Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
1,437 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 24 ratingsA short, fun and occasionally not unintentionally educational podcast in which two fans of the New York Times crossword describe their puzzle-solving travails.
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Episodes
Tuesday, January 16, 2024 - A deLightful Tuesday crossword
January 17, 2024 02:00 - 18 minutes - 12.8 MBSend us a Text Message. Every now and then the NYTimes publishes a crossword for the ages, and today is one of those days, because this work of art, by Marshall Hermann, is sublime, stunning, stupendous, and a slew of other words that start with the letter S -- ironic, considering that the theme ... nope, we are *not* going to spoil it here: check out today's episode and then, as always, let us know what you think! Show note imagery: today's picture, varieties of SEAGLASS Contact Info: W...
Monday, January 15, 2024 - Beware the grampus!
January 16, 2024 02:00 - 12 minutes - 8.92 MBSend us a Text Message. A crossword that's bound to tickle your fancy, a statement that will appear quite droll once you've heard the podcast / soused out the theme. Beyond the clues already mentioned on the podcast, we'd like to highlight 45D, Pain relief brand with an oxymoronic name, ICYHOT; the appearance of yet another French word in the grid (62D, the S of RSVP, SIL), a trend which at least one of us would like to see continue; and there's just something very grounded about 60D, Barbe...
Sunday, January 14, 2023 - A SUPERDUPER Sunday crossword!
January 15, 2024 02:00 - 22 minutes - 15.8 MBSend us a Text Message. John Kugelman, cybersecurity expert and crossword constructor extraordinaire, has outdone himself with an extremely punny Sunday opus. INAILEDIT shows up in the grid, and may also have reflected his feelings when he got the last answer to slip into the grid. We liked this crossword a lot, for all the reasons covered in today's podcast. Enjoy! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to ...
Saturday, January 13, 2024 - Somewhere between new and crescent, it's ... BABYMOON!
January 14, 2024 01:00 - 14 minutes - 9.84 MBSend us a Text Message. An easier than usual Saturday crossword (for at least one of our cohosts, no prizes for guessing who!), which means that -- according to the Law of Conservation of Crossword Difficulty -- Sunday is going to be a toughie! This puzzle did have some fine moments, though, including 13D, Caped crusader?, TORERO; 14D, First garment, perhaps, ONESIE; and one of the finer "bail out" excuses of recent times, 7D, "That's why you get the big bucks and not me", ABOVEMYPAYGRADE. ...
Friday, January 12, 2024 - The NYTimes Crossword - the *perfect* way to while away a snow day
January 13, 2024 02:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBSend us a Text Message. A lively Friday crossword by Hemant Mehta, with a fusillade of clever and/or educational clues guaranteed to delight the diligent solver. We cover most of them in today's episode, along with a fascinating fact for Fun Fact Friday, plus a bonus: listener mail! For all that and more, download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Show notes imagery: Where's Waldo?, mentioned in today's puzzle as having been banned (!) Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswo...
Thursday, January 11, 2024 - X marks the spot!
January 12, 2024 02:00 - 7 minutes - 4.93 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's puzzle, by Damon Gulczynski, has an ingenious and well-disguised theme: and thanks to the revealer's position in the bottom-right, we are kept in suspense / befuddlement, until the very end -- just the way we like it! A few clues that didn't make it into the episode but are worthy of note include 26D, Groups of hands, CREWS (brilliant!); 41D, Instrument notary featured in George Michael's 1984 hit, "Careless Whisper", SAX (wait, a SAX can whisper? 😀); some v...
Wednesday, January 10, 2024 - GOBI, the world's most aptly named desert!
January 11, 2024 02:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBSend us a Text Message. There was one TYPEO in today's grid, but that was by design and quite amusing (20A, What's tolerated by every body?), as we can count on one hand (without resorting to any phalanges chicanery) the number of genuine TYPEOs in the NYTimes Crossword. Some real gems lay lurking in the grid, from subtle clues such as 61D, Its ways are numbered, RTE (lovely!), to the minor head scratcher (for some of us), 12D, One of the Astaires, ADELE (no, not that one); and one that w...
