Image source. Not a spoiler, although it would be really funny if the puzzle was about this.
Happy first blog puzzle of 2024! I constructed it in one night while staying up to find out if my university TAs were going on strike or not. (They were not.) I've been wanting to make this puzzle for months, though, and I'm so happy I finally get to share it with you all!
Since my last blog puzzle, I've gotten to check two awesome things off my crossword bucket list: I was a constructor for the Boswords Winter Wondersolve, and I'm a contributor to These Puzzles Fund Abortion 4, which will be released soon! I had so much fun working on my puzzles for both of these things, and I'm so grateful to John and Rachel (and the rest of the TPFA team) for letting me work with them.
I'm working on getting in speed solving shape for my second ACPT! Unfortunately, I'll miss the last day (eclipse chasing) but will try to be so far ahead by Saturday that even Paolo Pasco can't catch up. (This is a joke. I came in 637th last time and my only goal is to do better than that.)
Anyway, happy solving!
PDF:
Answer keys: (there are two; without spoiling the theme, you should look at them both!)