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.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 - IBIZA beckons! 🎰 🏖️

Today's theme was great (as always), and there were oodles of appealing clues lurking in the grid today (see previous parenthetical remark 😉). A few of our favorites were 45A, Cabinet department since 1913, LABOR (now we know!); 53D, Creator of a lot of buzz in the music scene, KAZOO (cute!); and 6D, Language of W.W. II "code talkers": Var., NAVAHO (absolutely fascinating).
Show note imagery: The Red Lion Pub (one of many, in the UK)
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Tuesday, July 1, 2025 - Was this a great crossword? NOCAP!

For those of you wondering about the episode title, it is explored and explained, along with a multitude of other topics riffing off of today's excellent puzzle, in our "Canada Day" special. In addition, Mike may (or may not) have gone down in flames in today's Triplet Tuesday™ segment; place your bets, and then have a listen to see if you (unlike, possibly, Mike) are a winner!
Show note imagery: Some delicious ELOTE, a delicious Mexican street food, which often, understandably, causes partakers to EMOTE 😀
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Monday, June 30, 2025 -- All hail the Mighty Mighty Bosstones! 🎉🎺

This was a delightful Monday crossword, thanks to the hardworking team of Dena R. Verkuil and Andrea Carla Michaels (abetted, no doubt, by the mighty mighty Will Shortz). The theme was funny, and the clues were "Festival Food fresh", as we like to say in Northeast Wisconsin. Deets inside, so have a listen, and, as always, invite the crossword-philes in your life to have a listen as well.
Show note imagery: BYEFELICIA
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Sunday, June 29, 2025 - Wheels within wheels ...

Once again an NYTimes contributor -- today, that would be Mike Hobin -- has created a theme that will make you want to cheer, doff your hat, and applaud (although not simultaneously, for obvious reasons): it deserves that much praise. The rest of the clues were of course also of a very high caliber, resulting in the delightful puzzle that we take a magnifying glass to in today's episode.
Show note imagery: The one, the only ... Daffy Duck, smiling because he was mentioned in today's crossword.
Musical link: It Works, part of Back to the F...
Saturday, June 28, 2025 - A deliciously devious Saturday crossword!

This was Jesse Guzman's third NYTimes crossword, and with quality this good it's no surprise that the publication of his fourth NYTimes crossword is imminent. There was no theme, but the clues were uniformly brilliant and tricky, perfect for the "Hardest Crossword of the Week", aka, Saturday's. We approve, and bestow upon this puzzle the maximum number of squares -- that would be 5, for those of you not keeping track -- on the JAMCR scale.
Show note imagery: Just a few of the many characters in the Mario universe
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Friday, June 27, 2025 - Carolyn Davies Lynch ACES her OPUS

Today's crossword marks Carolyn Davies Lynch's third NYTimes crossword, and she just keeps getting better and better. This had some great clues, including 9D, It's not observed in Hawaii, DST (😀); 27A, Hypocorism for Harold, HAL (🧐); and 46D, Smart guy, ALEC (🤣). There were plenty more where those came from, so check out today's episode for the 411.
Show note imagery: Syzygy, without which we wouldn't have solar eclipses.
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Thursday, June 26, 2025 - Must you be leaving SASSON? 🙄

Simeon Seigel is definitely on a tear, this marks his fourth NYTimes crossword this year, and his second in under a month. Quality isn't suffering at all, though, as today's puzzle is chockfull of sparkling clues and topped off with a head-scratching theme.
Show note imagery: Fancy a game of Centipede?
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Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - Yet *another* SOCKDOLAGER of a crossword!

This was a surprising crossword, in a number of ways that we will not enumerate here, but dive into in depth in today's episode. There were too many great clues to squeeze into the podcast, so we'll just mention the also-rans but also-great trio of 43D, Acquisition that may solve a mouse problem, PETCAT (meow!); 42A, Olympic blade, EPEE; and 44A, Olympic "blade", OAR (nice juxtaposition!!).
Remember, the NYTimes crossword makes an excellent gift, either for yourself, a friend, or a loved one: just wander over to the NYTimes website, they will be glad to get you...
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 - 🎵 You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, ASSAI is just ASSAI 🎶 🙄

