Monday, August 24, 2026 — Zing ZANG, Runner Up, 2026's Most Amusingly Named Drink Mix Contest
Steven Jopek is making his debut in the NYTimes, so kudos, congrats, huzzah, etc., etc. Although after the fact the crossword seemed like a typical Monday, during the solve it seemed to put up just a ...
25 Aug 11min
Sunday, August 23, 2026 — A Crossword That Has Absolutely Nothing to Do With Tubular Pasta 🙄🍝
Today's puzzle marks Jill Singer's debut Sunday NYTimes crossword, which playfully pays homage to a now passé form of coinage. We'll let you mull over that cryptic hint, or, if you can't wait, simply ...
23 Aug 14min
Saturday, August 22, 2026 — Box Jellyfish, *Incredibly* Difficult to Sneak Up On 🪼😎
Today's crossword was, by Saturday standards, quite straightforward. But since a) Friday's crossword was a real battle royale, and b) today's clues were suitably amusing/intriguing/educational, we are...
23 Aug 9min
Friday, August 21, 2026 — It's a Proper Noun Playground! 😱
This, Adryel W. Robles Ojeda's second NYTimes crossword, was uber difficult, thanks to a plethora of relatively obscure names, abetted by some rather cryptic crosses: we loved it (as today's podcast m...
22 Aug 16min
Thursday, August 20, 2026 — Yoda Would've Found Today's Crossword a Snap 😀 🔦
Most of the time, Thursday themes do something unexpected with the answers, but occasionally the twist involves the clues. Hoang-Kim Vu has provided a sparkling example today, and apart from our Yoda ...
21 Aug 14min
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 — Woah, the Fun Factor Meter Exploded! 🥳
Kareem Ayas has a real knack for writing entertaining crosswords, and those skills are on full display today. The theme was LOL, and there were marvels throughout the grid. Besides those mentioned in ...
20 Aug 11min
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 —No, You Can't Forfend the Use of Forfend! 🙄
Kudos and congrats to Jeremy Venook on getting his debut crossword in the NYTimes! 🎉🥳 He had us when he name-dropped URIAH Heep, and kept us enthralled with a theme that was ideal for a Tuesday. Wel...
19 Aug 13min
Monday, August 17, 2026 — Green Day and Pink Floyd and the Kingsmen, Oh, My! 😎
You would expect that someone who has published 85 (!) NYTimes crosswords, including 31 Mondays, would craft a fine Monday puzzle, and your expectations would be met and then some. Zhouqin Burnikel ha...
18 Aug 11min
