Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A short, fun and occasionally not unintentionally educational podcast in which two fans of the New York Times crossword describe their puzzle-solving travails.
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 —No, You Can't Forfend the Use of Forfend! 🙄
Kudos and congrats to Jeremy Venook on getting his debut crossword in the NYTimes! 🎉🥳 He had us when he name-dropped URIAH Heep, and kept us enthralled with a theme that was ideal for a Tuesday. Well done!
Speaking of Tuesday, we have, as per custom, a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, and this time Jean's the interrogatee. How'd she do? The answer is as close as your download button! 😀
Show note imagery: RIAN Johnson (l) on the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi
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Monday, August 17, 2026 — Green Day and Pink Floyd and the Kingsmen, Oh, My! 😎
You would expect that someone who has published 85 (!) NYTimes crosswords, including 31 Mondays, would craft a fine Monday puzzle, and your expectations would be met and then some. Zhouqin Burnikel has produced a picture-perfect Monday, with a lemon meringue of a theme and some awesome clues. Some that did not make into the podcast include 49D, Sound asleep?, SNORE (😀); 36D, "Sounds like a plan!", LETS (😀 😀); and clearly the greatest song of all time, anywhere, 10D, 1963 Kingsmen hit with a repetitive title, LOUIELOUIE (😀 😀 😀). Nice work, Zhouqin!
Show note imagery: Daniel R. Day, aka DAPPERDAN, the "Godfather of Hip-Hop Fashion".
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Sunday, August 16, 2026 — Today's Crossword Features CADGE, Uncaged!! 🙄
This marks Sam Brody's fourth NYTimes crossword, and we found it quite appealing. The theme was suitably punny, and we learned oodles. For instance, we now know 40D, Bum, CADGE, Mike can now speak knowledgeably about 95A, Fiber also known as viscose, RAYON; and both cohosts can now confidently spell 31A, Water nymphs of Greek myth, NYIAD ... no, half a mo, NIAID, no ... come back tomorrow, we'll have it figured out by then. 😀 😀
Show note imagery: Some dizzying OPART!
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Saturday, August 15, 2026 — Blake Slonecker Dials It Up To Eleven!
This was a challenging Saturday crossword, requiring that both cohosts really put their backs into it — which, since we are talking about crosswords, involves moving hardly a millimeter while staring at their screens with an intensity that could melt untreated glass (fortunately, their computers come with Apple's optional "stare resistant coating" 😁).
The crossword represents Blake Sonecker's sixth Saturday opus. We thought the clues were great, greatly deceiving, and a lot of fun — definitely worth a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Check out today's podcast for the full 411.
Show note imagery: Japan's kitchen, aka Osaka
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Friday, August 14, 2026 — Zhou Zhang's Friday Debut is a Beaut!
Zhou Zhang is gradually working through the days of the week: this crossword marked her Friday debut. The only days on which she has not published are Tuesday and Saturday, but we expect those in short order.
We also expect, based on prior experience, great cluing, and Zhou Zhang certainly does not disappoint here — every clue pulled its weight, and the puzzle as a whole was fabulous. Deets inside.
Based on a Fan Mail note (thanks, Los Angeles Fan!), we have a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment on mondegreens. For even more mondegreens, check out Dr. Barber...
Thursday, August 13, 2026 — Killian Olson's Killer Thursday 😀
Killian Olson has put together a very crunchy Thursday crossword for your puzzle-solving pleasure. We found it to be quite the workout. The theme was dazzling, with lots of bamboozlement throughout the grid. Killian (as reported in xwordinfo.com) identified several clues that he was particularly proud of: 31A, Dessert often eaten before the ides of March, PIE (delicious!); 73A, Last term in a math lecture series?, NTH (definitely getting math vibes here...); and 40D, Casual gaming site?, SOFA (nice 'un!).
Show note imagery: Megan Thee Stallion, bravely defying convention by wearing an orange dress on a...
