Hey there, Dave Ryan! I found this puzzle via The Hub's Browse By Type and just had to take a trip up north.
Out of the seemingly endless possibilities, you certainly chose twenty-five great town names! They're long, which leads to a search grid of impressive size. Also, the names are chock full of vowels, which means that finding them in the grid is a serious undertaking - great job!
So many things recommended this puzzle to me: the names are interesting, Scotland is home to both the westernmost and northernmost points in the UK and, of course, it's the ancestral home of one Commander / Captain Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineering Officer [] of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Thanks for sharing this with us! Live long and prosper!
Hey there, John! I came across your Newsfeed post and thought I'd brave your puzzle.
The only downside to crossword puzzles here on WdC - and this isn't a criticism of either you or the site; it's just the way it is - is that you often can't get enough words to cross in order to figure out the tougher words. Such was the case with 9 Down. If my hair were longer, I'd have been tempted to tug out a few tufts. Eventually, though, the TV show Dead Like Me occurred to me and - hey, presto! - the solution appeared. The best puzzles make you think, and this one makes a case for inclusion in that group.
Suggestion(s): You may want to run a spellcheck on the clues for 6 Down and 12 Down.
Hello there, C.E. Thieroff! I'm just dropping by with an Account Anniversary review for you.
I like how you contrast the difference between nighttime in the city and out in nature (or, at least, away from the hustle and bustle and skyscrapers). Seeing stars at night is a completely different experience in the city versus away from it, and I like how you bring out the different way feelings are affected.
Favorite line(s): "I am a man alone, bathing in nights beauty." That's my favorite line, but the whole verse creates a very lovely mental image.
Suggestion(s): In the last verse, I believe it should be Man's vs Mans'.
Greetings, Nani - Blessed Indeed! I'm dropping by with an Account Anniversary review for you.
Content: You've given us a military-themed poem extolling the hard duty American soldiers endure every day they're deployed, whether at home or abroad. Viewed from that perspective, this actually applies to every soldier.
Format: I like the flow of your abcb rhyme scheme. I also like the fact that, although the meter for corresponding lines between stanzas isn't exactly the same throughout your poem - meaning the syllable count isn't exactly the same for all five Line 2's, Line 3's or Line 4's - it still reads very well and doesn't cause the reader to 'stumble'.
Favorite line(s): The last line: "He stands forever in harm’s way." That pretty much sums up a soldier's duty and the reason for his/her sacrifice.
Suggestion(s): I have none. This is a wonderful poem just as it is.
Hello there, WakeUpAndLive! I'm dropping by with a WdC Account Anniversary review for you.
Your essay certainly speaks some hard and awful truths. Nearly 1% of of the world's population was directly affected by this horrid disease, and over a million and a half of those lost their lives. The "Spanish Flu" epidemic was far, far worse, but there are only a handful of people still alive from a hundred years ago, and dry statistics - while terrifying - don't carry the same weight as personal testimony.
You're right though: people fought to survive and to defeat the enemy. It's not gone yet, but the world is much better prepared to survive it. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Content: Sam Adams, frequently employed as your protagonist, is in search of a respite from the constant bombardment of noise - white noise, practically, considering how little sense it all made. Self-important persons broadcast their views day and night, until Sam nearly despairs of ever hearing... silence.
Format: You use free verse and alternating stanza lengths to good effect.
Favorite line(s): "The 24/7 babbling words" pretty much exemplify an absence of silence.
Suggestion(s): I have none. I think your poem works as-is.
Hello there, Dave Ryan! I found this Word Search puzzle via The Hub's Browse By Type and conducted myself into this review.
I really love the subject you chose for this puzzle! You've selected some of my favorite composers: Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, and RimskyKorsakov to name just a few, and many of the remaining names are (well) known to me and their works, if not by name, are also known to millions (e.g. Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance"). Excellent topic, well-executed!
