Caps off to you if you can solve this puzzle!
SUNDAY PUZZLE — Hi solvers, long time no see! It’s Irena and Bradley, back at it again for one last hurrah. The first crossword that Brad ever published was co-created by the two of us, so it’s only fitting that the last one is a joint effort as well.
This puzzle is also the last crossword of the semester, marking the end of the academic year and the full-time publishing schedule of The Michigan Daily. We both have had a lot of fun making crosswords for the past two years. Watching this section grow before our very eyes into a group of 30+ members has been so lovely. We’re sad to go, but excited to see the Games tradition continue on after us. Thanks for everything guys!
If you have any specific questions about this puzzle, shoot us an email at bradob@umich.edu and irenayli@umich.edu. For general questions and concerns, please reach out to crosswords@umich.edu. Happy solving and HAGS!
Tricky Clues:
2D. As one of the more niche clues in the puzzle, we were hoping that the clue “Elixir container” would evoke a sense of mysticism and wonder. Did it work? You can let us know. The answer is PHIAL, another name for a vial and a word that’s nowadays mostly used in historical contexts.
25D. The two of us share an unhealthy obsession with the Supreme Court (not in a positive way). “Samuel of SCOTUS” is none other than self-proclaimed originalist, noted Italian and associate justice Samuel ALITO.
11A. Irena hails from the Pacific Northwest, the crown jewel of America. “PNW portmanteau” is an alliterative nod to SEATAC, the moniker given to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where she has spent many a layover before flying back to Portland.
19A. Like many great men before him, Brad has gone through a phase of being obsessed with the Roman empire. He even took a Roman history class a couple of years ago. The clue “Ancient Roman port” refers to OSTIA, the strategic naval and economic port of the city of Rome for centuries.
23A. “Instant Crush” is probably Irena’s favorite song of all time. It is the brainchild of French electronic music duo DAFT Punk and Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, who also sings on the track.
Today’s Theme:
The title of this puzzle is a reference to Modern Baseball’s sophomore album, released in 2014. Its lead single was a song called “Your Graduation,” which the band wrote (along with the rest of the record) while they were in college. The lyrics allude to a high school graduation, but the song’s sound and video has always conveyed a bittersweet, end-of-college malaise; it feels surreal to now be the ones at that point in life. Eagle-eyed American emo enjoyers might have been able to pick up on this crossword’s theme from the title alone.
Most importantly, the design for this puzzle is our magnum opus: the big 25 formed by the black squares in the middle of the grid is a direct homage to the graduating year for us seniors! If only you all knew how difficult it was to fit this design into a 15×15 grid … the two of us went through at least ten different design iterations before even starting to place the black squares. The trials and tribulations of grid design were worth it in the end, because we came up with this arrangement! The 25 itself is left-right symmetrical (and created some less-than-kosher word placements), but the rest of the black squares have the conventional 180-degree rotational symmetry.
Another aspect of this puzzle that we’re especially proud of is the numerous theme words we were able to incorporate into the grid! If you were especially astute, you might’ve figured out the theme from the very first entry! The Big House will soon host COMMENCEMENT (15-Down) with MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter as the SPEAKER (22-Down). Each graduate, us included, will don their CAP AND GOWN (1-Across) to walk across the stage and receive their DIPLOMA (23-Down) to the tune of POMP (27-Down) and CIRCUMSTANCE (14-Down). As you might have guessed by now, the big revealer is at 58-Across with GRADUATION.
Answer Key:
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