StearsWords Volume 4 is on sale now!

This digital collection of 50 original, never-before-published themed crossword puzzles is a .zip folder containing 25 15x15 and 15 21x21 crossword puzzles, ready for you to solve interactively on your mobile device or print to solve later.
As usual, StearsWords crossword puzzles are not copyrighted, so share them with your friends.

https://sites.google.com/site/stearswords224/home/buy-stearswords-crossword-puzzle-books

"Transformers"

Much like corduroy pillows, Transformers are making headlines this weekend! "Transformers: Age of Extinction" opened last Friday, and StearsWords pays tribute with a crossword puzzle. And because I really like Transformers, it's an extra-large puzzle.

But it's not a trivia puzzle. Just something for fun. I hope you enjoy my sense of humor as much as I do.

Happy solving!

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid.  *Check back on Friday, July 4, or join Team Stearswords to get the answers.

"It's a Contest!" Answers

What do PLAYING CARDS, SPIRAL NOTEBOOK, DIGITAL CAMERA, CAN OPENER, COMPUTER MOUSE, PAIR OF SCISSORS, and BALLPOINT PEN have in common?

These are all things that drive left-handed people crazy.

Nobody won the contest, so I'm going out for coffee by myself. :)

The Irish

This week, I'm exploring my Irish heritage with an extra large crossword that includes some of the Irish people I admire. You won't find James Joyce in this puzzle--although I'm a huge fan of the song "Finnegan's Wake," the book was not as enjoyable to me.

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, March 21 for the answer grid.

"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.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

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

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.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

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

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

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

Things to Look Forward to in 2014

There's so much to look forward to in 2014, this week's puzzle is extra large. Happy New Year!

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, January 3 to see the answer grid.

StearsWords Volume 3: The 100th Anniversary Collection

The modern crossword puzzle turns 100 years old on December 21, 2013, and StearsWords has the perfect way to celebrate: with a collection of 100 themed crossword puzzles for only $1.00.

The collection features 85 daily-size (15x15) and 15 Sunday-size (21x21) previously unpublished crossword puzzles.

It's my gift to the crossword community. But don't buy more than one; StearsWords puzzles are not copyrighted, so share them with your friends!





https://sites.google.com/site/stearswords224/home/buy-stearswords-crossword-puzzle-books


Did you know that members of Team StearsWords are eligible to receive this collection for free? Join the team now! Send me an email, and get free weekly crossword puzzles and more.

The "Whatever Crosses My Mind" Part

Since I started StearsWords over a year ago, I've been hearing quite a bit of advice from just about everyone.

"You should put ads on your site."

No, I shouldn't. I hate ads. Everyone hates ads. I will never put ads on my site.

"You should put more pictures on your site."

No, I shouldn't. Pictures take more time to load than text. My site is deliberately very plain, without fancy-schmancy formatting and time-wasting .gifs. You want sizzle? Go to a Disney website. You want steak? My site has well-done crossword puzzles, and that's all.

"You should blog every day."

No, I shouldn't. I don't have that much to say, and I believe, if you don't have anything to say, you shouldn't say it.

"You should charge more for your puzzles."

No, I shouldn't. The ones I put on my site, and the ones in my digital collections, don't take me very long to make. I spend much more time on the ones I send to newspapers and magazines. I don't agonize over every word and clue in my StearsWords puzzles the way I do when I'm really getting paid. They're great puzzles, entertaining and fun, but I'm the first to admit, they're not my best work. They're more like my better work. The exceptions are, of course, the Trivia Challenge crosswords. Those take days sometimes, but they're a labor of love, and so I consider it time well-wasted.

"You should copyright your puzzles."

No, I shouldn't. Why bother? If someone wants to print out or share a digital file with their friends, who cares? More fun for everyone, I say. I certainly can't stop anyone, and I don't want to make a bunch of lawyers rich, so what's the point? They're perfectly good puzzles, but not a one of them is suitable for publication elsewhere, so I don't have to worry about anyone claiming to have constructed one of them and trying to sell it. Nobody would buy them. Copyright is a waste of time.