Hey there, AmyJo-Boy is it getting hot!! I saw your Newsfeed post regarding a new Word Search and just had to take a look.
Legal-type terms have the potential to be quite lengthy, and many of the words you selected fit right into that possibility. On top of that, you added some compound nouns that really stretched the boundaries of the search grid. I always enjoy a large puzzle, so this one was a real treat!
Hey there, Kenzie. I saw your post in the Newsfeed and decided to chime in a little.
My wife used to shop at Joann's, mostly for crochet-related items and materials. They're also my second-youngest daughter's go-to store for things like that. She's purchased a sewing machine, fabrics and various storage containers from our closest store. Now she'll have to hope that Walmart or Hobby Lobby can fill the bill. If they don't, well - as you point out - there's always Amazon.
Suggestion: I know this is an article to let people know about the passing of a fine franchise, rather than a contest submission, but I think you meant to type 'shrug' rather than 'shirk' in the last sentence.
Thanks for sharing this with us. Maybe it will prompt a few of your readers to make one last fabric-run, before the doors close for good.
Hello there, neilbco! I'm just swooping in to leave an Account Anniversary review for you.
Your poem neatly describes the connection between the vampire and one who has been turned; in this case, it appears to be a (young) lady. I believe we generally think of vampires as cold, unfeeling - what with no longer being alive, and all - and bereft of all passion, save the lust for blood. This poem paints a completely different picture, opening us to the possibility that even the undead can love. You've penned a truly erotic poem.
The images your words evoke remind me of Hammer's Ladies of Horror from the late 1960s and early 1970s. The lovelies he used in his films were not just victims, they were frequently the chief villain. And if the chosen prey happened to be female, the neck wasn't always the only body part that felt the vampire's kiss.
Hey there, VictoriaMcCullough! I'm just dropping by with an Account Anniversary review for you.
I think this is a very nice poem. I really like how you reveal the warm memories you have of your father. Your poem shows the love he had for his family and, at the end, his desire to just move on. His grandkids had a pet name for him - one I haven't heard, as it happens - and he did little things to help them create happy memories of their time with him.
Hey there, moonglow15! I came across this Word Search via The Hub's Browse By Type and decided to take a look.
As a retired Army guy who hasn't acquired that "never cuttin' my hair again" attitude more than a few of my brothers in arms have adopted, I am woefully ignorant of probably eighty percent of the hair care terms you chose for your puzzle - but that didn't stop me from enjoying the search for them. The longer words, coupled with the compound nouns, made for a nice, large grid, which made it easier for the system to tuck the shorter ones into some unexpected corners - nice!
First Impressions: You take us from birth to today via free verse poetry, telling us how you came to be who you are, yet still wondering a bit how it all happened and why your relationship with your mother is so complicated.
Grammar / Spelling: I don't see any problems with grammar or spelling.
Suggestions: I have none.
Overall: I think it can be hard to break down how a relationship with someone formed, especially when it's a parent. A child learns a lot by observation, but doesn't always understand the background of the observed behavior. I think you feel your efforts to help your mother aren't what you feel they ought to be, but you also let us know that understanding how to remedy that is difficult.
Remember that these are my personal thoughts and no offense is meant by any criticism offered.
Hey there, Amethyst Angel 💐! I found your newest creation via The Hub's Browse By Type and decided skate in for a look-see.
My girls were all grown and my granddaughters the wrong age - or not located in my Time Zone - for me to be very familiar with this film. I know the names Anna and Elsa, but don't know which is which. Olaf's the snowman, Sven's the reindeer... and that's as far as my character knowledge takes me. Oh, yeah, there are also the most famous three words sung in the film: Let it go! Unsurprisingly, all of these bits of movie trivia are contained in your word listing, along with many others, to give us a good-sized grid to pore over - yay!
Hey there, AmyJo-Boy is it getting hot!! I spotted your announcement regarding this Word Search in the Newsfeed and decided to see the matinee showing.
