January 24, 2025 - We'd like to AMEND our definition of EMEND 🧐

Jean tears through today's crossword like it's a Monday, while Mike takes a more TORTOISE-like approach, hindered by a lack of knowledge, spelling, and in some tragic cases, both. The clues themselves are minor works of art (see: 31D, Study pills, PLACEBOS, and 30D, Air traveler in early winter, SANTA), but even some of the juxtapositions are worthy of note -- RUSHERS next to TORTOISE, PINACOLADA next to TEETOTALER, that's craftsmanship, right there! A terrific 5 squares on the JAMCR ...

29 Nov 202011min

It's a Robyn Weintraub crossword, so expect Good Things. Both Jean & Mike were temporarily THROWN off the scent, getting little traction especially in the top left and right corners. Eventually they persevered. Jean was rescued by, of all people (and we use the term loosely), BILLTHECAT and Mike, well, once again, his Achilles' heal, ADBLOCKERS, almost did him in. In a crossword with lots of terrific clues there two absolutely fabulous ones -- 26D, Page seen in a wedding album, RING...

28 Nov 202012min

For those of you LONGing for a good Thanksgiving Day crossword to sink your teeth into, metaphorically spelling, here you go! This wasn't a ROMP, but you didn't need to be a GURU to solve it either -- just a bit of luck, a lot of patience, and a passing acquaintance with 1970s operating systems. 😀 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 co...

27 Nov 202011min

Feast your eyes on this fabulous Wednesday crossword by John Guzzetta and Jeff Chen (edited, as always, by Will Shortz). It included a WRY reversing-homonym theme, and a SLEW of clever clues that were clearly written without the impediment of RYE . Jean cruised through it in record time while Mike, hobbled by his lack of knowledge of the legendary Buck ONEIL, was slower off the mark, but eventually got the job done. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop...

26 Nov 20209min

A genuinely fun and funny crossword by Caitlin Reid. Any crossword that includes the clue 19A,"An orca is actually a dolphin?!", WHALEILLBEDARNED, deserves some sort of award. We give it a perfect 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and it's not because we're fishing for compliments 😉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!

25 Nov 20209min

A few challenges for the spelling-challenged -- DIDGERIDOO and MATZOH, to name two -- but other than that, ITLLDO (quite WELL, in fact). It did feature Jean's favorite musketeer, ARAMIS, as well as Mike's favorite prime minister, PIERRE (48D, Justin Trudeau's father). There was also a (possibly intentional) acoustical tie-in to yesterday's crossword -- that featured 48A, Wished (BADE), whereas today's included the clue 32D, Sounded like sheep (BAAED). Tomorrow is Tip Tuesday, and rememb...

24 Nov 20207min

A novel crossword, definitely not by the numbers, to round out our puzzle solving week. The theme involved adding up intersecting digits, which was a real HOOT. Jean found this slightly more difficult than usual, while Mike knew a diminishingly small number of answers at the outset. Some clues of note: 33D, Makes cloudy (BLEARS), 9D, Don's partner in the underworld, CAPO, and 97A, Zoning, so to speak (OUTOFIT). We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Dro...

23 Nov 202018min

If you didn't get today's crossword, well, HAKUNA MATATA, NOLOSS. It was a Saturday, ERGO it was bound to be a bit of an OGRE. Some particularly memorable clues -- 54D, An expert on feet, POET, 9A, 1, 2, 3, 4, ..., 11, 12, 14, etc., FLOORS, and, oh ANOTHERONE, 25D, 28 pound debut of 1981, IBMPC. We give it a 4.5 squares on the increasingly precise JAMCR scale. Remember, if you want to get in touch to provide feedback on anything you hear here, just email us at crosswordpodcast@...

22 Nov 202014min