Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

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!

For those of you pondering the title of today's episode, fear not: all, well, nearly all, will be revealed in today's podcast, covering Zhouqin Burnikel's 28th Monday crossword, among a very respectable 82 that she has had published in the NYTimes.Show note imagery: While this might seem like a high tech torpedo bay, it is in fact possibly a claustrophobic's worst nightmare, a good old fashioned MRIWe 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!

To paraphrase Yoda, the pun is strong in this one, a crossword by the mother and daughter team of Ruth B. Margolin and Hannah Margolin, the latter whose impending marriage inspired the aforementioned puns. So, congrats to the Margoli team for the publication and the nuptials!Show note imagery: A sockdolager, 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 was a quintessential NYTimes Saturday crossword - tough, fair, and fun. It was constructed by two veteran crossword constructors -- Christina Iverson and Doug Peterson -- who we have come to cherish for making crosswords ... just like this one! Deets inside.As is tradition on Saturday, we have identified our JAMCOTWA™️ -- Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award -- winner. Check out today's episode for those deets as well, and then let us know if you agree, disagree, or are neutral on the subject.Show note imagery: The Germans, getting ready to win yet another Olympic bobsledding event.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 pleasing Friday crossword - the grid looked daunting, and the clues were definitely on the hard side (Mike in particular wallowed in the bottom third of the grid), but it was overall a great end to the work week. We have deets inside, as well as a delectable Fun Fact Friday™️ segment, so check it out now! Show note imagery: The stunning ROYALOPERAHOUSE, in Covent Garden, London.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!

The NYTimes crosswords are always good, but this one stands alone, definitely worth a chef's kiss and even possibly a hug -- it was that exceptional. The theme was stupendous, and absolutely essential to solving the puzzle, for reasons that we delve into, in detail, in today's episode.Show note imagery: TAIO Cruz, author of (among other great works), Dynamite.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!

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!