A short, fun and occasionally not unintentionally educational podcast in which two fans of the New York Times crossword describe their puzzle-solving travails.
Depending upon what you've squirreled away in your wheelhouse, you may have found today's crossword a) straightforward, or b) a Friday crossword wrapped around a zesty Saturday mini-crossword. In the case of our cohosts, Jean was the former, Mike, inevitably, the latter. While their puzzle solving journeys today did most definitely diverge, they were both agreed that this crossword, the third by Dena R. Verkuil, was a delight: we hope for more, soon.Beyond the crossword, we have a fabulous fact for our Fun Fact Friday™️segment, so be sure and check it out!A reminder that xwordinfo.com is a great resource if you need to look up a clue, answer, or see the answer to the day's crossword: we highly recommend you check it out!Show note imagery: When you're shopping for PARKAS, Patagonia's ready to help!We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
A few Sundays ago we had a puzzle paying homage to Star Trek, and now we've moved on to another iconic show, Jeopardy! While we feel that the editors missed a fabulous opportunity to play the Jeopardy theme in lieu of the usual ditty upon solving the puzzle, we nonetheless had a great time with this crossword, for reasons that we outline in today's episode.Show note imagery: WHATSTHETEA, by Mary CassatWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Just like the answer to 29D, "Too ___" (2024 #1 Hozier hit), this was a SWEET Wednesday crossword, and we're not just saying that because Jared Cappel took the time to introduce us to a magnificent book and movie (17A, Acclaimed 2004 science fiction work by David Mitchell made into a 2012 film, CLOUDATLAS). However, between that, and the appearance of our favorite 18th century Austrian composer (51D, "Surprise symphony" composer, HAYDN) we are compelled to give this a full and enthusiastic 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Deets within.Show note imagery: My goodness there are a lot of famous actors in CLOUDATLAS.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an Erik Agard puzzle, meaning the clues were fabulous; but it was a Tuesday Erik Agard puzzle, which means that the clues were not too difficult. We loved 45D, He or I, but not she, ELEMENT
Rebecca Goldstein has won awards for her crosswords, and today's is another fine example of why she has been so afforded. Jean, as is so often the case, made short work of today's puzzle, while Mike took more of a tai-chi-like meander through the grid. We have all the deets inside, so hit that download button post-haste, repeat with the like/subscribe/follow button, and then, of course, enjoy!Show note imagery: A MINIFIG, out for a hikeWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an elegantly crafted crossword by Adam Wagner and Chandi Deitmer. We were thrilled and delighted to welcome back the rebus, which we have not seen in several Sundays (or so it seems). Jean was able to solve the puzzle quite readily, whereas Mike had to dig (much) deeper to get to the happy music. We have the deets inside, as well as the announcement of our latest JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award™️) winner, so have a listen, and let us know what you think!Show note imagery: A HONEYEATER (of the white-eared variety, to be precise), found predominantly in Australia and New Guinea.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a splendid crossword by Ben Zimmer. There were no rebuses, but the ingenious theme was a surprise and a delight. We give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and for the reasons why, have a listen to today's episode.A logistical note: we are going to be taking Friday and Saturday off, due to anticipated connectivity issues. But we will, of course, be doing the crossword, and will be back to talk about our cruciverbial exploits on Sunday.Show note imagery: The Minceta Tower (Dubrovnik) in CROATIA, the real home of the Game of ThronesWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
The appearance of YEET in the grid is always cause for celebration, a reminder that the English language is not set in its ways, but evolving at a rate that would've made Noah Webster exclaim "YEET this language is ... hang on, let me check my dictionary for a good word here ... deucedly difficult to keep up with!". For the record, we enjoyed this crossword for innumerable reasons; but we nonetheless do attempt to enumerate them in today's podcast, so have a listen, and please remember to tell all your friends about us on social media!Show note imagery: A SCREENPASS blueprintWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a picture-perfect Tuesday crossword by Gary Larson and Amy Ensz, marking their second collaboration. The theme was suitably surprising, and the rest of the puzzle equally excellent. Besides the crossword itself, we have another installment of our Triplet Tuesday segment, with Jean facing her inquisitor with that Princess Leia-like combination of aplomb and insouciance. Show note imagery: Satchel PAIGE has played, apparently, almost