Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

A brilliant Thursday crossword by David Kwong: a theme that make you just want to stand up and cheer, in the midst of a grid full of great clues. Yes, it's the NYTimes Crossword at its finest, and that is saying a  lot . Definitely worth the full 5 squares on the ol' JAMCR (that's Jean And Mike Crossword Rating) scale: have a listen, and you'll hear why. We love feedback! Send...

A FINE crossword, a debut , in fact, by Madeline Kaplan, with an interesting cinematic twist. Beyond the clues covered in the podcast, we would be remiss if we didn't mention 50D, March madness number (not 16, nor 8, nor 4, but ... SEED 😀); 55D, #s, NOS (a rarity, a clue with a hashtag!); and the relatively novel 60A, Attention-hoarding, say, NEEDY. But there are many more gems in the grid,...

There were no SNAFUs in today's crossword, and no TABOOBOOBOOs, for that matter: just a bevy of brilliant clues (especially the "themers" as we like to call them (as of today, when we first thought of it 😉)). There's more inside, so you are cordially invited to download, listen up, and enjoy. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a li...

Generally speaking, the New York Times crosswords get more difficult as the week progresses, with Monday being the easiest, Saturday the hardest, and Sunday more like a large-ish Wednesday. Today's crossword, however while ostensibly a Monday, was teetering on the edge of Tuesday, with some trickier clues to liven things up. Intrigued? Want to know more? Then hit the ol' download button,...

They said it couldn't be done, but, amazingly, we were able to squeeze in two crosswords analyses into one podcast. Not only that, we also managed to work in:  a) the announcement of our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award); and b)  (gasp! the episode is now bursting at the seams at this point!), the moment you have all been waiting for with bated breath, the announcement of ...

A cheery Friday crossword, with tough, tough clues (for one of our co-hosts). But the pop-culture meter was reading almost 0, which helped said co-host immensely . Deets inside, so download, listen up, and enjoy!! 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 str...

A lively Wednesday puzzle by Michael Berg, with lots of entertaining and educational clues. If you wish for us to elaborate -- and we hope you do -- then fear not, we already have ! Just download, listen up, and enjoy. 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 an...

YAANYTC (Yet Another Awesome New York Times crossword): the NYTimes is really on a tear this week, and this puzzle in particular really hit the SUHWEET spot, with a dizzying theme and brilliant clues. All the deets are inside, so have at it, and please let us know what you think: crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. P.S. Remember that there is still time to enter our Triplet Tuesday Contest: drop us a lin...

A creative tribute to the impending MARCHMADNESS, with some extra flourishes that elevate this from a merely good crossword to a great one. And speaking of contests ... we're running our own Triplet Tuesday Contest, and you are invited to participate! Listen to the podcast, send us an email (crosswordpodcast@icloud.com) letting us know how many guesses it took you to figure out the clues, and...

A slightly spicier Monday than usual, with clues such as 64A, Regarding this point, HERETO; the terrific 36A, "_______ is a lie that makes us realize truth" : Picasso, ART; and 52D, Pro pitcher, of a sort?, ADREP leading the way. Sam Koperwas and Jeff Chen were at the helm, and they did not lead us astray with this fine start to our puzzle solving week. Remember our Triplet Tuesday Conte...

An intricate and ingenious Sunday theme by David Tuffs that must have taken forever  to perfect, but perfect it he did, as a quick glance at today's crossword will reveal. Jean got through the puzzle expeditiously, while Mike took time out of his busy schedule to coin several words that, unfortunately, the rest of the world had not deigned to adopt, and unravelling that took a bit. Deets insi...

An ENDEARING Saturday crossword, with nary a GIMMICK to be seen (except, of course, for the answer GIMMICK), and at least an OCTET of great clues, including, 1D, Four+Four, OCTET 😀. Mike's favorite in the grid was undoubtedly 17A, Northwest of 1, ESC (wow!), while Jean was partial to 33A, Apt anagram of "I sew a whole", ELIASHOWE; but we enjoyed the  entire  puzzle, so much so that...