Tuesday, January 9, 2024 - OCTOPI, the Einsteins of the depths! 🐙
January 10, 2024 01:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBSend us a Text Message. This is Adam Wagner's 18th crossword, and it was a doozy, with 4 debut answers, including both cohosts' favorite, 6D, Exploded, WENTKABOOM. The grid was replete with many other less explosive but still notable clues/answers, such as 24D, "The Way" in Chinese Pinyin, DAO; 9D, New Jersey city named for its most famous former resident, EDISON; and 1D, Bully in "Back to the Future", BIFF. A fine, fine crossword, and we are looking forward to Adam Wagner's 19th, which b...
Monday, January 8, 2024 - TEDLASSO wins big ... in the NYTimes crossword?
January 08, 2024 22:00 - 13 minutes - 9.65 MBSend us a Text Message. TEDLASSO might've been shutout at the Golden Globes, but he won big by appearing in today's NYTimes crossword, thanks to Nate Cardin, constructor and (by his own account) TEDLASSO fan. We suspect that Nate Cardin might also have liked rodeos, as today's theme definitely implies: you can almost smell the PETRICHOR (see yesterday's episode for the deets on that) from here. Show note imagery: Being a rodeo clown is tougher than it looks! Contact Info: We love listener...
Sunday, January 7, 2024 - The name's Chyna ... BLAC Chyna!
January 08, 2024 02:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBSend us a Text Message. A superb Sunday crossword by Michael Schlossberg, meeting the cruciverbal RDA for: old-timey clues -- 5A, "Yikes!", EGAD, and 19A, "Sounds 'bout right to me", IRECKONSO; birds that Mike has never heard of -- 3D, Bird also known as a lapwing, PEWIT, and 84D, Bittern, e.g., HERON; and a word that neither of the cohosts had heard of -- 2D, Petrichor, n.: The pleasant _________ of rainfall on dry soil, AROMA (but to be clear, the word we were unfamiliar with was Pet...
Saturday, January 6, 2024 - Today's "Can you work it into casual conversation?" challenge: BOKEH!
January 07, 2024 02:00 - 14 minutes - 9.65 MBSend us a Text Message. After Friday's grueling workout, today's crossword, even though it was a Saturday, seemed relatively straightforward. We are not complaining, though, because the clues were entertaining, the answers educational, and the overall effect soothing. A few examples of the constructors' craft: 55A, They change colors, DYERS; 33D, Where pizza is said to have been invented, NAPLES (what, not Chicago?? 😀); and 44A, A symptom of "man's failure as a thinking animal", according t...
Friday, January 5, 2024 - EASYREAD, tricky solve!
January 06, 2024 02:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBSend us a Text Message. A tough, tough Friday crossword by David P. Williams -- his third, and his third to use the exact same grid pattern! The grid was daunting, with many a long answer, and there were almost no "gimme" clues to get a foothold. Mercifully (at least from Mike's perspective) there were relatively few pop culture references, just a lot of joyous word play. Deets inside, as well as a very fine fact for Fun Fact Friday, so download, listen up, and enjoy! Show note imagery: an...
Thursday, January 4, 2023 - SOBE, or not SOBE ... yup, it was SOBE 😀
January 05, 2024 02:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBSend us a Text Message. An excellent Thursday crossword, marred by an unfortunate technical glitch. The themed clues contained underlined letters, but the underscores did not appear in the app (they appeared as expected in a web browser). Needless to say this caused much consternation and gnashing of teeth, and the NYTimes crossword editorial team leapt into action, quickly replacing underscores with parentheses: but some early solvers were a tad ticked. Still, once you look past the unders...
Wednesday, January 3, 2023 - Another ICONIC NYTimes Crossword 😍
January 04, 2024 02:00 - 13 minutes - 9.33 MBSend us a Text Message. Any crossword that works both FIE and IRONHORSE into the grid deserves our respect and gratitude, and we give it freely to this fine opus by Jared Goudsmit, his second to be published in the NYTimes. The theme/gimmick is a delight, and bolstered by a fine supporting cast of clues, from 24D, Bring up, REAR and 68A, Bring up, CITE (nice combo!); to 27D, Tours de force, COUPS (ha!); and a clue that P.G. Wodehouse would've picked up on in a jiff, 34D, Good _______ (kind...
