@pufferfish if/when you see this, you inspired me to try to make a puzzle with unchecked squares that had (hopefully apparent and logical) alternate way of being deduced from within the puzzle
yeah, the unchecked square issue was much easier for this one. your cluing is very strong! the four themed words are homophones, though, not homonyms. great puzzle!
I agree (post doing this puzzle). One is more archaic apparently, but I was taught differently growing up (that they were two different words)…. realized the error 90% of the way into making it but figured I finish it anyway. In crossword etiquette, is one that I should take down because of that?
Interesting! And definitely no reason to take it down on Crosshare — it's totally the place to experiment. (Maybe just a tweak to a clue or a solver note?)