43. Asimov SCI-DOKU

This week’s Scientific American SCI-DOKU puzzle involves Isaac Asimov, whom I happened to meet years ago at a Mohonk Mountain House mystery weekend. He was very funny and personable with no lack of self-confidence, as his business card title below proves (personal info altered).

The photo is one I captured of him and his wife, Janet, while strolling through NY’s Central Park several years later. His response, after I sent him a print, was: “We’ve never seen ourselves from behind in this manner — and in such an affectionate pose, too. It seems to me that we should be an inspiration to sexagenarian lovers everywhere.”

42. Squares #15 (new every Monday)

41. Pleasantville Wrap-up

A sizeable flock of contestants braved the clammy weather Friday night to test their wits at the 11th annual crossword tournament in Will Shortz’s hometown of Pleasantville, NY. The room was filled with both individual and doubles team competitors, puzzlemaker types who hovered as judges, and enough baked goods to feed the town’s middle school. Next week’s Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday NY Times puzzles winnowed the field down to three finalists — Nancy Taubenslag, “Jeffurry” Schwartz, and the eventual champ at solving Thursday’s puzzle on the big easels, Bob Mackey!

Afterward, a small parade of the crossword faithful made their way over to Will’s house for more snacks. A fine spread of Doritos, Lay’s potato chips, dip, carrots, cookies, soda, and beer were laid out. I assume Will provided his traditional house and puzzle collection tour for the uninitiated, but since it’s so close to Halloween, I headed home before the witching hour. All in all, another highly successful installment of this very friendly and fun annual event, with proceeds benefiting the town’s Fund for Learning.

40. Gadzooks! Nixon

The Richard Nixon Library’s online store brings new meaning to the word “puzzling” by offering an array of gifts and memorabilia that seem likely to amuse both friend and foe alike. It includes everything from a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle of a 1970 Nixon and Elvis meeting ($19.95) to a birdhouse replica of his boyhood home ($45.00) to a paper doll book of the First Family ($5.95).

Other customized Nixon items: yo-yo ($3); mug with a photo of Nixon bowling at the White House ($6); Nixon/Schwarzenegger keychain with the Arnold quote “I’m a Republican because of Richard Nixon” ($4); and much more, including golf balls, lapel pins, caps, mouse pads, magnets, t-shirts, playing cards, coin purses, and Christmas ornaments.

39. This Just In

On WordPress’s Growing Blogs page, Pat Tricks stands one spot ahead of Football Jesus Betting Consultant. However, it still trails Drug Education News and ΦΩΝΗ ΤΗΣ ΡΟΔΟΠΗΣ and lags far behind Gerbil News Network.

38. Do-It-Yourself Squares #14

I’ve gotten things started, but this strip is still in need of a few finishing touches. Leave a comment if you have any suggestions.

37. Shortz Sightings

Will Shortz’s annual crossword tournament in Pleasantville, NY, will take place Friday, October 26, 7:30-9:45. It’s a friendly, low-key event featuring the Mon-Thur puzzles that will appear in The NY Times the following week. Proceeds benefit the Pleasantville schools. [CLICK HERE] for complete info.

On Wednesday, October 24, Will Shortz and longtime puzzle figure Doug Heller will host a night of dinner, fun and games, and a showing of “Wordplay” in the Philadelphia area. This a fundraiser for Doug’s run for commissioner in Springfield, PA. [CLICK HERE] for complete info.

36. Squares #13

35. Word Evolution

Scientific American has an online article about the evolution of words [CLICK HERE].

34. Puzzling Thoughts…

…about Wink Martindale. I noticed answers.com has him listed as a spoken word artist. And it got me to thinking that crossword constructors could have a highfalutin title like that too. Word arrangement artist is nice, except that it leaves out the clue-writing part. How about word manipulation artist? Or am I overlooking something that’s even more magniloquent?

If you’d like to learn more about Wink, such as the fact that his real name is Winston C. Martindale, click on the photo above to go to Wink’s World. 

33. Do-It-Yourself Squares #12

What do you think Ashen or Noir, or both of them, should be saying in the last panel? I’m leaving it blank for you to decide. If you’d like to share it with us, leave a note in the comments. Each entry will win a free one month’s subscription to this blog.

32. R.L. Stine Puzzles

Two new creations of mine, a kid’s puzzle feature and a comic strip, debuted this week on R.L. STINE’S WEB SITE. The puzzles pages (one is a visual maze and the other consists of 2 word puzzles) can be downloaded and printed out.

Although R.L. Stine is best known for the zillions of Goosebumps and Fear Street books he sold in the pre-Harry Potter days, he’s still going strong with his current Rotten School and upcoming Goosebumps Horrorland series. Interestingly both R.L. Stine and J.K. Rowling’s pen names came about the same way. Bob used his initials so as not to turn off girl readers and she did likewise, fearing boys wouldn’t read a book written by a woman.

I should point out that R.L. (known as Jovial Bob Stine in his early years) is mostly responsible for the script in the comic strip.

31. Sting’s Birthday (free crossword)

In honor of Sting’s October 2nd birthday, here’s a Sting crossword. It was commissioned as a birthday present for him two years ago by his manager, Kathy Schenker: [PDF version] • [Across Lite]

Sting is an avid solver of The New York Times and The Times of London crossword puzzles when not dabbling in music. Preceding and somewhat overlapping both those pursuits were brief stints as a bus conductor, construction worker, dump truck driver, tax officer, and Catholic school teacher in a small coal-mining village.

Sting’s memoir, Broken Music, is worth a try. Intelligently and evocatively written, it chronicles his journey toward becoming a professional musician. Also worth checking out is Michael Apted’s excellent documentary, Sting — Bring on the Night. (Picture: Sting in the sweater that earned him his nickname)

[PDF puzzle answer] including complete explanation