Joseph Knecht

 Help Me, I think I'm Falling! Here veteran constructor Bruce Venzke is interviewed by C.C. in 2011 (note the number of puzzles already under his belt by then!).  Today he presents us with a classic word ladder, accelerating from zero to sixty in just eight STEPS .  I don't know about you, but I found this puzzle a tad crunchy for a Thursday.  But the easily identified 4 letter themers did help, because once you got the first one you knew that the next one differed by only one letter.  Here's the reveal which helped a lot ... 35A. Hurried, and what this puzzle's word ladder literally did in eight steps?: PICKED UP THE PACE .  -- from 16A SLOW to 57A FAST . I'll just leave the themers in place, because listed here they don't tell you very much.  Here's the grid ... I'm still a little wary of Bruce -- that his reveal may conceal an extra layer of meaning.  But if there is one, I couldn't...

  hyPe with a Capital "P"   Believe it or not today's constructor Bruce Venzke got his start writing crossword puzzles in the pool halls of Wisconsin.  It's a very interesting story, but I'd better let him tell it, as related in this interview with C.C. back in February of 2011 .  His connections with the Corner run deep. He joins us today to talk about marketing strategies,  ways to PUSH products and services to customers.  The first word in each of Bruce's themers, as well as the reveal, begins with a capital P . 20A . Excel on the mound: PITCH A NO HITTER . A no-hitter is a rare accomplishment for a pitcher or pitching staff—only 314 have been thrown in MLB history since 1876, an average of about two per year.  Three stand outs in this achievement are Nolan Ryan whose 7 no-hitters are the standing world record;  ...