This was an impressive debut crossword by Ingrid Steffensen. The theme definitely and deservedly takes center stage, and the rest of the clues were at exactly the right level of difficulty for a Tuesday. We approve!
In other news, Jean's in the very hot hot seat for our Triplet Tuesday™️ segment, so have a listen, and, as always, let us know what you think!
Show note imagery: The world's largest I LIKE IKE button, in Abilene, KS
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Monday, June 23, 2025 - You! Will! Like! This! Crossword! 😀

For those of you pondering the title of today's episode, fear not: all, well, nearly all, will be revealed in today's podcast, covering Zhouqin Burnikel's 28th Monday crossword, among a very respectable 82 that she has had published in the NYTimes.
Show note imagery: While this might seem like a high tech torpedo bay, it is in fact possibly a claustrophobic's worst nightmare, a good old fashioned MRI
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Sunday, June 22, 2025 - The only podcast crafted with the sockdolager in mind

To paraphrase Yoda, the pun is strong in this one, a crossword by the mother and daughter team of Ruth B. Margolin and Hannah Margolin, the latter whose impending marriage inspired the aforementioned puns. So, congrats to the Margoli team for the publication and the nuptials!
Show note imagery: A sockdolager, visualized
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Saturday, June 21, 2025 - Christina Iverson & Doug Peterson pull out *all* the stops!

This was a quintessential NYTimes Saturday crossword - tough, fair, and fun. It was constructed by two veteran crossword constructors -- Christina Iverson and Doug Peterson -- who we have come to cherish for making crosswords ... just like this one! Deets inside.
As is tradition on Saturday, we have identified our JAMCOTWA™️ -- Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award -- winner. Check out today's episode for those deets as well, and then let us know if you agree, disagree, or are neutral on the subject.
Show note imagery: The Germans, getting ready to win...
Friday, June 20, 2025 - Happy Solstice Day!

This was a pleasing Friday crossword - the grid looked daunting, and the clues were definitely on the hard side (Mike in particular wallowed in the bottom third of the grid), but it was overall a great end to the work week. We have deets inside, as well as a delectable Fun Fact Friday™️ segment, so check it out now!
Show note imagery: The stunning ROYALOPERAHOUSE, in Covent Garden, London.
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Thursday, June 19, 2025 - Happy Juneteenth!!

The NYTimes crosswords are always good, but this one stands alone, definitely worth a chef's kiss and even possibly a hug -- it was that exceptional. The theme was stupendous, and absolutely essential to solving the puzzle, for reasons that we delve into, in detail, in today's episode.
Show note imagery: TAIO Cruz, author of (among other great works), Dynamite.
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Wednesday, June 18, 2025 - Eli Cotham cranks it up!

Although this was a Wednesday crossword, some seriously Friday-level clueing did manage to make its way into the grid. Jean had to exert considerable mental effort, and Mike had to consume almost an entire bowl of Lucky Charms™️, before -- working independently, as is their custom -- they were able to get to the happy music. This was an awesome Wednesday/Friday, and represents Eli Cotham's third NYTimes crossword. We await, with eagerness and a tinge of trepidation, crossword number 4.
Show note imagery: A few JAWAs, probably getting ready to make a deal with some desperate moisture farmer...
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 - The only thing messy about today's crossword was... MESSY

This was Tarun Krishnamurthy's second NYTimes crossword. It was just as good as his first, and considering that he wrote it while still in high school, we can anticipate him constructing a long, long string of great puzzles.
A few clues (not mentioned in the podcast) of note include 26D, Get tangled up, RAVEL (oh, so that's what happens when you don't UNRAVEL); 36D, A sixth of the way through the hour, TENPAST (uh, oh, math 😀); and 61A, Reason for overtime, TIE (un, not PAY, gotcha!).
To get the full 411, as well as h...
Monday, June 16, 2025 - A not-at-all LOOPY Monday crossword

This was the second crossword and collaboration between Jill Rataloff and Michelle Sontarp. Both are lawyers, and while they might be, and it would be awesome if they were, partners in the firm Cross, Down and Diagonal, Attorneys at Law, that is only speculation on our part.
The puzzle itself was great -- a gentle Monday with several surprising clues and answers that we hone in on in today's episode.
Show note imagery: A KITTENHEEL
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Saturday, June 14, 2025 - Medic!

