Podcasts about Crossword

This was a delectable Sunday crossword by Jill Rataloff and Michelle Sontarp, who happen to both work at the same law firm. That might explain 21A, Certain head jurors, FOREMEN, and 125A, Bars, legally, ESTOPS, but does not explain the remainder of this fine puzzle. That's what we, amici curiae, are here to do (as well as show off our knowledge of Latin, or at least how to use Google Translate

Traditionally,  NYTimes crosswords increase in difficulty from Monday to Saturday*. So, if you had problems with today's puzzle, that's perfectly normal and by design: it was built that way.The clues were magnificent, all designed to exercise those little grey cells. We covered the best of these in the podcast, but the rest (still very, very good) included 13D, Many key changes take place in it, CARSHARE (yikes!); 20A, The third primary chakra is located just above it, NAVEL (quick, the fainting couch!); and 11D, Like a spoilsport, NOFUN (and the exact opposite of today's crossword).Show note imagery: LOUISA Catherine Adams, First Lady, 1825-1829*with Sunday characterized as a "large Wednesday" in terms of difficultyWe 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 this crossword was a car, it would be a Bugatti; if it was a watch, it would be a Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime. In short, this was a top-of-the-line Tuesday crossword, built with precision, love, and care, and yet, surprisingly, priced exactly the same as all the other NYTimes crosswords, not a farthing more for that extra pizzazz.What were some of those pizzazz-y clues, you ask? Our favorite was 35D, Tough-but-loving fathers, informally, PAPABEARS (a debut). Our second (and it was a close second) was 18D, Boot out of Europe?, ITALY

If Emojis make your heart go pitter-patter, then put your cardiologist on speed dial because today's puzzle — the fourth by Victor Schmitt — is teeming with them. OK, "teeming" might be a bit of an exaggeration, but they are certainly more prevalent than usual, and contribute to the crossword's high EQ (Entertainment Quotient). Deets inside.In addition to our color commentary on today's crossword, we also have a (belated) Triplet Tuesday segment for your edification. Enjoy!Show note imagery: Yup, that's one MESSY bun!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!

On this awesome episode, I welcome Lindsay Barnett who is the CEO of Playground Productions and the Executive Producer of the Backyard Sports: The Animated Special, along with the incredible actor Michael Vlamis who voices Tony Delvecchio in the special. Lindsay and Michael join me to chat all about the special, bring Dave & Busters on to present it, Lindsay's work in video games, and Micheal's work across many projects going back to 2009. This is a really fun one!  Watch Backyard Sports: The Animated Special on YouTube! Follow Lindsay Barnett on Instagram Follow Michael Vlamis on Instagram Watch the Q&A for Micheal's upcoming film Crossword from the 2025 Chattanooga Film Festival Hire ME for your red carpet & special event needs! Learn more about Committee for the First Amendment Listen to Faux Real on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and all your favorite podcast platforms! Become a patron of this program! Ads provided by Libsyn Instagram @FauxRealPod Twitter @FauxRealPod Facebook @FauxRealPod © 2026 Wilder Entertainment

This was a fine crossword by David Carp, his sixth for the NYTimes and his third to appear on a Saturday. The crossword was not outrageously difficult by Saturday standards, the clues were cute, and the grid itself was worth the price of admission. We have all the deets inside, so please, have a listen (and don't forget to subscribe, so you don't miss an episode).Did you forget to send a special something to that special someone on this special day? Fear not, you can send a subscription to the NYTimes crossword anytime, 24x7. Just wander over to the NYTimes subscription desk, and they'll be glad to lend a hand.Show note imagery: Bartender, a bottle of your finest CARIB, s'il vous plaît!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 just what we want out of a Friday crossword: daunting, deliciously deceptive cluing and not an iota of crosswordese anywhere in the grid. Evan Mulvihill has succeeded on both counts, as you can hear in today's episode. Besides those clues covered therein, we liked 28A, Really fancy?, COVET; a numerically rich clue about something only the rich could afford, 32A, The 14.54-carat Apollo Blue, e.g., which sold for more than $42 million in 2017, DIAMONDEARRING; and the abfab 37D, Ferruginous pigment, SIENNA (woah!). Nice work, Evan!Show note imagery: SANMARINO, in all its glory!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's back and it's Crossword Clues starting with T. I will give you the number of letters and you tell me the word starting with T. Connect with the show: DorkyGeekyNerdy.com Patreon BlueSky Facebook Spotify Discord Reddit

