Author: Ms. R.

This Atlas Obscura–themed crossword comes from independent crossword constructor Brendan Emmett Quigley. He has been a professional puzzlemaker since 1996, and his pieces have appeared in dozens of publications. He’s also a member of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra. You can solve the puzzle below, or download it in .pdf or .puz. Note that the links in the clues will take you to Atlas Obscura pages that contain the answer. Happy solving!…

Read More

Only 4 percent of America’s tallgrass prairies remains today, mostly in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The early fall brings the highest grass, which quickly turns into a scrubby yellow straw. At their peak, there were up to 60 million bison in America munching away at the 60 varieties of tallgrass. But just like the prairies, human action led to the decimation of their population. Today, only 500,000 bison remain. But the hardy bison is making its comeback at……

Read More

This museum and sculpture park located within a Dutch nature reserve boasts the second-largest collection of Vincent Van Gogh paintings, with more than 90 paintings and 185 drawings. The Kröller-Müller Museum’s collection includes Van Gogh’s Cafe Terrace at Night, Georges Seurat’s Le Chahut, and works pieces by Mondiran, Picasso, Gaugin, and an expansive collection of futurism and DeStijl. The sculpture garden is one of the largest in Europe, with sculptures by Rodin, Moore, Dubuffet, Oldenberg, and more. It began……

Read More

Here and there on the subway you can glimpse them. If you are lucky, you will see several. But how many they actually are, we are not told. It looks like a stain at first, but when the gaze has landed for a while, the image of a little girl emerges. In her hand she holds a balloon and judging by the shade, the sun shines. Then someone sits down on the seat and the little girl disappears. The little……

Read More

One of Bratislava’s major shopping malls, Eurovea Galleria is a vibrant hangout spot located right by the riverfront promenade of the Danube, boasting many shops and restaurants. Throughout the mall, there are numerous statues of circus performers, a delightful feature often taken as a selfie opportunity but otherwise rarely talked about. The sculptures were created by English artist Colin Spofforth, several of whose works are publicly showcased in Greater Manchester and Bucharest among others. Based on an original fairytale……

Read More

In the very corner of Washington state, the northwesternmost point in the continental United States, lies Cape Flattery. Cape Flattery Trail is located within the Makah Reservation, just outside Olympic National Park. Observation decks along the trail provide spectacular views of the rugged rocks, and sparkling waters of the Pacific Ocean….

Read More

It is perhaps one of the most beautiful heritage houses that adorn the city of Baghdad, and the most important of which is architectural and historical. The house of the Prime Minister of Iraq during the royal era, Tawfiq Al-Suwaidi, is located on Haifa Street. Dar Tawfiq Al-Suwaidi, built in 1931 and that is according to the date placed at the top of the front of the house. He held the position of prime minister during the Iraqi royal……

Read More

Known locally as the “Sentinel of Semaphore,” the Time Ball Tower was built in 1875. Other similar towers set up in cities around the world, the first being built at Greenwich in the United Kingdom in 1833. The solid stone structure features a black ball that dropped at 1 p.m. every day, signaling ships to rate their chronometers that are used as vital navigation instruments. The Semaphore Time Ball Tower was built by Henry Burge. The stone tower featured a ball measuring……

Read More

Kameido-Tenjin Shrine is one of the most popular shrines in Tokyo, dedicated to the deified spirit of 9th-century poet and politician, Sugawara-no-Michizane. Every year, students come here to pray to Michizane, now revered as the god of scholarship and education, for good luck on their entrance exams. The shrine is also known for its traditional-style vermillion bridges, as well as its wisteria garden that comes into full bloom in late April. Like many big shrines in Japan, Kameido-Tenjin is……

Read More