Sunday, July 20, 2025 - Famed mystery author ... Mary Westmacott???
This was a fun crossword by Michael Schlossberg. The theme gave us an opportunity to -- at last! -- use the word "idiom" in a sentence without sounding like an idiot 🙄, and the clues gave us a chance to exercise our little grey cells (as Mary Westmacott (or, to be precise, the writer whose ALIAS was Mary Westmacott) would have put it). Among our favorite clues not heretofore mentioned were 55D, More than wanna, GOTTA (three cheers for colloquial English!); 66D, Mast attachment above a gaff, T...
21 Juli 8min
Saturday, July 19, 2025 - Another Erik Agard spectacular
In the pantheon of great cruciverbalists, there clearly needs to be a pedestal with Erik Agard's name on it. Why? Just check out today's crossword (and podcast!), or any of Erik's 81 other crosswords that have appeared in the NYTimes. This one being a Saturday, it was tough -- and Mike found it almost streak-breakingly-so, whereas Jean, to whom people are apt to turn when Wikipedia doesn't deliver the goods, had a much easier time of it. Deets inside! Show note imagery: An AIREDALETERRIER (fr...
20 Juli 19min
Friday, July 18, 2025 - This was a CORKER of a crossword!
Kelly Morenus has crafted a superb Friday crossword, challenging but not overwhelming (although YMMV depending upon your life experiences, how many crosswords you have solved previously, and, at least a SKOSH of good luck). We've covered a hefty tranche of clues in today's episode, but we'd also like to give a shoutout to 4D, The Brickyard 400 or Southern 500, e.g., NASCARRACE; 32A, Between then and now, SINCE (good one!); and something that you should utter once you've solved a crossword thi...
19 Juli 17min
Thursday, July 17, 2025 - Sam Brody doesn't just knock it out of the ball park, he clears the parking lot, too 😀
Thesauri will have to be cracked open to do justice to today's crossword, it was that extraordinary/astonishing/engrossing/ingenious/delightful. It was, of course, the theme that made it so, one that took both cohosts, working independently as always, no little time to suss out; but that just made the eventual "aha!" moment that much sweeter. Deets inside! Show note imagery: From left to right, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri, a triple star system! We love feedback! S...
18 Juli 18min
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - BESTIR, BESTIR, there's a crossword to tackle!
This was a highly elegant Wednesday crossword, featuring that most elegant of drinks (and one of the most famous letters in the English alphabet 😉). If you haven't figured it out by now, then we'll keep this short so you won't have to wait tOOLONG to achieve enlightenment. Show note imagery: Bud Abbott (left) and Lou Costello, two legendary old-time radio comedians who definitely would've appreciated the tOOLONG pun. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Dro...
17 Juli 14min
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Daniel Britt's DeBut 😉
For those of you pondering the episode title, no, our quality control department has not dropped the ball, but rather made a wry (but not awry 🙄) joke that is highly germane to today's crossword. We discussed some great clues in today's episode. We were also glad to see 8D, Capital city on the banks of the Rideau River, OTTAWA (🇨🇦);55A, Bad way to run, AMOK (😀); and one of the worst inventions of whatever century it was invented in, 40A, Auto-___, setting for many subscription services,...
16 Juli 12min
Monday, July 14, 2025 - Happy Bastille Day / Joyeux 14 juillet!!
This was a Monday crossword, which means that a) it should not be particularly difficult for experienced solvers, and b) entertaining. We are pleased to report that it met both criteria, and we submit today's podcast as Exhibit A. Remember, the NYTimes crossword is a great way to keep expanding your lexicon and keeping those neurons in peak fighting form. To subscribe, just cruise over to nytimes.com/subscription/games, signing up is as easy as 🥧 Show note imagery: The Golden Raspberry Awards...
15 Juli 12min
Sunday, July 13, 2025 - Brought to you by RINSO, winner of the "Best Name for a Laundry Soap" contest 5 years in a row 😀
Today's crossword had bells, whistles, and even an EHRU thrown into the mix. It was by Brandon Koppy, however, so at no time did the quality of the puzzle ever dip below 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Quite a few of the clues got our attention, including 30D, Strung rungs, ROPELADDER (that clue is just sooo much fun to pronounce!); 100A, Chore-o-graph, TODOLIST (brilliant!!!); and 55D, The old you?, THEE (tee-hee 😀). In addition to the analysis of a great crossword, we also have some fabulous ...
14 Juli 24min
