We're sorry to say that this puzzle wasn't one of the few selected for publication. The Times receives between 150 and 200 submissions weekly, and as a result, we have to decline many quality puzzles.
This rejected puzzle had a similar theme to Zhou Zhang's 8/27/2025 puzzle.
One difference is that I limited my UP/DOWN phrases to ones that were true synonyms, while Zhou's included pairs that simply could share a clue. IMO, the wordplay of Zhou's pairings makes the solve more interesting.
Another big difference, which probably accounted for the quick rejection, was my rather unexciting theme set. Yes, the entries all fit the UP/DOWN-synonym idea I was aiming for, but none would really be considered puzzle assets.
Zhou, on the other hand, included the much more colorful entries IM UP/DOWN FOR WHATEVER and GOING UP/DOWN IN FLAMES.
| Size | 14 x 16 |
| Total Words | 76 |
| Black Squares | 40 (17.86%) |
| 3-Letter Words | 10 |
| Avg. Word Len. | 4.84 |