I construct mini puzzles for my almost-tween-to-teenaged kids who were trying to figure out why I enjoy crossword puzzles. Just because they're for kids doesn't necessarily mean that the puzzles are easy! They often group solve the puzzles - the older kids take charge, but the younger ones help out too. I won't put anything in the puzzle that I wouldn't discuss with my younger kids. I also try to clue what I can from my kids' perspective, keep crosswordese to a minimum, and keep the crosses fair - not always successfully. There is a usually a mini theme, a couple of related entries that tie in to the title of the puzzle. After forgetting to keep one puzzle private and getting positive feedback from solvers, I now try to post one puzzle a week. Enjoy!
I hadn't constructed a meta in a while, but when the Cap'n's call for crosswords coincided with my discovery of a scrap of paper containing an idea for a meta I had written down last year - this puzzle came to be. So…