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 — Attention All Techies, Your Time Has Come 😀 📡
This midweek crossword was short (well for some: YMMV) and sweet, with a theme that did a fine job of melding two of our favorite activities: cruising the web, and cruising NE Wisconsin. It also included some great clues, such as the historically helpful 30D, Tabard ___, locale in "The Canterbury Tales", INN (RIP: it burned down in in 1676); the wry and dry 48D, It's on the up and up, ASCENT 😀; and our favorite typographic embellishment, 22D, Little flourish on a letter, SERIF.
Show note imagery: All that's left of the Tabard INN 😢🏨
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Tuesday, August 11, 2026 — Alright, Our Favorite Psychedelic Rock Band Named After a Body Part Is in the Grid 😀
Today's crossword, a debut (😃) by Wade Bednar, combined music and dynasties — specifically Chinese dynasties — in an absolutely ingenious way. But Wade didn't slough off when it came to clues, either. Thanks to the wonders of HI* we can admire 56A, "Abso-freakin-lutely!", DOI; 25A, Lollygag, IDLE; and the best of the lot, 18D, Head of a noted animal rescue project, NOAH. 😀 😀
We also have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, translating bemusement into amusement since ... well, we're not really sure when we started them, but it's been a while!
Show note imagery: When you eat at a restaurant, there's an exceedin...
Monday, August 10, 2026 — It's National Lazy Day! We'd Celebrate, But, YKNOW ... 🙄
Nate Cardin's 8th NYTimes crossword was a quintessential Monday puzzle. For one thing, it didn't have QUINTESSENTIAL in the grid. This is not particularly surprising, though, because even though QUINTESSENTIAL is a common enough word, and shows up in, among other places, the XWord Info Word List, it has never appeared in the grid! Still, there's always tomorrow ...
Apart from the missing QUINTESSENTIAL, today's puzzle was quite enjoyable, as we explore and expound upon in today's podcast.
We have also chosen our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), so have a listen, and...
Sunday, August 9, 2026 —My, Grandma, What Long Answers You Have 😀
Making any Sunday crossword is definitely not easy. Making one with a two-high stack of grid spanning answers is amazing; and making one with 2 two-high stacks, in one puzzle, is so difficult that it has only happened 3 times in the history of the puzzle, including ... today. It is with a combination of awe and, well, more awe that we therefore doff our hats and yell huzzah in the general direction of Kansas City, MO, home of Erik Agard, for having accomplished this (almost, but not quite) impossible feat. Deets inside.
Show note imagery: Tristan and...
Saturday, August 8, 2026 — Roll Up Those Sleeves, It's Time to STEEVE 🙄
This was Kameron Austin Collins' 20th Saturday NYTimes crossword, and his name at the top of the marquee is pretty much an ironclad guarantee that we're in for a good time. We laughed, we learned, and ... we were grateful that the esteemed KAC didn't turn up the crossword-difficulty level to 11, something that he is wont to do.
Besides the crossword we have some exciting Fan Mail audio, setting us straight on the mondegreen lurking in "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Check it out!
Show note imagery: That shoe — which for all the world looks like it is...
Friday, August 7, 2026 — Booyah, Jesse Cohn Has Assembled a *Panoply* of Clever Clues!
This is Jesse Cohn's fourth Friday NYTimes crossword, and it checks all the right boxes:
Tough, but not soul-crushing ✅Educational ✅Highly entertaining ✅So, it's definitely in the running for this week's JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award). The suspense builds! 😀
In other news, we have a fascinating fun fact for Fun Fact Friday™️: have a listen and be prepared to be amazed/educated/entertained.
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Thursday, August 6, 2026 — A Highly Filling Thursday Crossword 😂
Today's podcast title — we promise! — will seem quite droll, even, dare we say it, chuckleworthy, once you've sussed out today's theme. We won't say any more about that here, but invite you to have a listen as we explore Dena Verkuil and John Kugelman's latest oeuvre.
