Download printable PDF or Across Lite software and Across Lite puzzle
The print version of the puzzle features standard-difficulty clues; expert solvers and masochists can find the hard clues here: Hard Clues PDF or Hard Clues Across Lite puzzle.
We welcome questions and feedback. Write to series editor Marc Maximov at crossword@indyweek.com.
This month's puzzle is the second by Raleigh attorney Michael Byrne. We ran his first-ever published puzzle in September, which, like this one, had a well-conceived local angle. Another feature of this puzzle is that it's a pangram, meaning it uses every letter of the alphabet at least once. Since it's harder to work J's, Q's, X's, Z's and such into a grid, this is an additional challenge for the constructor, and a fun detail for sharp-eyed solvers to notice. Byrne has planted rare letters here in such plenty, he's a few letters shy of a double pangram. He's the kind of guy you should think twice about challenging to a game of Scrabble.