Sf chronicle crosswords professional#

'Twenty, thirty years ago, it was perfectly fine to have ridiculous words for a two-toed sloth or obscure words such as 'anoa,' which is a pygmy buffalo indigenous to Indonesia. That can occur if he writes himself into 'one little corner'' and can't match up the words.īlake says he tries to avoid puzzles with inane or arcane clues. 25, which Blake co-constructed with Nob Hill resident Andrea Carla Michaels.Ĭonstructing a puzzle can take anywhere from three hours, 'if I'm really lucky,' to 20 hours, 'if I have to fight over it,' Blake says. 'I'll always be fond of my New York Times debut,' says Blake, laughing about the clues for Alvin, Simon, and Theodore-the cute critters who comprise the 1950s singing group the Chipmunks. The surprise fourth clue was decidedly lowbrow: a musical group suggested by the first three answers. The theme of his Times puzzle could be found in a trio of highbrow clues: the author of Future Shock, the name of a famed Nazi hunter, and the author of Sister Carrie. But it wasn't until earlier this year that Blake achieved national recognition with an appearance in the New York Times, the Holy Grail of crossword venues. She will tell me where I have been unintentionally obscure with either a clue or a particular cluster of words in the grid.'īlake started designing crossword puzzles 25 years ago, and his works have appeared in books, magazines, and many newspapers around the country. 'Fortunately, Barbara is always ready to give me immediate feedback. Once he's produced a puzzle, he can't wait for someone to try it-and that's usually Howald. Fund, a private foundation in San Francisco. 'I live in a world of numbers, and it's great fun to come home and deal with words after dealing with money,' says Blake, who handles the endowment for the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Barbara Howald, whom he married in June 2007, found a place where she could garden and Blake could pursue his hobby. This month's offering is rated 'moderately easy,' though future ones could become more challenging as he picks up the quirks and rhythms of the neighborhood.īlake moved to Noe Valley two years ago after his bride-to-be suggested he might want to give up his downtown bachelor pad. 'A lot of solvers find a puzzle quite easy after returning to it, particularly if they've had some sleep in between sessions.'īlake's puzzles will run in the Voice on an occasional basis. Should you reach a dead-end, 'walk away from the puzzle for a while,' Blake says. If you come up short, move to another area of the puzzle. Select an area of the puzzle and work on both the 'Across' and 'Down' clues at the same time, thinking about which vowels or consonants might fit both ways.

If you're new to puzzle-solving, Blake has a couple of tips for you. 'And I'd like them to tickle your funny bone.' 'I wanted to relate to Noe Valley in some way,' says Blake, who turned 57 in August. Blake's first contribution, 'Noe Valley North and South,' appears below. Noe Valley residents who work the puzzles may have a slight advantage: the brain-twisters will be sprinkled with neighborhood idioms, landmarks, and personages. Starting this month, Blake will create puzzles specifically for the Voice.

Sf chronicle crosswords professional#

Building puzzles is a playful counterbalance to his more strait-laced career as a professional money manager. The correct answer is Michael Blake-a Sanchez Street resident who is making waves in the up-and-down, black-and-white world of grids, squares, and numbered clues.Īs some may have deduced, Blake is a crossword constructor (or cruciverbalist, from the Latin amalgamation of cross and word). You don't have to turn the page or wait till next month. Okay, here's a somewhat easier hint-'witty Noe Valley Voice puzzlemaster'-and it takes 12 letters. Shortz and Reagle are both stars already. Nor is it Merl Reagle, the riddle writer featured in the San Francisco Chronicle. No, the answer is not Will Shortz, the crossword puzzle editor of the New York Times.

Quick, what's a two-word solution for 'emerging U.S. Crossword Wiz Conjures Up a Noe Valley Puzzle