"You should get a real website."

No, I shouldn't. "Real" websites cost money, and Google Sites is free. Why should I pay for something I can get for free?

"You should advertise more."

No, I shouldn't. I hate ads. Everyone hates ads.

Thank you for all your wonderful advice. I'm sure it would work for someone else, but it doesn't work for me.

Christmas Card

Merry Crosswords! I love to tell jokes about Christmas, so does that make me a Christmas card? This week's puzzle features some truly horrible holiday puns. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, December 13 for the answer grid.

Easiest Contest Ever

There's at least one person on your holiday shopping list who loves crossword puzzles--maybe it's you. StearsWords would like to help you this holiday season. If you, or someone you know, loves crossword puzzles, send me an email. Let me know why crossword puzzles are great, and I'll choose five of them at random to send a signed copy of StearsWords: Volume 1. 

Easiest contest ever, right?

Step 1: Compose an email explaining why you love crosswords, or why you think someone you love deserves a free crossword puzzle book.

Step 2: Send it to robinstears@gmail.com

Step 3: Wait until December 15 to see if you're a winner.

Dystopia

The biggest movie this week is the "Hunger Games" sequel, "Catching Fire." My daughter loved those books, and after hearing her talk about them, I just had to check them out myself. Unlike the time I checked out the "Twilight" series, the "Hunger Games" books were a pleasant surprise. Yes, they're Young Adult books, but that doesn't mean they're not enjoyable.

This week's featured StearsWords crossword puzzle is a salute to dystopian futures in literature. So, hide your books and grab a dose of Soma. There are so many dystopian futures, this week's puzzle is extra large.

Next week: A new contest! I'm doing some Christmas shopping for a few lucky fans. If you know someone who would love a copy of "StearsWords: Volume 1," all you (or someone you know) has to do is send me an email telling me why your friend or family member deserves a free crossword puzzle book. The contest starts on Thanksgiving, and ends on December 15.

On December 21, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the modern crossword puzzle, I will offer 100 themed crossword puzzles for only $1. But Team StearsWords members will receive it free! Tell your friends. Everyone loves freebies.

Meanwhile, there's a puzzle to be solved! May the odds be ever in your favor...

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, November 29 for the answer grid.

"Thor" Trivia Challenge

Spoiler alert! This week's puzzle features one of my favorite superheroes: Thor. "Thor: The Dark World" premieres this weekend, and your favorite supernerd (that's me) will be there. I'll never choose between Marvel and DC Comics because I love them both. There's enough room for all the superheroes and superheroines, and plenty of bad guys to keep them all busy. But I'll be the first one to admit that Stan Lee is my absolute favorite comics writer of all time. Any chance I get to throw a little honor and glory his way, I'll take it.

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, November 15 for the answer grid.

Stephen King Trivia Challenge

Is it still Halloween? There are still Halloween parties going on this weekend, so this week's featured StearsWords crossword puzzle is a tribute to the King of Horror: Stephen King.

What kind of poster did Andy Dufresne have in his cell? Where did Gage and Church come back to life? What was The Kid's favorite beer? What did "Gard" Gardner do for a living?

Stephen King has been giving me the heebie-jeebies since high school, and I'm looking forward to reading his latest novel, Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining.

My first foray into the mind of Stephen King was Carrie, which I read in high school. Next up, Salem's Lot made it impossible for me to visit my friends after dark. But my all-time favorite Stephen King book is The Stand, and it was the first book in which I ever found a mistake. In the first edition, Harold Lauder leaves a chocolate thumbprint in Frannie's diary after eating a Payday candy bar. As someone who's allergic to chocolate, I'm well aware that Paydays are not chocolate; they are peanuts and caramel, and one of the few candy bars I can actually eat. 

• Click here to solve interactively.

• Click here for a print-friendly version.

• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, November 8 for the answer grid.