For the non-cryptic version of this crossword, click here. Mythical beasts are hiding in seven cells of this grid, taking parts from the corresponding Across and Down entries (in that order) and combining them into terrible creatures. The first letters of all corresponding clues (in clue order) reveal what they're doing here, and the central, unclued entry reveals where they really are (as well as a final, elusive being). Hint if you're stuck: this crossword involves rebus cells.
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The first letters of the clues spell THE MONSTER MASH.
If you'd like the parse for any clues, leave a comment. Thanks for solving!
merlinnimue 🤓22:52 · 2023-08-19T02:34:25.784Z
so amazing, it makes me sick... sad for me and the potential i could never live up to, but i should be glad for the world that there are such beautiful and brilliant bright lights in it
merlinnimue 🤓22:52 · 2023-08-19T02:40:20.343Z
also i shouldve said thanks for the puzzle... but i hope that was implied :)
Hey thanks for your kind words! I've been doing this for a while, so I say keep at it. Check out Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon's work for some more variety cryptic goodness/inspiration!
Wow! I admit I had to use a Reveal Letter on one of the intersecting monster squares before I understood the theme at all (I had the answer for 18D but then didn't see how the across answer fit, so I used a reveal on it) - awesome! (I'm surprised it was even possible to put a chupacabra in one of these!)
Thanks :) Actually I did figure out there were rebuses (because I knew there was a "DEVIL" there, and I also had the answer to VERTIGO but without knowing what else fits) but I didn't figure out that you had to put two parts together to make the rebuses!
Really really impressive! One of the best crosswords I've done in a long while! The only real sticking point for me was finding BIGFOOT and I ended up backsolving where it was. I couldn't quite parse 30D. Is it just an anagram of ATMOONF?
Thanks!
For 30D, the intended parse is F+(AT MOON), where F is the abbreviation for France (matching the French reference in 29D), with the anagram placed under it ("at the base"). Glad it was backsolvable!
I think it was just one afternoon of trying to smush them all into the grid, with the following day deliberating over the fill (I'm still not super happy with the NE section). I decided on the extract first, so I went looking for the easiest 7 cryptids to split/fit (although afterwards I realised I could have maybe used MONSTER MASH and placed two theme cells in the same entry to make the odd length work). Consulting my notes, I did consider jackalope and rougarou briefly, but I wanted to include the bunyip from Australian Aboriginal mythology. Safe to say, the mokele-mbembe was never in contention!
If you'd like the parse for any clues, leave a comment. Thanks for solving!
For 30D, the intended parse is
F+(AT MOON), where F is the abbreviation for France (matching the French reference in 29D), with the anagram placed under it ("at the base"). Glad it was backsolvable!