Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

This was a fine Saturday crossword by Adrian Johnson. There were no daunting, grid-spanning answers, and it was not the most difficult Saturday we've seen, but the clues were sufficiently cryptic to make for an entertaining solve. We needed the crosses to figure out 17A, Kitchen project with minimal cleanup, ONEPOTMEAL; likewise with 7D, Persian poet who wrote the "Masnavi", RUMI; a...

Although Spencer Leach's second Friday NYTimes crossword was 15x15, it seemed larger, somehow — not because EXTRALARGE made its way into the grid, but because it was brimming with abfab clues.  We were delighted by 30D, Chess tactic in which the king and queen are attacked simultaneously by a single piece, ROYALFORK; snookered (again) by 17D, Places to go in the U.K., LOOS; and reminded of ho...

This was Tarun Krishnamurthy's fourth and — based on the day of the week — most challenging NYTimes crossword to date. We thought the theme was inspired, and there was a laudable sparkle to the rest of the clues, punctuated with just the right number of bad puns. We give it a full and richly-deserved 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Show note imagery: The famed caravel NINA We love feedback! Sen...

Kevin Curry and Zhang Zhou are collaborating again — this is their third pairing — and the world is a better place for it. We have them to thank for our knowledge of Pinkglow pineapples and GloFish (6A, the answer to which was GMOS); the astonishing revelation that 34A, Band whose spelled-out name translates to "Bulletproof Boy Scouts", was BTS; and the inspiration for a great Ponzi sche...

This was Kathy Bloomer's fifth NYTimes crossword since 2018, and it was splendid — ideal Tuesday fare. The theme was ... ingenious (the quality control at the NYTimes when it comes to themes is simply staggering ); and the rest of the grid was educational and entertaining. We had no idea  about 43A, Notable features of the Charleston, S.C., skyline, STEEPLES; pondered the current whereabouts...

This was Victoria Fernandez Grande's second NYTimes crossword, and her first came just 2 months ago, so she is off to an impressive start! Monday crosswords are designed to be the easiest crosswords of the week, but that doesn't imply drab cluing, not on Will Shortz's watch! A surprise to us was 71A, Actions at the Bellagio or Encore, BETS; another shocker was 28D, Group whose &quot...

This was a Sunday debut by Hannah Slovut, and a rather novel one. You could tell it was a debut since xwordinfo.com said so; you could tell it was novel because the grid had 27 rows and 17 columns (the standard grid is 21x21). The shape was perfectly appropriate, however, because the ingenious theme centered around giraffes , in celebration of WORLDGIRAFFEDAY. We're not quite sure what is the...

Katie Hoody makes magnificent Saturday crosswords, and today's is no exception. It is a master class in crossword construction, featuring clues so brilliant that sunglasses are advised when working on it. 😎 We have full coverage in today's episode, so have a listen, and, as always, please tell others about us on social media. Show note imagery: A master of disguise, the SEADRAGON (reall...

Today's crossword — a debut by Jack Hatchett — was an epic struggle for both cohosts, as the puzzle was brimming with craftily clued debuts. We were definitely not expecting 10D, Sudden reversal of fortune, in literature, PERIPETEIA (from the Latin, meaning, you'll never, ever be able to spell this even with spellcheck). To reemphasize just how difficult today's crossword was, one o...

Compared to yesterday's crossword, with its somewhat complex theme, today's was simultaneously both easier and harder. Easier in the sense that once you had enough crosses, you could probably suss out the answer — a fairly common phrase. Harder in the sense that without the crosses the chances of just rattling off the answer were pretty much zero. All in all, we found today's crossw...

There are themes, and then there are themes . Today's crossword was definitely a case of the latter, and it was combined with clues that were above average in difficulty. As a consequence, both cohosts had to really put their backs into it, so to speak, in their quest for the happy music. We have the full 411 inside, so have a listen! Just a reminder that all of our show notes link to the sol...

Brad Lively is on a tear: this is his second crossword in three weeks, not too shabby! The theme was hilarious, and the rest of the clues were perfect Tuesday fodder. We have the full 411 in today's podcast. But wait, there's more! Since it is Tuesday, we have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, in which, once again, Jean demonstrates her almost superhuman cruciverbial powers.  Show note imager...

