Themed 4: Take the Rap

Starting the year off strong with a big ol' 19x19!

This is the largest grid I've ever finished, and I'm quite proud of it! Only four cheater squares, that's a big improvement from the twenty-eight in Themed 2: Puzzl (hey, you have to admit the corners looked cool).

Of course there are two or three entries that I'm not so jazzed about, but with a grid this size, it's inevitable, right?

Right?

Thanks to Stephen and onefin for playtesting (and to onefin once more for writing the clue for 37-Down — check out their new EP, Toy Ruby).

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Themed 3: Spare Parts

I regret to inform you all that after a two-month streak of publishing puzzles, I allowed myself to procrastinate and missed November. I hope all my loyal, adoring fans can forgive me for this egregious oversight.

Of course I'm joking, but I do have a couple of puzzles in the works specifically for the blog, so be on the lookout, everyone!

Now, onto this puzzle: this one's theme is heavily literature-coded, but I think it's simple enough that it can be enjoyed by anyone. It was created as a Final Project for a British Literature class, so several non-theme answers are clued through books, short stories, and poems I've read recently. I tried to base fill on vocabulary rather than pop culture, so it won't have as many niche (❤️‍🩹) references as I would like it to.

It's actually the first crossword puzzle I've completed on a deadline, and I'm quite proud of it! I came up with the theme on Sunday, pitched it to my professor on Tuesday, filled it on Wednesday, and finished cluing on Friday. Have fun!

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Themed 2: Puzzl

Phew, it's about time!

I've been cluing this puzzle for several weeks now (I procrastinate), and at long last, it's done! I somehow feel obligated to write something interesting about my personal life that prevented me from releasing this puzzle earlier, but to be honest, nothing's really happened.

I do have my first professionally-published puzzle releasing at Universal Crosswords on November 1, however, and will likely make a separate blog post promoting it.

Thanks to _Green for coming up with the revealer!

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Themed 1: Butterball

Hey everybody, how are you guys doin'?

This is Echser (not Escher, it's E-C-H-S; pronounced "ex-er"), and this is my crossword blog! I'm not exactly sure how to write up introductions for my puzzles, but just know that if you've played one of my puzzles before, it's probably this one. I've posted it on Crosshare, then Sporcle, and finally, right here.

I'm really getting my mileage out of it.

This page will be for all my failed newspaper submissions and personal crossword projects. Don't expect there to be a regular schedule, I'm not a puzzle-making machine by any means.

Now, to those who haven't played one of my puzzles before, be warned: this is my first real crossword. It's not bad quality, per se, but there are definitely some iffy sections in terms of fill.

If you haven't clicked off this page out of fear or disgust and still wish to play my puzzle, thank you. Feel free to give me your opinions on it (as long as they're overwhelmingly positive)!

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