everywhere! Show note URL: The greatest French hero ever, Asterix!We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a satisfyingly crunchy Monday crossword; it took both cohosts, laboring independently as usual, a significantly longer time than usual to complete. They blame it on the AQI, which in NE Wisconsin is currently hovering somewhere between "hey, what happened to the houses across the street?" and "if you must go outside, don't forget your respirator!" levels. Fortunately they had today's crossword -- the third NYTimes publication by Patti Varol -- to provide a welcome distraction. You can find all the deets in today's episode.Show note imagery: A gorgeous LANAI (beautiful scenery not included)We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Today's crossword was an homage to the iconic series STARTREK, which has been around since the 1960s and at this rate seems likely to continue to exist until its actual putative time, in the 2260's.While this likely gave an advantage to trekkies, we suspect that most readers will at least be familiar with the major characters -- and if not, that the crosses would come (as they often do) to the rescue.Besides the crossword, we have selected our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), deets inside.Show note imagery: The original STARTREK cast.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a superlative Saturday crossword, thanks to an ocean of uber-crisp clues, each forming a "mini-mystery" that you had to solve en route to the happy music. Marvel at the handiwork of, for instance, 9D, Mountain range that spans 67º of latitude, ANDES; 6D, Key for getting rid of your work, in brief?, DEL; and 29D, They're all equal in a circle, RADII; The vast majority of the clues were of that ilk, making for a very satisfying puzzle indeed.Show note imagery: Chuck MANGIONE, nominated for 14 Grammy awards and winning twice.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a fantabulous Friday crossword that will have you saying 49D, "Look what I did!", TADA, if you are able to solve it. On the way to that illustrious goal, you might have a hunch as to an answer, in which case your 22D, Intuitive ability in the Marvel Universe, SPIDERSENSE, might start tingling. And if you were both able to solve the puzzle and let your friends know about it, they might give you a hearty 12D, "Well done!", BRAVO.Besides our analysis of the crossword, we have a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment about the city that boasts the last remaining Blockbuster in the world. To find out that city's name, and why we liked this crossword so much, we strongly urge you to download, listen, and (we hope!) enjoy today's episode.Show note imagery: A TREAD, just one of the many, many parts of a staircase.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Once again, the rebus rules, and indeed in today's crossword may even be said to teem, for it appears a whopping ten times in today's grid, in various amusing and unexpected places that are detailed in today's episode. Really, the whole puzzle is fANTastic! Deets inside.Show note imagery: If you're looking to book a shanty, why not book from Wisconsin's very own Northwood SHANTIES?We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Today's theme was sweet -- literally! You'll know why within 30 seconds of the start of today's episode, or, if you're in more of a hurry, within 30 milliseconds of glancing at the grid. There were some fine clues in today's puzzle. We doff our hats in recognition of 25D, Land of llamas and Llosa, PERU; 62A, "Really?", HUH; and finally, the wry 39A, Like poker champion Chris Moneymaker's name, APT. Show note imagery: Elphaba and Glinda singing "Defying Gravity", which takes place in ACTI of "Wicked".We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an ab fab Tuesday crossword by Peter Gorman, with an admirably serpentine theme, as we explain in today's episode (and, as usual, you can see by checking out the solution at xwordinfo.com). Beyond the theme, there were sone other unexpected answers - our favorite kind! Finally, icing on the cake, we have our fabled Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!Show note imagery: All aboard the Glacier Express, a definite must-see if you're in the ALPS.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Writing the clues for today's crossword must've been quite the chore, but Brian Callahan has done himself proud. It took a bit of cultural archeology to make sense of 64A, Coneheads, e.g., for short, ETS (a reference to SNL characters); it took no effort at all to meander down the wrong path while contemplating 1A, "Catfish" channel: MTV (oh, that sort of catfish); and we still cannot believe that after 82 years, 6A, Contract from a publisher, BOOKDEAL, still turned out to be a debut. However, xwordinfo.com claims it is, and so ... it is!Show note imagery: A delicious CHALUPAWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an astonishingly good Sunday crossword by John Kugelman, thanks to a jaw-dropping display of anagrammatic magic. We've got all the deets inside, so be prepared, to be amazed!Show note imagery: THOMASEDISON, who in 1904 obtained a patent for an electric car, was only about 100 years or so ahead of his time.