Author: Stella

Themeless #131

~ Stella ~ 8 Comments

For the folks who replied to my last post with “but I come here for hard puzzles!” — I have no plans to stop making hard themelesses and publishing them here every other week. The only thing that has changed is how I describe myself as a puzzlemaker.

As you may have noticed, the themelesses are offered free of charge. I do that because I like making them, and I know that the market for hard themelesses is not large enough that, were I to charge money for these puzzles, I would make enough to justify the extra work I’d have to put in for a paying audience (i.e., putting the puzzles through a test-solving and editing process).

But I now make a large part of my living making puzzles. In time, my goal is for puzzles and trivia to be the majority of my living, if not all of it. To do that, I need to sell easy puzzles. Which is something I’m good at making, and I enjoy making! Hence the rebrand.

So: Here is a hard puzzle that no longer bears the name “Tough as Nails.” Hope you enjoy it!

Themeless #131 – Across Lite

Themeless #131 – PDFDownload
Themeless #131 – SOLUTIONDownload

Welcome to Inteltainment!

~ Stella ~ 4 Comments

After five years, Tough as Nails is no longer the name of my website. Instead, today I’m introducing Inteltainment!

Five years ago when I started Tough as Nails, it was because what I wanted to see more of in the world was more hard puzzles, and more puzzles by women. Both of those things are still true; what has changed is that now I’m a woman who makes puzzles for a living. (!!!!) And most people who are interested in paying money to someone to make a crossword puzzle or trivia want something that’s a lot easier than that to make the challenge more accessible and reach a broader audience.

Which is great! I may not be interested in solving more easy puzzles than I do already, but I sure do love making them. Want me to make one for you? Hire me!

New Year’s surprise

~ Stella ~ 6 Comments

Happy New Year! Here’s a puzzle. It is decidedly not Tough as Nails — in fact, the stated reason it was rejected from one venue, and I think the unstated reason it was rejected from another, is that the theme is too easy to figure out. I mean…I think if I were solving it, I’d still have fun? You tell me. (No, seriously! If you hate it, I want to know, because I do trust my own instincts but would like to know when I shouldn’t.)

Say That Again! – Across Lite

Say That Again – PDFDownload
Say That Again – SOLUTIONDownload

Say That Again – Solve Online

Tough as Nails Themeless #125

~ Stella ~ 3 Comments
Created by Stella Zawistowski using the online cross word generator from Amuse Labs

Okay, so it only took me almost five years to figure out how to embed an online solver. I’m way better at crosswords than I am at technology, OK? Hopefully I will remember how to do this next time. Yes, I know it’s not working, working on it!

And here’s this week’s puzzle by the usual means, for those who like it that way:

Tough as Nails Themeless #125 – Across Lite

Tough as Nails Themeless #125Download
Tough as Nails Themeless #125 – SOLUTIONDownload