Both cohosts found today's crossword to be slightly crunchier (read: harder) than usual for a Monday, but it was a joy to solve nonetheless (or perhaps because of that!). Deets inside. We have selected our JAMCOTWA ™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for the previous week, a most deserving bit of work with a dazzling, LOL, and irresistible theme. Remember that solving the NYTimes C...

This was a crunchier than usual Sunday crossword by a man who knows Sunday crosswords quite well — this is John Kugelman's 16th. The theme was very clever and likely a bear to construct, but the end result was a splendid challenge. In terms of difficulty, Sunday crosswords are often characterized as bigger Wednesdays, but this one feels more like a Thursday or even a Friday — you'll defi...

This was a highly entertaining Saturday crossword by Ryan McCarty, chockfull of tricky and entertaining clues. For instance, 33D, Is courting out of one's league, so to speak, DATESUP; as avowed Anglophiles we of course appreciated 19A, "Right?," in British lingo, INNIT; and we also appreciated the riddle embedded in 26A, Make it or break it, PAR. All told, we'll add one to Rya...

This was a quality Friday crossword by Amanda Winters, her second for the NYTimes. It was not hugely difficult by Friday standards, but the quality of the clues was first rate, and there was nary a hint of crosswordese anywhere in the grid. We approve, and give it 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. In addition to the crossword, we are also having a sale on facts, so we have two fun facts for Fun Fact F...

Today's crossword was a debut by Nikhil Bailey, and an excellent one, fueled by an awesome theme (but no revealer: you'll have to work this one out on your own, or ... listen to today's episode). Some other clues raised some intriguing questions:  What's the story behind 19D — Gillette Stadium team in the N.F.L., to fans, PATS? Is the food alluded to in 52D, Like blue lobsters,...

This was a terrific Wednesday crossword, with an exceedingly well timed  and executed theme, combined with some excellent cluing exsewhere, er, elsewhere. 😉 We learned about and now hope to visit 29D, Biltmore ___, America's largest privately owned home, ESTATE; we had similar sentiments about 37D, Madrid's ___ Sofía Museum, REINA, after learning that it is the home of Picasso's Gu...

Rebecca Goldstein is one of our favorite constructors, which is why we felt 56D, Utter delight, GLEE, upon seeing that she had authored today's puzzle . Some of that GLEE was a result of solving 45D, "Toodle-oo!", BYENOW; some may be ascribed to happy memories dredged up by 64A, Sound of a cartoon hit, BOINK; and the rest comes from that joyful, chortle-provoking theme, as described...

Today's crossword was excellent Monday fare. Most of the clues were written with new solvers in mind, as one would expect; but they were a lot of fun nonetheless, and constructor Tom McCoy had planted one or two traps for the unwary. Bravo! In addition to the crossword, we have chosen our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for the previous week, and our choice should surpr...

Today's crossword , a collaboration between veteran constructors Adam Wagner and Simeon Seigel, was relatively controversial: some solvers found it to be a splendid tour de force of modern crossword construction, others found it to be less splendid and more slog. Your cohosts are a case in point: but we will keep you briefly in suspense, dear listener, as to who felt what. (And as a meta-puzz...

After just a cursory glance at today's crossword , your first reaction might be a pressing need to don sunglasses. That would be because of the grid, the most "wide open" grid ever in the NYTimes — as measured by the number of white squares that do not intersect a black square. The previous total had been 132, but constructor Daniel Bodily beat that handily with a score of 135. What...

This was an exciting  Friday crossword by Kelly Morenus, with a bevy of challenging clues. Just to give you a taste, we had 54A, "___ y plata" (Montana's motto), ORO; 46D, Pioneering civil rights activist ___ Arnold Hedgeman, ANNA; and one amusing gimme, 22A, Where 22-Across is, HERE 😀. Show note imagery: As discussed in today's podcast, one shoe that definitely doesn't c...

Once again the NYTimes crossword boffins have gone above and beyond to inject a little something extra into the grid , to aid the constructor. We had animation the other day, and today we have ... something that we'll let you hear about in today's podcast (whew! no spoiler alert necessary). Besides the crossword, we also have some enlightening listener mail related to yesterday's pu...

We do not know if this was planned or by chance, but today's crossword happens to be an ideal choice for National Repeat Day, which, we have been reliably assured, is a real thing . While today's debut by Jiahe Men (woo-hoo!) was not overly difficult, grokking the theme did make solving it easier and more fun. We liked it a bunch, and therefore bestow upon it a meter-pegging 5 squares on...