Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Today's crossword was an homage to proponents of the "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" philosophy, and it made for an awesome theme — tales of happy accidents that led to some critically acclaimed discoveries/inventions. 

We don't want to spoil the suspense by mentioning those particular accidents here, but fortunately, history is replete with examples of the genre. So while the author, John Guzzetta, couldn't work Superglue, pacemakers, x-rays, and plastic-eating enzymes into the grid, these, too, were discovered/invented by accident.

Show note imagery: Henry Coover Jr (right), the (accidental) inventor of Superglue™️

We...

Just like the dish in the title, today's crossword was yummy. We found the theme delicious, the clues tangy, and like all good crosswords it left us wanting more. Just to give you a taste, we had 34A, Hardwood tree ... or what's left after it burns, ASH (nice one!); 30D, Something a Möbius strip lacks, END (true, dat); and 48A, Word with shift or skeleton, KEY 😀.

In addition to the crossword, we have a Triplet Tuesday segment for your edification and entertainment — with Jean in the hot seat tonight.

Show note imagery: BABAGHANOUJ, hummus's first...

This was a fine Monday crossword, straightforward but with a wry theme and clues that spanned a wide gamut of years. For instance, 3D, Bobby, Peter or Greg, to Carol Brady, STEPSON (circa 1969); 46D, Beats by ___ (headphone brand), DRE (est. 2006); and 67A, "___ gratia artis" (classic MGM motto), ARS (roared into life in 1924). So, regardless of what your generation is, there are at least some clues in today's puzzle that you'll read and say, GEE, I know that one.

In honor of Monday we have another JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) to bestow, and best...

Kelly Richardson has crafted a delightful and timely puzzle in honor of INTERNATIONALWOMENSDAY, in which all of the crosses are the names of famous women — all the way from ISSA Ray to HEDY Lamar. It is an impressive and historically interesting compilation. Have a look at it, see how many of those women you recognize, and let us know: whoever recognizes the most will win a rare and therefore highly coveted Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword t-shirt!

Show note imagery: CAIRO, "City of a Thousand Minarets". OK, here we...

If crosswords were animals, then today's, by Fritz Juhnke, would be Godzilla, smashing its way through streaks like nobody's business. Fritz was relentless, piling tough clue atop tough clue. From 28D, Dry streamed, WASH, to 66A, Ninnyhammer, MORON, to 48A, When strikes go on the longest?, NOON, he never took his foot off the petal. 

We take a deep dive through the grid, and we have some great listener mail, so have a listen, and, as always, we welcome your feedback.

Show note imagery: A cheese rolling race at Cooper's Hill, where merriment and broken a...

Ah, this was a rigorous Friday crossword — the kind that, after you've solved it (er, if you've solved it), makes you feel a little taller, and compelled to regale your friends with cruciverbial tales of daring-do. Every clue in this crossword makes you think, and many may cause you to shake your head in awe when you finally solve them. We've got the whole blow-by-blow in today's episode, as well as a brilliant Fun Fact Friday segment, so check 'em out now!

Show note imagery: FARRO, the antidote when life seems too unfair-oh! 🙄

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Making any crossword is challenging; but making a crossword like this one seems almost impossible. Fortunately, constructor Hanh Huynh doesn't know the meaning of the word impossible ... no wait, he probably does: but unless he's some sort of polyglot he almost surely doesn't know the meaning of the word кинути, which explains at least in part the existence of today's magnificent puzzle.

Deets inside.

Show note imagery: Heroism comes in many forms, just ask Jackie Robinson (left), and Pee Wee REESE (right)

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Wayne Bergman has crafted a brilliant Wednesday crossword, with several genuinely LOL clues. We discuss several in today's episode, but we'd also like to give a shoutout to 14A, April Fools' Day sign, ARIES (nice!); 34A, Part of a rock band?, ORE (that just rocks! 😉); and 64A, Pay for play, perhaps, TYPO (LOL or groan, you be the judge — but our vote's for LOL 😀).

Show note imagery: Behold, the one, the only — well, almost: they certainly didn't sell as many as they'd hoped —  EDSEL!

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This was a terrific Tuesday crossword by Drew Schmenner, his seventh for the NYTimes since 2021. As expected, it ticked all the right boxes:

Since all the right boxes were ticked, we were not: rather, we were tickled — pink, to be precise. Check out today's episode for all the deets (as well as, of course, our  first Triplet Tuesday segment of the month!).

Show note imagery: Our SWOTD (Slang Word Of The Day...

This was a very pleasing debut crossword by Leslie Benson, who provides, on xwordinfo.com, an amusing description of this puzzle's construction — some of which apparently took place while she was in a "fuzzy hypnagogic state". 

Fuzzy or not, the crossword itself was a smooth solve, and an enjoyable one. Check out the podcast for all the deets.

In addition to the podcast, in honor of Monday we have selected our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean & Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and we are going to go out on a limb here and state, with 100% certainty, that you wil...

Some of the NYTimes' finest crosswords were created by university students. For example, consider, oh, say, today's, by Western University students Matt Proulx and Jeffrey Martinovic. The theme is slick (which should resonate as hilarious as soon as you've sussed out that theme), the grid very colorful,  and the clues perfect for a Sunday, with just a bit of bite. For instance, we had 28D, Nurse, SIP; 38D, They might be head-scratching, FINGERNAILS (and indeed, we were!); and 29A, Is in Montreal?, EST (bien sûr, c'est manifique!)

Show note imagery: JW the Mustang, the official mascot of...

