Merl Reagle makes all his crosswords without the help of grid-filling software. Today's puzzle in the
Los Angeles Times is impressive. Reagle chose the self-deprecating title "Oh, It's You Again" because one of his puzzles will be part of the October 18 Crosswords L.A. championship which will be held at UCLA. Details are at
http://www.cruciverb.com/index.php?topic=106032.0The title also refers to the theme answers, each of which contains two or three U's. It would have been nice if Reagle could have included the Ames Brothers' 1953 hit
You You You, but what makes the puzzle impressive is that he stacked two phrases in two different sections of the grid. How in the world did he figure out that he could put ENCOUNTERGROUP beneath SURROUNDSOUND and GOUNDERGROUND beneath ATHREEHOURTOUR (Yeah, a
Gilligan reference) and be able to come up with 14 short words to cross each pair vertically? I can't recall very many puzzles where two theme answers appeared side by side or one under the other. Reagle also had two theme words in vertical positions: COUSCOUS and FROUFROU. And how can anyone not admire a puzzle that includes the names of Ed ASNER, Susan LUCCI and
Wind In The Willows character MRTOAD? "You've got spunk, Mar'." "Oh thank you, Mr. Grant." "I
hate spunk."