Show note imagery: The Farm, by Joan Miró — winner of the Guggenheim International Award and clearly master of the surreal
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Wednesday, August 5, 2026 — Don't Caper Around With That CABER, You Could Put an Eye Out! 🙄
If you took a look at this crossword and decided that it's time to split, we commend you on your choice of metaphor. Daniel Bodily has constructed a puzzle that pays homage to, and yet goes beyond, one crafted by Joel Fagliano way back in the "carefree" days of 2020. It was apparently a beast to construct, but clearly worth the effort, as we discuss in today's podcast.
Show note imagery: George BOOLE, creator of Boolean Algebra, without which pretty much every single shiny gadget you own would not work 😱
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Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — Could the NYTimes' Favorite Cookie Get Even Yummier? Evidently There Is a Way! 🍪
If you like weddings, have at least a passing knowledge of Indian words, and enjoy puns, then you should find today's crossword theme quite satisfying (as was the case for both cohosts). The rest of the grid also held some delights: 58D, Battery for a mouse, AAA (ah, that kind of mouse); 55D, Where Anheuser-Busch is "BUD", NYSE (informal and instructive, very nice); and 14A, So-called "servebot" in tennis, essentially, ACER (just as long as the servebot isn't powered by AI 😉🤖)
In honor of Tuesday, we have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, and today Jean demonstrates her commanding knowledge...
Monday, August 3, 2026 — Hoozah, it's National Sandwich Month!! 🥪
Willa Angel Chen Miller's crosswords normally show up on Friday, so we were slightly concerned to see her name here on Monday, but she has done an excellent job, with some straightforward but well-crafted clues. Besides those mentioned in the podcast, we have 43D, Rewards for excellent employees, RAISES; 7D, Eve's man, ADAM; and something we're all familiar with here in NE Wisconsin (although fortunately not at this exact moment), 63A, Winter forecast, SNOW. ❄️
We've picked our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and while there were many (well, 7 to be precise) to choose from, th...
Sunday, August 2, 2026 — Today's Crossword Won't Steer You Wrong!
This was an awesome Sunday crossword by Ralph Sharaga (a debut for him) and veteran constructor Doug Peterson (this is his 61st!). The theme was absolutely hysterical, and the rest of the grid glistened with guffaw-inducing clues. Among our favorites were: 14D, Race prior to a race?, REV (delightful); 97A, Safari destinations?, URLS (ha!); and we enjoyed the 180° change of tone in 47D, Opposite of "You'll pay for that!"?, ONME.
Show note imagery: MAE Jemison, the first black astronaut in space, looking fly!
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Saturday, August 1, 2026 — Allo, August!
Saturdays are typically the most challenging crosswords of the week, and today's was a splendid mental workout, with some absolutely stellar clues, including 33A, Field whose prospect are looking up?, ASTRONOMY 😉. Jean found the crossword to be a challenge, and Mike's egregious unfamiliarity with "Days of Our Lives" actresses definitely pushed him to his limit. In short, both agreed that Zachary David Levy's debut Saturday crossword was abfab, worth 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.
Show note imagery: SUSANLUCCI, winning her first Best Actress Emmy on her 19th nomination, after 18 consecutive losses.
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Friday, July 31, 2026 — G'bye, July!
Rafael Musa was in his element today — over 50% of his crosswords have appeared on Friday. We were therefore unsurprisingly KEENON on today's effort, which featured a bevy of fine clues that left us ALLSMILES. Deets inside.
Our Fun Fact Friday™️ segment involves one of the world's most popular textile patterns. To keep up the suspense, we won't tell you what it is right now, but we do get AROUND to it in today's episode. 😉
Show note imagery: If today's image seems cryptic, we would like to draw your attention to a word that we'd never seen befo...
Thursday, July 30, 2026 — A Crossword as Easy as Alpha, Bravo, Charlie 😉
This was a fine Thursday crossword by Joel Woodford, with a nifty theme that was surprising, entertaining, and — bonus! — gave us a chance to use "nifty" in a sentence. Our favorite clues included 22A, It may be padded or slapped, KNEE (🤔); 66D, It might be left hanging, ART (😀); and 23A, Do you read me?, NOVEL (😂). There were definitely more, check out today's episode for the very best-of-the-best.