This marks Adam Levav's fourth NYTimes crossword in just over a year, and you can see from today's awesome puzzle why he keeps getting published. This themeless beast had scads of challenging clues, although nothing too outré — just how we like 'em. For that reason (and many others enumerated in today's episode) we give this a full five squares on the JAMCR scale.

Show note imagery: The Blues Brothers, sporting some fine FEDORAs

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Today's crossword was a debut by Caroline Hand. Getting any crossword published in the NYTimes is an incredible achievement — and to debut on a Friday doubly so.

And now for the numbers: there were 6, count'em, 6 grid-spanning answers, 2 stacks of 3 grid-spanners apiece. The grid contained 4 debut answers, including one of our favorites, 11D, Antediluvian, OLDASDIRT, and the wry 3D, Delivery methods?, CESAREANS. 

In honor of it being Friday, we also have a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment about Atlanta, in its role as the Hollywood of the South. Finally, we wrap it up with another edition of "Oh that...

Yitzi Snow has created a masterpiece of a crossword: perhaps it's not hanging at the Louvre yet, but we know it'll get there someday. Why, you ask? For three main reasons:

Oh, and one more thing:

😀 

Show note imagery: A chiliagon, a 1000-sided polygon that looks suspiciously like a circle (but isn't, quite).

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This was Brad Lively's second New York Times crossword, and it was stunning, especially, as one might imagine, the ingenious theme. None of the clues were too over the top — with the possible exception of 11A, ___ hair (edgy 2000s trend, EMO. 😀 We particularly enjoyed learning about and perusing A.F.I.'s "100 Years ... 100 Heroes & Villains" list, although we were surprised to learn that Darth Vader only made it to # 3.

We have a spot of listener mail to round off the episode, so check it out, and, as always, let us know what you think!

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This was a fine Tuesday crossword by Adam Aaronson, with a subtle theme and a subtler revealer. We were surprised to see, among the 6 debut answers in today's puzzle, 24A, Fender Stratocaster, e.g., ELECTRICGUITAR, and 12D, Festivals often featuring jousting knights, for short, RENFAIRES. We just assumed that, for a crossword that came into existence in 1942, by now someone would have worked these two into the grid — but no, it took Adam to make it happen.

In addition to the crossword, also have our Triplet Tuesday™️ segment. Jean's in the hot seat, so tune in to see ho...

It's hard not to like a crossword with a DELOREAN in the grid, as we can attest: we adored today's puzzle, the fourth in the NYTimes by Hannah Binney. There was a certain novelty and freshness to the clues that made this a particularly pleasing solve, culminating in the most exciting way ever to clue an otherwise mundane answer, 11D, 4.75 seconds to assemble a Mr. Potato Head, per Guinness, RECORD. Brava!*

Show note imagery: A time machine that needs no introduction ... if you were born in this century or the last one you already know it 😀 

*c...

This was a delectable Sunday crossword by Jill Rataloff and Michelle Sontarp, who happen to both work at the same law firm. That might explain 21A, Certain head jurors, FOREMEN, and 125A, Bars, legally, ESTOPS, but does not explain the remainder of this fine puzzle. That's what we, amici curiae, are here to do (as well as show off our knowledge of Latin, or at least how to use Google Translate 😀). 

Besides our usual cutting-edge analysis, we have some awesome listener mail clearing up a few mysteries from recent episodes, so do have a listen, and please feel...

Traditionally,  NYTimes crosswords increase in difficulty from Monday to Saturday*. So, if you had problems with today's puzzle, that's perfectly normal and by design: it was built that way.

The clues were magnificent, all designed to exercise those little grey cells. We covered the best of these in the podcast, but the rest (still very, very good) included 13D, Many key changes take place in it, CARSHARE (yikes!); 20A, The third primary chakra is located just above it, NAVEL (quick, the fainting couch!); and 11D, Like a spoilsport, NOFUN (and the exact opposite of today's crossword).

This was a very pleasing Friday crossword by Kate Hawkins. Being Friday, there was no theme, but that just meant that the rest of the clues had to pull their weight, and they certainly did here.

We were delighted to see a reference to our favorite streaming series in 29A, Actress Seehorn of "Pluribus", RHEA. We were chagrinned to discover that we did not recognize 39A, Miracle on the ___ (surprise French/English victory of W.W. I), MARNE. Finally we appreciated the straightforward no-nonsense 56A, Instruction before an M.R.I., LIESTILL (we can almost hear the...

There were so many great clues and answers in today's puzzle, it's amazing that John Ewbank managed to wrestle them all into a 15x15 grid, but somehow he did. We appreciated the altruism and surely deliberate parallels between 64A, Volunteer's words, ICAN and 45D, "I'm at your disposal", USEME. We also liked the somewhat related onomatopoeia of 25A, Sound of disapproval, HISS and 59D, "Over here!", PSST. Of course, the best part of the crossword was the theme, and to hear all about that, check out today's episode.

Show note imagery: Laila ALI, undefeated professional boxer and...

If Emojis make your heart go pitter-patter, then put your cardiologist on speed dial because today's puzzle — the fourth by Victor Schmitt — is teeming with them. OK, "teeming" might be a bit of an exaggeration, but they are certainly more prevalent than usual, and contribute to the crossword's high EQ (Entertainment Quotient). 

Deets inside.

In addition to our color commentary on today's crossword, we also have a (belated) Triplet Tuesday segment for your edification. Enjoy!

Show note imagery: Yup, that's one MESSY bun!

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