Sammy Welcomes ...

by George Barany and Friends

This "mid-week level" puzzle (13x13) welcomed into the world the first-born (8 lb 7 oz; 19.5 inches) of a friend and colleague in the University of Minnesota Office of the Provost—mother is doing well, and father and child are pictured to the right. Note that the puzzle has a "trick" that experienced solvers will discern quickly, but if you need a hint, please click here. Also, click on the title to see Sammy. Finally (spoiler), if you have no patience for solving puzzles and just want the "bottom line," printout the puzzle and answer key, focusing on 15-Across (baby), 40-Across (parents), 20-Across (maternal grandparents), 47-Down (paternal grandmother) and 3-Down (paternal grandfather).

Click here to view or download the puzzle in PDF format; here to download it as a puz file; here to download it as an ipuz file [requires the free Puzzazz app to solve]; here to solve the puzzle interactively (thanks to Jim Horne); here for the solution. Given that we did not start working on the puzzle until the nominal due date, we are especially appreciative of the efforts of Marcia Brott, Michael Hanko, Martin Herbach, and Arlene Romoff (herself a new grandmother, as per this) who test solved the puzzle and made suggestions to improve it.

If you want to tell others about this particular page, refer them to
http://tinyurl.com/sammypuz

More puzzles here (all) and here (tributes).

E-mail barany@umn.edu to be added to a bcc distribution list.