It's back and it's Crossword Clues starting with T. I will give you the number of letters and you tell me the word starting with T. Connect with the show: DorkyGeekyNerdy.com Patreon BlueSky Facebook Spotify Discord Reddit

Adrian Johnson and Ryan McCarty have a predilection for writing late-week crosswords, and they have a predilection for getting them published because they are awesome! The clues in today's puzzle, for example, universally ranged between amazing and woah! We give it a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale (obviously), and consider it a top contender for this week's JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award).Show note imagery: Charlie PUTH, a fabulous singer-songwriter — seriously, check him out — making magic happen in his studio 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!

Peter Gorman has produced his third NYTimes crossword since February of last year, each on a different day of the week, which is quite 62D, Chilly, COOL. We had several celebrities in the grid — 37A, Cosmonaut Gagarin, YURI; 41A, R&B singer whose album "SOS" spent 100+ weeks in the Billboard top 10, SZA; and from a slightly more distant epoch, 58D, Biblical ark builder, NOAH.Being Monday, we have a JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) to announce, and the award goes to ... a most deserving crossword constructor, whose name is ... in today's podcast

Host Piya Chattopadhyay speaks with The Globe and Mail's Stephanie Levitz and Joël-Denis Bellavance from La Presse about the politics of Canada's new trade deal with ChinaIranian-Canadian historian Arash Azizi and The Economist's Middle East correspondent Gregg Carlstrom unpack the anti-government protests in Iran, and the deadly ensuing crackdownFormer Irish President and United Nations human rights commissioner Mary Robinson shares her vision for preserving human rights in a fractured worldCrossword constructor Natan Last explores the puzzle's history, and how culture and creators are pushing it forward

This was a fun Saturday crossword, which one of our cohosts (Jean) found to be an easy solve whereas the other (by process of elimination, Mike) found to be deucedly difficult. The reasons for both may be found on today's podcast.A few other artfully-crafted clues that were left on the editing room floor* include 6D, ___ Carlos Jobim, father of the bossa nova, ANTONIO (careful: the music is uber-soothing); 52A, Bracket contents, TEAMS (oh, those kinds of brackets); and 39A, Artificially unsophisticated, FAUXNAIF. Show note imagery: ARUBA, the westernmost territory of the Netherlands*nobody's actually edited video like this since the last century, but is still an evocative phraseWe 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!

Tom Allen joins Dan, James and Andy to discuss Noel, Nudie, Greeks and Gardening.Visit nosuchthingasafish.com for news about live shows, merchandise and more episodes. Join Club Fish for ad-free episodes and exclusive bonus content at apple.co/nosuchthingasafish or nosuchthingasafish.com/patreon

As the week progresses, the crossword constructors get more opportunities to add spice to the mix, and Joseph Gangi, author of today's fine puzzle (edited, as always, by the legendary Will Shortz), has been spending overtime in the kitchen, the result of which is the effervescent grid you see before you (or will see if you visit our favorite site, xwordinfo.com).Besides our cutting-edge analysis, we also have (speaking of cutting) some listener mail regarding CUTCO. So for all of that, you are cordially invited to download, listen up, and enjoy today's episode.Show note imagery: Georges Seurat, a man well suited to crossing those t's and (especially) dotting those i's

Hopefully you remember your Greek lessons, listeners, because they — or at least one of them, which we hope for comedy's sake took place on a PHIday — will come in particularly handy today. And now that we've got your curiosity piqued, don't PHIght it — download today's podcast to find out what all the PHIuss, er, fuss, is about.Show note imagery: The birthstones, from Garnet to TurquoiseWe 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!

