IN PURSUIT OF PUZZLES

When Stars Collide (Themed #16)

An artist's representation of two neutron stars colliding, which astronomers witnessed for the first time on August 17, 2017. The rippling space-time grid represents gravitational waves that travel out from the collision, while the narrow beams show the bursts of gamma rays that are shot out just seconds after the gravitational waves. Swirling clouds of material ejected from the merging stars are also depicted. The clouds glow with visible and other wavelengths of light. [1m2h collaboration/uc Santa Cruz/Carnegie observatories]

I hit on this theme idea about three years ago, not long after I first started constructing. I came up with an assortment of theme answers I liked but struggled to create a workable 15 x 15 or 21 x 21 grid. So, I set it aside, revisited it some months later, then shelved it again…lather, rinse, repeat. Finally, in the last several days, I committed to my three favorite answers and went with a 16 x 15 grid. I like the theme; I hope some of you do too.

On June 17th, I’ll have a puzzle in the LA Times, which you can solve here on Wednesday.

Built using PuzzleMe”s free cross word creator

Responses

  1. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    What a fun puzzle! I love the theme (and the pairings are fun to imagine!). Favorite clues were 43A and 26D. Cool factoid on 3D. The answer to 5A is obvious in retrospect, but the first song that popped into my head was even older: “Smile a little smile for me, Rosemarie” (The Flying Machine, 1969). And I was about to rethink my high opinion of you when I – erroneously, thank god – plunked down MULLET in 47D off the M in square 47.

    Reply
  2. JDB Avatar
    JDB

    LOL! No man will ever – and I repeat: NEVER! – look good in a mullet! (Isn’t that 3D factoid fun? It was too good not to include as a ‘postscript’).

    Reply

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