Today is Dr Spo‘s birthday. Nobody will accuse me of being a good Spo-fan, but it was high time I offered some kind of birthday prize. It isn’t serviceberry jam or a used microwave or Kerr’s kisses or a Kitchenaid mixer, but it’s something.

Alas, I expect this prize to be even more of a flop than the Sassybear fanfic I republished the other day. I had hoped to embed some nice interactive puzzle you could fill in online, but the stirges at WordPress don’t make this easy. As a result I expect even Dr Spo won’t bother trying it out, never mind the rest of you. It’s probably just as well. It is not a particularly good crossword, and some of the answers are obscure or unfair. But if it gives somebody a few minutes of entertainment then I ought to be satisfied. There’s a printable version here, for thems who have access to a printer.

Across

2 Admired handcrafted garments
5 Dr Spo’s vocation
9 Astrological Cancers in terms of emotional need
12 Three adjective simile
14 Exclamation of embarrassment: Oh the …
15 Former vacation destination, full of plays
18 Perpetually present in Michigan
19 The largest Director’s middle name
20 His hoard is as large as the laundry pile
21 Sororal archetyical inspirations, one of whom plays the tuba
25 Token female director who does most of the work around here
26 Musical naptime occasions
27 Oldest Director
29 Snacks to avoid
32 Cement pond resident
33 Wearing last season’s is a grave faux pas
34 The effect of bravery on one’s spine
35 Nibling nickname; also Anne Marie
36 Musical arrangement for singed felines
37 The youngest nibling’s nickname

Down

1 Philosophical outlook
3 The quiet Director; has all his fingers
4 Composer who shares Spo’s birthday
5 Posting one is box-office poison
6 Favorite movie
7 Rationalist in the house
8 Collective pronoun
10 Deity of medical records
11 Mopey household spirit
13 Future ex-wife
14 Location of one’s precarious reputation
16 Archetypes who spin their threads Norsely
17 Princess pooch
18 Loudest Director
22 Tewkesbury cuisine
23 Blood-sucking pests who ruin everything
24 Director so loud it is little wonder he makes a second appearance
28 Enthusiastic condiment
29 Residency residence
30 Avoid in foodstuffs and purchases
31 Second component of royal nibling’s nickname

Update: As previously threatened, here are the solutions.