Tuesday, December 31, 2024 - Our New Year's Eve Spectacular (fireworks, champagne, this episode's got it all!)

We are taking a break between now (aka December 21, 2023) and the new year (partially because we've been displaced from our recording studio by a gang of ravenous marauders, aka our family), but rest assured we'll be back in January, raring to go, and in the meantime hope that all of you enjoy the very best of the season. 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...

22 Des 20231min

A fine Tuesday crossword by Seth Weinberg, with an LOL theme that will make you, well, LOL. As usual, deets inside! This marks our last episode of the year -- we're taking time off to recharge the little gray cells -- and want to wish you and yours a fantastic Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/New Year. We'll see you again, in 2024! Show note image: Baba Ghanouj (a variant (and apparently rarer) spelling of Baba Ganoush) We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love li...

20 Des 202316min

There's a queue-full of Q's in today's crossword, but it's all in a good quase, er, we mean cause, to wit, a delightfulful theme that revolves around that ubiquitous symbol of 21st century tech, the QRCODE. Deets inside, as well as a brief announcement about an even briefer hiatus in honor of the holidays, so we humbly beseech thee to, in this order, subscribe (so you don't miss an episode), download, listen up, enjoy, and leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever platform you heard this podca...

19 Des 202311min

Today's opus was most definitely not an abridged crossword, but the full 21x21 marvel that is the NYTimes Sunday puzzle -- and indeed, considering that it had (wait for it...) rebuses, it could plausibly be argued that it was more of an augmented crossword. Regardless of how you look at it, what is most definitely not up for debate is that it was an awesome crossword, for reasons that we cover in today's episode. Enjoy! Show notes: an image suggesting how to count to 60 on one hand We l...

18 Des 202321min

Today's crossword is TOPRATED, and that's not just because it has TOPRATED in the grid, but because of a panoply of charming clues and intriguing answers that caught our fancy (although not quite as much as our JAMCOTWA winner, that would be ... nope, to find out who won and why, check out today's episode!!). Show note image: An example of OPTICALART 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,...

17 Des 202314min

A challenging but not insurmountable Friday crossword by Alex Tomlinson - his debut! - with a whopping 8 debut answers. We cover all but 2 of them in today's episode, omitting only 2D, One whose work might be a piece of cake?, PASTRYCHEF (cute!) and 27D, "Don't even think of coming back!", ANDSTAYOUT (ouch!). In short, a lot to like in today's puzzle, and to get the full 411 hit download now (right after you hit subscribe, so you never miss an episode!) and within seconds (eh, if you've got g...

16 Des 20238min

It is not clear how many Zoom calls Esha Datta, author of today's crossword (her debut!) has been in, but we're willing to bet LOADS of them, based on their (very clever) theme. Beyond that, there were numerous notable clues, from 21A, Only country with a non-rectangular flag, NEPAL (maybe: checkout the podcast for a rebuttal); 37D, Notable lamb owner, MARY (as clues go, this one's not baaaaaad 🙄); 42A, Vehicle at the center of the Hindu festival Ratha Yatra, CHARIOT; and 35D, Collectio...

15 Des 202318min

A nice mid-week crossword by veteran cruciverbalist Alex Eaton-Salners (this is in fact his 64th), and it is as refreshing as a glass of cool spring water, thanks to a theme that has everything to do with a glass of cool spring water. The clues elsewhere in the grid were enlightening, entertaining, and entirely crosswordese-free. In addition to those mentioned in the podcast, we would like to give a shoutout to 60A, Capital of Italy, EURO 😀; 46D, Latin singer Anthony, MARC (wowza!); and ... n...

14 Des 202314min