Tuesday, January 2, 2024 - We're baaaaaaack!
January 03, 2024 02:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBSend us a Text Message. We are back, after a brief holiday on the Riviera (or it might've been Green Bay, there seemed to be an inordinate amount of ice for the Riviera), and we are being welcomed back by an excellent Tuesday crossword. We tackle that in depth, as well as run our first Triplet Tuesday segment of the year, so for all that and more, please subscribe, download, listen up, and enjoy! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're...
December 20, 2023 - January 1, 2024 - Break time!
December 22, 2023 02:00 - 1 minute - 737 KBSend us a Text Message. We are taking a break between now (aka December 21, 2023) and the new year (partially because we've been displaced from our recording studio by a gang of ravenous marauders, aka our family), but rest assured we'll be back in January, raring to go, and in the meantime hope that all of you enjoy the very best of the season. Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and stri...
Tuesday, December 21, 2023 - Baba Ghanouj and PITA, the perfect combo!
December 20, 2023 02:00 - 16 minutes - 11.4 MBSend us a Text Message. A fine Tuesday crossword by Seth Weinberg, with an LOL theme that will make you, well, LOL. As usual, deets inside! This marks our last episode of the year -- we're taking time off to recharge the little gray cells -- and want to wish you and yours a fantastic Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/New Year. We'll see you again, in 2024! Show note image: Baba Ghanouj (a variant (and apparently rarer) spelling of Baba Ganoush) Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a l...
Monday, December 18, 2023 - A quite quastonishing quantity of Q's 🙄
December 19, 2023 02:00 - 11 minutes - 8.23 MBSend us a Text Message. There's a queue-full of Q's in today's crossword, but it's all in a good quase, er, we mean cause, to wit, a delightfulful theme that revolves around that ubiquitous symbol of 21st century tech, the QRCODE. Deets inside, as well as a brief announcement about an even briefer hiatus in honor of the holidays, so we humbly beseech thee to, in this order, subscribe (so you don't miss an episode), download, listen up, enjoy, and leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on whatever pla...
Sunday, December 17, 2023 - 🎶 Like a bridge, over trouuuuuuuuubled waters ... 🎶
December 18, 2023 02:00 - 21 minutes - 15 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's opus was most definitely not an abridged crossword, but the full 21x21 marvel that is the NYTimes Sunday puzzle -- and indeed, considering that it had (wait for it...) rebuses, it could plausibly be argued that it was more of an augmented crossword. Regardless of how you look at it, what is most definitely not up for debate is that it was an awesome crossword, for reasons that we cover in today's episode. Enjoy! Show notes: an image suggesting how to count t...
Saturday, December 16, 2023 - Definitely a TOPRATED (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) crossword!
December 17, 2023 02:00 - 14 minutes - 9.66 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's crossword is TOPRATED, and that's not just because it has TOPRATED in the grid, but because of a panoply of charming clues and intriguing answers that caught our fancy (although not quite as much as our JAMCOTWA winner, that would be ... nope, to find out who won and why, check out today's episode!!). Show note image: An example of OPTICALART Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel ...
Friday, December 15, 2023 - Stop us if you've heard this one ... A NEPHALIST, a PHILATELIST and a CRUCIVERBALIST walk into a bar ... 🙄🍷
December 16, 2023 01:00 - 8 minutes - 5.77 MBSend us a Text Message. A challenging but not insurmountable Friday crossword by Alex Tomlinson - his debut! - with a whopping 8 debut answers. We cover all but 2 of them in today's episode, omitting only 2D, One whose work might be a piece of cake?, PASTRYCHEF (cute!) and 27D, "Don't even think of coming back!", ANDSTAYOUT (ouch!). In short, a lot to like in today's puzzle, and to get the full 411 hit download now (right after you hit subscribe, so you never miss an episode!) and within se...
Thursday, December 11, 2023 - Can you hear me? Can you hear me now?
