A short, fun and occasionally not unintentionally educational podcast in which two fans of the New York Times crossword describe their puzzle-solving travails.
Although this was a Wednesday crossword, some seriously Friday-level clueing did manage to make its way into the grid. Jean had to exert considerable mental effort, and Mike had to consume almost an entire bowl of Lucky Charms™️, before -- working independently, as is their custom -- they were able to get to the happy music. This was an awesome Wednesday/Friday, and represents Eli Cotham's third NYTimes crossword. We await, with eagerness and a tinge of trepidation, crossword number 4.Show note imagery: A few JAWAs, probably getting ready to make a deal with some desperate moisture farmers.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 Tarun Krishnamurthy's second NYTimes crossword. It was just as good as his first, and considering that he wrote it while still in high school, we can anticipate him constructing a long, long string of great puzzles. A few clues (not mentioned in the podcast) of note include 26D, Get tangled up, RAVEL (oh, so that's what happens when you don't UNRAVEL); 36D, A sixth of the way through the hour, TENPAST (uh, oh, math
This was the second crossword and collaboration between Jill Rataloff and Michelle Sontarp. Both are lawyers, and while they might be, and it would be awesome if they were, partners in the firm Cross, Down and Diagonal, Attorneys at Law, that is only speculation on our part.The puzzle itself was great -- a gentle Monday with several surprising clues and answers that we hone in on in today's episode.Show note imagery: A KITTENHEELWe 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 yet another highly challenging NYTimes crossword, but, since it was a Saturday, we were not surprised in the least. [Truthfully, we thought that maybe Will would give us a break after yesterday's mental marathon, but nooooo...
Friday crosswords are supposed to be a challenge, and we can only imagine Evan Mulvihill cracking his knuckles while saying "I got this". And what we got out of the deal was this excellent, challenging Friday puzzle. Definitely worth a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons that we make clear in today's podcast.Show note imagery: Yes, beast mode is a thing!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!
It took just one teensy-weensy act to shift this crossword from nigh-well impossible to fun and eminently doable. Unfortunately, that act was to figure out the theme. If you know, in your heart of hearts, that an answer is correct, yet won't fit, then one word should emblazon itself in your frontal lobe, and that word should be ... rebus! Deets inside, so have a listen, subscribe, and then tell others about us on social media.Show note imagery: NASA's pumpkin suit, aka the "Advanced Crew Escape Suit", used by Space Shuttle astronauts to protect them in case of a loss of ship pressure.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!
If crosswords were paintings, today's would be hanging in the Louvre, it is that good. The theme is a winner, but the rest of the clues are magnificent. We're not just speculating here, though, we have proof -- all of which can be found in today's episode.Show note imagery: The mighty MISSISSIPPIWe 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 grid had a few surprising entries. One that in particular caught our eye, because it has never caught our eye, was 30A, Altar constellation, ARA. It is located in the southern hemisphere, and, alas, never visible from Northeast Wisconsin (and when we've been in the southern hemisphere, we forgot to look). We also liked 44A, Flim-________, FLAM, mainly because of its origin story: it came from the Norse, flim, which at some point, for reasons unknown, became yoked to flam. Really, that's no flim-flam!Show note imagery: To ARA is human, to forgive (including for bad puns like this one), divine
Even if you do expect the unexpected, we predict that you'll still laugh when you figure out today's crossword, as the theme is delightful. Note that if you do not figure it out, fear not, we have the 411 for today's puzzle right here, and, if we may be permitted the indulgence of mixing 14th and 21st century English, cordially beseech thee to have a listen.Show note imagery: Rupert of Hentzau (by Anthony Hope). The former was apparently quite adept with an EPEE, whereas the latter is better known for his penmanship.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 John Kugelman's twelfth NYTimes crossword in about 2 years, and today's puzzle makes it clear why he keeps getting published. The theme was fantastic, and there were enough challenging clues everywhere else to transform this into one of the tougher Sunday's we've seen in a while. We have the deets inside, so please, subscribe / download / listen / enjoy!Show note imagery:SALERNO, gateway to the Amalfi coast (and fully reassembled after the big move from Spain to Italy
Today's crossword was Blake Slonecker's 9th in the NYTimes, and his 4th Saturday, so he definitely knows how to write challenging clues. The grid here was impressive, with 4 full-width and 4 full-height answers -- no easy feat. And the clues were engaging, amusing, and educational. Apart from the clues mentioned in today's podcast, we did appreciate learning about 52A, Colorful knit top with Scottish origins, FAIRISLESWEATER; enjoyed 47D, Core location, TORSO; and were suitably deceived by 49A, Corruption below deck, perhaps, WOODROT. Apart from the crossword, today's episode features our JAMCOTWA - Jean and Mike Crossword Of The Week Award™️ - so have a listen, and, as usual, please tell others about us on social media.Show note imagery: A FAIRISLESWEATER by Stella McCartney (eh, the company, owned by Stella McCartney, the designer)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!
