puzzle 192: "musical numbers"

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i've got next tuesday's 7xwords puzzle, which will probably be the most-hated puzzle i put out this month, although this one might be a very close second. i don't apologize for anything, and i'm looking forward to all the hate mail while i sit here and go "yes...ha ha ha...yes!" like the sicko i am.

in all seriousness, this puzzle started with the three seed entries, which of course i had to stack (hashtag nediger bait, since it's worked twice before; also shoutout to will and quiara for test-solving this and convincing me to maybe make it less unfair). the theme entries very much cater to my interests (especially the third; give that a listen after solving), as does the rest of the puzzle (i mean, bowie! talking heads! the unitaskers! ao3! obligatory car seat headrest clue! *resets the "weeks since making a gratuitous car seat headrest reference" sign to zero*)

so, lots of pop culture and trivia means massive YMMV w/r/t solving experiences, but ultimately i *think* the crossings are fair, or at least can be figured out via logic and/or magic. also, extra credit if you know other potential themers here.

finally, a reminder that i'm open to make custom puzzles for just about anything. alternately, if you want to throw some cash at me for non-custom puzzles, the arcseconds puzzle suite is still available for purchase.

oh, and as for the bottom middle of this puzzle: building around the stacked theme answers kinda forced a large chunk of black squares, but i decided i'd rather have a disconnected section just for funsies instead (it's not the first time i've done this, or the second, or the third, and each time there's been a different little something going on in those isolated parts).

puzzle 191: "if i only had a brain (freestyle)"

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bit longer than i'd anticipated since the last puzzle, which isn't to say that i haven't been making puzzles—they've just been submitted with fingers crossed that somebody likes them. a couple of commissions as well, which serves as a reminder that i'm open to make custom puzzles for just about anything. alternately, if you want to throw some cash at me for non-custom puzzles, the arcseconds puzzle suite is still available for purchase.

in other news, simon from cracking the cryptic solved the phistomefel crossword as a bonus video and called it "a very clever thing" and "really very fine indeed". the video itself is also very fine and a joy to watch, and i recommending doing so after the solving puzzle (if you haven't already). 

also, i've got the 7xwords puzzle on the 23rd, and i can't wait for all the hate mail i'm gonna get for that (insert evil laugh here). not saying my construction process was the "yes...ha ha ha...yes!" sickos meme, but not not saying that either.

as for this puzzle, it started from the seeds, which of course i had to intersect and then build a grid around, even though that made the whole process harder (when? when? when? when? when? when? when will i ever learn?). that said, i particularly like the entries surrounding the central intersection, and i kinda like the weird quote mark utah shapes floating in the middle of the grid—they've really grown on me. anyway, as always, enjoy!