Monday, March 3, 2025 - Vroom, vroom!

This was a fabulous Wednesday crossword, a collaboration between Kathy Bloomer and the prolific Jeff Chen, that includes a theme that is clever, complex, and some other word that starts with the letter c but isn't cozy ... er, we'll get back to you on that 😀 Beyond the aforementioned clever, complex and not cozy theme clues, we had some other fine gems in the grid, and to learn all about them, just download and check out today's podcast. Show note imagery: Some typical NE Wisconsinite...

12 Dec 202418min

This was a quintessential NYTimes crossword, featuring an arty theme with a twist, and a SWARM of supporting clues guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, including 51D, Give a take, OPINE; 6D, Likely aftermath of a toddler's playtime, MESS; and 50D, "No can do, lassie", NAE. Brilliant, the lot of them! Speaking of lot, we're going to be having another Triplet Tuesday contest next week, and there will be a lot of prizes just there for the taking (well, you have to win the contest first, a ...

11 Dec 202419min

Another Monday, another debut crossword constructor! This was from Elliot Caroll, and both cohosts found her work to be a bit crunchier than usual for a Monday, as evidenced by their longer-than-average solve times and higher HSPMs (Head Scratches Per Minute) than usual. We aren't complaining, though, we wouldn't think of ONBLASTing this fine work. Show note imagery: A startlingly red ALABAMASLAMMER. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, cro...

10 Dec 202413min

The numbers are extraordinary, and speak for themselves: this is John Kugelman's 8th NYTimes crossword, his 7th Sunday oeuvre, and he's been cranking them out at the rate of approximately 1 per month. So, in honor of all that, we present the following clue for your consideration: 3D, Indefatigable (12 letters), JOHNKUGELMAN. The crossword itself was a blast, even though one of our cohosts got horribly natticked in a location in the grid that we will eschew mentioning here -- but rest assure...

10 Dec 202421min

Robin Weintraub is legendary for her joyous crosswords, and today's puzzle is a perfect example: there are LOL clues everywhere you look, and we looked everywhere! Deets inside, as well as listener mail, and a fabulous fun fact for Fun Fact Friday™️. Show note imagery: Oh, the irony, a Shindig! DVD! 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 conve...

8 Dec 202417min

The first thing that grabs your attention when looking at today's crossword is the grid - a pinwheel built on a few black squares, but mainly impressively tall stacks of answers. In a switch from the usual state of affairs, Jean found this crossword to be a tad on the daunting side, Mike not quite so much. Both agreed that it was an excellent crossword, a great way to end our crossword-solving week. We also have picked our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for this week, s...

8 Dec 202420min

This was a fun Thursday crossword by Garett Chalfin, his ninth for the NYTimes. The theme was whimsical, the clues were cunning, and the end result was a superb addition to the NYTimes pantheon. Or, to put it another way, TLDR: 5 squares on the JAMCR scale! Show note imagery: A poster for La Forza Del Destino, by Verdi 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 a...

6 Dec 202419min

There was an orchestra pit-full of musicians in today's crossword, including 66A, One-named singer featured on the 2013 hit "Play Hard": NEYO, 35D, "___ California" (Grammy-winning Red Hot Chili Peppers hit), DANI; 56A, /, ROCKGUITARIST; and 47A, Experimental musician whose name sounds like a cry, ONO. However, the real theme was a joyous celebration of puns and punctuation. TLDR: Today's crossword was great, have a listen! Show note imagery: NEYO, occasional AKON collaborator W...

5 Dec 202417min