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a relatively straightforward Saturday crossword, but the clues included 7 debuts (and 2 that have not been seen in donkey's years): that made for an intriguing grid, and we definitely enjoyed the solve. Of course, based on the Law of Conservation of Crossword Difficulty (which, as we recall, won Margaret Farrar a Nobel prize in Cruciverbalism in 1960), it means that tomorrow's crossword could be nigh well impossible. We'll find out then!Show note imagery: Brooke Ashby, a WVU Mountaineer mascot (during the COVID-19 pandemic)We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an excellent debut crossword by Fritz Juhnke: the clues and answers were fascinating, offering plenty of opportunities for AHAMOMENTs. There were several answers that neither cohost had ever even heard of (but have now!), always a good sign when working on an end-of-the-week crossword.Besides the crossword, we have a terrific Fun Fact Friday™️ segment for your edification, so have a listen, and, as always, let us know what you think!Show note imagery: A REGNANT, King Charles III, on the left, and a non-REGNANT, Queen Camilla, on the rightWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a delightfully crunchy crossword by Ginny Too - her third NYTimes crossword in about a year. There were a boatload of novel clues†, which made the solve just that much more satisfying. We have the deets inside, so have a listen, and please tell others about us on social media.Show note imagery: Behold, a MELISMA (multiple notes sung over one syllable)†like 14A, † symbols on manuscripts, OBELIWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Joseph Gangi has had 4 NYTimes crosswords published, all of them Wednesdays. He clearly has the difficulty level down pat, and his themes are always inventive: today's crossword being a case in point.Apart from the clues scrutinized in today's podcast, we'd like to draw your attention to 33A, "I don't mind ___ / Except as meals. / And the way they feels": Ogden Nash, EELS; 37D, Word aptly hidden in "turned yellow", DYE; and our favorite rapper, 61D, ______ Nas X, LIL.Show note imagery: The ISUZU river, with, alas, no ISUZU vehicles crossing the bridgeWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
In honor of the heatwave that some of you may be experiencing, Jeremy Newton has crafted a cool crossword to cool you down. ☃️ You are cordially invited to chill out with us as we frolic through the grid (and, of course, another great edition of Triplet Tuesday™️).Show note imagery: CICERO, who presumably was at a very bad party when he uttered his famous phrase, "Silence is one of the great arts of conversation".We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Alright, here's a challenge: what word has appeared in the NYTimes crossword grid a whopping 926 times, counting today? We'll let you ponder that, and wait until the end of these show notes for the "big reveal".There were a lot of very fine clues in today's puzzle. We were fans of 4A, What an angry customer may leave, NOTIP. We also liked the zing of 60D, Something to pick up at a beach, TAN; and finally we enjoyed trying to figure out how much our local walk-in clinic would charge for 54D, Treat with bananas and ice cream, SPLIT -- delish!Show note imagery: ENOLA, on the BBC
This was a fun crossword by Michael Schlossberg. The theme gave us an opportunity to -- at last! -- use the word "idiom" in a sentence without sounding like an idiot
In the pantheon of great cruciverbalists, there clearly needs to be a pedestal with Erik Agard's name on it. Why? Just check out today's crossword (and podcast!), or any of Erik's 81 other crosswords that have appeared in the NYTimes. This one being a Saturday, it was tough -- and Mike found it almost streak-breakingly-so, whereas Jean, to whom people are apt to turn when Wikipedia doesn't deliver the goods, had a much easier time of it. Deets inside!Show note imagery: An AIREDALETERRIER (from the Anglo-Saxon for "awwwwwww, so cute").We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Kelly Morenus has crafted a superb Friday crossword, challenging but not overwhelming (although YMMV depending upon your life experiences, how many crosswords you have solved previously, and, at least a SKOSH of good luck). We've covered a hefty tranche of clues in today's episode, but we'd also like to give a shoutout to 4D, The Brickyard 400 or Southern 500, e.g., NASCARRACE; 32A, Between then and now, SINCE (good one!); and something that you should utter once you've solved a crossword this challenging, 31A, Verbal flourishes, TADAS.Show note imagery: a LUGER, in actionWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Thesauri will have to be cracked open to do justice to today's crossword, it was that extraordinary/astonishing/engrossing/ingenious/delightful. It was, of course, the theme that made it so, one that took both cohosts, working independently as always, no little time to suss out; but that just made the eventual "aha!" moment that much sweeter. Deets inside!Show note imagery: From left to right, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri, a triple star system!We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a highly elegant Wednesday crossword, featuring that most elegant of drinks (and one of the most famous letters in the English alphabet
