Cluing Challenge (Nov. 21, 2014): SNOWFALL

Didn’t realize until Thursday that last week’s was a double issue of The Nation, and then I’ve been preoccupied with researching and writing an evidence report on rehydration treatments for Ebola patients, so I owe you a cluing challenge and a back puzzle to work on.

In honor of tomorrow’s Sunday brunch topic, the cluing challenge is SNOWFALL.  I can think of tons of ways to clue this, so multiple submissions are encouraged.

And the puzzle I’m solving and will annotate on Monday is No. 3,200.

See you at brunch tomorrow.

P.S.  Happy Birthday to Liz today!

Cluing challenge: WAYBACK

Since there‘s no post at Word Salad this week, the weekly cluing challenge is here.  Set a cryptic clue for WAYBACK and post it in the comments.  I can think of several ways to set it—how about you?

BRUISE (cluing challenge: July 25, 2014)

Since The Nation didn’t publish an issue this week, there’s no Word Salad and no new puzzle.  The cluing challenge migrates over here, and I didn’t have much trouble picking a word for you—BRUISE.

Submit your clues in the comments.

Cluing challenge (July 10, 2014): NAT HENTOFF

Hot and Trazom frequently work names into their cryptic crosswords, both in clues and in answers.  I like that idea, since it’s a source for fresh wordplay.  Dedicating a post to Nat Hentoff becomes a pretty easy choice when you start looking at all the cluing possibilities.

How would you clue NAT HENTOFF?

Cluing challenge (June 26, 2014): MICROFILM

At Hot and Trazom’s invitation, I’m hosting the weekly cluing challenge for The Nation cryptic solvers on weeks that the magazine doesn’t publish.

In honor of the source of these puzzles, this week’s word is MICROFILM.

Share your clues in the comments!

Cluing challenge: FRANK LEWIS

I am very happy to make two announcements this week: both made possible by our friends at The Nation.

First, I’ve been granted permission to republish a selection of Frank Lewis puzzles from The Nation, which we’ll do on the weeks this summer when The Nation does not publish, starting today.  So there’ll be a new puzzle for you each week: here or at thenation.com.  And for those of you who couldn’t get a copy of 1,634, I’ll post one here later on.

Second, on the off-weeks for The Nation and for Word Salad, the weekly cluing challenge (which has really picked up steam the last few weeks) is going to be hosted here(*).  So in honor of our summer study subject, your answer is FRANK LEWIS.  Bonus applause from your fellow solvers if you can work something from Frank’s life into your clue, or create a clue in Frank’s style.

*--separate posts so your clues and discussion of the old puzzle will be in separate threads.