Gittip Me

If you like StearsWords, I hope you'll consider setting up a Gittip account and sending me a little appreciation each week.

https://www.gittip.com/RobinStears/

"Dungeons and Dragons"

This week's puzzle is a salute to "Dungeons and Dragons," which turns 40 this year. In 1974, Gary Gygax scraped together $2400 and ran off a thousand copies of the 150-page booklet titled, Dungeons & Dragons: Rules for Fantastic Medieval Wargame Campaigns Playable with Paper and Pencil and Miniature Figures.

It was more than a game--it was a call to adventure! I hope you enjoy these horrible puns about D&D as much as I enjoyed making them.

• Click here to solve interactively.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, January 31 for the answer grid.

"Mystery Theme" Contest Answers

The answers to this week's featured StearsWords crossword puzzle:

The theme answers are all real-life people who were portrayed by Will Ferrell on "Saturday Night Live."

It's a Contest!

It's a contest!

The seven theme entries all have something in common. Figure out what it is, and send me an email.

Your email should contain a word or words explaining the theme, not a completed grid. Emails that contain picture files or have picture files attached will not be eligible to win.                                                                                                                              

A randomly selected winner will receive a free personalized crossword puzzle--a $50 dollar value--and a Starbucks® gift card .

Answers must be received by Thursday, January 23, 2014, 11:59 pm (EDT). One entry per solver. Answers will be posted on Friday, January 24, 2014.

• Click here to solve interactively.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, January 24 for the answer grid.

"Who Played Hercules?" Answers

I’m mercurial. I said I’d post the answers to this puzzle on Sunday, but I’m doing it today instead. Expect the unexpected.

Sometimes, I forget to upload the answers altogether. This week, I'm doing it early because I'm going to start a new contest on Sunday.
 

Hercules

For a minute, I thought I was seeing double--there are two different Hercules movies coming out this year. Then, I wondered how many actors have portrayed Hercules, and that search inspired this week's crossword puzzle.

Hint: Arnold Schwarzenegger does not appear in this puzzle. His name is too long.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Sunday, January 19 for the answer grid.

#DietMusicians

This week's StearsWords crossword puzzle comes straight from Twitter. Comedy Central's "@Midnight" challenged everyone who already broke their New Year's Resolution to respond to #DietMusicians. I had so much fun reading them, well, I just had to immortalize some of the best ones in a crossword puzzle. It's a Super-Size puzzle. My only regret is that I couldn't make "Florence + The Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine" fit in the grid.

So, Don't Panic! at the Crisco...just grab a bowl of Ka$hi and have Faith No More in diets.

• Click here to solve interactively.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, January 10 for the answer grid.