Bert's Jobs in "Mary Poppins"

This week’s StearsWords crossword puzzle is dedicated to my nephew, Jon. As a child, he loved “Mary Poppins,” and this week, StearsWords pays tribute to the 50^th anniversary of “Mary Poppins.”

Mary Poppins scares me a little, as Christopher Rule pointed out in his recut trailer for YouTube.

Within the grid are the four jobs that Bert performed in the movie, in the order in which he performs them. Bert seems to be a nice guy. So, take this week’s puzzle with “A Spoonful of Sugar,” and “Stay Awake” long enough for a “Jolly Holiday” of solving! (“I Love to Laugh,” don’t you?)

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

TV Emoji 101

Back by popular demand! This week's StearsWords puzzle is another emoji quiz with a crossword grid. The theme of this puzzle is "TV Emoji 101."

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, August 22 for the answer grid.

"Ampersand" Answers

The answers to "&" are here.

It's a Contest!

This week's StearsWords puzzle has a mystery theme. The seven theme entries all have something in common. Figure out what it is, and send me an email.
Your email should contain a few words explaining the theme, not a completed grid. Emails that contain picture files or have picture files attached will not be eligible to win.
Everyone who enters will receive StearsWords: Volume 4, a digital collection of 50 original crossword puzzles.
A randomly selected winner will receive Starbucks® gift card.
Answers must be received by Thursday, June 26, 2014, 11:59 pm (EDT). Answers will be posted on Friday, June 27, 2014.
Happy solving!

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• Click here to see the answer grid.  *Check back on Friday, June 27, or join Team Stearswords to get the answers.

Batman Trivia 100 Answers

Happy birthday, Batman!

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Easter Puzzle Answers

The theme entries in this puzzle are two-word phrases made up of words that can follow "Easter."

"The Big Bang Theory" Trivia Challenge

Last's week's puzzle was for a fan, but this week's puzzle was all my idea. I'm a huge fan of "The Big Bang Theory," and have watched every episode many times. So, if you know what Stuart majored in at the Rhode Island School of Design, or which theoretical physicist played Words with Friends with Sheldon, or what Mrs. Wolowitz's favorite cookie is, bazinga!

Happy solving!

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• Click here to see the answer grid.  *Check back on Friday, April 11 for the answer grid, or join Team StearsWords to get your free weekly puzzle (with the answers).

Christmas Crossword Card

The Christmas spirit is still strong within me. This week, an actual Christmas card with a crossword puzzle. There's a message in the puzzle, which makes it perfect for printing and sending to your favorite puzzle fan(s). As usual, it's copyright-free, so share it as much as you want. It prints double-sided on one page; fold it in half to make it a card. Scroll to the end of the page to see the holiday message.

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SPOILER ALERT!!

*The message inside the card reads: I WANTED TO SEND/SOMETHING EPIC/BUT THE MAILMAN/COULDN'T LIFT ME

PlayStation 4 Games

As much as I love movies and TV and music and comic books, I also love video games. When I hear, "Turn on the AC," I think, "Cool! We're going to play Assassin's Creed!" The first time I heard about DKNY, my first thought was, "Donkey Kong in New York?"

One of my friends runs a Sunday morning TV show that features an "Oh WOW Moment," and I always hope it will have something to do with World of Warcraft, but it's always about the children's museum.

This week's puzzle features some of the PlayStation games for the newest member of the family, the PS4.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, November 22 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. 

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

Horror Movie Trivia Challenge

This week's puzzle is a real scream...

It's a salute to horror movies, and it's loaded with killer trivia. Personally, I'm not a fan of horror movies...real life is horrible enough, in my opinion. But I'm surrounded by horror fans, and I know a lot of people who will love this crossword trivia challenge. Be sure to share it with the horror movie trivia fans in your life, the ones who know who played the Thing in "The Thing from Another World," and who directed "I Spit on Your Grave," and the ones who can quote Burt Gummer from "Tremors," and know the color of Carrie's prom dress. You know the type.

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• Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, November 1 for the answer grid.

It's Friday! Friday! Gotta post answers on Friday!

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"Babylon 5" Spectacular

What race did Londo describe as "...a legend. The kind you would use to frighten small children..."?

What's the name of the central marketplace in Red 5? How is zoolow served? If you know the answers, you'll love this week's featured StearsWords crossword: "Babylon 5" Spectacular! Click here to solve interactively. Click here for a print-friendly version. Click here to see the answer grid. *Check back on Friday, August 2 for the answer grid.