Tales from the Cryptic

Cryptic Mini #000000093:   "Einstein's Hella Powerful Energy" obscuration level: 🌑 (burnt to a crisp) Stayed up too late crunching away at this. I tried to wrap it up hours ago, but kept smoothing out the little corners of the clues. Feels like writing a term paper the night before its due. Too zonked to really know if it's done, or even makes sense at all.

Cryptic Mini #000000078:   "Where The Devil Is Satan?" obscuration level: 🌑 (good luck have fun 😈) This grid contains one of my favorite clues I've ever written. To celebrate, here's my first *vertical* grid! Why is that important? It's not, I just thought it looked neat. (or did I...? 😈)

Cryptic Mini #000000070:   "Decay of Einsteinium" obscuration level: 🌑 (bonne nuit, lune) *presses finger into ear* I'm being told by our fact-checkers that the French translation of the book is actually titled "Bonsoir Lune". So I guess we'll have to run a correc-- oh wait, hold on, I'm also being told that we don't have any fact-checkers. So we don't have to change anything. Oh, and now I'm hearing there is no "we"... it's just "me" (no oui, just moi).... And wait what's this? I'm being told that, at long last, this bit is dead. RIP this bit. You died doing what you loved (?). Anyway folks, thanks for watching. Bonne nuit and bonne chance.

Cryptic Mini #000000066:   "Bike Hawk" obscuration level: 🌑 (it's always darkest before you hit Reveal) Okay I think this might be a 🌒 but I wasn't sure, so I erred on the side of scaring you away. If you're still here, then thank you for your bravery. If you're gone... I miss you! 👾

Cryptic Mini #000000062:   "Eat Up, Schmuck" obscuration level: 🌑 (100% spooky) Okay, I know last week's puzzle was tougher than advertised. I'm sorry. To make up for it, here is.... one of the toughest puzzles I've made 😈. Happy Halloween, sickos!

Cryptic Mini #000000054:   "Beef Focus Group" obscuration level: 🌑 (bring plenty of glowsticks) A real doozy today, for all you true cryptic sickos out there. Hopefully the 3-letter answers will give you a foothold or two. Send any and all complaints to the comments section! 😈

Cryptic Mini #000000049:   "Don Mario" obscuration level: 🌑 (i pray 4 u 🙏🏻) [NB: After some feedback, I modified 1A to make it easier (but still tough! get those crosses!). Apologies to the 5 people who tried the puzzle already today. Shoot me an e-mail and you'll get a full refund!] It's hot out! Stay inside and stress over a tiny crossword for hours :-)

Cryptic Mini #000000043:   "Gross Old Soap" obscuration level: 🌑 (smothered, covered, and extra crispy) Not the darkest of 🌑s, but definitely some patches of dense fog. Bring a flashlight!

Cryptic Mini #000000033:   "Ms. Head-Over-Heels" obscuration level: 🌑 (my toughest yet. a total eclipse.) This week I let the devil on my shoulder write most of the clues. The angel made some revisions, but they were mostly vetoed. It the end, this puzzle isn't the hardest in the world... rather just in this blog. Let me know if any stumped you completely!

Cryptic Mini #000000031:   "A Danish History" obscuration level: 🌑 (trust no one) My first oblong grid! He's feeling a bit awkward about it, please let him know he's beautiful. And you are too!