Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

As the week progresses, the crosswords tend to get more difficult, and while Tuesday is therefore on the easier side, this puzzle did have a few crunchier clues, including: 19D, Showy basket, DUNK (hah!); 10A, Hip-hop subgenre pioneered by Gucci Mane, TRAP (one word, for the record); and 47D, Comma, colon or apostrophe, MARK (probably lonely because it's missing its traditional partner, PUNCT...

Last Tuesday, MONDEGREEN made its way into the grid for the very first time, and so we were delighted to find an example of that -- ODETOJOY -- make an appearance today: first because we just adore ODETOJOY, and second because we love to work MONDEGREEN into a sentence, as many times as we can possibly get away with it -- so far, our record is two. 😉 And for those of you wondering about what appe...

We found a lot to like in today's crossword -- a debut by Chicago real estate agent Mike Hobin -- as well as a few fascinating mysteries lurking in the grid. Intrigued? Want to know more? In that case, subscribe / download / listen up and prepare to be entertained and educated ! Also, here's today's puzzle , fully solved, for your viewing pleasure. We love feedback! Send us a text.....

Anytime you see Kameron Austin Collins in the byline, be afraid, be very afraid ... of having a really great and epic time doing battle with the master of opaque cluing. Today's crossword was perfect, and to find out why, have a listen.  Also, we're curious to know -- based on our JAMCOTWA award this week -- what's  your favorite MC Hammer episode. Let us know on our Facebook page ....

An excellent Thursday crossword, with a theme that, once again, requires we metaphorically doff our hats in awe and astonishment at the creativity of constructors such as today's -- Robin Yu -- for whom this is a debut. Deets are inside, so download, listen up, enjoy and ... don't forget to write! (crosswordpodcast@icloud.com) Today's solved crossword is right here. A good article o...

An ingenious theme made today's crossword slightly crunchier than usual (and we're not just saying that because NUT appeared in the grid). Fortunately the theme did not detract from the rest of the puzzle, which included such notable clues as 67A, Tempeh alternative, TOFU,  immediately atop 70A, Like forgiving lighting in photography, SOFT (😀); 37A, One of three in "To be or not to...

A nice Tuesday crossword by Taylor Johnson and the indefatigable Jeff Chen, with an almost-under-the-radar theme, and some quality clues, including 25D, Jackapoo or schnoodle, DOG (in the running for the best-clue-involving-a-DOG award, which we just totally made up but still want to confer on the authors); the educational 52D, The "Z" of ZIP code, ZONE (huh!); and 28D, Scientist on one...

A fun and frothy Monday crossword by Gia Bosko, who apparently has an eye for redundancy and a talent for writing great clues. Want to hear more? We know you do, so download, listen up, and be sure to hit the ol' subscribe button. To see the solved version of today's crossword, all you need do is click here . We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop u...

A relatively easy Sunday crossword -- not a walk in the park, by any means, but the clues did seem a little less intense than last week's ... and the week before that -- and we are  not complaining! To find out what we  are  doing, just download today's episode and ... don't forget to hit the ol' subscribe button, you'll be glad you did! Want to see the entire crossword, c...

Sid Sivakumar, the author of today's fine, fine crossword, has definitely got a reputation (at least here, at Jean And Mike Do The New York Times Crossword HQ) for writing extra-challenging crosswords, and he definitely lived up to that reputation today, with clues that were stellar, sneaky, and (if you can figure them out!) extremely satisfying. We enthusiastically approve - 5 squares on the...

Today's crossword has an ominous, daunting-looking grid, but you can't always judge a B by its C, as Bertie Wooster would undoubtedly say, and this puzzle proves the point: it is challenging but fair, and we loved it! Deets inside, as well a Fun Fact Friday segment that we hope you'll find fun -- and that's a fact! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love liste...

A challenging Thursday puzzle, thanks to ... a tricky wicket, as cricket aficionados  like to say, a gimmick that left both cohorts slightly but fortunately only temporarily bedazzled. Jean had trouble getting started, and Mike, finished. But fortunately, both rallied. Deets inside, so subscribe / download / listen / enjoy / leave us a 5 star review 😀 Today's crossword, with all the clues an...