December 15, 2023 03:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBSend us a Text Message. It is not clear how many Zoom calls Esha Datta, author of today's crossword (her debut!) has been in, but we're willing to bet LOADS of them, based on their (very clever) theme. Beyond that, there were numerous notable clues, from 21A, Only country with a non-rectangular flag, NEPAL (maybe: checkout the podcast for a rebuttal); 37D, Notable lamb owner, MARY (as clues go, this one's not baaaaaad 🙄); 42A, Vehicle at the center of the Hindu festival Ratha Yatra, CHARIOT...
Wednesday, December 13, 2023 - This crossword is *not* cray cray, it's great great 😀
December 14, 2023 03:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBSend us a Text Message. A nice mid-week crossword by veteran cruciverbalist Alex Eaton-Salners (this is in fact his 64th), and it is as refreshing as a glass of cool spring water, thanks to a theme that has everything to do with a glass of cool spring water. The clues elsewhere in the grid were enlightening, entertaining, and entirely crosswordese-free. In addition to those mentioned in the podcast, we would like to give a shoutout to 60A, Capital of Italy, EURO 😀; 46D, Latin singer Anthony...
Tuesday, December 13, 2023 - LAXLY, finalist in the "most difficult word to work into casual conversation" contest
December 13, 2023 02:00 - 17 minutes - 12.2 MBSend us a Text Message. Peter Gordon must be a real MENSCH, and that's not just because he managed to slip that word into today's crossword, as part of a very amusing themed answer. There's a lot more magic happening in the grid, and to hear all the deets (as well as Jean's demonstration of verbal prowess in today's Triplet Tuesday Contest™️), please a) subscribe, b) download, c) listen-up, and d) enjoy! Show note image: Baku, capital of Azerbaijan Contact Info: We love listener mail! Dro...
Monday, December 11, 2023 - 🎶 Mi, mi, mi 🎶
December 12, 2023 03:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBSend us a Text Message. There's something about a Monday NYTimes crossword theme -- crafted to put a smile on your lips combined with a "huh!" when recognition dawns. Later in the week, that "huh", sometimes morphs into a "duh" or possibly a "doh", but we do like Mondays, including this fine work, a debut (congrats!!) by Luke K. Schreiber. In other news, we have some very timely listener mail tying into yesterday's discussion of mutton busting ... from an actual mutton buster (well, to be...
Sunday, December 10, 2023 - The puns, they are upun us 🙄
December 11, 2023 02:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBSend us a Text Message. A seemingly easier than usual Sunday crossword, especially surprising consider its origin - from the minds and pens of Zachary David Levy and Jeff Chen. Besides a small boatload of puns that comprised the theme, today's puzzle did have some fun gems waiting to be uncovered. For example, 59D, Game divided into periods called chukkers, POLO (featuring our new favorite word, chukkers); 81A, Extreme lethargy, SOPOR (not to be confused with torpor, but we'd forgive you i...
Saturday, December 9, 2023 - We CANCONFIRM - this crossword will cause your vocabulary to EMBIGGEN 😀
December 10, 2023 02:00 - 20 minutes - 13.9 MBSend us a Text Message. Our intrepid cohosts had distinct solving experiences working on today's crossword - Jean found it relatively straightforward (aided and abetted, as usual, by her insanely copious and nearly complete collection of modern pop-culture references); Mike, whose pop culture references are mysteriously restricted to the years 1850 to 1875, inclusive, had much less luck, but still, somehow, managed to persevere. Deets inside, as well as the winner of today's JAMCOTWA™️ (Jea...
Friday, December 8, 2023 - Robert Logan's NOAPOLOGIES crossword
December 09, 2023 02:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBSend us a Text Message. Robert Logan has to make NOAPOLOGIES for today's crossword, a fine Friday, challenging but accessible, with some shorter toeholds conveniently located everywhere in the grid. There were a lot of fascinating factoids in today's puzzle, such as 30A, Artist of "La Maja Desnuda" and "La Maja Vestida", GOYA; 48A, ____________ Amendment (2010s extension of the Kyoto Protocol), DOHA; and 47D, Entertainment reference that began as a Usenet group, IMDB. There were many more...
Thursday, December 7, 2023 - BUNSEN Honeydew, Muppet and STEM advocate extraordinaire!