Greg Snitkin and Glenn Davis have collaborated on two crosswords, both Fridays, and both fantabulous. Today's had some novelties, including 3 superb debuts: 14A, Winning like crazy, ONAHEATER (woah!); the award-winning 34A, Stealthy flier, AIRMARSHAL (hey, what happened to the second L??); and the equally splendid 61A, He's great for the time being, MRRIGHTNOW (brilliant!).In addition to today's puzzle, we have a fun fact for Fun Fact Friday, and if the suspense of what that might be is getting to you, here's a BIG hint: look to today's episode title.Show note imagery: In 2017, the Monopoly boot token got the ... wait for it ... boot!

Today's crossword was terrific. A theme that pegged the pun-meter, a second theme that nobody other than your cohosts know about

The clues in today's crossword, Hannah Slovut's third for the NYTimes, were so dazzling that we felt we ought to wear shades while solving it. There were scads of clever clues everywhere you look in the grid, and nary a clunker anywhere: just way we like our Saturday crosswords! For the full 411 — as well as another episode of "Oh, That's How You Pronounce it!"™️, check out today's podcast.Show note imagery: Some actors in MOCAP (motion-capture) suitsShow note url: The name's PESCI, Joe PESCI, and here's how you pronounce itWe 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 explain the episode title: this was, indeed, an awesome crossword. And, as has happened for years upon years, Deb Amlen scrutinized the crossword in the accompanying NYTimes column, Wordplay. This was her last Wordplay column, however: she is now retiring to take up other pursuits. But her last column was as good as usual, and today's crossword was a great send off. Besides the crossword proper, we also have a weather-related fun fact for Fun Fact Friday™️, and some great listener mail, which does double duty as the basis of an "Oh, that's how you pronounce it" segment. Show note imagery: VEGENAISE, properly spelled

Simply marvelous, we're up to S. For today's mini episode, I've got ten words starting with the letter, S. I'll give you the number of letters and a crossword clue, you must guess the word.

Simply marvelous, we're up to S. For today's mini episode, I've got ten words starting with the letter, S. I'll give you the number of letters and a crossword clue, you must guess the word.

This is Robert S. Gard's second Saturday crossword. It was not quite as difficult as his first, but the cluing was deliciously deceptive, and included five debuts. Jean got through it in her usual time; Mike found it to be a tad easier than usual, but an enjoyable solve nonetheless. Remember that if you're still hunting around for the perfect holiday gift, there's still time to send the gift that keeps on giving -- a subscription to the best crossword puzzle on the planet. Show note imagery: NERDFEST 2025 (and there's still time to register for NERDFEST 2026)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 genius required to craft an NYTimes-worthy crossword is on full display today: Joseph Gangi has created a cuuute theme, and the hilarity of that last clause will become apparent upon listening to today's podcast and/or solving today's puzzle. Numerous other clues in the grid are also worth celebrating. We chortled at 62A, The time of one's life?, AGE (

Ths coming Friday is the deadline for the Justice Department to turn over the Epstein files to Congress. But we already know the key fact about Epstein's famous friends--they didn't care that he had hired a 14-year-old girl for sex—and gone to jail for it. But why was that? Katha Pollitt comments.Also: the hidden politics of the New York Times crossword puzzle: Natan Last explains; his new book is Across the Universe: the Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ths coming Friday is the deadline for the Justice Department to turn over the Epstein files to Congress. But we already know the key fact about Epstein's famous friends--they didn't care that he had hired a 14-year-old girl for sex—and gone to jail for it. But why was that? Katha Pollitt comments.Also: the hidden politics of the New York Times crossword puzzle: Natan Last explains; his new book is Across the Universe: the Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today's crossword, by Gene Louise De Vera, was one for the record books. Exactly what record was broken we are not going to reveal here, but rather keep you in suspense, dear listeners, for the approximately 15-30s it will take to download the podcast and get to the point where we "spill the beans", so to speak. It'll be worth the wait, trust us.

