Wednesday, November 1, 2023 - MUIR, an adMUIRable national monument đ
A nice Wednesday crossword and a debut (yay!) by Steve Weyer, with an inspired theme, some very funny clues, and as a bonus a reference to a fascinating 16th century algebra text, ARSMAGNA (The Great Art). The theme is covered in the episode; some of the more intriguing clues not mentioned there include 51D, Bunyan's ox or Hoggett's pig, BABE đ·; 57D, Swear to mend things, DARN đ ; Manilow's "hottest spot north of Havana", COPA đ¶; and (Mike's favorite), Sierra runners, MACS đ đ. We love feedba...
2 Nov 202313min
Tuesday, October 31, 2023 - It's HALLOWEEN - outside *and* in the grid!
A scary Tuesday crossword, thanks to a slash of scary movie titles in the grid. Neither cohost had seen any of them, but fortunately the answers were either almost gimmes (17A, Horror film franchise named after a holiday, HALLOWEEN (BOXINGDAY wouldn't fit đ)) or easy to guess with some judicious help from the crosses (60A, 2011 dark comedy slasher film that takes place during a family reunion), YOURENEXT (an awesomely scary title)). Overall, this was a great crossword, and we award it a chill...
1 Nov 202314min
Monday, October 30, 2023 - Kenneth Cortes had a BRIGHTIDEA, and, lo, a crossword was born!
Put on your sunglasses before attempting this crossword, because it's based on a BRIGHTIDEA -- literally! There were a few other answers that glowed, in a manner of speaking: 14A, What magma becomes when it's erupted, LAVA; 35A, Light on a nightstand, LAMP; and 52A, "Suns" of some breakfasts, EGGYOLKS. Just a reminder that we love 5 star reviews, so please leave us one wherever you're listening to this episode! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listene...
31 Okt 202314min
Sunday, October 29, 2023 - OutKast and Black Star and TPAIN, Oh, My!
Today's crossword featured a number of rare-ish answers, making this a bit crunchier than usual for a Sunday. Notable examples include 60A, Brooklyn art school, PRATT; 100D, Country that's more than 2,600 miles long, CHILE; 70A, Latin "Behold!", ECCE; and 20A, Character who lives on the "tippy-top floor" of the Plaza Hotel, ELOISE; and there's more, which you can see in the grid and hear about in today's podcast. Just a reminder, solving the NYTimes Crossword is a proven strategy for revers...
30 Okt 202323min
Saturday, October 28, 2023 - All hail SAMTHESHAM đ¶
Ryan McCarty does not hold back (much) in today's uber-challenging Saturday crossword, pegging both the difficulty and deceptivity meters multiple times. We have full coverage inside, so have a listen for that -- as well as the announcement of this week's JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award). Enjoy! 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 and st...
29 Okt 202320min
Friday, October 27, 2023 - City of Big Shoulders (Chicago)? Meet City of Big Meadows (Reno).
A fine Friday crossword by Adrian Johnson, his 5th NYTimes Crossword contribution. Considering that 39A, Pub ________, TRIVIA, was one of the answers, it should not be surprising that quite a few factoids made their way into the grid. For example ... 19A, Novelist whose "Little Fires Everywhere" became a #1 best seller, CELESTENG (parsed as Celeste Ng, with the "Ng" being pronounced as "ing"). We also had 21A, Bird whose largest species is called the Goliath. HERON; and 46A, Romanian philosop...
28 Okt 202314min
Thursday, October 26, 2023 - ELSIE the MOOCOW makes an appearance, and we're going to milk that for all it's worth đ
A fine Thursday crossword and a debut for John Donegan. That's why we didn't recognize the name, but we did recognize the tight quality control common to all NYTimes crosswords. Just take a look at a few awesome touches: 6A, Character who nails a doubloon to the Pequod's mast, AHAB, sitting right above 15A, Surfer's wish, WAVE (perfect!); and 17A, First name in cosmetics, ESTEE, crossing 3D, Salad, sometimes, but soup, rarely, ENTREE (brilliant!); and the thirst-quenching 42D, Slice, e.g., SO...
27 Okt 202316min
Wednesday, October 25, 2023 - This was an awesome crossword, BYGUM!
Aimee Lucido has crafted an excellent Wednesday crossword, with a catchy theme and a plethora of superb clues, a truly outstanding work. Need proof? Have a listen to today's podcast and we are sure that you will agree, or, if not, your money will cheerfully be refunded đ 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 and strike up a conversation!
26 Okt 202318min