December 08, 2023 02:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBSend us a Text Message. A delightful Thursday crossword, an adjective we often find ourselves having to dust off when Rebecca Goldstein is the author, as is indeed the case today. It's not easy turning lead into gold, but she has done so magnificently, in several senses, as will become apparent once you've had a listen. Also, many of the lacunae in yesterday's crossword have been filled, thanks to some insightful listener mail, so for all that and more, download, listen up, and ... enjoy! ...
Wednesday, December 6, 2023 - HICKHOP, best musical portmanteau ever!
December 07, 2023 03:00 - 15 minutes - 10.9 MBSend us a Text Message. It's hard to miss today's theme, as it's spelled out in large letters, in the middle of the grid, for all to see (as we describe in today's episode). But it's such an attention getter that it might detract from some other Highly Hentertaining clues, such as: 12D, Hah!, IBET; 24D, Hummer's interior, EMS (a reference to its two M's, which definitely warrants another Hah!); and 35A, Handle letters, AKA (heh, heh). More examples and deets inside, check it out! Today's a...
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 - SNORTY, one of the lesser known and least popular of the *8* dwarves!
December 06, 2023 03:00 - 17 minutes - 12.4 MBSend us a Text Message. A clever Tuesday crossword, with a theme that was a tad obscure by Tuesday standards (but fortunately was not essential, or really even helpful) in the solving of today's puzzle. We liked it though, for all the reasons spelled out in today's episode. We also had another stirring Triplet Tuesday segment, so check it out, and as usual, let us know what you think! Today's show notes picture: a POCKETDOOR. Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordp...
Monday, December 4, 2023 - PSST, let me tell you a STORY, 7 words guaranteed to draw your audiences closer!
December 05, 2023 03:00 - 12 minutes - 8.89 MBSend us a Text Message. Monday crosswords always seem to be crafted to put a smile on one's face, and today's puzzle is a case in point. We'e got the deets inside, great listener mail, and -- bonus! -- a hint of an inkling of an inchoate idea about a new contest, so, after you've hit the subscribe button (gently, but with enough force so that you'll never miss an episode), we cordially invite you to download, listen up, and prepare to chortle. Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us ...
Sunday, December 3, 2023 - CRIKEY, this crossword took an EONIAN amount of time!
December 04, 2023 03:00 - 20 minutes - 14.1 MBSend us a Text Message. Both cohosts found this to be a crunchier than usual Sunday crossword, and found it particularly (46A, Difficult), TRYING, in the vicinity of 32D, Rough fabric with a loose weave, RATINE (a word that, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, nobody has ever used, or even heard of 😉). But while the clues were tough, they were also uniformly excellent, as one would expect from the editor of Wordle and one who helps out with the NYTimes crossword, that person being T...
Saturday, December 2, 2023 - This crossword ... WHATABEAST!
December 03, 2023 02:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBSend us a Text Message. A seriously challenging Saturday crossword by Royce Ferguson, who pulls out all the stops, making solvers work for just about every clue in the grid. Still, it was a Saturday crossword, so we expect no less. For all the deets, have a listen (and don't forget to subscribe, so you'll get every episode delivered milliseconds after it gets published!). Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel fr...
Friday, December 1, 2023 - This crossword was most definitely not ALLTOOEASY
December 02, 2023 03:00 - 7 minutes - 4.92 MBSend us a Text Message. Jem Burch has crafted a fine Friday crossword to welcome in the new month, and it had everything that one would want in a Friday crossword, from puzzlers like 53A, Feature of many a documentary, VOICEOVER; 48A, Youngest White House resident since John F. Kennedy Jr., SASHAOBAMA; 37A, "Long", in Hawaiian, LOA (oh, that's what that means!); and surely a coincidence from a crossword by Jem Burch, 40A, Exemplary individual, GEM (shades of Raphael and the School of Athens...
Thursday, November 30, 2023 - A very timely Thursday crossword
December 01, 2023 03:00 - 14 minutes - 10 MBSend us a Text Message. Jeffrey Martinovic and Jeff Chen -- who if they were producers on a television show would almost surely be referred to as the "two Jeffs" -- have instead produced a fabulous Thursday crossword, with a delightful theme involving Mike's favorite sci-fi concept, TIMETRAVEL. We have all the deets inside, plus listener mail (woo-hoo!), so for all of that and so much more, please subscribe, download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a...