This was yet another highly challenging NYTimes crossword, but, since it was a Saturday, we were not surprised in the least. [Truthfully, we thought that maybe Will would give us a break after yesterday's mental marathon, but nooooo... 😀]. So, written at exactly the right level of difficulty, and with stellar cluing throughout, today's oeuvre by Barbara Lin definitely deserves 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.
In unsurprising news (since it is Saturday, and we do this every Saturday) we have our JAMCOTWA - Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award - winners. Check out today's episode to see...
Friday, June 13, 2025 - Evan Mulvihill delivers the goods!

Friday crosswords are supposed to be a challenge, and we can only imagine Evan Mulvihill cracking his knuckles while saying "I got this". And what we got out of the deal was this excellent, challenging Friday puzzle. Definitely worth a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons that we make clear in today's podcast.
Show note imagery: Yes, beast mode is a thing!
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Thursday, June 12, 2025 - Double, double, toil and trouble

It took just one teensy-weensy act to shift this crossword from nigh-well impossible to fun and eminently doable. Unfortunately, that act was to figure out the theme. If you know, in your heart of hearts, that an answer is correct, yet won't fit, then one word should emblazon itself in your frontal lobe, and that word should be ... rebus!
Deets inside, so have a listen, subscribe, and then tell others about us on social media.
Show note imagery: NASA's pumpkin suit, aka the "Advanced Crew Escape Suit", used by Space Shuttle astronauts to protect them i...
Wednesday, June 11, 2025 - Quick, get your shades, this is one *brilliant* Wednesday crossword!

If crosswords were paintings, today's would be hanging in the Louvre, it is that good. The theme is a winner, but the rest of the clues are magnificent. We're not just speculating here, though, we have proof -- all of which can be found in today's episode.
Show note imagery: The mighty MISSISSIPPI
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Tuesday, June 10, 2025 - Was this a fine crossword? To quote 10D, YESREALLY!

Today's grid had a few surprising entries. One that in particular caught our eye, because it has never caught our eye, was 30A, Altar constellation, ARA. It is located in the southern hemisphere, and, alas, never visible from Northeast Wisconsin (and when we've been in the southern hemisphere, we forgot to look). We also liked 44A, Flim-________, FLAM, mainly because of its origin story: it came from the Norse, flim, which at some point, for reasons unknown, became yoked to flam. Really, that's no flim-flam!
Show note imagery: To ARA is human, to forgive (including for bad p...
Monday, June 9, 2025 - Expect the unexpected!

Even if you do expect the unexpected, we predict that you'll still laugh when you figure out today's crossword, as the theme is delightful. Note that if you do not figure it out, fear not, we have the 411 for today's puzzle right here, and, if we may be permitted the indulgence of mixing 14th and 21st century English, cordially beseech thee to have a listen.
Show note imagery: Rupert of Hentzau (by Anthony Hope). The former was apparently quite adept with an EPEE, whereas the latter is better known for his penmanship.
...
Sunday, June 8, 2025 - An eerily attractive crossword grid 😉

This was John Kugelman's twelfth NYTimes crossword in about 2 years, and today's puzzle makes it clear why he keeps getting published. The theme was fantastic, and there were enough challenging clues everywhere else to transform this into one of the tougher Sunday's we've seen in a while. We have the deets inside, so please, subscribe / download / listen / enjoy!
Show note imagery:SALERNO, gateway to the Amalfi coast (and fully reassembled after the big move from Spain to Italy 😀)
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Saturday, June 7, 2025 - SACRA bleu, this crossword was a BEAUT! 😀

Today's crossword was Blake Slonecker's 9th in the NYTimes, and his 4th Saturday, so he definitely knows how to write challenging clues. The grid here was impressive, with 4 full-width and 4 full-height answers -- no easy feat. And the clues were engaging, amusing, and educational. Apart from the clues mentioned in today's podcast, we did appreciate learning about 52A, Colorful knit top with Scottish origins, FAIRISLESWEATER; enjoyed 47D, Core location, TORSO; and were suitably deceived by 49A, Corruption below deck, perhaps, WOODROT.
Apart from the crossword, today's episode features our JAMCOTWA - Jean and Mike Crossword Of The W...
Friday, June 6, 2025 - A perfect Friday crossword