Brandon Koppy knows how to make great crosswords, and is at the top of his form in this one! An amusing and unexpected theme is the topper, but the rest of the clues are designed to educate and make you think. Five squares on the JAMCR scale, we can't wait for his next opus. Here's the entire crossword, solved, in case you want to check it out . We love feedback! Send us a text... Contac...

Andrea Carla Michaels and Christina Iverson have devised a COZY Tuesday puzzle, with just the right HEFT, never a BORE. We enjoyed the crossing of 32D, They're made by doing jumping jacks lying downs ", SNOWANGELS, and 35A, "Band on the Run" band, WINGS; and 51D, Decimal measuring system, METRIC, and 53A, Opposite of well done, RARE, the latter representing the chances that the...

A nice Monday crossword, with nothing  too overwhelmingly difficult, as befits a Monday -- and a clever "vowel progression" for the theme. We approve! Five squares on the JAMCR scale. Also, if you haven't already done this crossword, and do not plan to do so, feel free to feast your eyes on the clues and solution We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mai...

Ease over to your easel, and get ready to BINGE on 7 different works of art, all ensconced in a puzzle which is not coincidentally also a work of art (albeit of an entirely different hue). While this crossword was undoubtedly difficult - both Jean and Mike (solving independently as usual) had to strain to the utmost, it was assuredly worth the effort. Deets inside, and if you want to check out the...

It's not clear if today's crossword-constructing duo -- Wyna Liu and Joel Fagliano -- regard themselves as iconoclasts, but they certainly broke a few rules in today's puzzle, in fact, one of the  cardinal , inviolable rules  of the New York Times crossword. Intrigued? We thought you would be, so check out today's episode for all the deets (as well as to discover who won our JA...

An epically difficult Friday crossword, as one can expect towards the end of the week. But this one seemed especially fiendish, like a Saturday crossword that slunk into a Friday slot by mistake. Clues like 46D, Harvard or Cambridge grad, CANTAB (say what?); 39A, Heavens, ETHER (fair but good); and 44D, Senator, in brief, NHLER (nice!) just give a small taste of what's in store, a real mental...

A very pleasing Thursday crossword by Adam Wagner and Brooke Husic. Jean's overly large vocabulary got her into slight difficulty in the middle of the grid, whereas Mike's smaller lexicon, once again and just as ironically as always, came to his rescue! There were numerous TWL (Today We Learned) moments in today's grid, for instance, 28D, Two-stringed Chinese instrument, EHRU; 26A,...

Once again, the NYTimes rises to the occasion with a great, great crossword, with an inspired theme and one answer in particular that has to be seen (and possibly Googled) to be believed. We won't spoil it by saying any more here, but we will say that this was a delicious crossword and are convinced that you'll feel the same. In today's listener mail, a reference as made to Thinking...

Tuesday crosswords need to walk a fine balancing act - they have to be harder than Monday's, but not too much harder -- and today's puzzle would have the Flying Walendas nodding in approval (unless they were on a tight-rope: they might wait until they were back on terra firma to do so). And for listeners looking to branch out beyond Monday, definitely try this crossword (and  then have a...

A pleasant Monday crossword, not too difficult, we would conjecture, for newer solvers, and with a frothy but clever theme that will make them want to come back for more. Starting today, in the show notes, we are going to provide a link to the solved crossword (in xwordinfo.com) -- so if you haven't solved the crossword and do not plan to , then feel free to check out the solution so you can...

Today's crossword has some remarkable words  in the clues , let alone the answers. Certainly plangonologist has to win some sort of prize (77D, Things a plangologist collects, DOLLS), but we were also pleased to see a pentad pop up (52A, Pentad for a poetry performance?, FIVEPILLARSOFSLAM), and finally stan (2A, Band stan, GROUPIE). Some of the clues not mentioned in today's episode but...

Robyn Weintraub has a well-deserved reputation for writing magnificent clues, and she shows off that talent in spades today: point at  any  clue in the grid, and you'll find a put-a-smile-on-your-face answer. If you haven't done today's crossword (and don't intend to), then head over to xwordinfo.com and check out the entire puzzle - clues and answers - to see what we mean. It...

A remarkably curious Friday crossword, especially the grid. How so, you ask? We could answer that here, but then a little suspense is good for the soul, so instead we will simply direct you to today's episode, where all will be revealed, we promise! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on FaceBoo...