What, you may ask, makes for a perfect Friday crossword? We're not sure about the what, but we are about the who: Adrian Johnson, the author of today's and 5 prior NYTimes Friday crosswords, definitely knows how to make one. Both hosts found his latest to be exceptionally tricky, but, ultimately (with a little luck, a lot of experience solving past NYTimes crosswords, and a surfeit of caffeine), doable.Besides the crossword, we also have a Fun Fact Friday™️segment, and it's a really sockerooni
This crossword had a most ingenious theme. Jean spotted it at once, enabling her to solve the puzzle in a goodly time; Mike, alas, solved it in a not-so-goodly time, meaning he had more time to savor all the ingenuity packed into Timothy Gaetz's debut crossword (bravo, Timothy!).All the themed clues were outstanding, but the non-themed ones weren't slackers, either: 56D, Down Under bounders, ROOS; 67A, Flat sign, TOLET; and 15A, Like 2027 and 2029, but not 2025, PRIME, are just a few examples -- check out today's episode for even more.Show note imagery: OSCARSHALL Palace, even more stunning on the inside.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!
It is unclear when "crunchy" was first used to categorize crosswords, but what is clear is that today's was definitely a crunchier than usual Wednesday - just the way we like it! Need proof? Check out today's episode, when we run through the crunchiest of the crunchy clues, for your edification and amusement.Show note imagery: T.S. Eliot, not looking nearly as stern as his middle name might lead one to expect
There was a lot to love in today's crossword, but it had us at 25A, Ref. work with definitions for "colour" and "aluminium", OED (our favorite reference work of all time). We became even more smitten thanks to 27A, Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans," e.g., POPART; and the kicker had to be the shoutout to one of our favorite foodstuffs, 30D, Vegan protein source, TOFU (yum!).Since it is Tuesday, we have another one of our patented, trademarked and copyrighted Triplet Tuesday™️ segments, so to see how Mike (in the hotseat tonight) fared, have a listen to today's episode.Show note imagery: The OED, further proof that the Brits don't know how to do anything by halves
This was a very fine sophomore crossword by Anthony V. Grubb, appearing almost exactly one year after his NY Times debut (also a Monday). The theme was cute; the clues, at an apposite Monday level, included a few gems. For instance, 19D, Superfan, in slang, STAN (we're big STAN STANs
If you grew up on Jumble (as, apparently, the author did), then you'll feel right at home tackling this awesome homage to anagrams, an impressive debut by Sam Brody. Ironically, the word anagram does not have an anagram, and so it is with great pride that we introduce the newest word in the English language, gramana, (n., a feeling of bliss that a grandmother feels upon first meeting the reason that they have ascended to the rank of grandmother). Show note imagery: Fanny HESSE, who revolutionized microbiology through her brilliant suggestion to use AGAR, instead of gelatin, to culture microorganisms.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 puzzle was an enjoyable albeit challenging tag-team effort by Adam Aaronson and Ricky Cruz. Jean got through it in good time, Mike ... got through it, slowed down in numerous areas, but primarily by his refusal to accept that [DELETED, NO SPOILERS] was a real word. In other news, we've selected our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and it really was an easy choice this week: deets inside.Show note imagery: Yep, those are indeed camels, going for a dip in the [DELETED, NO SPOILERS].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 fine end-of-work-week crossword by Rafael Musa, his 19th for the NYTimes and his 9th Friday, so he certainly knows this day well! Though seemingly not hugely difficult, it was a good warmup for Saturday, with fun late-week clues, such as 24D, 4 is a good one, in brief, APSCORE (
The constructor of today's crossword, John Kugelman, is mostly known for his Sunday crosswords: but somehow he managed to squeeze all that ken into a 15x15 grid, and the result is this fine Thursday oeuvre. Some particularly noteworthy clues include 2D, Anarchist Sacco, NICOLA (yes, it's Wikipedia time
