Thu., 2/12 Jeffrey Wechsler

[magus]

THEME:   names of 7 cities arranged in squares on the grid
   
GOOD ONES:     
Urban centers {& theme}   TOWN SQUARES   
Guitar attachment?   IST [capo didn't fit]   
Bond's car starter?   ASTON [name, not part of engine]   
Pig's digs   STY   
Lacking a mate   ODD [I thought people, not socks]   
Pupil controller   IRIS [I think she was my seventh grade teacher   ]   
   
BTW:   
File under "Useless knowledge that cannot be unlearned":  Earlaps is older than EARFLAPS   
   
   
RATING:    
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

Coming up with the theme of "town square": easy.
Coming up with seven city names which contain four or eight of the most common letters: harder.
Fitting those names into blocks of four or eight spaces and starting each name in the upper left square so the words proceed in a clockwise direction: easy.
Arranging those seven blocks in right-to-left symmetry: fairly easy.
Finding words that criss-cross those city names: very difficult.

I'm usually very stinting in giving praise but this is one of the most impressive puzzles I've ever seen. And maybe someday I'll challenge Mister magus to a "useless knowledge" contest.