What, you may ask, makes for a perfect Friday crossword? We're not sure about the what, but we are about the who: Adrian Johnson, the author of today's and 5 prior NYTimes Friday crosswords, definitely knows how to make one. Both hosts found his latest to be exceptionally tricky, but, ultimately (with a little luck, a lot of experience solving past NYTimes crosswords, and a surfeit of caffeine), doable.
Besides the crossword, we also have a Fun Fact Friday™️segment, and it's a really sockerooni 😀
Show note imagery: a CANTILEVER, a beam where only one end is attac...
Thursday, June 5, 2025 - 1 debut author, 3 debut answers, an ♾️ amount of solving satisfaction 😍

This crossword had a most ingenious theme. Jean spotted it at once, enabling her to solve the puzzle in a goodly time; Mike, alas, solved it in a not-so-goodly time, meaning he had more time to savor all the ingenuity packed into Timothy Gaetz's debut crossword (bravo, Timothy!).
All the themed clues were outstanding, but the non-themed ones weren't slackers, either: 56D, Down Under bounders, ROOS; 67A, Flat sign, TOLET; and 15A, Like 2027 and 2029, but not 2025, PRIME, are just a few examples -- check out today's episode for even more.
Show note imagery: OSCARSHALL Palace...
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - OPDOC - A Spiderman villain or an NYTimes feature, something like that ...

It is unclear when "crunchy" was first used to categorize crosswords, but what is clear is that today's was definitely a crunchier than usual Wednesday - just the way we like it! Need proof? Check out today's episode, when we run through the crunchiest of the crunchy clues, for your edification and amusement.
Show note imagery: T.S. Eliot, not looking nearly as stern as his middle name might lead one to expect 😉
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Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - TAUPE, *the* perfect color choice for a toupee 🙄

There was a lot to love in today's crossword, but it had us at 25A, Ref. work with definitions for "colour" and "aluminium", OED (our favorite reference work of all time). We became even more smitten thanks to 27A, Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans," e.g., POPART; and the kicker had to be the shoutout to one of our favorite foodstuffs, 30D, Vegan protein source, TOFU (yum!).
Since it is Tuesday, we have another one of our patented, trademarked and copyrighted Triplet Tuesday™️ segments, so to see how Mike (in the hotseat tonight) fared, have a listen to to...
Monday, June 2, 2025 - Yup, this crossword was dee-lish!

This was a very fine sophomore crossword by Anthony V. Grubb, appearing almost exactly one year after his NY Times debut (also a Monday). The theme was cute; the clues, at an apposite Monday level, included a few gems. For instance, 19D, Superfan, in slang, STAN (we're big STAN STANs 😀); 31D, Pink Nintendo character from Planet Popstar, KIRBY (we're also big KIRBY STANs 😀 😀); and the somewhat fishy 55A, Hook, line and sinker, for an angler: GEAR (😉).
Show note imagery: Just in time for spring, a SPRIG of thyme 😉
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Sunday, June 1, 2025 - Time to dust off those Jumble skills!

If you grew up on Jumble (as, apparently, the author did), then you'll feel right at home tackling this awesome homage to anagrams, an impressive debut by Sam Brody. Ironically, the word anagram does not have an anagram, and so it is with great pride that we introduce the newest word in the English language, gramana, (n., a feeling of bliss that a grandmother feels upon first meeting the reason that they have ascended to the rank of grandmother).
Show note imagery: Fanny HESSE, who revolutionized microbiology through her brilliant suggestion to use AGAR, instead of gelatin, t...
Saturday, May 31, 2025 - Happy Last Day of May!

Today's puzzle was an enjoyable albeit challenging tag-team effort by Adam Aaronson and Ricky Cruz. Jean got through it in good time, Mike ... got through it, slowed down in numerous areas, but primarily by his refusal to accept that [DELETED, NO SPOILERS] was a real word.
In other news, we've selected our JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and it really was an easy choice this week: deets inside.
Show note imagery: Yep, those are indeed camels, going for a dip in the [DELETED, NO SPOILERS].
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Friday, May 30 2025 - ALLABOARD ... the crossword express! 🚂 😀