I've seen about half of the movies whose titles you've assembled for this puzzle; not too bad, considering how many films there are out there. I really like the fact you chose some movies with longer titles, as this forced the system to create my favorite kind of grid: a really big one! There are plenty of false trails to ignore - more than a few of them, oddly enough, can lead one to believe Ben Hur appears more than once; it doesn't, of course.
Hello there, iKïyå§ama-Yay-Nurses!! I came across your story and decided to check it out.
As James, the editor-slash-agent might say, this is a beauty! I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I loved the book's excerpt at the beginning of the story, that glimpse into the life of a hard-boiled private detective. To me, it's very Mickey Spillane-ish. The rest of the story weaves the creation and growth of Allen Cromwell into her life as the character becomes an important part of her world due, in no small measure, to the contributions her policeman husband Adam makes. At the end of the story, she comes to a crossroads with both Allen and Adam, and her life is changed.
I thank you for sharing this with us, and wish you much luck in the contest.
Hey, AmyJo-Boy is it getting hot!! I saw your Newsfeed announcement about your newest Word Search, so I pointed my walker toward your port for a look-see.
I'm certain I've commented before on the size of your Word Search puzzle grids and almost certainly in an affirming manner, but -- Great Caesar's Ghost! -- this one is huge! You've gathered a couple of dozen terms that describe you and / or your life, showing us a little of yourself, and created a puzzle of epic proportions. Some are fairly 'generic' (Aunt, Fiftynine, JuneBaby, etc.), but most of them tell the story of you.
This is a fun puzzle to work, and I enjoyed it. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
Hey there, Graham B.! I'm dropping by with an Account Anniversary review for you.
You've written what is, from my perspective, a pretty hard-hitting account of a combat engagement between a U.S. Infantry platoon and some Afghan fighters. Central to the story is a young, female Air Force combat photographer who defies the platoon leader's orders so she can get some good photos of the area, only to wind up saving the platoon. Thoughts regarding women's role in combat go through some of the men's minds, but she earns their respect in the end.
Suggestion(s): The only suggestion I have would be to change 'Sarge' to 'Sir' right after the platoon finds Airman Sims, and then when Voss comments that the Afghans would have slaughtered the platoon. In both instances, he was speaking to Lieutenant Harkness.
Hey there, Pumpkin! I thought I'd just drop by with an Account Anniversary review for you!
True stories always have the potential to be quite interesting, and this one doesn't disappoint! I suppose I can imagine doing what you did - after all, I drove my oldest daughter to the E.R. when she dove into her bed's headboard. Driving a stick shift while holding a washcloth to her forehead was an experience never to be repeated.
I agree with you. It is strange nobody on the construction site thought to take it themselves. I can imagine you being somewhat in shock, so forgetting about the pharmacist and the ice machine makes some sense. I'm glad it turned out well for you and, hopefully, for the worker.
Hey there, JCosmos. I found this story via The Hub's "Read & Review", so here we go!
Sam Adams gets an email telling him the last knock on his door a mortal man ever hears is scheduled in one week's time, and that he's permitted to tell no one. The email's alleged sender is the Grim Reaper, which Sam doesn't believe, but he keeps silent and frets away the week. At the appointed hour, his demonic escort arrives and drives him to a dark forest.
The Reaper tells him he's been given a five-year reprieve, on the condition that he do his best to get people to change their ways and save the world, even though the betting line says it's not gonna happen. Sam gives it a shot, but... My question is: is that last midnight knock for Sam - or for everybody?
Sam's initial appointment time confused me a little: "...2am-midnight...". I'm guessing the time started out as midnight but, because of Reaper Daylight Time, got changed to 2am and the initial midnight bit got lost in all the clock-changing hullabaloo.
Format: You've made liberal use of line spacing, a legible font size, and an easy-to-read font - thank you! I would imagine reading this story would be as easy as it gets for someone with vision issues or someone using their phone vs their computer.