Show note imagery: ERMA Franklin, Aretha's sister and a brilliant singer in her own right.
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Wednesday, July 22, 2026 — Ooh, the Carnival's In Town! 🎉🤡
If you find the aroma of fresh popcorn wafting from the grid, that means you've really gotten into the spirit of this absolutely endearing crossword by Rebecca Goldstein*. It had everything that we want to see in a Wednesday crossword: a highly ingenious theme, clues that make you sweat, and a terrific payoff. This undoubtedly deserves 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons described herein.
On a logistical note, we are going to be taking the next few days off for some R&R. If you haven't already subscribed to this podcast, this would be a great...
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 — Let's Make Some Noise For a Very Noisy Crossword!
This was a superlative Tuesday crossword, thanks to some really sparkling clues. The theme — which we discuss extensively in today's episode — is the icing on the cake, but we found numerous other gems in the grid. The "Most-Fun-Clue" award goes to 62A, Things assayers assay, ORES; the "Most-Fun-Answer" award has to go to 17A, "Easy-peasy!", BADABINGBADABOOM 😀; and the "Most-Intriguing-Clue" award surely belongs to 6D, Japanese city that's home to the Chinese Sofukuji Temple, NAGASAKI.
As tradition dictates, we have in addition to our usual crossword analysis another Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, with Mike in the hot seat this time around...
Monday, July 20, 2026 — Gee, this Crossword's Got GLEE 🙄
It is our suspicion that Eric Rollfing, author of today's fine crossword, probably solves every NYTimes Connections puzzle without any mistakes, because he seems to be quite adept at identifying commonality among highly disparate items. This is not the first time he's used this approach, but it's always novel and fun to get two puzzles for the price of one.
Besides the crossword, we've picked our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), another irresistible masterpiece by ... nope, no spoilers! Check out the podcast to find out if your favorite got the nod.
Show...
Sunday, July 19, 2026 — This Crossword Was Capital, Simply Capital! 😀 🇬🇧
In February, Michael Lieberman and Rebecca Goldstein collaborated on a Sunday crossword with answers that refused to stay confined to running horizontally or vertically. Well, Michael is back with another impressive, non-linear theme. We have the full analysis inside, as well as a timely bit of listener mail explaining a clue that we wrestled with yesterday. Enjoy!
Show note imagery: An Olympian participating in the 2024 Paris Canoe/Kayak Slalom
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Saturday, July 18, 2026 — Alright, DIEGOLUNA is in the grid!
This was a crunchy Saturday crossword, ideal for those looking for a strenuous mental workout. As is always the case on Saturdays, today's puzzle was themeless and a lot of fun. We smiled our way through 57A, What might add a bit of flavor to a salsa?, BONGO; celebrated the debut of 33D, Actor who plays the title role on TV's "Andor", DIEGOLUNA; and groaned slightly upon solving 4D, Super man?, MARIO.
This marks Ryan Judge's 7th NYTimes crossword: hopefully puzzle # 8 is already in the hopper.
Show note imagery: Gustav Klimt's THEKISS
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Friday, July 17, 2026 — Hey, Where'd All the Black Squares Go?
Today's crossword — a debut by Coz Berlin — was noteworthy for what it lacked: to wit, black squares. There were some, to be sure: but the grid contained of 9 15-letter answers (divided up into 3 sets of 3). It made for a daunting Friday puzzle. Deets inside.
In addition to the crossword, we also have a fascinating Fun Fact Friday™️ segment on poetry slams.
All that, and more, is as close as your download button, which we genuinely hope you will be tapping/clicking on ... right now.
Show note imagery: DRDOOM, in the ... flesh?