This was a clever Wednesday crossword, and not just because its author, Peter A. Collins, slipped 21A, Understanding, KEN, and 22D, Astuteness, ACUMEN, into the grid. It was, inevitably, the theme that made this crossword shine, and you'll discover the meta-joke in that assessment when listening to today's episode (or when you've solved the crossword, whichever comes first).Show note imagery: Members of the G6 - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United KingdomWe 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 fine Tuesday crossword by Ginny Too, with a twee theme that lent itself to some amusing segues, as you will discover in today's episode. We also have our Triplet Tuesday segment, so to see how Jean does (hint: A frequent source of water on a farm), check out today's episode.Just a friendly reminder that solving the NYTimes crossword has been proven to keep your neurons in peak form, and make you more attractive to whomever you want to appear more attractive to! Just wander over to nytimes.com, subscribing is easy and just $1 a week for the first 6 months, cheap as borscht.Show note imagery: Some cheese rollers, pursuing their passion (and a large wheel of cheese).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 is Ari Halpern's third NYTimes crossword, but his previous crossword appeared seventeen years ago. We're hoping that's because Ari found other things to do in the interim, and not because he's suffered 16 years worth of rejection. Although, if he had, this would make for a gripping story of perseverance and redemption; and since Ari's day job involves film and TV scripts, he could just sell it to ... himself? Hmm... maybe not.Show note imagery: An example of a billionaire's boat - a super YACHTWe 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 brilliant crossword by Dylan Schiff. Solving it was terrific fun, but creating it must've been a real bear (to borrow from a recent NYTimes Crossword answer). You'll see why when you check out today's episode. Show note imagery: An OTTAWA senator, carrying one of the most lethal weapons ever created ... the hockey stick!
Both cohosts found today's crossword to be a tad on the easy side (for a Saturday), but it nonetheless had some brilliant clues. Among these were 32D, Eton ___ (traditional English dessert), MESS (yum!); 28D, Shelters from the heat?, SAFEHOUSES (har!); and 54D, Magnum and Spade, for short, PIS (book 'em, Dano!). In other news, we have our JAMCOTWA winner (hint: if you read our podcast titles for this week, it won't take long to spot), and some terrific listener mail. Enjoy!Show note imagery: A delicious Eton MESSWe 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!
Our intrepid cohosts -- solving, as always, independently -- had very different experiences whilst filling in the grid. Jean got through this relatively readily, whereas Mike muttered many imprecations and not a few desperate incantations on his way to the happy music. Deets inside, as well as a great Fun Fact Friday segment about, well, we don't know who
This crossword was the embodiment of what makes the NYTimes Crossword so outstanding: a fantabulous theme amid a sea of novel and some LOL supporting clues. Just check out today's podcast, and then raise a glass in honor of David J. Kahn, creator of today's masterpiece. [Oh, and then raise it a second time in the direction of Will "Funnier! Make it funnier... and cleverer!!" Shortz, editor extraordinaire!.]Show note imagery: DEDE Allen, one of the greatest film editor's of all 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!
There was art in today's grid -- specifically at 29A, "The most beautiful deception of all," per Debussy, ART, and more generally, everywhere else; because only the most artful of crosswords make their way into the hallowed NYTimes crossword pantheon. Beyond the brilliant themed answers (discussed at length in today's episode), a few examples of the authors' craft are on display at 12D, Try again, REHEAR (nice one!); 5D, Smallest three-syllable number, ELEVEN (huh!); and 53A, Best way to sing, INTUNE (
This was Rena Cohen's first Tuesday crossword, and like the other three that she has constructed for the NYTimes, it was excellent: a brilliant theme and a constellation of ingenious clues made the whole puzzle shine. It's definitely worth 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and if you're still skeptical, today's episode will surely put those qualms to rest.Show note imagery: The infamous EDSEL, in all its turquoise gloryWe 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 fun, fast, frothy Monday crossword. It would be a great crossword to solve with the young'uns, for reasons that will become evident as you listen to today's episode.Also, as presaged in yesterday's episode, we do indeed have a Joke for your consideration. It might not leave you ROTFL, but hopefully it will at least make you TYCS (Tip Your Chair Slightly).Show note imagery: Erykah Badu, queen of NEOSOULWe 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 seemed (to at least one of our cohosts) to be slightly crunchier than the usual Sunday, thanks to clues like 3D, "Ci vediamo in giro!" , CIAO; 70A, Pauperism, so to speak, RAGS (um, ok); and 61D, Arbiters of taste, CONNOISSEURS (or as they are known nowadays, influencers). To be clear, we are not complaining: we like a little crunch in our cereal and our crossword grids, and today's puzzle had just the right amount.Show note imagery: Groucho Marx - he didn't invent absurdist comedy, but he definitely perfected 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!
