Friday, February 26, 2021
There were no ERRATA in this perfect Friday crossword, with 5 loooong answers that spanned the grid -- 3 across and 2 down. Despite their length, however, they were relatively accessible, common phrases -- sneakily disguised to ELUDE discovery. Jean found a few new words to add to her vocabulary - 43A, Fencing sport with bamboo swords, KENDO, and 46A, Film composer Morricone, ENNIO. Mike learned about 7A, Painting technique used in van Gogh's "The Starry Night", IMPASTO, and the existence of ...
27 Feb 202115min
Thursday, February 25, 2021
Jean cruised through this crossword like it was a Monday, while Mike got hung up on the REEFS, and had to DOUBLEDOWN in order to get OVER the finish line with his self ESTEEM intact. The theme DOUBLEDOWN referred to several words that had repeating triplets, e.g., HEARTMUR ==> HEARTMURMUR, COVERSION ==> COVERVERSION, etc. Very clevlever. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on...
26 Feb 202115min
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
A punny Wednesday, with multiple clues, based on PARADOX, that happened to contain, DOX, um, make that Docs as in Dr. EVIL, Dr. OZ, Dr. WHO, Dr. RUTH, Dr. DRE and Dr. NO -- clearly the makings of a great medical clinic! There were a few grin-inducing clues -- 53A, Elbows and such, PASTA, and 32D, Togs for sawing logs?, PJS -- offset by one sad clue -- 61D, Number of season's played by baseball's Seattle Pilots, ONE. Clearly there is a story to be told ... We love feedback! Send us a tex...
25 Feb 20219min
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Both Jean and Mike found this puzzle to be a tad easier than Monday. There was much music in today's crossword -- Lady GAGA, ELTONJOHN, EMINEM, all made an appearance, and if IRONTHRONE isn't the name of a heavy metal band it ought to be đ. KARAOKE, DEADHEAD, and 23A, Movin' _______ ("The Jeffersons" theme), also contributed to this toe-tapper of a puzzle.It's Tip Tuesday(tm). Jean recommends solving the crossword with a buddy, as you can learn a lot from the experience. Mike describes ...
24 Feb 202112min
Monday, February 22, 2021
We have no doubt that the illustrious editor of the New York Times, Will Shortz, was PEPPERED with questions after today's crossword was published, and might've thought, GIMMEABREAK. Nonetheless, controversy swirled around the answer to 29D, Evian and Perrier, EAUS, as opposed to (as any bon étudiant de la belle langue Français* could tell you), the correct answer, EAUX. Jean was serenely unperturbed by this faux pas, but Mike blames his suboptimal solving time on having passed out for severa...
23 Feb 202112min
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Are you feeling INARUT? Matthew Stock has just the ticket, a crossword with great APPEAL that will have you SINGININTHERAIN in no time! Jean got through today's crossword in her usual exemplary fashion. Mike wasn't quite the STARPUPIL, he REWROTE a staggeringly large percentage of his answers before finally hitting ORO, so for him it wasn't so much a matter of WEARETHECHAMPIONS as POURSOMESUGARONME đ We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop u...
22 Feb 20217min
Saturday, February 20, 2021
Saturday is traditionally the hardest crossword of the week, and Ali Gascoigne does OBLIGE, with this ACE example of the genre. Jean's favorite clue was 14D, Protective suits?, SECRETSERVICE; Mike's was 13A, Things often hit during rush hour, CARHORNS. There were a few "today-we-learned" moments, including 15A, "I Wish" rapper, 1995, SKEELO, 39D, One doing some stitching, SEAMER, and 2D, ________ von Der Leyden, first female head of the European Commission, who negotiated Brexit for the E.U....
21 Feb 202114min
Friday, February 19, 2021
A tough Friday, with a real quagmire in the bottom right -- from 47A, Ganja, HERB, to 53A, Way of Life?, CEREALAISLE (nice!), to 56D, Helen of Troy, e.g., DEMIGODDESS, to 51D, R&B singer Erykah, BADU and finally 47D, Gardner of "S.N.L.", it was a who's who of who-knows, who-knows đ What we do know is that, bottom right corner not withstanding, we liked this crossword a lot, and give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Today was also fun-fact-Friday: Jean discusses demigoddesses, and Mike...
20 Feb 202115min