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Thursday, July 18, 2026 — Another Awesome Zhou / Montgomery Collab
Zhou Zhang and Mallory Montgomery have teamed up, once again, to create their third Thursday crossword, and they keep getting better with age/practice. The theme was endearingly quirky, and the clues were definitely Thursday-worthy. As representative examples, regard 33A, Little dipper?, TOE 😀; 47D, Steamy occasion, SPADAY (ah, that kind of steam!); and 13D, Dub ... or rub, ANOINT (ah, we get the ANOINT, er, POINT 😀).
Show note imagery: The old city of SANAA, Yemen's capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Wednesday, July 15, 2026 — Today's Crossword Was *Smokin!* 🔥
This was an excellent mid-week crossword by Johnathan Raksin and Jeff Chen. The theme was a hoot, and the rest of the clues were of similar high quality. A few that stood out included 26D, Some comfy kicks, MOCS ([embarrassingly-obvious pun redacted]); 9D, Botheration, ADO (we're getting distinct Winnie-the-Pooh vibes here); and 30D, Mork's planet on an old sitcom, ORK (ah, the classics!).
Show note imagery: The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, in the UAE
Show note videography: A Rubik's cube being solved in 2.76s (don't blink!)
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Tuesday, July 14, 2026 — A Collaborative Debut, Woo-hoo! 🙌
This was a collaborative debut by Gus Bloxham and Bharati Hemmady, and it was an auspicious start to what we hope will be a succession of great crosswords. We were amused by 43D, Unlike the direction of this clue's answer, ACROSS; impressed with how frequently we've seen 6D, Singer with the best-selling album "21", ADELE (for the record, 329x); and happy to be reminded of 65A, Mo. with International Talk Like a Pirate Day, SEP. Arrrrr, shiver our timbers!
Show note imagery: Curiosity, still telecommuting to work every day, from Mars, after 14 years!!
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Monday, July 13, 2026 — The Queen of Monday Crosswords is Back!
Lynn Lempel, aka the Queen of Monday Crosswords, is back at it, with a fine puzzle (her 105th!) and her trademark Very Clever Theme™️. It is just a perfect crossword for new solvers, but it's got enough going on to keep veterans entertained as well. Deets inside!
Show note imagery: The Jackson home of renowned civil rights activist MEDGAR Evers, now known as the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.
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Sunday, July 12, 2026 — Why'd The Brits Build the ABBA Arena? For Money, Money, Money 😉💰
It is rare that a constructor debuts on a Sunday, but Collin Drown, a PhD student at Virginia Commonwealth University — go Rodney the Ram! ... really, that's the VCU mascot — has pulled it off, and in fine style. The theme was quite wry, with just the right amount of punpernickel™️, and the supporting cast of clues was definitely up to the task. We have the full 411 inside, as well as a very nice bit of listener mail for your enjoyment, so, ... enjoy!
Show note imagery: The North ARAL Sea, before the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea got to w...
Saturday, July 11, 2026 — Happy 7/11 Day!!
Jim Quinlan's third NYTimes crossword didn't peg the Crossword Difficuilty Meter, but it did break our Quality Of Clues Meter, it was that good. We covered the best of the best in today's episode, but the rest of the rest were fine too. For instance, we enjoyed 29A, Offering at a BBQ joint, BIB (not RIB!); 33A, Title seen in a tea caddy, EARL (not TAZO); and 48A, Metaphorical beginning or ending, ASHES (deep, very deep).
Show note imagery: The SAVANNAHBANANAS — not just a team, it's an entire league!
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Friday, July 10, 2026 — Branzinos and Beavers and Bandeaus, Oh, My!
This was a fine Friday crossword by Willa Angel Chen Miller, an elegantly symmetric grid with some rather crafty and novel clues (as one would expect and hope for). Curiously, our cohosts, working independently as is their wont, had diametrically opposite experiences tackling today's puzzle. Jean found the top part difficult, making more progress in the south, first; Mike tore through the northern half, and then hit the proverbial brick wall once south of the equator. Fortunately, both were eventually able to get to the happy music, whose sweetness has been scientifically proven to be proportional to the difficulty...
