diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 43cd06f..a168df7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+## 0.21.4 - 2024-03-08
+
+* Add `cross_product` (aliased to `cross_join`) as a shortcut for `join`
+  with no join attributes (`r.join(right)`). Checks that there are no
+  shared attributes between the two relations, and raises an error if
+  there are.
+
 ## 0.21.3 - 2024-01-18
 
 * Add more output references to CSV and XLSX writers. It is now possible
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6c2ecbf..c915978 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ r.allbut([:a, :b, ...])                      # remove specified attributes
 r.autowrap(split: '_')                       # structure a flat relation, split: '_' is the default
 r.autosummarize([:a, :b, ...], x: :sum)      # (experimental) usual summarizers supported
 r.constants(x: 12, ...)                      # add constant attributes (sometimes useful in unions)
+r.cross_product(right)                       # cross product, raises error if left and right have any common attributes (alias `cross_join`)
 r.extend(x: ->(t){ ... }, ...)               # add computed attributes
 r.extend(x: :y)                              # shortcut for r.extend(x: ->(t){ t[:y] })
 r.exclude(predicate)                         # shortcut for restrict(!predicate)
diff --git a/lib/bmg/algebra/shortcuts.rb b/lib/bmg/algebra/shortcuts.rb
index c7c5378..6a5ecaa 100644
--- a/lib/bmg/algebra/shortcuts.rb
+++ b/lib/bmg/algebra/shortcuts.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,15 @@ def left_join(right, on = [], *args)
         self.left_join(right.rename(renaming), on.keys, *args)
       end
 
+      def cross_product(right)
+        duplicates = self.type.attrlist & right.type.attrlist
+        unless duplicates.empty?
+          raise TypeError, "Cross product incompatible — duplicate attribute(s): #{duplicates.join(', ')}"
+        end
+
+        return join(right)
+      end
+
       def matching(right, on = [])
         return super unless on.is_a?(Hash)
         renaming = Hash[on.map{|k,v| [v,k] }]
diff --git a/spec/unit/algebra/shortcuts/test_cross_product.rb b/spec/unit/algebra/shortcuts/test_cross_product.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c75989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/unit/algebra/shortcuts/test_cross_product.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+module Bmg
+  module Algebra
+    describe Shortcuts, "cross_product" do
+
+      let(:left) {
+        Relation.new([
+          { a: "foo",  xyz: 1 },
+          { a: "bar",  xyz: 2 }
+        ], Type::ANY.with_attrlist([:xyz, :b]))
+      }
+
+      let(:right) {
+        Relation.new([
+          { c: "baz",  d: 3 },
+          { c: "zap",  d: 4 }
+        ], Type::ANY.with_attrlist([:c, :d]))
+      }
+
+      subject {
+        left.cross_product(right)
+      }
+
+      it 'compiles as expected' do
+        expect(subject).to be_a(Operator::Join)
+        expect(left_operand(subject)).to be(left)
+        expect(right_operand(subject)).to be(right)
+        expect(subject.send(:on)).to eql([])
+      end
+
+      it 'works as expected' do
+        expect(subject.to_set).to eql([
+          { a: "bar", xyz: 2, c: "zap", d: 4 },
+          { a: "foo", xyz: 1, c: "baz", d: 3 },
+          { a: "foo", xyz: 1, c: "zap", d: 4 },
+          { a: "bar", xyz: 2, c: "baz", d: 3 },
+        ].to_set)
+      end
+
+      context 'with duplicate attributes' do
+        let(:right) {
+          Relation.new([
+            { xyz: "baz",  d: 3 },
+            { xyz: "zap",  d: 4 }
+          ], Type::ANY.with_attrlist([:xyz, :d]))
+        }
+
+        it 'raises an error' do
+          expect{
+            left.cross_product(right)
+          }.to raise_error(Bmg::TypeError, /Cross product incompatible.*xyz/)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/unit/operator/test_join.rb b/spec/unit/operator/test_join.rb
index 621bd48..312851b 100644
--- a/spec/unit/operator/test_join.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/operator/test_join.rb
@@ -47,7 +47,63 @@ module Operator
           :variant => :left,
           :default_right_tuple => { c: 10 }
         }
-        expect(op.to_a). to eql(expected)
+        expect(op.to_a).to eql(expected)
+      end
+
+      context 'without join list an no overlapping attributes' do
+        let(:left) {
+          [
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a" },
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b" },
+          ]
+        }
+
+        let(:right) {
+          [
+            { q: 10, p: "80" },
+            { q: 20, p: "90" },
+          ]
+        }
+
+        it 'does a cross join' do
+          expected = [
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a", q: 10, p: "80"},
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a", q: 20, p: "90"},
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b", q: 10, p: "80"},
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b", q: 20, p: "90"},
+          ].to_set
+
+          op = Join.new Type::ANY, left, right, []
+          expect(op.to_set).to eql(expected)
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'without join list and shared attributes' do
+        let(:left) {
+          [
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a" },
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b" },
+          ]
+        }
+
+        let(:right) {
+          [
+            { a: 1, q: 10, p: "80" },
+            { a: 5, q: 20, p: "90" },
+          ]
+        }
+
+        it 'does a cross join, discaring the shared attribute from right' do
+          expected = [
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a", q: 10, p: "80"},
+            { a: 1, b: 2, x: "a", q: 20, p: "90"},
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b", q: 10, p: "80"},
+            { a: 3, b: 4, x: "b", q: 20, p: "90"},
+          ].to_set
+
+          op = Join.new Type::ANY, left, right, []
+          expect(op.to_set).to eql(expected)
+        end
       end
 
     end