Tuesday, August 13, 2024 - Some great books to RETURNTO
Benjamin Panico, in his debut NYTimes crossword (yay!), has put together an excellent puzzle in which he managed to cram 6, count 'em, 6 novels by TONIMORRISON. It is an excellent feat, and a great place to start when looking for your next summer read. In addition to the crossword, we also have a fine Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, so check it out, and, as usual, let us know what you think. Show note imagery: THEBLUESTEYE, a TONIMORRISON novel We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: W...
14 Aug 202419min
Monday, August 12, 2024 - Some cryptic clues on cryptids 😎
This is Shaun Phillips' second NYTimes crossword, and it has only been about 2 weeks since his last one, so clearly he is on a tear! This was a tad easier than the last (a Wednesday), but no less enjoyable -- so we are eagerly awaiting his third crossword, which, extrapolating, should show up about the end of the month! Show note imagery: The two, the only ... Calvin and Hobbes!! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud....
13 Aug 202413min
Sunday, August 11, 2024 - Paging Dr. WELBY!
A most definitely above average Sunday crossword by Caryn Robbins, thanks to an artful, inspired theme and a few crunchy clues to chew on. We have all the deets inside, so you are cordially invited to download, listen up, and enjoy! Show note imagery: SNARLUPS can be a real pain, as these Cairenes would no doubt attest. 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 ...
12 Aug 202417min
Saturday, August 10, 2024 - MATRYOSHKA, hard to spell, harder to work into casual conversation 😀
Today's crossword was Spencer Leach's fifth, and it is a gem. The clues are challenging, novel (there are 7 debuts) and delightfully deceiving. Definitely worth 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons ... that are thrashed out in today's episode. We are also proud to announce the winner of this week's JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), so check that out as well! Show note imagery: A person, in a BOLERO, throwing a bolo 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact ...
11 Aug 202419min
Friday, August 9, 2024 - Another Hemant Mehta spectacular!
Hemant Mehta has written some dazzling late-week crosswords -- and this is one of them. The clues are so well done, tautly written, prone to make you ponder. We've covered most of them in today's episode, but here are a few others: 40D, Heads, slangily, DOMES; 57A, Why don't sheep shrink when it ________? : George Carlin, RAINS 😀 ; 32D, Meiji and Taisho in Japanese history, ERAS. Just a splendid bit of work all round, definitely a candidate for this week's JAMCOTWA (to be announced tomorrow)....
10 Aug 202429min
Thursday, August 8, 2024 - Oh, boy, it's an OBOE 🙄
It's Rebus Thursday, not an official holiday as far as we can tell, but a) it is Thursday, and b) the grid is riddled with rebuses (rebusae?), so the name seems apt. The crossword was Christopher Youngs' fifth for the NYTimes, but his first Thursday effort, so it's a debut, of a sort. We're betting his next crossword will be a Sunday. Show note imagery: Some JAWAs, probably up to no good We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast...
9 Aug 202417min
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 - Hold the homophone!
For those of you entranced with the subtleties of English pronunciation (rules? where we're going, we don't need rules!), have we got a crossword for you! Meghan Morris has done a bang-up job shining a bright line on some of the many inconsistencies in our favorite language. We also have a spot of listener mail, all the more reason to check out today's podcast, and, as always, let us know what you think! From the mailbag, the difference between GAWP and GAWK. Show note imagery: Humph...
8 Aug 202424min
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 - EAP! It's Edgar Allan Poe 😀
If numbers tell the tale, then Daniel Raymon's favorite day of the week is ... Variety, as he has created 18 variety crosswords for the NYTimes. By that same measure, today would be his second favorite day, when he's had 6 puzzles published. We liked the theme, we enjoyed the cluing, and if this were an Olympic event he'd definitely deserve a medal! In other news, it's Triplet Tuesday, and Mike's in the hotseat, where, alas, he flamed out. Deets inside! Show note imagery: An RCA color tele...
7 Aug 202415min
