WSJ Variety: Gear Boxes by Patrick Berry

A place for discussion about variety puzzles such as acrostics, marching bands, rows and gardens, and diagramless.
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Richard B.
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WSJ Variety: Gear Boxes by Patrick Berry

#1

Post by Richard B. »

Amazing that he can create these time after time.
https://s.wsj.net/public/resources/docu ... 202021.pdf
Last edited by Richard B. on Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ChrisKochmanski
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#2

Post by ChrisKochmanski »

Loved it! Got totally lost in it for about an hour and a half. A do-able challenge -- I like that formula!
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Meg
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#3

Post by Meg »

What fun from Patrick! Thanks Mr. Berry.
Check out and support http://CrosswordsForCancer.com.
Jace54
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Location: Iowa

#4

Post by Jace54 »

Great puzzle! I got a toehold at the top and eventually worked through the rest.
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Annabelle
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#5

Post by Annabelle »

These are fun. Easy to start with the 9-letter answers, they can only be in one box shape! Clever word play for the left over letters, too.
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Wendy Walker
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#6

Post by Wendy Walker »

:oops: So much fun! I always enjoy these. Embarrassed to say that the first "box" I got was the Britney Spears song. :oops:
Good luck, fellow Muggles!
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ReB
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#7

Post by ReB »

Very enjoyable and challenging how you have to intuit the gear boxes to help solve the across clues.

And Wendy, yes...the Britney Spears song was the first box I got too.
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BrianMac
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#8

Post by BrianMac »

ReB wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:08 pm Very enjoyable and challenging how you have to intuit the gear boxes to help solve the across clues.

And Wendy, yes...the Britney Spears song was the first box I got too.
Same here. Easy to guess from the word lengths (plus I don't know any other Britney Spears songs). And starting on the top row made it easy to see.

I'm enjoying Patrick berry's variety puzzles more and more, and especially like this one (gear boxes).
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hcbirker
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#9

Post by hcbirker »

I'm really glad I discovered these variety puzzles. And yes, "discover" was the first box I found.
Heidi
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hcbirker
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#10

Post by hcbirker »

I f you go on Crossword Fiend, they have a link to Patrick Berry's newest suite of variety puzzles. $15 with $5 going to Covid relief.
Heidi
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eagle1279
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#11

Post by eagle1279 »

I always start Patrick's puzzles with little hope, but then I find some little clue that pushes me to continue, and more often than not I end up finishing. This one was lots of fun, but I'm glad to say that that Britney Spears song was one of the last I got...
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BrianMac
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#12

Post by BrianMac »

eagle1279 wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:25 am I always start Patrick's puzzles with little hope, but then I find some little clue that pushes me to continue, and more often than not I end up finishing. This one was lots of fun, but I'm glad to say that that Britney Spears song was one of the last I got...
This is Patrick's genius. His puzzles are always challenging, but fair and solvable.
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