Wednesday, November 28, 2023 - Get Yer YAYAS Out!
November 30, 2023 02:00 - 12 minutes - 8.95 MBSend us a Text Message. Are you tired of DECISIONFATIGUE? Then let us help you make a decision -- yes, you should definitely a) do this crossword (because it is awesome) and b) listen to this podcast (because it is awesomer (except in the areas of grammar, spelling and humility)). Seriously, for all the deets on today's fine puzzle, do have a listen, and as usual, let us know what you think. Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on ...
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 - ORANGEDOORHINGE - they said it couldn't be done, and ... they were right!
November 29, 2023 02:00 - 17 minutes - 12.3 MBSend us a Text Message. A colorful and rhyme-rife Tuesday crossword by Gia Bosko, her 4th in the NYTimes and, more amazingly, her 4th of the year. The theme was excellent, and the cluing as crisp as a Wisconsinite in winter. Some of our favorites include: 23D, "Beam me up, ________!", ("Star Trek" misquotation), SCOTTY (huh!); 50D, Corn cake, PONE (make that two slices, please); and our favorite soccer player, 49A, Soccer star Hamm, MIA (she shoots, she scoooooores!). Besides the crossword...
Monday, November 27, 2023 - CAREEN, fun to say, but to do? Not so much.
November 28, 2023 04:00 - 11 minutes - 8.21 MBSend us a Text Message. Ricky J. Sirois has produced a more challenging crossword than usual for a Monday -- with just a bit of bite coming from words like 24A, Vegetarian dish on a Mexican menu, BEANBURRITO; the bugaboo of spelling-bee enthusiasts everywhere, 39A, French meat stew for which Julia Child penned a popular recipe, BEEFBOURGUIGNON; and 10D, "No Exit" playwright, SARTRE. This is Ricky's first NYTimes crossword puzzle (yaaaay!), and here's hoping for many more! Contact Info: We ...
Sunday, November 26, 2023 - Go, UTAHUTES! 🏈
November 27, 2023 03:00 - 22 minutes - 15.5 MBSend us a Text Message. A delightful and (compared to Friday and Saturday) relatively straightforward crossword, with a theme that is guaranteed to grow on you, and a magnificent array of clues that will leave you wanting more. Definitely 5 squares on the JAMCR scale! To hear more, include the deets on YEET (we've waited all year to write that!), subscribe, download, listen up and, as always, enjoy! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we...
Saturday, November 25, 2023 - EEEE -- either a) the size of a shoe, or b) the reaction to seeing its price 😀
November 26, 2023 01:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBSend us a Text Message. A perfect way to wrap up our crossword -solving week, with a rousingly challenging (for one of us, at any rate) Saturday puzzle. Jean, aided and abetted by her eerily encyclopedic knowledge of 1972 hit singles, was able to make short order of the puzzle, whereas Mike, drawing on his uncanny ability to make up words that don't exist, with his forté being Spanish, had a much tougher time of it. Deets inside, as well as the winner of this week's JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mik...
Friday, November 24, 2023 - ASTI, the Pride of Piedmont!
November 25, 2023 03:00 - 15 minutes - 10.7 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's crossword proved to be a snap for one of our cohorts, and almost a streak-snapper for the other. To keep up the suspense, we won't reveal who was who just yet, but we will tell you that there were a host of fabulous clues in today's grid, from 3-letter wonders -- 27A, Sydney's home, for short, NSW; to 4-letter pop-culture references -- 51A, _______ of Dogs, (hit 2018 animated film), ISLE; to 5-letter curios -- 49A, Class or order, TAXON; to ... you get the id...
Thursday, November 23, 2023 - A crossword to be thankful for!
November 24, 2023 02:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBSend us a Text Message. In honor of Thanksgiving, we have a crossword to be thankful for, a delightful brainteaser of a main course, with a dash of delectable clues as the sides. From 17D, Not play it by ear, PLAN, to 51A, What the Dutch call "klompeh", CLOGS, to 9D, Flick of a flicker, ASH (we're still working that one out 😀), the grid was a cruciverbal smorgasbord, and we're glad that we dropped in for the feast! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@iclou...