Hello there, Shiaa! I came across this story via The Hub's "Read & Review" navigation tab, so I thought I'd leave you a review.
You sure didn't need very many words to tell a creepy little story! Elliot should have recognized the strangeness of the house because it was so cold inside, but he either didn't notice or decided it was unimportant. He also didn't heed the landlady's warning very well, and he's fortunate the barrier between the two worlds wasn't breached.
I think English may not be your primary language, so I'm only going to mention one thing that happens pretty every time: the first word in a sentence gets capitalized, so you can easily fix those. I also suggest you increase the font size a little bit, maybe to 3.5 or 4. It would make it easier for people with vision problems, or anyone trying to read it on their phone. Your story can be read just fine without making any changes; I am just hoping to help you make it a little bit better.
Content: I really like how you populated the image with a solitary woman sitting at an outside table, an empty wineglass before her and a glimpse of the sea hemmed in by the narrow passageway. You present her as lost in thought, and then provide possible concerns and well-meaning passersby. The poem's resolution gives us insight to her thoughts, which are far removed from the guesses casual observers may have made.
Format: You used free verse to immerse us in your description of the image - well done!
Favorite line(s): The entire second verse. It perfectly presents a clear image.
Hello there, Cory M Tobin! I dropped off a 'Howdy!' over at the 7/7 Forum, then thought I'd take a quick trip through your port and found this interesting story premise.
Okay, so we've got some suspense going on here. There seem to be two serial killers on the loose, each having his own M.O.: one stabs his victims, the other sends three pieces of lead their way in a gut-chest-head triple tap. Julia and her sister discuss the strangeness of having more than one active serial killer in their town, along with Julia's work schedule. Her second job as a bartender brings her face to face with one of the killers - and possibly ends the entire reign of terror.
You brought in some good background on Julia, her town and one of the locals. She's tough and street-smart, so it was interesting to see her start to cry - all to lull the killer into a false sense of being in charge, before the completely flipped the script. This was an interesting and engaging read from start to finish.
Suggestion(s): There are a couple of places where the g is left off of the end of a word, and the customary apostrophe doesn't appear as the placeholder. It's no big deal, but I thought I'd mention it. One story element you should consider addressing, though, is the part where Julia picks up the shell casings. Semi-automatic pistols eject spent casings as they fire, but revolvers don't.
Finally, for readability's sake, you may want to increase the font size to 3.5 or 4, and also add a blank line between lines of dialogue, paragraphs, etc. It would make the story easier to read, especially for those with vision issues or people reading your story on a device rather than a full-sized monitor. Remember, these are just my suggestions, and you are free to adopt or discard them as you see fit. No offense is intended.
Hey there, TeeMarie15. I thought I'd drop by your port and see what I could find: I found this gem.
There are any number of twin tales out there, and not all of them from the minds of some Hollywood producer (e.g. Twins with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito). Some tell stories of challenge, some have bits of heartache, and many are just about two siblings growing up who happen to be twins. Your story is from the 'Heartache Group', and while we can celebrate your recovery and success, it's impossible not to share, in some small way, your feeling of loss.
As a father of twins myself - fraternal girls, and six years and two months older than you - I'd like to say I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this very personal story with us.
Content: Your poem showcases a multitude of things a child can use to have a great time, especially as they can be used as something special: trees as castles or forts, sticks as swords or wands, and so many more. We read on, and discover you've mastered all these things by way of something that's unique to you: your imagination. Fantastic!
Format: You bent the free verse format to your will, using as many lines and stanzas as were needed to tell the tale that had to be told.
Favorite line(s): "I learned to run without making a sound". It would be cool to actually be able to do that!
Suggestion(s): I spotted three tiny things that you may - or may not - want to take a look at: iridescent frogs, the unwary leprechaun, and the sparkling stones. Don't fret over it, though. IMHO, they don't impact the overall effect of the poem at all.
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