This was an excellent Saturday crossword -- with some Ginsu-knife-sharp cluing, and just a light dusting of pop culture references -- which is precisely the reason why it is now the latest winner of our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award™️). Deets inside, so have a listen, and then tell all your friends and relations about us on social media.Show note imagery: Parts of a violin, including the (non-amphibious, thankfully) FROG.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 puzzle was a trifle easier than your typical Friday, which means -- by the Law of Conservation of Crossword Difficulty™️ -- you can expect tomorrow's crossword to be a morsel harder (on average, and of course YMMV depending on what you know and if you remember it). Regardless of the difficulty, though, we predict that it will be fun, challenging, and educational: tune in tomorrow to see if our prognostications are on the nose.Show note imagery: The Cornbelt, visualizedWe 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 marks Simeon Siegel's 17th crossword since 2020, and while he might not be OVERPROUD, it is most certainly something to celebrate. The theme was particularly NOteworthy, and, YES, we meant to write NO just NOw. Confused? Today's podcast will bring enlightenment, so we encourage you to step out of the darkness and into the light, so to speak, by listening to this episode.Show note imagery: EVESDIARY, by Mark TwainWe 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 by award-winning crossword constructor Rebecca Goldstein and, if not award-winning, deserving-of-award crossword constructor Adam Wagner. Unsurprisingly, the result was ... award-winning, or at least worthy of 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons that we will let you discover (no spoilers here, nary a one!) by listening to today's episode.Show note imagery: PERU, where the potatoes come from
This was a nice Tuesday crossword by Joe Rodini, his second for the NYTimes. He's now been published on Monday and Tuesday, so ... 5 to go, Joe! Today's theme was a bit messy, but that's by design, as you'll discover when you check out today's episode. Of course, it's also Tuesday, and today Jean's in the hot seat for Triplet Tuesday; so keep listening to find out how she did, and see if you can do better (good luck!).Show note imagery: HYDRA, a monster out of Greek mythology with a concerningly large number of heads.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!
It is hard to believe that today marks the 500th appearance of OREO in the NYTimes crossword, but that's the word according to xwordinfo.com, and they oughta know! Now that might sound like Nabisco has architected one of the greatest product placement campaigns in the history of advertising. Truth be told, though, from the beginning of the NYTimes crossword up until 1993, OREO was always clued as a prefix for mountain; but it's been cookies or bust ever since Will Shortz took over the reins.Show note imagery: Some Shetland ponies, on the SHETLANDISLANDSWe 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!
Brendan Emmett Quigley is famed for writing tough crosswords, and he has the pedal to the metal today. First, the grid: it is the standard 21x21 Sunday, but has only 54 black squares, a record. So, that means more to figure out, i.e., more fun! While clue difficulty is often a YMMV affair, we can say that, in general terms, some of these clues would've felt right at home in a Saturday crossword. In short, if you struggled working through this crossword, that is perfectly normal; and if you succeeded, that is a perfect cause for celebration.Show note imagery: A MANTARAY, which is capable of self-recognition!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 fine Saturday crossword - tough but fair, as Saturday crosswords were meant to be. Our favorite clue had to be 29A, Some dragonflies, DARNERS (really: apparently people used to believe that dragonflies could sew your lips shut!). We were entranced with 38A, Mediterranean plant named for its brightly colored flowers, SUNROSE. And finally we just loved discovering 27A, George ______________, voted "Coach of the Century" by the International Swimming Hall of Fame, HAINES. For Saturday, we have of course bestowed our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), so to discover who won and why, check out today's episode.Show note imagery: From the immortal Mary Poppins, Let's Go Fly a KiteWe 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 Friday crossword, and even a casual glance through the clues and grid makes it clear that co-constructors Willa Angel Chen Miller and Erik Agard are dialing up the difficulty. Clues like 33D, This too shall pass, PHASE; 26D, What one might subscribe to, ISM, and 30D, Seeking comment, READYORNOT (brilliant!) make it perfectly clear that this is not a Monday crossword, far from it. [Four days from it, to be precise
It seems appropriate that MENSA was in the grid (well, 4/5 of it, anyway - see the podcast for deets), because this crossword was genius. It had a stunning theme, which made the puzzle much tougher than one might expect for a Thursday. In short, think of this less as a "walk in the park" and more of a "sprint through Disneyworld". Show note imagery: Alain-René Lesage, simultaneously sitting for a portrait and (probably) plotting out his next novel.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!
