Section Eight #4 (Guest Puzzle by Roger Barkan)

Section Eight #4 - PDF (Harder) | PDF (Easier) | JPZ (Harder) | JPZ (Easier) | Solution (PDF)

I'm excited to let a guest constructor take over the reins this month! Roger Barkan has recently caught the bug that is Section Eight constructing and this puzzle is one result of Roger's dedicated efforts. We both love this format which was developed by the great Patrick Berry. Roger also wrote another of these recently published at Outside the Box, so be sure to check that out as well. 

Like the other Section Eights featured here, such as last year's S8 Puzzle Pack, there are two difficulty levels offered. The Harder version is how Section Eights are presented in the Wall Street Journal presents them, with the Ring directions and enumerations not given except for the outermost Ring. The Easier version discloses the directions and enumerations of all Rings, so do check out that version if you're new to the format. There are PDFs for print-and-play solvers as well as JPZ files for digital solving. To solve online, download the JPZ file and then head over to Crossword Nexus and upload. Either way you solve, hope you enjoy!

Good news on the Rows Garden front: Juliana Tringali Golden at Stay Golden Puzzles is launching a regular series of original RGs for sale. Juliana writes that she's planning to release a new puzzle every weekend. Like Juliana's earlier "Gardening Lesson" suite of RGs, these puzzles are top-notch quality, so scoop these puzzles up if you haven't already.  

Over here, work on the fourth Six Pack of the year is ongoing and on track for a December release. So stay tuned, and as always, happy solving!   

Aries Acrostic #5

Aries Acrostic #5 - PDF | JPZ | Solution (PDF)

Back with another Acrostic! There is a print-and-solve PDF option as well as a JPZ file for digital solving. To solve on your computer, download the JPZ file and then head over to Crossword Nexus and upload the file. Either way you solve, hope you enjoy!

In case you missed last week's announcement, Rows Garden Six Pack #3 is now available! Click here for more details and to purchase. 

Happy solving!

Aries Six Pack #3

 Aries Six Pack #3 is now available! 

The first two Six Packs released this year have been well-received by solvers, so thanks to your ongoing support, here are some more brand new puzzles!

Six Pack #3 includes six never-before-published Rows Gardens in PDF form in the difficulty level of your choice, a set of solutions, and RGZ files for digital solving. The PDF layout is exactly the same as it has been since 2019, so long-time solvers will be very familiar with how these puzzles look as well as how they solve. In order to maintain continuity with the overall Aries Rows Garden series, the puzzles in this pack are officially classified as Year 12, Puzzles 13 through 18.

Order Six Pack #3 for just $5 using the Paypal applet below. You can pick up one or both of the prior two Six Packs using the same applet. Anyone who has purchased Aries Puzzles offerings through Venmo or Zelle are welcome to do the same for Six Pack #3. If you'd like to discuss alternative payment options, just send me an email. 

Please note: All orders are fulfilled manually. While the vast majority of purchases are fulfilled in under an hour, please allow up to 8 hours to receive an email with the puzzles that you purchased. Your patience is appreciated!

2025 Aries Rows Garden Six Packs

#3 - Fall 2025 $5.00 USD #2 - Summer 2025 $5.00 USD #1 - Spring 2025 $5.00 USD

PDF Difficulty Level

Hardest Harder Easier Easiest

Marching Bands #9

Aries Marching Bands #9 - PDF | JPZ | Solution (PDF)

Back this month with another Marching Bands puzzle. Print-and-solve and digital solving options included. To solve online, first download the JPZ and then head over to Crossword Nexus and open the JPZ file. As always, hope you enjoy.

On the Rows Garden front, I wanted to plug a couple of recent releases. My Vox crossword colleague Juliana Golden Tringali released a suite of Rows Gardens with a thematic tie-in called "Gardening Lesson." For more details and to purchase, click here. Also, Peter Baronowski has launched a Rows Garden-focused Substack and has four free RGs posted so far, which you can check out here.

Over here, Six Packs #1 and #2 have been released and thanks to all who have purchased packs so far. If you haven't gotten your hands on either of these packs yet, click here to purchase through the Rows Garden Archive. Your support keeps the puzzles coming! Six Pack #3 is in the testing stage and is on track for a September 19th release, so stay tuned for more Aries Rows Gardens coming very soon!

Happy solving!