll to try to do to keep myself going is to make more crosswords. I'd also like to put this out there: if you're reading this and you are interested in making crosswords, hit me up!! I don't know that much but I will at least encourage you and maybe help you get started. I also would really like to collaborate more! I'm just going to put my email here !! Why not!! Thank you again, all of you!! [ .puz ] [ Direct Crosshare link ]

Hello again! As punishment for obliquely referring to my puzzles as "art" in the last post, I've decided that every stupid idea I have is going to become a crossword. That'll teach me!! Here is one example of, apparently, where my brain is at. It's in .jpz format, you should be able to download it from the solver below. I'm not bothering to test solve it. I really want to stress that this puzzle was made in less than 24 hours. Try to enjoy!!