Sunday, October 5, 2025 - Once upun a crossword ...
For those who like puns, you are in for a treat; and for those who do not, you still are, because in a 21x21 Sunday grid there's room for all manner of entertaining / educational clues. If the name of today's constructor, John Kugelman, sounds familiar, that's because he has appeared in February, April, May, June, July and October of this year -- not a bad showing at all. Apart from May, all of those crosswords were Sundays, which is simply astonishing. We have the full deets on today's puzzl...
6 Okt 13min
Saturday, October 4, 2025 - The lore and the allure of LORELEI 🧜🏾♀️
This was an enthralling Goldilocks of a Saturday crossword: not too hard, not too easy, but just right. For that we can thank Ryan McCarty, edited by the seemingly indefatigable Will Shortz. There were oodles of great clues in the grid, and we have the full analysis right here - so please download, listen up, and enjoy! Show note imagery: an ELAND, trying to calculate how much it should charge in exchange for letting the NYTimes use his name in the crossword. We love feedback! Send us a...
5 Okt 14min
Friday, October 3, 2025 - Time for some cheery R&R with Rebecca (Goldstein) and Rafael (Musa)
Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa are both great cruciverbalists, but together they are more than the sum of their (very impressive individual) parts -- as aptly demonstrated in today's crossword. From the amusing 56A, Something raised during Oktoberfest, BEERTENT (nice!), to the educational 5D, The first one was issued in 1936, for short, SSN, to the brilliant 32D, What comes before we go, AWAY, the grid was dazzling. We have the deets inside, as well as a fabulous fact for Fun Fact Fr...
4 Okt 11min
Thursday, October 2, 2025 - One bang up crossword!
This was a fine Thursday crossword by Aidan Deshong -- his 6th for the NYTimes. Jean tore through it, Mike ... did not. The theme, discussed within, was great. The clues were also fine -- 20A, Leveled the playing field, say?, MOWED (awesome!); 55A, Pin number, TEN (🎳😀); and 3D, What might come after many years?, AGO (not, as both cohosts originally posited, AGE). Show note imagery: AEGEAN, Greece's national airline We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail!...
3 Okt 13min
Tuesday, September 30, 2025 -- A joyous Tuesday crossword!
Today's crossword was a joy, for reasons that will become readily apparent as soon as you've either a) done the crossword, or b) listened to today's podcast. We don't want to spoil it too much; to say that there was a great pun in the grid is probably not too much of a spoiler, as that is oft the case. For all the deets, though, you'll definitely want to check out today's episode. Show note imagery: ACACIAS, frequently spotted on the African savanna. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contac...
1 Okt 9min
Monday, September 29, 2025 - A sweet, sweet debut
Today's crossword is a debut for Brian Keller -- and it checks all the boxes as far as Mondays are concerned. Fun theme? ✅Not too hard? ✅Interesting clues? ✅15x15 or thereabouts? ✅In addition to a fine Monday, we've also hand-picked our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for the last week, which goes to ... a crossword that will be revealed in today's episode, so do have a listen. A reminder that studies have shown that the NYTimes crossword is a fabulous way to improve yo...
30 Sep 14min
Sunday, September 28, 2025 - PEETS, when you need caffeine to get to the next Starbuck's 😀
A few weeks ago, we had an homage to Star Trek. Well, Rich Katz (ably guided by Will Shortz) has dug into the nostalgia vault once more, and came up with this fine ode to a 1990's sitcom whose name we will not mention in these show notes -- to preserve the element of surprise, as it were. Being a Sunday crossword, there were numerous notable clues. We liked 97D, Chinese "nut" that's really a fruit , LITCHI; 108D, AA or JJ, e.g., PAIR (true, true); and 67D, Sun bloc?, NBA (cute!). Show note im...
29 Sep 17min
Friday, September 26, 2025 - Behold, a business of FERRETS!
Opinions were mixed on today's puzzle. Jean found it to be a large-ish challenge while Mike found more of it in his wheelhouse than usual for a Friday. Both agreed that it was an awesome crossword, though, with some sharp and interesting cluing. For instance, we had 39A, Pet food brand whose name reflects its founding in Allentown, Pa, ALPO; 37A, It gets pumped at a party, KEG; and 3D, It might be on display at Comic-Con, INNERGEEK. There's more, including a great fun fact about the the...
28 Sep 16min
