Puzzle Notes

Hi friends: 

This week is an AVCX unicorn - a 1/5 difficulty puzzle! We thought you might enjoy something chill on the beach. Patrick Blindauer is the constructor, and his puzzle is called "What's the Big Idea?" Let us know your fastest times.

And speaking of Patrick, he's co-organizer of Lollapuzzoola 9, dubbed "the world's greatest crossword tournament held on a Saturday in August," and (in my own words) low-key one of the best crossword tournaments there is. The vibe is positive, many of your fav crossword constructors/editors/bloggers/superfans will be there, and it has an informal feel that's just [*chef's kiss*]. I go every year I can, including this one, and love it. Oh, and did I mention that the puzzles are absolutely top-notch? Did I mention I'll be singing again this year? Anyway, back to the official blurb:

"This year's LLPZ9 is happening on Saturday, August 13, at All Souls Church in New York City. It's a full day of original crosswords (amazing), bonus puzzles and games (brilliant), and free snacks (mediocre), all for just $30. You can also solve from home for $12 (and provide your own snacks). Visit www.bemoresmarter.com for more info. If you have any questions, email tournament director Brian Cimmet at brian@bemoresmarter.com."

Of course, if you're a crossword ninja warrior and a 1/5 puzzle takes you 1.5 minutes, you can always get yourself a full year of archived puzzles to keep busy until next week's Aimee Lucido challenge ... archives are here.

Cheers,

Ben and the AVCX crew [avxwords.com, @AVCXWord]