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - MALBEC - for when your heart craves a merlot, but your wallet needs a grape juice 🍷
November 22, 2023 22:00 - 16 minutes - 11.2 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's crossword is a testimonial to MALBEC and grit; the MALBEC because it's in the grid, and grit because that's what Will Pfadenhauer needed plenty of in order to get this published in such a prestigious location, i.e., the pages of the NYTimes. The crossword itself was superb, with a bit of an ODDBALL theme, and some nice clues scattered throughout: as usual we've highlighted the best in today's episode. By the time you've listened to this it might very well b...
Tuesday, November 21, 2023 - Three cheers for the SEABEES 🐝
November 22, 2023 01:00 - 7 minutes - 5.06 MBSend us a Text Message. Kevin Christian and Andrea Carla Michaels were definitely using the old bean when constructing today's crossword, an observation that might at first seem just trite and anodye, but it will become uproariously funny, or at the very least wryly amusing, once you've listened to today's episode, so have at it! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversa...
Monday, November 20, 2023 - From the Spelling Bee editor, a crossword with a lot of hard-to-spell words 😀
November 21, 2023 02:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBSend us a Text Message. Both Jean and Mike took longer than usual to do today's crossword, Jean because she couldn't find a mistake, and Mike because he had a sudden attack of the well-known affliction, BSS (Bad Spelling Syndrome, or as it is sometimes referred to in the literature, Baaad Spellling Sindrome 🙄). Have a listen, but before you do, hit the subscribe / follow button to ensure that you get every episode delivered straight from our recording studio to your ears as soon as it ships...
Sunday, November 19, 2023 - There's NOCAP on the talent's of today's crossword constructors, and that's NOCAP! 😍
November 20, 2023 03:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBSend us a Text Message. An impressive Sunday crossword by veteran constructors Rebecca Goldstein and Rachel Fabi, who in preparation for Thanksgiving have cooked up a puzzle to be thankful for, stuffed with a delicious array of bad (i.e., good) puns and good (i.e., great) clues to chew on. Deets inside, so please subscribe / download / listen up / enjoy! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by the...
Saturday, November 17, 2023 - Beware Charybdis, horrific sea monster and even more terrifying spelling bee word 😀
November 19, 2023 03:00 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MBSend us a Text Message. A scintillating Saturday crossword by Hoang-Kim Vu -- with a grid that is jam-packed with debut answers, including 36D, Photo of someone holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, say, VISUALGAG; 37A, Writer with good taste?, FOODCOLUMNIST 😀; and one that pretty much stood up on a chair and shouted IAMADEBUTANSWER, 22A, Certain descriptor after a signature nowadays, HEHIM. In other news, we managed to work both a temporally-displaced Fun Fact Friday segment and a JAMCOT...
Friday, November 17, 2023 - Today's forecast? A BLAMESTORM ⛈️
November 18, 2023 02:00 - 9 minutes - 6.26 MBSend us a Text Message. A fine Friday crossword by Hemant Mehta. What it lacked for in glitzy animation (we're looking at you, Thursday!), it made up for in flashy clues, such as 47A, What may be behind the curtain, TUB (😀); 53A, Major opening, URSA (😀 😀 ); and 55A, Canvas finish, TKO(😀 😀 😀). And that's just a few choice examples - for more, have a listen to today's episode, hot off the presses!! Toady's show-note illustration is celebrates CHEETODUST, which, apparently, is a thing. Cont...
Thursday, November 16, 2023 - This crossword was constructed with TLC
November 17, 2023 02:00 - 18 minutes - 12.6 MBSend us a Text Message. Today's crossword, by veteran cruciverbalist Paolo Pasco, had its ups and downs, but that was by design, and the payoff - which we discuss in today's episode but don't want to spoil by revealing here - was an absolute delight. The clues were on the trickier side, as befits a Thursday - 33D, So called "African Unicorn", OKAPI, comes to mind (well, it does now ...), as does 25D, Noted feature of "The Brothers Karamazov", EPILOG, and 48D, Lake that feeds the Truckee Ri...