Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - A HUMDINGER of a Wednesday crossword
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 ex...
19 Helmi 17min
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - A 99.9% SNAFU-free crossword 😉
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, lov...
19 Helmi 14min
Monday, February 16, 2026 - Ian Livengood is baaaaaack!
Ian Livengood had written a SLEW of NYTimes crosswords between 2010 and 2016. Then, most mysteriously, he vanished — nary a puzzle in sight until, after almost a decade of radio silence, he is back wi...
17 Helmi 10min
Sunday, February 15, 2026 - A masterpiece in a 21x21 grid
Michael Lieberman and Rebecca Goldstein are, individually, great crossword constructors: together they are greater, as today's puzzle makes abundantly clear. We loved the theme, we loved the clues, Su...
16 Helmi 19min
Saturday, February 14, 2026 - A *lovely* Saturday crossword 🫶
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 t...
15 Helmi 14min
Friday, February 13, 2026 - In which we celebrate a great crossword *and* the Winter Olympics ⛸️
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 c...
14 Helmi 19min
Thursday, February 12, 2026 - An early Valentine's Day present 💝
Kareem Ayas has delivered a Valentine's Day present two days early, and both cohosts fell in love with it. The theme is a real chef's kiss, and the rest of the grid equally sweet. This is Kareem's nin...
13 Helmi 11min
