Puzzle #4: Word Squares

PUZZLE #4
WORD SQUARES

Examples of Word Squares from 3x3 to 8x8, from Wikipedia

Word squares have words in them that can be read both across and down. I've provided grids for two of them below, one containing 4-letter words, and the other containing 5-letter words. Use the clues to figure out the words that go in each grid, but to make things harder, both sets of clues for both grids are mixed up together and are in no particular order! And the first clue I've provided is a "Cryptic Clue", which is a clue that would be right at home in a Cryptic Crossword! The FINAL ANSWER consists of two related words, one hidden in each completed grid, that aren't read across or down.

• [Cryptic Clue] Rang up a former Slipknot guitarist
• Slang for "abhorrer" popularized by a 3LW song
• Final single off of Unkle's Never, Never, Land
• Charlie Chaplin's wife or granddaughter
• Liquid-Plumr competitor
• "Tri" and "Bio" suffix
• Heart chambers
• Three feet
• Silverbeet

Once you think you know what the FINAL ANSWER is (or you just need help and don't want to look up the answers), send me an e-mail at either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com, and you can also use those e-mail addresses to give me the answer to last week's puzzle, which you can visit here (or here for the easier version). If you want a version you can print out, head below the break for just that!

EASY VERSION: Double Chain Reaction

It's been roughly a week since I published my first game-show-inspired puzzle, and so far, 4 people have solved it. As usual, I publish an easier version of the puzzle around this time, and you can get this below the break. Make sure you send me the answers before next week to get credit for solving it!

ANSWERS: Meta-Crossword #1 ("Episodic Game")

Well, it's been two weeks since I've published my first meta-crossword, so it's time to post the answers! If you haven't solved it yet, you can print it out here, or play it online here. Before I reveal the answers, however, here's a list of people who have successfully completed one or both BONUS PUZZLES (People who solved both get plusses instead of asterisks, and people who solved it before I revealed the hint get two of them while those afterwards just get one):

• Grant Fikes **
• Adam Weaver ++
• Pao Pasco **
• Andy Keller ++
• Evan Birnholz ++
• Tim Harrod ++
• Justin Weinbaum ++
• Andrew Foerster ++
• Christopher Krosche **
• Charles Montpetit ++
• Steve Moran ++
• Alex Jeffrey ++
• Peter Abide ++
• Matthew Breen +
• M. Sean Molley +
• Joe Fendel ++ (he had lost his copy of the puzzle in his pocket for a week and that's why I'm giving him two plusses instead of one)
• Tyler Fultz +

Now just go below the break for the answers!

Puzzle #3: Double Chain Reaction

PUZZLE #3
DOUBLE CHAIN REACTION

If the Final Answer to the first Pent Words and several of the clues from last week's meta-crossword didn't tip you off, I'm a big game show fan. With that in mind, this week's puzzle is inspired by my favorite word-based GSN original based off of an '80s show created by Bob Stewart: Chain Reaction! To play, all you need to do is complete a chain of words made up of two-word phrases or compound words. For example, the introduction to GSN's version has a chain of WORD - GAME - BALL - ROOM - KEY - CHAIN - REACTION.

Below is a pair of word chains made up of six two-word phrases each. I'll give out clues that lead to each two-word phrase, but to make things harder, all the clues for both chains are mixed up together and are in no particular order. Also, for this particular puzzle, I've mostly hidden the final word of each chain, and to make the FINAL ANSWER even harder to figure out, I won't be giving out the clues for either phrase that start out each chain! This week's FINAL ANSWER is a 5-letter word that begins both chains. 

• A founding member of KISS
• Another founding member of KISS
• Home of Knuckles the Echidna
• Russian nesting toy
• Yokel
• Hockey's biggest prize
• 1994 single from Hole
• Mindfreak magician
• Jamaica or Japan
• William Orrell holds multiple records in this sport

Once you think you know what the FINAL ANSWER is (or you just need help and don't want to look up the answers), send me an e-mail at either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com, and you can also use those e-mail addresses to send the solutions to last week's puzzle, which you can visit here (if you want a hint for that puzzle's FINAL ANSWER, click here). If you want a version of this week's puzzle you can print out, head below the break for just that!

HINT: Meta-Crossword #1 ("Episodic Game")

It's been almost a week, and so far, a whopping 13 people have solved my second puzzle (Matt Gaffney's Weekly Crossword Contest providing a link here in his lastest post certainly helped). Normally, this post is where an easier version of the puzzle goes, but for meta-crosswords, I'll instead provide a hint as how to solve the meta. Read on below the break for a clue on how to solve the two Bonus Puzzles.

ANSWERS: Pent Words #1

Well, it's been 13 days since I published my first puzzle, and I think it's time to reveal the answers (If you still want to solve it, you can print out the original version here, or the easier version here). But first, a list of people who have emailed me the correct answer, in the order that they solved it; those with two asterisks next to their name solved it before I posted the easier version, and those with one star solved it afterwards.

• Grant Fikes **
• Sam Levitin **
• Lynn Sweeney *
• ZapaZoid404 *
• Adam Weaver *

Now that that's out of the way, it's time to reveal the answers! So I don't accidentally post spoilers to the people who have yet to solve it, I've posted it below the break. Just click "Read more" to do just that!

INTERACTIVE Version of My First Meta-Crossword!

