Thursday, December 17, 2020

There are not a lot of BIGYUKS to be found in today's crossword, but there is a BARRAGE of obscure clues, including 6D, _________ Barnes, WNIT-winning basketball coach (ADIA), 43D, German leader after Adenauer (ERHARD), and (for Mike: apparently it's Jean's middle name), 38D, Dolce's partner in fashion, GABBANA. But, at the end of the day, both Jean and Mike were able to get all the clues DECODED. AYCARAMBA! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a li...

21 Nov 202016min

Cn y ndrstnd ths? f s, y mght hv lg p dng tdy's crsswrd! And for those of you who don't speak consonantese, what we wrote was "Can you understand this? If so, you might have a leg up doing today's crossword!". That's because today's crossword was an homage to the WHLFFRTN, aka Wheel of Fortune, and many of the clues had been de-voweled. Jean, being a WHLFFRTN aficionado, tore through this in record time, while Mike was a little more SHAKY, although he, too, was eventually able to NAIL i...

20 Nov 202015min

You will sure aPPreciate this puzzle, with a riPPing good theme, from Amanda Rafkin and Ross Trudeau. Twas a fairly gentle Wednesday, both Jean & Mike turned in exemplary times, and thought IMHAPPY afterwards.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!

19 Nov 20208min

A puzzle with a tinge of BACKSPIN, a clever MOTIF, and no serious HAIRPIN turns. Jean learned how to send a LATERGRAM, Mike appreciated the appearance of AIR, EYRE, and ERA in such a tiny grid, and both agreed that this deserved a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.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!

18 Nov 202015min

In today's episode, Jean explains by way of example what a natick is, how to spell the answer to 49D, Shish _______, KEBAB, and provides a brief bio of 37A, Skater Lipinski, TARA .Mike suspects product-placement in the vicinity of 51D, Popular health info source, WEBMD, and ponders the proximity of a reference to PG&E to AFIRE and TREES in the southern and slightly more orange part of the puzzle. We give it a 4 squares on the JAMCR scale. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact...

17 Nov 20208min

This puzzle starts perfectly -- with the title, Theme, Shmeme -- alerts you that it means (non-serious) business with the very first clue, 1A, Round number?, BARTAB, and never lets up, with a delightful bevy of fun and entertaining clues, perfect Sunday fare. You have to love a crossword that includes 88A, Barely afloat?, SKINNYDIPPING, and 70A, It's sedimentary, my dear, SILT. Kudos to Caitlin Reid, this is definitely 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. We love feedback! Send us a text... Co...

16 Nov 202014min

A relatively merciful Saturday, with fun clues and just a handful of names (ERICIDLE, Diana RIGG, GEENA Davis and EDIE Segwick). Superman (or at least his alter-ego) saved the day for Jean (14A, Lane hugger?, KENT), while Mike got out of a STICKYSITUATION by realizing that 13D, Mythical figure associated with snakes, was *not* MEDUSA, but rather the much more ASTUTE ATHENA (and the two cross: kudos to the authors, Emily Carroll and Erik Agard, that's true artistry). Remember if you go to xwo...

15 Nov 202013min

This crossword wasn't as EASYASPIE, but it wasn't too much of a PAIN, either, in spite of being a fairly open grid, with lots of daunting white spaces. The clues were deftly crafted, including Jean's favorite, 62A, Early tablet user, MOSES, and Mike's, 30D, Honker, SCHNOZ. Jean has to dig deeply to figure out 33A, Songs by a recording artist that aren't well known, DEEPCUTS, while Mike has just a few worries while trying to ferret out 17A, "You're good", NOWORRIES. Remember, you can always s...

14 Nov 202013min