Kevin Curry has done it again - crafted an elegant puzzle designed to challenge, educate, and entertain. Challenge: 63A, Reunion group, CLAN; Educate: 57D, Popular, stick-figure web comic, XKCD; andEntertain: 28D, Big wheels in the Vatican?, POPEMOBILE

This was Kate Hawkins' eighteenth NYTimes crossword, and while mainly distinguished by its brilliant theme, gems could be found throughout the grid. We enjoyed the range of emotions conveyed by 32D, "By Jove, that's it!", AHA, and 45D, "How stupid of me!", DOH. We also were absolutely enthralled by, and are now seeking a t-shirt emblazoned with, 54A, "Education is not for the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a ______" (old maxim), FIRE. Show note imagery: Computing pioneer ADA LovelaceWe 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 joy of live performance is that we're all experiencing the same thing together and it unites us as a community.” When I think of crossword puzzles, I think of a quiet, cerebral exercise. It's often a solitary activity, maybe occasionally yelling out if anyone knows a four letter word for "milk's favorite cookie." When Zach Sherwin considered crossword puzzles, however, he thought, okay... but what if it also had comedians, rap, music, and just a little bit of chaos, all wrapped up in an epically funny live show? Zach Sherwin has long had a way with words. He cut his teeth performing sketch comedy and honing his rapping skills as MC Mr. Napkins. He eventually found his way to Epic Rap Battles of History, which found a way to make nerdy, boring history feel fun and – dare I say – cool. His love of wordplay and puzzles led him to create The Crossword Show. Zach Sherwin presides as two guest comedians solve a crossword puzzle live onstage, with everything displayed on a big screen so you can follow along. As the solvers decipher the clues, Zach takes the show down rabbit holes of comedy, music, wordplay and trivia, all inspired by the answer words. Everything ties together at the end for a grand finale. It is clever, hilarious, and had me awestruck at the mental gymnastics Zach goes through over the course of the show. Zach joins us on REPOD to talk about how he turned a quiet nerdy activity into something funny, thrilling, and interactive. I really enjoyed hearing him talk about the secret sauce of crafting this show, from how he adjusts the difficulty of the clues, to what makes a live show special. He was a delightful guest. Are you intrigued by how a live crossword stage show works? Zach will be performing at the Reality Escape Convention in Laval in 2026. This is a show you won't want to miss.     Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.   Support Us On Patreon Today Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we've been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events. By becoming a Patreon supporter, you're not just backing a blog — you're fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. Access exclusive Patreon content such as: The Bonus Aftershow The Spoilers Club Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles. Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy.   PG's Playhouse If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG's Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what's game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes. Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you'll take a listen and play along with us at PG's Playhouse.   Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer.   COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout.   Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht  

Today's puzzle had a wry, perfect-for-a-Monday theme: if it was a hat, it would definitely be stylish and arranged at a rakish angle. We were surprised, tickled, and put into full chortle mode by, respectively, 1D, Magic charms, MOJOS (assuredly not on our Monday crossword bingo card); 5D, The eyes may have it, MASCARA; and 24A, Run out of clothes?, STREAK.Besides the crossword, in honor of Monday we have picked our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and we challenge you, dear reader/listener, to see if you can guess which one we picked.Show note imagery: JACKSONHOLE, where snow removal never stops

We treasure any excuse to break out into Lewis Carroll adjectives, and today's frabjous crossword provides just that opportunity. This is a debut, no less, by University of Wisconsin Madison professor Kate Jensen, who we imagine, based on the clues in today's grid, to be particularly beamish, and not at all manxome (except when dealing with irksome students).There were boatloads of great clues in today's grid. We felt educated by 13D, One chain x one furlong, ACRE; entertained by 28A, They'll make it up to you, LIARS; and driven to chortle as a consequence of 54A, Deposit that might gather interest?, ORE.Show note imagery: BRITANNIA rules the wavesWe 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 Jonathan Baude, kudos for that! The theme was uplifting (literally), and the rest of the puzzle was perfect Tuesday fare. We had some entertaining clues --  46A, Top of the hour?, XII (

