Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Daniel Britt's DeBut 😉

Today's crossword was (as you can deduce from the episode title) a fun, Christmas-themed puzzle by famed magician David Kwong. Jean & Co. solved it expeditiously, whereas David almost made Mike's streak disappear thanks to some cruciverbial magic in the top-center of the grid. All turned out well, though, for both cohosts and their streaks. Deets inside. FYI, we will be taking a hiatus this week (starting up again on the 29th). For those of you who want your daily fix, fear not -- we're p...

22 Dec 19min

This is Robert S. Gard's second Saturday crossword. It was not quite as difficult as his first, but the cluing was deliciously deceptive, and included five debuts. Jean got through it in her usual time; Mike found it to be a tad easier than usual, but an enjoyable solve nonetheless. Remember that if you're still hunting around for the perfect holiday gift, there's still time to send the gift that keeps on giving -- a subscription to the best crossword puzzle on the planet. Show no...

21 Dec 10min

This is a stellar Friday crossword, chockfull of effervescent clues that make it clear that an ace constructor -- in this case, Hemant Mehta -- is at the helm. There is no doubt that today's puzzle is entitled to a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and we therefore gladly bestow it. Deets inside. Show note imagery: Yum, a delectable SMORE 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,...

20 Dec 13min

The genius required to craft an NYTimes-worthy crossword is on full display today: Joseph Gangi has created a cuuute theme, and the hilarity of that last clause will become apparent upon listening to today's podcast and/or solving today's puzzle. Numerous other clues in the grid are also worth celebrating. We chortled at 62A, The time of one's life?, AGE (😀); puzzled over 27D, About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr., SQFT (🧐); and chortled once more at 52D, Fabrication expert, LIAR (😁). Show no...

19 Dec 11min

This was a whimsical Wednesday crossword by the talented duo of Gary Larson and Doug Peterson. The theme was a triumph, buoyed up by a bevy of crisp clues, including: the clever 8D, Marchers in sidewalk cracks, ANTS; the helpful reminder that was 50A, Easter Island's country, CHILE; and the hilarious 41A, Welcome figure on Wall Street, unwelcome figure in a china shop, BULL. In other news, we have some fascinating listener mail about the subtle distinctions between Bro, Bruh, B...

18 Dec 14min

This was a gentle Tuesday crossword, slightly more challenging than Monday, and prepping us for the even more rigorous crosswords sure to come this week. Difficulty level not withstanding, the grid featured some awesome clues, most notably the incredible 62A, The IBM Simon Personal Communicator is considered the world's first one, SMARTPHONE. We were also highly pleased to learn of the existence of 13D, Grammy-winning R&B artist whose stage name is said to have been inspired by "The Matri...

17 Dec 6min

Today's puzzle checks all the Monday crossword boxes: Clever and straightforward theme? ✅Built with the novice-solver in mind? ✅Published on a Monday? 😉✅Apparently it took multiple revisions before this crossword got accepted, but the end result was picture-perfect. Kudos to Jeff Jerome for his first crossword, and Andrea Carla Michaels, for her 92nd! Being Monday, we've chosen our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), so check out today's episode to see if your ...

16 Dec 12min

This was a jaw-dropping pick-me-up of a Sunday crossword by debut constructor Zachry Edward-Brown (a high-school student, no less!) and veteran John Kugelman. The theme was spectacular, with a twist at the end that would have Agatha Christie nodding her approval. The rest of the grid was equally impressive, and if you want proof check out today's episode. Show note imagery: ELISHA Gray, inventor of the telephone (at least according to ELISHA Gray 😉) We love feedback! Send us a text... C...

15 Dec 21min