Monday, September 16, 2024, -- Huzzah, EDNA Mode is in the grid đ
This is Robert Corridan's debut crossword, and a fine debut it is, one that may induce you to sing, perhaps something along the lines of LA, LA, LA, in which case you will be in a very good place to start solving this crossword! Deets (and the decryption of that cryptic last sentence) are within, so have a listen, and, as per usual, let us know what you think. Show note imagery: a POMELO, a relatively large -- some grow up to 25 pounds!! -- citrus fruit, sometimes called the Citrus...
17 Sep 20249min
Sunday, September 15, 2024 - Nothing PROFORMA about *this* crossword!
Aimee Lucido is both a children's author -- check out "Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta" - and cruciverbalist - check out today's excellent example. This crossword was not hugely difficult, but it was hugely entertaining, as we explain, in detail, in today's episode. Show note imagery: HIGHFIDELITY, by Nick Hornby 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...
16 Sep 202416min
Saturday, September 14, 2024 - When it comes to this crossword, we are PHANATICS!
A tough Saturday crossword (of course!) by Christina Iverson, with the northwest corner being particularly tough. But the clues were fair and fun, making for an enjoyable solve. Deets inside, so we encourage you to download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Show note imagery: A Phillie PHANATIC, limbering up before the big game 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...
15 Sep 202415min
Friday, September 13, 2024 - Turns out, Cotton-Eyed Joe is a dance, not an optic emergency đ
Today's crossword was a debut for Boaz Moser, and it was a fine one - challenging but VALID, including familiar clues like 15D, Beverage steeped in bright daylight, SUNTEA, lesser known ones, such as 13D, Bit of foam, perhaps, PEANUT, and hilarious ones, such as 4D, One doing the lord's work, VASSAL (đ). We found this to be a very satisfying solve, and eagerly await Boaz's second creation. Show note imagery: Everybody run, it's a XENOMORPH!! đ± We love feedback! Send us a text... Contac...
14 Sep 202415min
Thursday, September 12, 2024 - Finally, we can say that the NYTimes crossword is BRAT đ
A historic first, "BRAT" used in the sense of 52D, 2024 Charli XCX album with a lime green color -- as opposed to all the 179 previous times, when it was a reference to an annoying small child. The rest of the crossword, by Parker Higgins, was similarly entertaining, as evidenced by clues such as 69A, Nose-in-the-air-type?, PLANE; 52D, Give in on Christmas Eve, say, PEEK; and 10D, One of 27 on Disney World's Cinderella Castle, TURRET. A bravura performance, definitely worth 5 squares on the J...
13 Sep 202413min
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 - Three cheers for New Mexico's GILA National Forest
A decidedly crunchy Wednesday crossword, Jean managed to chew through it expeditiously, Mike broke a tooth đ. The theme took a while for both cohosts to grok, after which solving the puzzle became much easier. Deets inside, you are cordially invited to download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Show note imagery: The ARROYOS Natural Area, where we really, really hope they have some ARROYOS! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, cross...
12 Sep 202410min
Tuesday, September 10, 2024 - HEMINGWAYESQUE, fun to say, a challenge to spell, and impossible to work into casual conversation đ
Today's theme was about as NYTimes-esque as they come, just a fun exploration of attributes of the English language, and something that almost surely could not have been constructed without a computer to do the heavy lifting. Without spoiling anything out here in the show notes, let's just say that the theme involved finding three answers that met certain criteria, and those answers were the output of a Python program. To be fair, the author of the crossword wrote said program, and could've d...
11 Sep 202412min
Monday, September 9, 2024 - You know it's a classy puzzle when Dame Judi DENCH is in the grid
Tim D'Alfonso has constructed an excellent Monday crossword -- his debut! -- with a smile-inducing theme and some fun cluing, including 42D, Your of yore, THY; 43D, Start of a donkey's bray, HEE; and the nostalgia-inducing 25D, ________ Sketch (classic toy), ETCHA. This was a great puzzle and likely a confidence-builder for those just starting to do the NYTimes crosswords, we approve: 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Show note imagery: Dame Judi DENCH, as M, in Skyfall We love feedback! Send us...
10 Sep 202410min
