Brendan Emmett Quigley

CROSSWORD #1885: Breakfast Box

Brendan Quigley — Thu, 07 May 2026 13:05:06 +0000

BREAKFAST BOX: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF][ FULLSCREEN]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]

I brought a little something for y’all w/ todays puzzle. Have one!

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CROSSWORD #1884: Themeless Monday

Brendan Quigley — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:37:07 +0000

THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
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For those that were curious, the ole’ Biz Quig did the marathon yesterday. I was doing all right until about mile 19 when it all started falling apart. I got especially dark in the 21st mile, but Liz talked me out of quitting. And so, I hobbled across the finish line (eventually). And while I don’t feel like bragging about the time (it was atrocious), I will take a moment to say that I am glad that it’s over. Thanks again to everyone who was able to chip in. It’s sort of a cliche to say that raising money for cancer research is the real winning maneuver, but it’s true. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to continue to feel sorry for myself because every part of my legs hurts. Big time.

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CROSSWORD #1883: Badge File

Brendan Quigley — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:05:56 +0000

BADGE FILE: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF][ FULLSCREEN]
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Themed puzzle to get your weekend started early. Maybe. Probably at least one of you. Anyway, dig in.

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CROSSWORD #1882: Themeless Monday

Brendan Quigley — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 12:58:46 +0000

THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
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70 word themeless puzzle for you to get your week starting off on the right foot. Bon appetit.

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CROSSWORD #1881: Inner Reflection

Brendan Quigley — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:52:13 +0000

INNER REFLECTION: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF][ FULLSCREEN]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]

I swear it was coincidence. The numbering of this puzzle in no way influenced the theme. But now that I see it, it’s kind of a cool coincidence. Anyway, dig in.

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CROSSWORD #1880: Themeless Monday

Brendan Quigley — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:38:39 +0000

THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
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Themeless Monday for you this Marathon Monday. No, not the marathon I’m doing. The other one. The much bigger one. But, I was a part of the “very loosely based” Boston Marathon puzzle supplement the Globe ran yesterday. You can pick up your copy here.

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PUZZLE #1879: Marching Bands

Brendan Quigley — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:29:08 +0000

MARCHING BANDS: [ JPZ][ PDF][ FULLSCREEN]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]

Like we always do this time, or at least around this time of year. Year Twelve (!?!) of Marching Bands begins on Monday and I want to make sure that each and every one of you gets on board. You got me? Listen, I love making these things as it requires me to think of the solution grid in far too many directions to juggle. And hey, you get to enjoy them going this way and that way. It’s all too much. You have to wonder how much peyote Mike Shenk was on when he came up with the form, but if you know Mike, you know he doesn’t need drugs. He is drugs.

Let’s review the instructions, shall we?

In this themeless variant, answers appear in two different directions, Rows and Bands. Each Row has two answers side by side with no black square separating them (except for row 7). And Each band starts at the lettered square and goes around the grid clockwise, one answer after another all the way around the circle. Every square appears in two answers.

And now you know. So if you’re on board for more of these Marching Bands puzzle goodness, sign up today. It’s just $15 for a subscription. PayPal or Venmo, please and thank you. Or if you’d prefer some other way, get in touch. Every other week, a new Marching Bands puzzle arrives in your inbox. No Across Lite, just a JPZ or a PDF. If you need a place to do JPZ, head on over to Alex Boisvert’s excellent on-line solving site. In fact, AB made the interface just above, and my whole ding dang site. That guy’s a genius.

If money’s burning a hole in your pocket, and want the whole run of them, that’ll set you back just $50. That’s over 260 Marching Bands. Ye gods. Again, PayPal or Venmo, please and thank you. Or if you’d prefer some other way, get in touch.

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CROSSWORD #1878: Themeless Monday

Brendan Quigley — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:53:16 +0000

THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
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PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]

Another American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in the books. Congrats to Erik Agard for big win #2! And a special shout out to the second and third place contestants: Will Nediger and David Plotkin. (If some of those names ring a bell, it’s because they were in this puzzle’s theme.) Great times were had by all. If you were remotely curious about the puzzles themselves, you can get yourself a copy here. It should be said, that I had one in the mix, and that Aimee was shouting it out in the photo up above.

I don’t really have the bandwidth to talk about the weekend, but suffice to say it was lovely to meet the new friends who came by and said hi. There were more than a few requests to get one of the t-shirts I was wearing on Saturday, and I’ll just say that I’m looking into it. So watch this space.

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CROSSWORD #1877: Speed Demons

Brendan Quigley — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:17 +0000

SPEED DEMONS: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF][ FULLSCREEN]
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If I’ve completely lost you on this puzzle’s theme, I am sorry. So let me point you to this site where in it might become a bit clearer (with some digging). And now you know.

Busy day for the Biz Quig. Crossword Con tomorrow and American Crossword Puzzle Tournament right after that. Oh, and Align starts a soft launch on Arkadium today, to be slowly rolled out internationally shortly thereafter. So, yeah, a busy couple of days. You might have heard that I’ve got a puzzle in this year’s tournament, so good luck to all of y’all. If you see me (Your best bets are either in the judge’s room or the bar. Your third best bet is my room) feel free to come on up and say hi. It’s always good to meet the solvers in the real world. Anyway. Enough of my yapping. Talk soon.

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CROSSWORD #1876: Themeless Monday

Brendan Quigley — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:33:37 +0000

THEMELESS MONDAY: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
[ FULLSCREEN]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]

Anybody else got plans for the week? No? Just me? Oh, okay then. Anyway, Themeless Monday to get you through the early week doldrums.

Share the puzzle. New one on Thursday.