Free Association 77
I’m still here! It’s been a little over two months since I posted a puzzle. So this morning I made one. I made it fast. Probably less than 3 hours start to finish. Nobody has test-solved it because I really wanted to get this thing up. We’ll see what you think. I assigned it a difficulty of four couches. You’ll let me know if that’s off, I trust.
Grid Therapy will keep going, but it’s going to be slower than it used to be. Maybe once a month? I don’t know. The reason is a great reason: I’m making more puzzles for pay than I used to. The puzzle thing has moved from hobby to legitimate side hustle, so I have to prioritize the hustle. But I do so love having this little thing that’s mine and I love the people I interact with because of it. Thanks for solving and you will see me back in a bit. Also, if you plan to be at ACPT this year, come say hello. I’d love to meet you!
About The Author
Trent Evans
I'm a husband, father, psychologist, musician, and crossword constructor living in Catonsville, MD. My puzzles have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times and its syndicates, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Andrews McMeel Universal Syndicate, the American Values Club Crossword, Spyscape Crossword, The Crosswords Club, and crossword apps such as the Redstone Crossword Puzzle App on iOS and Google Play. All of that means I've been published in every newspaper in the United States and many others around the world. Here at Grid Therapy, I can show a bit more of myself than the major publishers can allow. I hope you enjoy your time here on the crossword couch! I'd love to hear from you if you have comments or suggestions. If you're interested in having a custom crossword puzzle created for your event or organization, email me at drtrent (at) gmail.com.
I really enjoyed this one, Trent. It felt a little easier than four couches–maybe three? But the fact that you built this in three hours leaves me “without linguistic ability.” 9A took me back to a time I’d rather forget–when Microsoft’s MACROs were buggy and would set your documents on fire if you used them. Had more than one visit from the IT guy to our office because of that–and then we all just stopped using them. Can they be used now– “Famous line from a Dustin Hoffman movie?”
Favorite clues: 17, 59, 62 A and 3D. Congrats on your for-profit puzzles! I’m always looking for them.
Very enjoyable! I liked all the informal expressions (3D, 30D, 23, 34, and 40A), and the clue on 45D is one of my favorites of 2023 so far! Thanks for sharing.
Comment
Loved it, Trent, unsurprisingly. The fill is satisfyingly sparkly and, of course, your clues are superb. Thank you so much!