This was a fine end-of-work-week crossword by Rafael Musa, his 19th for the NYTimes and his 9th Friday, so he certainly knows this day well! Though seemingly not hugely difficult, it was a good warmup for Saturday, with fun late-week clues, such as 24D, 4 is a good one, in brief, APSCORE (🧐); 51D, Like some orders, TALL (😀); and 38D, Mythical land of untold riches, ELDORADO (👑)
In addition to the crossword, we have a great bit of listener mail / Fun Fact Friday segment for your enjoyment and edification, so prepare to become joyful and edified 😀
Show note imagery: Possi...
Thursday, May 29, 2025 - You'd probably need to be in Mensa to get the clue about Mensa 😉

The constructor of today's crossword, John Kugelman, is mostly known for his Sunday crosswords: but somehow he managed to squeeze all that ken into a 15x15 grid, and the result is this fine Thursday oeuvre. Some particularly noteworthy clues include 2D, Anarchist Sacco, NICOLA (yes, it's Wikipedia time 🙄); 1D, Something to wear on a run, SKICAP (⛷); and 51A, Word from a loud speaker, maybe, RANT (😀).
Show note imagery: Mensa seems to be lacking in star power -- it only has 4 of them -- but then it does have the Large Magellanic Cloud, with 30 billion, so it's all good.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 - 🎶 Traditiiiiiiiiion, tradition 🎶 🎻

This was a clever Wednesday crossword, and not just because its author, Peter A. Collins, slipped 21A, Understanding, KEN, and 22D, Astuteness, ACUMEN, into the grid. It was, inevitably, the theme that made this crossword shine, and you'll discover the meta-joke in that assessment when listening to today's episode (or when you've solved the crossword, whichever comes first).
Show note imagery: Members of the G6 - France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom
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Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - Just like 5D, this crossword was ALLGOOD!

This was a fine Tuesday crossword by Ginny Too, with a twee theme that lent itself to some amusing segues, as you will discover in today's episode. We also have our Triplet Tuesday segment, so to see how Jean does (hint: A frequent source of water on a farm), check out today's episode.
Just a friendly reminder that solving the NYTimes crossword has been proven to keep your neurons in peak form, and make you more attractive to whomever you want to appear more attractive to! Just wander over to nytimes.com, subscribing is easy and just $1...
Monday, May 26, 2025 - In today's episode, we drill down on dental definitions 🙄

This is Ari Halpern's third NYTimes crossword, but his previous crossword appeared seventeen years ago. We're hoping that's because Ari found other things to do in the interim, and not because he's suffered 16 years worth of rejection. Although, if he had, this would make for a gripping story of perseverance and redemption; and since Ari's day job involves film and TV scripts, he could just sell it to ... himself? Hmm... maybe not.
Show note imagery: An example of a billionaire's boat - a super YACHT
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Sunday, May 25, 2025 - 🎵 All together now ... like an Einstein-Rosen bridge, over trouuuubled waters🎵 🙄

This was a brilliant crossword by Dylan Schiff. Solving it was terrific fun, but creating it must've been a real bear (to borrow from a recent NYTimes Crossword answer). You'll see why when you check out today's episode.
Show note imagery: An OTTAWA senator, carrying one of the most lethal weapons ever created ... the hockey stick! 😱
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Saturday, May 24, 2025 - Today's crossword contained, literally, a PLEASANTSURPRISE

Both cohosts found today's crossword to be a tad on the easy side (for a Saturday), but it nonetheless had some brilliant clues. Among these were 32D, Eton ___ (traditional English dessert), MESS (yum!); 28D, Shelters from the heat?, SAFEHOUSES (har!); and 54D, Magnum and Spade, for short, PIS (book 'em, Dano!).
In other news, we have our JAMCOTWA winner (hint: if you read our podcast titles for this week, it won't take long to spot), and some terrific listener mail. Enjoy!
Show note imagery: A delicious Eton MESS
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Friday, May 23, 2025 - No, AKEE is not how you feel after eating an AKEE 🙄

Our intrepid cohosts -- solving, as always, independently -- had very different experiences whilst filling in the grid. Jean got through this relatively readily, whereas Mike muttered many imprecations and not a few desperate incantations on his way to the happy music. Deets inside, as well as a great Fun Fact Friday segment about, well, we don't know who 😉
Show note imagery: The Artist's Garden at Giverny, by MONET
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