Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

We don't normally namedrop Shakespearean quotes, but we are inspired by today's highly twisty-turny theme that  looks like it might take 100 years or so to construct, but Adam Wagner managed to pull it off in well under a decade 😉 While the theme is certainly the center of attention, there is a lot of other joyous word play taking place throughout the grid, so to learn more, prithee dow...

Today's crossword had eight, count'em, eight debut answers, including every computer programmer's favorite, DEBUGGER, the unsung hero of software development. A number of other clues  didn't make it into the grid but deserve a shoutout, including 61A, Currently happening, AFOOT (and we can hear the British accent in our heads when we say it 😀); 35D, Handel's Messiah, for...

Tuesday's crossword, just like the child in the nursery rhyme, is full of grace -- and we mention nursery not just to name drop but because it is an essential component of today's puzzle. Intrigued? We thought you might be, but in the interests of keeping your IL (Intrigue Level) high, we won't go into deets here, but just encourage you to download today's episode (and see how...

A delightfully wry Monday theme courtesy of Jack Scherban, and if that name doesn't ring a bell that's because this crossword marks his debut in the NYTimes, so congrats, Jack! There were a few answers in the grid that haven't been seen in a while - 11D, Comic actress Martha, RAYE; the revealer, 49A, Unfazed response to a threat from one of the themed answers, YOUANDWHATARMY; and sp...

Somewhat akin to Robert Frost's "two roads diverged in a yellow wood", Jean & Mike's solves diverged, with Jean tearing through today's crossword , and Mike coming to a screeching halt (with him supplying most of the screeching). The reason for this is, as long time listeners will surmise, due to Jean's encyclopedic knowledge of Filipino dishes, and Mike's to...

Today's crossword looked daunting - a sea of white squares, and two  3-stack sets of grid-spanning answers. But while our first reaction was 36A, [Uh-oh], GULP , and our second reaction was 59A, "I'm speechless", THEREARENOWORDS ", we used our 15D, Spots for berets, TETES , and were able to noodle  a solution without too many 42AS, Official administrations, OATHS .  In oth...

A relatively straightforward Friday crossword by Hermann Mehta, but an admirable addition to the pantheon nonetheless. Now, based on the Law of Conservation of Crossword Difficulty (first theorized by one A. Einstein, if memory serves), this means that Saturday's crossword should be ... just  about impossible. Will that come to pass? Tune in tomorrow to find out! Show note imagery: A few samp...

Although today's' theme has nothing to do with actors, quite a few of them popped up in today's grid. There were some LOL clues / answers as well, and let us not gloss over some very nice pairings in the grid -- EDIE v. EDDY, LIEV v. ALEVE, those surely can't ONE, um, we mean ALL,  be coincidental! TLDR,  we loved this debut crossword from Sara Muchnick and can't  wait for...

A middle-of-the-road crossword for the middle of the week, MaryEllen Uthlaut has made a bbbbbedazzling puzzle -- and the reason for all those extra b's will bbbbbecome apparent as soon as you check out today's episode, so ... do it now! Show note imagery: A 10 BAHT coin We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. A...

Alex Eaton-Salners, a grizzled veteran with 67 (!) NYTimes crosswords to his credit, has produced a fine Tuesday crossword for our edification and entertainment. There was a fine theme and excellent surrounding cast of clues, including a few that we couldn't squeeze into the podcast: 58A, Wharton or Sloan, informally, BSCHOOL (only its 3rd appearance in the NYTimes); 47D, Floral subject for V...

For those of you who can think of nothing better to do than spend a morning out on the links  -- and if an image of giant sausages just sprung to mind, you are not the people we had in mind 😀 -- you are going to love today's puzzle, especially the theme (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).  We explore that in depth in today's podcast, and we also have a great bit of listener mail, so do have a l...

A delectable Mother's Day present from Avery Gee Katz, a crossword that one of our cohosts found to be just a trifle difficult, and the other found to be like scaling Mount Everest barefoot, but harder. We will let you mull over who found what what, and then invite you to check out today's podcast to either confirm or confound your hunch. Show note imagery: The Cabo Arch, in CABOSANLUCAS...

