Start Spreading the News!

by George Barany, Barbara Barany, Brent Hartzell, and Karen Kaler

This Tuesday-ish sports-themed puzzle should delight fans of four outstanding college basketball programs [their respective coaches are shown in the graphic to the right] as they head to an April 1, 2014 date with destiny in the Big Apple.  While solving the puzzle, feel free to listen to this Frank Sinatra classic, which may put you in a good mood. After completing the puzzle (spoiler), learn more about its theme by clicking here. 

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. Sabina Brukner and Michael Hanko, neither of whom is much into sports, both test solved this puzzle and found it to their respective likings. A final reading by sports buff Martin Herbach sharpened a few of the clues.

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

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

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