A monthly contest crossword of LITERARY proportions!
Come back on the first of every month for a new literature-inspired crossword
Scroll down for all the most recent puzzles
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November 2026 Monthly Contest SOLUTION
Title: “Sounds Like a Job for the Boss” Prompt: The meta answer is a children’s novel. Answer: HEIDI Explanation: the clue for the central entry – 37A OVERSEE clued as [Do the boss’s job] – and its callback to the title suggest that OVERSEE might be relevant to the meta somehow, and indeed it is.…
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November 2026 Monthly Contest: “Sounds Like a Job for the Boss”
If you’re looking for something to pair with your Halloween candy and extra hour of sleep this morning, might I suggest a meta crossword? This month’s contest puzzle is “Sounds Like a Job for the Boss” by Faren Roth. The meta answer is a children’s novel. You can find Faren’s bio over on our Team…
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October 2026 Monthly Contest SOLUTION
Title: “If I Could Just Get Things in Order…” Prompt: The meta answer is something that may be difficult for a writer to do. Answer: BEGIN Explanation: the clue for 82A SORT, [Get things in order, such as by alphabetizing], with its clear callback to the title, provides a crucial hint. Something should be alphabetized……
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October 2026 Monthly Contest: “If I Could Just Get Things in Order…”
Let’s get right to the puzzle this month! This month’s contest puzzle is “If I Could Just Get Things in Order…” by Emma Oxford. The meta answer is something that may be difficult for a writer to do. To submit to the contest, send an email with your answer in the subject line to damefoxwords@gmail.com.…
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September 2026 Monthly Contest SOLUTION
Title: “The Brains of the Operation”Prompt: The meta answer is a famous novel.Answer: FRANKENSTEIN Before we get to the explanation, a quick bit of housekeeping: if you’re reading this on the ACL website (as opposed to in your email, if you’re a subscriber who receives these posts by email), you may notice a new banner…
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September 2026 Monthly Contest: “The Brains of the Operation”
Ah, September, that baffling month where pumpkins are for sale in containers labeled with pictures of watermelons. But I digress. Back to crosswords! This month’s contest puzzle is “The Brains of the Operation” by Carina da Rosa. The meta answer is a famous novel. You can find Carina’s bio over on our Team Ariadne page.…
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August 2026 Monthly Contest SOLUTION
Title: “If You Play Your Cards Right” Prompt: The meta answer is a literary antagonist. Answer: QUEEN OF HEARTS (from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll) Explanation: 4D, clued as [With 40-Down, the hand that you’ve been dealt] tells you that you have a BROADWAY STRAIGHT in your hand. Google (or just knowledge of…
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August 2026 Monthly Contest: “If You Play Your Cards Right”
Should you beat the August heat with a crossword puzzle or a card game today? Good news, you can do both! This month’s contest puzzle is “If You Play Your Cards Right” by Faren Roth. The meta answer is a literary antagonist. You can find Faren’s bio over on our Team Ariadne page. She also…
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July 2026 Monthly Contest SOLUTION
Title: “State of Communication”Prompt: The meta answer is a novel published in the 1980s whose title would make a good sixth theme answer.Answer: THE HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE (by John Irving) Explanation: each of the five longest across entries contains, in some order, the name of a US state and a letter in the NATO phonetic…
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July 2026 Monthly Contest: “State of Communication”
Somehow, 2026 is half over. Starting off the second half of the year, we have “State of Communication” by Emma Oxford for your meta-solving enjoyment. The meta answer is a novel published in the 1980s whose title would make a good sixth theme answer. To submit to the contest, send an email with your answer…