The author of today's crossword seems to specialize in Saturday puzzles - this is his 4th, out of a total of 8 published in the NYTimes - and the clueing is definitely what one would expect on a Saturday. Check out today's podcast, and you'll see what we mean.  We also have a day-late version of Fun Fact Friday, featuring little known Declaration of Independence signer Button Gwinne...

A great debut crossword by Jesse Cohn - and debuting on a Friday is no mean feat, but one look at this puzzle will convince you that it is a fine addition to the pantheon, filled with a bevy of great clues and answers. Deets inside, all for your listening pleasure! Show note imagery: TRIESTE We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@i...

A delightfully difficult Thursday crossword by Joe DiPietro, a constructor who has a reputation for precisely those sorts of puzzles. The theme? A+. The rest of the grid? A+. The entire crossword? A++, or as we like to say it, 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Beyond our take on today's crossword, we also have some great listener mail, so check all of that out, and, as always, let us know what yo...

Yet another Michael Schlossberg crossword , and while we are certainly elated to see it, we can't help but ponder whether the good doctor is truly giving his patients all the attention that they deserve, or whether he might be thinking, "Let's see what theme could I make out of rashes and runny noses?". Seriously, the pace with which he has been publishing NYTimes crosswords th...

The title of today's episode will make more sense, and seem even more hilarious - - we promise! -- once you've listened to today's episode, covering a fine debut crossword by Justin Werfel. So have at it, and after you've done so, either drop us a line at crosswordpodcast@icloud.com or try Buzzsprout's newest product, "Fan Mail" and text us! A reminder, that when...

The NYTimes crossword is, of course, a delight to try and solve, but we also appreciate the opportunities it offers to explore the nooks and crannies of language, culture, history, and the like. Today's episode is a case in point, where serendipity brings us to the door step of one Button Gwinnett, a fascinating historical figure who occasionally pops up in pop culture, and clearly warrants a...

For those of you who are of the space-faring persuasion, today's crossword is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, as the theme consists of a series of punny (of course: it's Sunday!), rocket-related entries. ELTONJOHN manages to make an appearance, he of ROCKETMAN fame,  NIXON also drops by to say hi, and no self-respecting crossword about space would be complete if YODA didn't...

A relatively straightforward Saturday compared to the last few, but we are not complaining! The clues were still a challenge, and the answers entertaining, with nary a drop of crosswordese to taint the grid. We approve, and indeed, approve so much that this crossword is the winner of this week's JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award). Bravo, kudos, and all that! Show note imager...

As today's podcast makes abundantly clear, our cohosts had  entirely different experiences solving today's puzzle . One of us (hint: the one with the higher voice) breezed through it, the other (hint: the one with the even higher voice when stressed) moved through it like a finalist in a human mannequin competition. While their solving experiences might have diverged, they both agreed th...

If you are allergic, you might want to brace yourself before tackling today's crossword, because it is quite flowery and fragrant, all in aid of a theme that we found ... flowery, fragrant, and fun. Deets inside, so have a listen, and let us know what you think! Show note imagery: A lovely example of a FREESIA We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a...

The record does not state whether Michèle Govier, the constructor of today's crossword , was hungry when she set to work, but the presence in the grid of PEAS, NILLA, OREO, BREADFRUIT, TARO, and, as a topping, OREGANO, does make us wonder. What we are not wondering about is the quality of this crossword - excellent, 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Our justification is as close as your download...

Another day, another debut crossword , this one by Tom Locke -- who has published in other well-known venues before, but this is indeed his first in the NYTimes. In the best tradition of NYTimes Monday crosswords, the theme was amusing, understated (certainly compared to its flashy Thursday sibling), and not too difficult to souse out. Deets inside, so have a listen, don't forget to subscribe...

A challenging Saturday crossword by Rich Norris - his 188th!! -- with a nice mix of deceiving and educational clues. Examples of the former include 2D, "Say no more", ONIT, and the aforementioned 26D, "Do I have news for you!", EXTRAEXTRA. Latter examples include 17A, Like some coins, BIMETALLIC (huh), and 7D, NASA rocket since 1957, ATLAS. Today is Saturday, meaning it's...