Did an early version of Elton John's Saturday Night include the lyric "Saturday night's alright for fighting crosswords"? We don't know for certain, but we do know that today's crossword was an epic battle -- at least for Mike. Jean, as usual, found this to be a more of a minor skirmish. As we have come to expect from Adrian Johnson, author of today's puzzle, the clues had a lot of spice and bite. For example, 27D, High-level intelligence assets?, SPYPLANES (nice!); 25D, What sfouf is, in Lebanese cuisine, CAKE (we'll take two, please

This was a splendid Tuesday crossword, thanks to an ingenious theme surrounded by a bevy of bedazzling clues. We appreciated the aptness of seeing 3D, In an angry way, CROSSLY, in a CROSSWORD; were flabbergasted by 13D, Weight of every U.S. bank note, ONEGRAM; and were gobsmacked by 20A, U.K. : H.M.R.C. :: U.S.A. : ___, IRS.Today being Tuesday, we have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, with Jean being in the hot seat this time around.Show note imagery: BTS, back together again!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're just GAGA about today's crossword. It included some of our favorite words in the English language, such as 3D, Flabbergasted, GOBSMACKED; our favorite Shakespearean insult, 63A, Playing card better known as a Jack, KNAVE

Prior to today, only 3 NYTimes crosswords qualified as double pangrams -- ones where the grid includes the entire alphabet, A-Z, twice. Today's crossword marks the fourth. Writing any NYTimes-worthy crossword is a challenge, but writing a pangram really ups the difficulty. Blaker Slonecker was willing to accept the challenge, however, and we doff our hats in respect and awe of this great oeuvre.Show note imagery: Ray Charles, pitching DIETPEPSI.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!

Special Guest DJ (Crossword Part 2) by DJ Homewrecker

Tracklist: 01 - Basement Jaxx - Hey U (Switch & Sinden Remix) 02 - Jacknife Lee - Making Me Money (Switch Remix) 03 - Unklejam - Love Ya (Herve Remix) 04 - The Rapture - Wayuh (Claude Von Stroke Pantydropper Vocal Mix) 05 - Crookers - Just Ghetto 06 - Basement Jaxx - Make Me Sweat 07 - Matt John - The Rising Scope 08 - Gaiser & Heartthrob - Nasty Girl 09 - Claude VonStroke - Beware of the Bird (Justin Martin Remix)

This was a not-at-all-MID, nor, for that matter -MEH, Monday crossword: the theme was above average, the clues crisp and clever. We especially want to give a shoutout to 22D, Sch. with a T section, MIT; and the presence of both 10D, Nickname for Dorothy, DOT, and 59A, Play-_____, DOH, in the grid. Kudos to Rena Cohen for this, her 6th NYTimes crossword.We also are delighted to announce our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) winners (yes, plural!) -- deets inside.Show note imagery: Katrina Gorry, poised to do something extraordinary with a football.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 you like Shakespeare, and if you like puns, you will be in ecstasy by the time you've finished today's crossword. And even if you are not a huge fan, we predict that you'll find this crossword to be a hoot. What makes it so special, you ask? Check out today's podcast, where all will be revealed!Show note imagery: The logo of TCM, Turner Classic MoviesWe 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 this crossword were a drink, it would be a chamomile tea. However, it was even better than that: a bliss-inducing, soul-lifting crossword. We certainly feel happier for having solved it, and we hope you'll feel the same for having listened to this podcast!Show note imagery: PTOWN, aka Provincetown, Cape CodWe 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!