A very satisfying Friday crossword - not a lot of pop culture references, some marvelous mis-direction in the clueing, and not a "blah" answer to be seen  anywhere  in the grid. We appreciated that the top left of the grid, 1D, A bad joke might land with one, THUD, was paired with the top right of the grid, 14D, Jazz trumpeter jones, THAD. That's artistry right there, and the person...

There were no downsides to this crossword, whose theme revolved around FLIPSIDES. Jean had just a spot of bother, conflating STRAT with STRAD, and Mike felt cert. that Colombo was in the NYPD, not, as 1D, "Colombo org." would have it, the LAPD. All in all a fine puzzle, we give it 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, encore! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mai...

Someone -- to be precise, Miranda Kany, the constructor of today's delicious crossword -- has embedded an entire (very tasty) recipe into today's grid. So, don't try this on an empty stomach, and if you  do follow the recipe, send us a pic! We had listener mail today, in which our correspondent recommended the "Fifty Nifty United States" song. The YouTube version is a hoot...

A very pleasing Tuesday crossword, with a theme that was an echo / homage to Monday's HUMANNATURE -- surely not a coincidence, with the crossword force-of-nature Will Shortz in charge. Today's puzzle included a few spicier clues - 17A, Best competitive stuff, AGAME (cute); the combo 28D, That one and that one, in Spanish, ESOS, paired with 65A, That one and that one, THOSE (now  that&apo...

This is Lynn Lempel's 100th crossword in the New York Times, and if you ever needed proof that practice makes perfect, just check out her latest -- fun clues, a cute theme, everything you want in a Monday crossword. Just to let everyone know, we are gearing up to have -- gasp! -- another Triplet Tuesday Contest in about a week, so be sure and listen to tomorrow's TTC so you'll be al...

A fine Sunday crossword by John-Clark Levin - the clues are uniformly delightful, and over a grid the size of a Sunday (21x21, in case you hadn't measured lately), that's saying a lot. And we have a lot to say about this crossword,  so go ahead and subscribe / download / listen and enjoy! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpo...

Another tough crossword for one of our co-hosts, for whom KACHINA dolls were a revelation. As part of his cunning plan to keep mementos of especially challenging clues close at hand, he hopes to soon add a KACHINA doll to his lovely SANLUISOBISPO t-shirt and KATANA sword collection.  Since it is Saturday, we have once again identified our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) winner...

An epically challenging Friday crossword, with delightfully devious and deceptive clues that have to be seen to be believed -- or if not seen, at least heard, and for that we've got you covered! Get the blow-by-blow as your cohosts (solving independently as always) bash away at today's puzzle. It's also Friday, which means time for our weekly segment, Fun Fact Friday™️, and today&ap...

Malaika Handa has created a terrific puzzle, and congrats are in order because this is her debut NYTimes crossword!! There were many gems in the grid, such as 23A, Child-oriented non-profit group, PTA; 3D, Hopping spots?, LILYPADS (😀); and  the cheeriest of the lot, 31D, Jaunty greeting, HIHO -- just reading that word brings a smile to our lips. Definitely a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, we hope...

Today's crossword absolutely pegged the pun meter, and it also earned 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. A coincidence? We think not, and neither will you (probably) once you've heard today's episode. 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...

Anytime Dr. Seuss wanders into the grid you know you're in for a good time, and today's constructor, Gia Bosko, delivers and then some! Definitely worth a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and for the SKINNY on precisely why, download today's episode, We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we'...

A very droll Monday theme, involving bears, 3/4 of whom your co-hosts were familiar with, the 4th being a revelation. Jean cruised through this crossword like a boss, Mike meandered through it like he was on a SLOOP - except he'd have phrased it SHOOP, a fine example of why his pace was not quite as frenetic as his co-host's. All the deets are inside, as well as listener mail, so have a...

A terrific Sunday crossword by Will Nediger: the theme is an absolute delight, and Will didn't slouch off in the rest of the grid, either. We have all the deets inside, so have at 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!