I know it's not Sunday or Monday, when I normally post on this blog, but you know how in my last post that I didn't provide any "Across Lite" applications? Well, I downloaded Across Lite a couple days ago, and now I'm going to correct that! Below is an interactive version of Puzzle #2: "Episodic Game"! (make sure you have Java running or it won't work)



And just like before, send the FINAL ANSWER TO THE BONUS PUZZLE to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com (In case you forgot, the BONUS PUZZLE is a long running TV show, and the BONUS BONUS PUZZLE is one of the five theme entries that acts as the odd one out in regards to the first BONUS PUZZLE)

Puzzle #2: Meta-Crossword #1 ("Episodic Game")

PUZZLE #2
EPISODIC GAME

Sorry, no .PUZ files or Across Lite apps or anything like that; you'll just have to make do with this picture and print it out/copy-and-paste it to a graphics editor 

This week's puzzle is something that's called a "meta-crossword", which is like a regular crossword, except that one you finish it, you use the completed grid to solve a bonus puzzle (More examples can be found at Matt Gaffney's Weekly Crossword Contest, but I should warn you that it'll convert to a paid service starting next month). Since this is my first proper meta-crossword, I've kept the meta relatively simple (though I can't say the same for the rest of the crossword): The BONUS PUZZLE is a long-running TV show. If you want a harder challenge, there's also a BONUS BONUS PUZZLE: Pick one of the five theme entries that acts as the odd one out in regards to the first BONUS PUZZLE. Once you've figured out one or both of the Bonus Puzzles, send them to either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com so you can get credit for successfully solving them. You can also email me if you're stuck and need help and refuse to look up any of the answers.

Also, don't forget to donate money to me using the Paypal button on the side; if you do, I might use some of it to pay for some crossword-construction software like Crossword Compiler or Crossfire so I can make even more crosswords! (I made this one mostly using MS Paint, and MAN did it take forever!, Hopefully, whichever software I use will cut down time significantly)

EASY VERSION: Pent Words #1

I assume that with a puzzle as complex as Pent Words, some people may have a little trouble with it. Apparently, I was proven right, because thus far, only 2 people have solved it, so since you most likely need the extra help, I've provided an easier version below the break. If it's the case that the clues were stumping you guys (even though I told you on the sidebar that you can look them up), this new version also includes easier clues, but be warned that for tomorrow's puzzle, there won't be a version with easier clues, so make sure that you look up the ones causing you trouble! Next Sunday, I'll post the answers, so make sure you email me before then to get your name/username posted on the solvers list!

Puzzle #1: Pent Words

Greetings, and welcome to the inaugural edition of Redhead64's Obscure Puzzle Blog!

Every week on Monday, I post a puzzle of some sort, and you try to figure out its FINAL ANSWER (Yes, it's supposed to be in all caps; don't ask why). Once you do, you can email me at either redhead64@chartermi.net or itsredhead64@gmail.com (I usually check the first one, though) and tell me what you think the FINAL ANSWER is; if you're right, you get bragging rights and your name/username (make sure you specify which one) posted on my blog once I publish the answers roughly two weeks from now. If you're stuck, an easier version will appear after one week, and the same rules for solving it will apply there.

So now that we've established the ground rules, let's start this off with a puzzle whose format was created by Grant Fikes, the man who inspired me to make this blog to begin with! (It's not the first time I've used this puzzle format; Grant published my first attempt at one here, and you can find the answer sheet for that here)

PUZZLE #1
PENT WORDS

For this puzzle, you must divide the grid into pentominoes (they’re kinda like Tetris pieces, except they’re areas made up of five squares each) and put a letter in each cell. The rows, reading from left to right, will contain the words hinted at by the ACROSS clues. The letters in the pentominoes, reading left to right beginning with the top row, will form the words hinted at by the PENTOMINOES clues; these clues are presented in no particular order. (In the example above, the rows spell out CHINS, PARTY, and ANKLE, and the pentominoes spell out the words CHINA, STYLE, and PRANK.) Use the across answers to figure out where the pentominoes go.

ACROSS (two answers per row)

1) Innovative music video director Gondry  /  Dalai _____

2) One of the Three Musketeers  /  Fiery feline from the Sonic series

3) Smart or self-aware  /  Lion’s lair

4) Trace of color  /  Grammy-winning Tool song

5) Cookie & Cream publisher  /  _____ Kola (Peruvian soda)

6) Hold your horses here  /  Far from beautiful

7) Sea anemone, e.g.  /  A little bit of monkey business

8) Eye protector or eye irritant  /  Mid-90s Schwarzenegger movie

9) Pointer finger  /  “Bittersweet Symphony” band, with “The”

10) NintendoLand guide  /  Nadirs

PENTOMINOES:

* HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER

* THE OTHER HALF OF THE FINAL ANSWER

* _____ Twin (”Come to Daddy” musician)

* Contaminate, like water

* Tom from the Satellite of Love

* Like a reptile’s skin

* “All the world’s a _____...”

* Incubus or succubus

* “_____ Information” (All That sketch)

* Sam, Clover, and Alex are Totally these!

* Heroes character with technopathy

* Silent film actress Bow

* Wheel of Fortune category

* Lowers in temperature

* Jeans material

* Loosen laces

* Flabbergast

* Versatile voice actor Mel

* Former name of an M&M’s variety

* Common greeting

If you want a copy to print out, just go below the break and click on the picture there. Then right-click it (or something similar) and hit "Print".