For those of you pondering the episode title, no, our quality control department has not dropped the ball, but rather made a wry (but not awry
This was a Monday crossword, which means that a) it should not be particularly difficult for experienced solvers, and b) entertaining. We are pleased to report that it met both criteria, and we submit today's podcast as Exhibit A.Remember, the NYTimes crossword is a great way to keep expanding your lexicon and keeping those neurons in peak fighting form. To subscribe, just cruise over to nytimes.com/subscription/games, signing up is as easy as
Today's crossword had bells, whistles, and even an EHRU thrown into the mix. It was by Brandon Koppy, however, so at no time did the quality of the puzzle ever dip below 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Quite a few of the clues got our attention, including 30D, Strung rungs, ROPELADDER (that clue is just sooo much fun to pronounce!); 100A, Chore-o-graph, TODOLIST (brilliant!!!); and 55D, The old you?, THEE (tee-hee
This was a terrific Saturday crossword, because the clues were just brilliant. Who could resist the allure of 58A, Member of a sub-Saharan matriarchal clan, HYENA; or the sly 61D, Wit's end?, NESS; or the witty 29D, Went from 0 to 60?, AGED. And the rest of the clues were of similar caliber, the quality control was that good. Kudos to Katie for this splendid, JAMCR scale-pegging puzzle!Show note imagery: Sidney Crosby (airborne), celebrating his GOLDENGOAL in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, in VancouverWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Kudos to James McCarron, on creating an excellent Friday crossword, a debut, no less. Among our favorite clues (not mentioned in the podcast) were 21D, Film star whose name consists of two presidents, HARRISONFORD (not to be confused with the slightly lesser-known star, ABRAHAMNIXON); 6D, Nash who wrote "The cow is of the bovine ilk; / One end is moo, the other, milk" (udderly brilliant
This was an awesome Thursday crossword, courtesy of Emily Biegas and Sala Wanetick (with Will Shortz, as always, at the helm). The were oodles of cunning clues, some of which were quite educational. Par example (as the French like to say), we had: 10D, Like Stonehenge vis-à-vis the Parthenon, OLDER (
Just when you think the NYTimes crossword could not possibly come up with one more theme -- they've all been done before -- they prove you wrong (which, happily, seems to happen every day they have a themed crossword!). Today's crossword definitely confirms that observation, as you will discover upon listening to today's episode.In addition, we have some awesome listener mail harkening way back to Monday's episode. Have a listen, and, as always, let us know what you think!Show note imagery: Countries that have achieved a ONETRILLION dollar GDP ... but the question is, which TRILLION?We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a SERENE crossword -- and we say that not because of the presence of SERENE in the grid, but because of the, well, SERENE theme -- one that ought to bring a smile to your lips, or, if you're having a frowny sort of day, at least help you transit from ☹️ to
Today's crossword, the 39th (!) by Daniel Raymon, was replete with musical performers of various vintages, from composer Aaron Copland to a band that had its origins in the last century, but is continuing to write and perform today, to wit ... nope, we need to maintain at least a modicum of of suspense here, so we will wrap it up here and let you get to today's episode, where the name of that band, and some other highly droll commentary, awaits!Show note imagery: Two Treatises of Government, by John LOCKE (and if you happen to have one of these in your attic, be aware that the copy shown here sold for $17,640 in 2023, so don't lose it!!)We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Once again the NYTimes crossword has set a new high bar, thanks to the dynamic duo of Zhou Zhang and Kevin Curry. This magnificent opus featured a puzzle within a puzzle, surrounded by a sea of crisp and amusing clues -- just a delight. If there was an Academy Award for best crossword in a major newspaper, this would definitely get the nom.Show note imagery: GIZA, home of the SphinxWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Tracy Bennet is the driving force behind both Wordle and Strands, and the appearance of this crossword therefore means that an impressively large percentage of today's NYTimes games are attributable to her. Jean found this crossword to be a bit on the crunchy side whereas Mike -- for some unfathomable reason that he attributes to a surfeit of neutrinos -- did not. Both agreed, however, that it was an excellent example of the genre.Fun Fact Friday™️ took the day off yesterday, and even though Fun Fact Saturday doesn't have quite the same alliterative power, it is in today's episode, so be sure and check that out.Show note imagery: YANN Tiersen, an adept and highly versatile French musician, known for his stunning film scores.Show note URL: Uncanny ValleyWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Although there were not any literal fireworks in today's crossword, it was filled with innumerable flashes of brilliance and crackles of wit. Among our favorites not covered in today's episode were 48D, What comes before B?, ORAL
