Saturday, January 17, 2026 - This crossword wasn't merely MKAY, it was parfait 😀 🤣
This was a fun Saturday crossword, which one of our cohosts (Jean) found to be an easy solve whereas the other (by process of elimination, Mike) found to be deucedly difficult. The reasons for both may be found on today's podcast. A few other artfully-crafted clues that were left on the editing room floor* include 6D, ___ Carlos Jobim, father of the bossa nova, ANTONIO (careful: the music is uber-soothing); 52A, Bracket contents, TEAMS (oh, those kinds of brackets); and 39A, Artificially unso...
17 Tammi 12min
Friday, January 16, 2026 - All hail APOLLOVII!! 🚀 🧑🏼🚀
This was a great cruciverbial workout by Kyle T. Dolan, whose crosswords tend to be on the challenging side, with 11 of his 19 NYTimes puzzles appearing on Friday or Saturday. The clues today were deviously clever, yet oddly obvious in hindsight. We have all the deets inside, plus a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment celebrating one of the great leviathans of the deep (but no, not that leviathan, the other one 😉). Show note imagery: From l. to r., APOLLOVII astronauts Donn Eisele, Wally Schirra,...
17 Tammi 18min
Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Are you fazed by FAZING? Fear not — it's only a phase 🙄😀
Today's crossword, a collaboration between Wendy L. Brandes and Barbara Lin, had an awesome theme that both cohosts temporarily missed in distinct and rather amusing ways that we will not describe here, so as to mildly increase suspense as you wait for the episode to download. While that is happening we would also like to draw your attention to 58D, Where the coffee and Wi-Fi might both be strong, CAFE 😀; 13D, Actor John who has granted more than 650 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, CEN...
16 Tammi 16min
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 - This crossword was positively GUCCI!!😀
As the week progresses, the crossword constructors get more opportunities to add spice to the mix, and Joseph Gangi, author of today's fine puzzle (edited, as always, by the legendary Will Shortz), has been spending overtime in the kitchen, the result of which is the effervescent grid you see before you (or will see if you visit our favorite site, xwordinfo.com). Besides our cutting-edge analysis, we also have (speaking of cutting) some listener mail regarding CUTCO. So for all of that, you a...
15 Tammi 5min
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - CUTCO, slicing prices with their own products!
This was a debut for Nate Hall, and he does a bang-up job. The theme was perfect for a Tuesday, and there were some marvelous clues throughout the grid. Jean's favorite was 44D, Pet sitters?, LAPCATS, whereas Mike's was definitely 22A, Creature that moves at an average speed of 0.03 miles per hour, SNAIL. 🐌 Besides our tour through the grid, in honor of Tuesday we have another Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your enjoyment: this week Jean shows why she is the Queen of Triplet Tuesday. Show note...
14 Tammi 15min
Monday, January 12, 2026 -Booyah, it's a HOYA! 🙄
This was a classy Monday crossword, and the fact that Carolyn Davies Lynch and Christina Iverson are in the marquee has a lot to do with it. The clues just seemed to have a little more pizzaz. We covered most of them in the podcast, but there were others: a puzzle within a puzzle: 44A, Man's name that's a citrus fruit spelled backward, EMIL; a word that we just love to say: 46D, Source of motivation, in modern lingo, INSPO; anda real ear-worm clue if there ever was one: 10D, Mary w...
13 Tammi 14min
Sunday, January 11, 2026 - A PHIne crossword indeed 😉
Hopefully you remember your Greek lessons, listeners, because they — or at least one of them, which we hope for comedy's sake took place on a PHIday — will come in particularly handy today. And now that we've got your curiosity piqued, don't PHIght it — download today's podcast to find out what all the PHIuss, er, fuss, is about. Show note imagery: The birthstones, from Garnet to Turquoise We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcas...
12 Tammi 15min
Saturday, January 10, 2026 - Looking for a RAFT of great clues? KAC's got you covered!
This was a fine Saturday crossword by Kamereon Austin Collins, his 25th for the NYTimes and his 17th Saturday opus. There were a slew of great clues in the grid, including 6D, "That dis was goo-ood!!", OHSNAP; 33D, Meemaw, NANA; 55A, Art form featuring performers in kishin (demon) and okina (old man) masks, NOHTHEATER; and a reminder of one of our absolute favorite football lines, 52D, "___ Given Sunday" (1999 football drama), ANY. Show note imagery: A pair of WATERHORSEs, an example of a Cel...
11 Tammi 11min