Thursday, July 9, 2026 —Beware the IGUANODON (Greek for "tricky spelling")🦖
Both cohosts found today's crossword — a father-son effort by Brad and Nat Wiegmann — to be extra crunchy, partially due to the theme, but also abetted by a number of diabolical word traps and sinister spelling snares deployed artfully about the grid. We have, of course, all the deets inside, so we encourage you to have a download, have a listen, and then let us know your thoughts on today's puzzle.
Show note imagery: An IGUANODON, absolutely incensed about his dental bill
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Wednesday, July 8, 2026 — Holy Moley, It's Another Debut Crossword!
This was Mason Hyunjin-Lee's first ever NYTimes crossword, especially impressive since he's still in high school! Here's hoping his English teacher gives bonus points, he deserves it. We recommend 1 bonus point for 23A, Low-quality synthetic images, informally, AISLOP; 2 bonus points for 66A, Mother of a stable family?, MARE (ha!); and — we're in a generous mood — a whopping 4 bonus points for 28D, "Sleep is like a ___: It only comes to you if you ignore it": Gillian Flynn, CAT. Well done, Mason!!
Show note imagery: Tarsiers, who feel some weird compulsion to always vote AYE when asked for their opin...
Tuesday, July 7, 2026 — Wait, Didn't We Just See This Guy?? Yes, It's Brad Lively's *Third* Crossword in Three Months!!! 🥳
If Brad Lively's name sounds familiar, that's because he's published a whopping 4 crosswords this year, including today's. We are grateful for that, of course, as his crosswords in general are very nicely constructed, and today's is perfect Tuesday fare. Deets inside.
In addition to our exploration of today's puzzle, we have another thrilling Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!
Show note imagery: Need a vaCATIOn from your cat? Put it in a CATIO 😀 😀
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Monday, July 6, 2026 — Nothing DECREPIT about this crossword, it's all shiny and new! ✨
This was a pleasing Monday crossword, with a straightforward, amusing theme, and clues unlikely to generate too many BLANKSTARES. It was penned by Alex Eaton-Salners, who rarely does Monday crosswords — but when he does, he does them well, today's being a case in point.
Besides the crossword, we've identified our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword of The Week Award) winner, so if that's you, drop us a line and prepare to be inundated with the very finest in NE WI swag 😀
Show note imagery: Chappell ROAN and her producer / collaborator Dan Nigro, getting ready to record some...
Sunday, July 5, 2026 — Set Pun Guns™️ to Stun!
Apparently Rich Katz had a few fireworks left over from yesterday, and managed to slip them into today's puzzle: it just sizzles with creativity, and will have you ooh-ing and ah-ing on the way to the happy music. The theme was particularly inspired, but the rest of the grid was also top notch. We liked 57A, Enforcer of traveling restrictions, informally? , NBAREF (nice!); we also were taken with 96A, Org. concerned with plants, OSHA (oh, those kinds of plants 😀); and we especially liked the directness of 99D, Like some cars parked next to "No Parking" signs, TOWED (indeed!).
Sh...
Saturday, July 4, 2026 — 🎆 Happy Fourth!!!!🎇🎆
Kareem Ayas has returned and brought along an excellent crossword to help us celebrate the Fourth. The clues were delightful, each precisely engineered to perplex, educate, and entertain. They succeeded, in grand style.
We have the full 411 inside, so have a listen, and then head out and watch some fireworks!
Show note imagery: A TELEX, rare in these parts.
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Friday, July 3, 2026 — Happy Fourth Eve! 🎇
Barbara Lin is a highly versatile constructor — she has made crosswords for every day of the week, and this is her second Friday creation.
The grid had a daunting amount of white space in it, with 4 grid-spanning answers. Fortunately, the clues went easy on the pop culture references and both cohosts — solving independently as is their wont — were able to get through the puzzle without too many naticks.
The clues themselves were excellent. Few could resist 8D, Essayist who wrote "Not many sounds in life, and I include all urban and all rural sounds, exceed in int...
