My friends on the XWord Muggles Forum know me as Darth. (It's my avatar, not my real name, but I like it.) I've been a member of this special WSJ meta community since May 2021, and it's a privilege to "use the Force" and publish puzzles for my friends there (my debut meta appearing in the MMM on 9/11/23).
In real life, I'm an ESL teacher in the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Needless to say, I love language, international travel, and word games...oh, and leisurely time on the beach (...well, make that the "virtual beach" on planet Naboo!).
Mansion Murder Mystery: "Only Time Will Tell"
During a small dinner party at the stately Sinclair Mansion, Ella Sinclair, a renowned art collector, falls victim to murder. Her body is discovered in the grand library, which features an antique clock…
The title of this puzzle is reminiscent of the famous “Got Milk?” ad campaign, which spanned over two decades (from 1993 until 2014) and featured an array of celebrities from Britney Spears, Kate Moss, and Whoopi Goldberg to David Beckham, the Back…
The idea for this puzzle was conceived last April to mark a “particular” anniversary, but life became busy for me and the anniversary date passed before I had time to construct, polish and publish properly.
Is the grid fill too difficult, the…
This is my first time to construct a midi puzzle. It's also a meta, so let me know if it works for you. Happy solving!
In social interactions, we know certain topics evoke strong emotion and can lead to intense discussion or even conflict. From religion and politics to personal beliefs and core identities, these “touchy subjects” have the power to polarize and affect…
Okay, so we know that Jedi fans love to geek out and celebrate May 4th as National Star Wars Day (exchanging "May the Fourth Be With You" greetings and memes), but TODAY marks the "Revenge of the SiXth" -- to honor the Sith Lords and all the glories…
There's a light switch in my house that I need to get checked. It worked fine once, but now the light flickers erratically. Probably just a loose screw. But when a colleague at work recently told me I had a "screw loose," my mind immediately went to…
Hey, it's Darth here, and I'm excited to take part in "Smooth Sailing Sunday". This puzzle was conceived four years ago as a "wannabe" meta that never fully materialized. This year it crawled out of hiding and got a much-needed makeover...although it…
I love to travel. To date, I've experienced over 40 countries and all 50 U.S. states, with many repeat visits. As a young boy, I enjoyed traveling from MI to AK each summer with my family. One year we took a train from Chicago's Union Station to…
Hey there! It's Darth, and I'm excited to present you with my fifth meta puzzle. This idea for this one was formed after a family event during the holidays and was originally titled "Cryptic Collaboration" with the plan of presenting a meta challenge…