Several clues in today's crossword gave both cohosts reason to pause. Most notably we had a debut at 6D, Aesthetic associated with classical literature and vintage fashion, DARKACADEMIA; we also had the mysterious 1D, Cool, in streaming slang, POG; and we were intrigued to discover 62D, ID whose lowest possibility is 001-01-0001, SSN. In addition to these fascinating clues, we have a fascinating fact, in honor of Fun Fact Friday. Ever wonder what happened to telegrams? Tune in, and find out!Show note imagery: A delicious dirt pudding, featuring, of course, an OREOCOOKIE, yum!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!

1133. This week, crossword pro Natan Last talks about his book "Across the Universe." We look at the technical and cultural differences between American and British puzzle styles and the secrets that will surprise you about how clues are written and edited. We also look at "crosswordese," the long submission process for the “New York Times,” and the AI that won a human crossword tournament.Find Natan Last at Natanlast.com.Get the book, "Across the Universe."

This was a challenging crossword for both cohosts, as both -- solving independently as is their custom -- ended up in the same area of the grid, temporary waylaid by the crossing of 40A, The Brady household, including Alice, e.g., ENNEAD, and 29D, "The Fall of the House of Usher" actress ___ Miller, TNIA. In the end, though, Jean managed to get through this crossword LIKEABOSS; Mike was more like a JUNIORDEPUTYUNDERSECRETARY

For you polyglots out there, the NYTimes has written a love letter, cleverly disguised as a crossword -- today's, to be precise, a magnificent opus by Sam Brody. For the rest of us, the crossword was (for reasons that will be come clear once you've heard the podcast and/or seen the completed grid) a lot more challenging, which means, of course, a lot more fun. We adored this, Sam's third NYTimes crossword since June (!), and are delighted to bestow upon it a très bon 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.Show note imagery: The LOGO for a car so expensive we couldn't even afford ... the LOGO

On todays show, Soul Sisters co-hosts Justine and Kylie do battle in a unique competition combining mental and physical challenges. The hosts devise a game inspired by The New York Times mini-games, challenging each other with Wordle, a custom Crossword puzzle, Strands, and Connections, tallying up their completion times for each game. After the puzzle segment, the hosts compare their cumulative game times to their individual times for running one mile, aiming to determine a final winner based on the lowest total time for both the puzzles and the run. The sisters also discuss the hippocampus and the scientific evidence surrounding whether running can improve brain function!Support the showRunningScaredMedia.comVisit our shop to purchase our jogcasts and other merchEmail us at: therunningscaredpodcast@gmail.comFollow us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group

If you needed to be reminded that the scariest day of the year is coming up tomorrow; and if yesterday's crossword didn't drive the stake (er, point) home, then today's surely will. Between the OREOS, bat(omorph)s and witches in the grid, and the suspiciously large number of pumpkins one is likely to encounter in the street, it is clear that Halloween is drawing nigh. What is also clear is that this was a fabulous crossword, brimming with great clues like 42A, Desirable Vegas couple? ACES; 69A, Fish also known as a batomorph, RAY; and 50A, Ones eliciting knee-jerk reactions, informally, DOCS (ha!)Show note imagery: OKRA, aka Lady's FingersWe 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 gem of a Wednesday crossword. The theme was, as you might expect, unexpected: the rest of the grid, as you might also expect, excellent. We covered most of our favorites in today's episode, but we would also like to direct your attention to 11D, Whirling visual effects in video games, PORTALS; 39A, Bubbly bar, SOAP; and 5D, Electroreception for sharks, SENSE. Show note imagery: Lisa Meitner (left) and OTTOHAHN (right), Austrian-Swedish and German chemists, respectively, who pioneered radiochemistry — which, sadly, does not deign to answer the question why Abbott and Costello were so hilarious

This was a truly epic Sunday crossword by Daniel Grinberg, one with a theme guaranteed to put a smile on your face and/or cause your jaw to drop in amazement at the artistry and effort that clearly went into today's puzzle. We have much more to say about this magnificent opus, so pull up a chair, go for a jog, whatever it is that you do while listening to this podcast, and enjoy!Show note imagery: Domo arigoto, MRROBOTO