Let it never be said that we here at Beekeeper Labs never take you anywhere. Last week we went to the disco. This week, it’s off to see our friendly snake oil salesman at the traveling medicine show. It’s guaranteed to cure what ails you, or you’ll get back double what we charged for the puzzle. (Warranty void in some states. Always read the fine print even when it doesn’t say anything useful. Fnord.)

Title: Medicine Show
Difficulty: Thursday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)

As promised last week, we have fixed all problems (technical and otherwise) which were preventing us from supplying you with a tasty weekly crossword. We’ve been scheming all week to try to come up with a splendiferous theme to justify the wait. What we came up with, however, is mostly just….odd. However, it does contain your RDA of bad puns, obscure references, geography lessons, FLAs (we don’t like three letter abbrevs much, but we can groove on four), and such like.

Title: Dance Fever
Difficulty: Thursday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)

Perhaps this week’s puzzle is inauspiciously named. After all, it has been quite chilly enough in this part of Western PA without any encouragement from your faithful puzzle provider. Nonetheless, it is what it is — and what it is is a reasonably easy, and yet charmingly annoying Wednesday-level puzzle. So put on a warm jacket, brew yourself a nice cup of tea, and prepare to “chill”.

Title: Chill
Difficulty: Wednesday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)

Title: That is to say….
Difficulty: Thursday
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When my family heard I’d been having computer trouble, they immediately sent Uncle Fred to take a look. You see, Fred’s ’bout 90 years old and they say he can fix anything. If you’ve got a shotgun with a bad barrel, he can fix ‘er up good as new. If you’ve got a ‘57 Chevy with a bad carburetor, Fred’ll have it purrin’ like a kitten. If those dang kids have broken the dial on your TV set, he’ll jigger up a replacement, no problem. I’m not so sure he’ll do as well with my Windows PC, though. You see, last I heard, Fred still thinks a vacuum tube is an attachment for his Electrolux….

Title: Old Uncle Fred’s Tech Support
Difficulty: Thursday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)

Title: Talking Smack
Difficulty: Wednesday
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Title: Share of Salt
Difficulty: Wednesday
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The title of the puzzle is “One Dollar”, but if you order right this minute, we can give it to you for the low, low discounted price of…. What’s that? We’re giving it away for free? Oh! Well, I guess I can’t offer you a discount then. Never mind. One the other hand, this week’s puzzle gives you 33% fewer “d”s than last week’s. Can we market it as a diet puzzle?

Title: One Dollar
Difficulty: Wednesday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)

Title: Warped
Difficulty: Thursday
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Unlike our offerings over Christmas and Thanksgiving, this December 31 edition of Beekeeper Crosswords is actually a holiday puzzle. Happy “end of the oughts”, and let us look forward to the terrific tens.

Crossword puzzle makers are in a constant struggle to keep their offerings fresh and topical. Some of us, alas, are far more likely to include DAG Hammarskjöld or NGO Dinh Dimh than Lady GAGA or JAY-Z. Thus, it is with some pride that I find myself able to include references to the underwear bomber in a current crossword. Likely this isn’t the first such crossword appearance, but I like to think I made the top three.

Title: Precedents
Difficulty: Wednesday
Download: Across Lite or printable PNG (w/ solution)