Today's crossword was by Adam Wagner, which means that you know, without even looking at it, that it's going to be good. The good cruciverbalist does not disappoint, providing a crossword that must've been a real BEAR to construct, but was an IDEAL Thursday solve. We have all the deets inside, so please have a listen, and, as always, we value your feedback!Show note imagery: A photo at beautiful (obviously) TOPANGA State ParkWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Today's theme was great (as always), and there were oodles of appealing clues lurking in the grid today (see previous parenthetical remark
For those of you wondering about the episode title, it is explored and explained, along with a multitude of other topics riffing off of today's excellent puzzle, in our "Canada Day" special. In addition, Mike may (or may not) have gone down in flames in today's Triplet Tuesday™ segment; place your bets, and then have a listen to see if you (unlike, possibly, Mike) are a winner!Show note imagery: Some delicious ELOTE, a delicious Mexican street food, which often, understandably, causes partakers to EMOTE
This was a delightful Monday crossword, thanks to the hardworking team of Dena R. Verkuil and Andrea Carla Michaels (abetted, no doubt, by the mighty mighty Will Shortz). The theme was funny, and the clues were "Festival Food fresh", as we like to say in Northeast Wisconsin. Deets inside, so have a listen, and, as always, invite the crossword-philes in your life to have a listen as well.Show note imagery: BYEFELICIAWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Once again an NYTimes contributor -- today, that would be Mike Hobin -- has created a theme that will make you want to cheer, doff your hat, and applaud (although not simultaneously, for obvious reasons): it deserves that much praise. The rest of the clues were of course also of a very high caliber, resulting in the delightful puzzle that we take a magnifying glass to in today's episode.Show note imagery: The one, the only ... Daffy Duck, smiling because he was mentioned in today's crossword.Musical link: It Works, part of Back to the Future: The MusicalWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was Jesse Guzman's third NYTimes crossword, and with quality this good it's no surprise that the publication of his fourth NYTimes crossword is imminent. There was no theme, but the clues were uniformly brilliant and tricky, perfect for the "Hardest Crossword of the Week", aka, Saturday's. We approve, and bestow upon this puzzle the maximum number of squares -- that would be 5, for those of you not keeping track -- on the JAMCR scale.Show note imagery: Just a few of the many characters in the Mario universeWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
Today's crossword marks Carolyn Davies Lynch's third NYTimes crossword, and she just keeps getting better and better. This had some great clues, including 9D, It's not observed in Hawaii, DST (
Simeon Seigel is definitely on a tear, this marks his fourth NYTimes crossword this year, and his second in under a month. Quality isn't suffering at all, though, as today's puzzle is chockfull of sparkling clues and topped off with a head-scratching theme. Show note imagery: Fancy a game of Centipede?We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was a surprising crossword, in a number of ways that we will not enumerate here, but dive into in depth in today's episode. There were too many great clues to squeeze into the podcast, so we'll just mention the also-rans but also-great trio of 43D, Acquisition that may solve a mouse problem, PETCAT (meow!); 42A, Olympic blade, EPEE; and 44A, Olympic "blade", OAR (nice juxtaposition!!).Remember, the NYTimes crossword makes an excellent gift, either for yourself, a friend, or a loved one: just wander over to the NYTimes website, they will be glad to get you set up!Show note imagery: An UPROOTER, brought to you by the same company that brought you the Weed Wrench!We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
This was an impressive debut crossword by Ingrid Steffensen. The theme definitely and deservedly takes center stage, and the rest of the clues were at exactly the right level of difficulty for a Tuesday. We approve!In other news, Jean's in the very hot hot seat for our Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, so have a listen, and, as always, let us know what you think!Show note imagery: The world's largest I LIKE IKE button, in Abilene, KSWe love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com.Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!
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