We have it on good authority that yesterday was Wordle Day - ironic, because one of the answers in today's puzzle also solved today's wordle! That cannot possibly be a coincidence, in our humble opinion, because the odds are too low and Will Shortz is too smart. The rest of the crossword was a delight, as constructor Tom McCoy apparently does not know how to write any other kind. Deets inside, so have a listen, and, as always, we welcome your feedback.Show note imagery: Pittsburg, PA, meet Pittsburgh, PAWe 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 terrific Tuesday crossword by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano, featuring -- of course -- a terrific theme and a strong supporting cast of "other clues". As an example of the latter, we have 60A, Ocean, poetically, MAIN; 70A, They need a push to get started, PEDALS; and the indisputable 1D, Crossword construction, e.g., CRAFT.Wrapping it up, we have a great Triplet Tuesday™ segment, in which Mike demonstrates that stalling, too, is a CRAFT
We try and be as impartial as possible while discussing the crossword, but when our favorite vehicle -- the DeLorean, of course -- appears in the grid, we find it very difficult to stay neutral, so, we won't! Instead we will sing the praises of Eric Rolling's third NYTimes publication. Well, done, Eric!Show note imagery: TAMARA de Lempicka and friend (Salvador Dali, to be precise), undoubtedly pegging the "Great Artist Meter".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 must've surely been challenging to construct, but the end result is brilliant, thanks to constructor Brandon Koppy (under the keen supervision, no doubt, of editor Will Shortz). This puzzle was also very well timed, for reasons that will become clear as soon as you start listening (or have figured out the episode title, whichever comes fourth, er, first).Show note imagery: One AFGHANI (worth approximately US$ 0.014, C$ 0.019, and € 0.012)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 very nice Saturday crossword by Michael Lieberman, his 29th for the NYTimes. It had a boatload of fine Saturday-level clues, perfectly positioned as far as difficulty is concerned: enough to make you sweat, but (if you've been solving these puzzles for a while) not enough to crush your spirit, either. There were no major Naticks* (except for the junction of 9D, Japanese energy-healing technique, REIKI, and 20A, Spicy alternative to a Frito, TAKI).We also have identified our latest JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) winner, and so to find out who that is, just hit download, play, and enjoy. To be clear, the only buttons involved should be download and play: if your app also happens to have an enjoy button, we congratulate you on having a very zen podcast app. Show note imagery: Some delicious SHAKSHUKA*A Natick describes a situation where two answers intersect, and neither is known.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!
Robyn Weintraub is well known for writing awesomely good clues, and that talent is definitely on display today: it is not for nothing that she is known (eh, at least to us), as the Queen of the Friday crossword. We have proof inside, so do have a listen.Besides the crossword, it's Friday, and we have a fabulous Fun Fact Friday segment for your edification and enjoyment.Show note imagery: A Sunfish, ready to rumbleWe 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!
If the theme of today's crossword leaves your head spinning, there is a perfectly natural and non-medically-related explanation. We'd like to tell you what that is here, but true to our motto of "as few spoilers as possible, whenever we remember", we will defer that discussion for the moment. Instead, we will celebrate a few other clues of note, such as 56D, Source of Andrew Carnegie's wealth, STEEL; 38D, Language that gave us "Saskatchewan", CREE; and a clue guaranteed to make you go "awww", 8D, Some comforters for toddlers, BLANKIES.Show note imagery: Ebla, the oldest library in the world (founded in 2500BC, so hopefully you don't have any outstanding book loans, the fines would be horrendous!)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 crisply clued Wednesday crossword, with lots of novel takes and perplexing posers in the puzzle. Right away we have, at 1D, Blade sheathed in a saya, KATANA. We have a debut at 30A, Alternative to a blur or pixelation, CENSORBAR. And even 52D, "Hey, I've got a secret to tell you", PSST, felt fresh. A very nice bit of work by Adam Vincent, we eagerly await his next oeuvre.Show note imagery: A Sheltie, aka a Shetland Sheep DogWe 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 a debut for Gene Louise De Vera, so a few lusty "huzzahs" would not be out of place. The grid had some interesting features: we liked the the juxtaposition of 39D, Children's author Asquith, ROS, and 40D, "Hel-l-lp!", SOS. We were pleased to see the presence of 19A, "The Gift of the Magi" writer, OHENRY, and had hoped to also see OHHENRY, the chocolate bar, but we'll settle for a small glass of 48D, Dessert drink made with frozen grapes, ICEWINE.All in all, a fine crossword, and we give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.Besides the crossword, we also have a spot of delightful listener mail, so check it out!Show note imagery: MARA Rooney, in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.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 gentle Monday crossword. Jean moved through it almost as fast as a MAKO (up to 46 mph, according to 29D). Mike took a tad longer, but was still able to MAKO good time
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