Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

After a week to recharge and reenergize, both cohosts are back and in peak fighting form -- or, to be more precise, crossword-solving form. And we had an excellent crossword to welcome us back, the second collaboration between Geoffrey Schorkopf and Will Eisenberg (edited, as always, by the inimitable Will Shortz). We have all the deets inside, as well as another of our famous Triplet Tuesday segments, so tune in to enjoy all that goodness!Show note imagery: The beautiful ISOLA (island) of Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean and home to some of the longest-living people in the world (as well as approximately 4 million sheep, which makes falling asleep in Sardinian hotels particularly easy 😀).We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected], we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Today's crossword was (as you can deduce from the episode title) a fun, Christmas-themed puzzle by famed magician David Kwong. Jean & Co. solved it expeditiously, whereas David almost made Mike's streak disappear thanks to some cruciverbial magic in the top-center of the grid. All turned out well, though, for both cohosts and their streaks. Deets inside.FYI, we will be taking a hiatus this week (starting up again on the 29th). For those of you who want your daily fix, fear not -- we're pretty sure you can find something in our burgeoning back catalog. In the meantime, have a great holiday, and may Santa (or whoever delivers the gifts in your neck of the woods) send a plethora of presents your way.Show note video: David Kwong, about to make some magicShow note imagery: Amanda Gorman, presidential inaugural poet and author of "The Hill We Climb"We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected], we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

This is Robert S. Gard's second Saturday crossword. It was not quite as difficult as his first, but the cluing was deliciously deceptive, and included five debuts. Jean got through it in her usual time; Mike found it to be a tad easier than usual, but an enjoyable solve nonetheless. Remember that if you're still hunting around for the perfect holiday gift, there's still time to send the gift that keeps on giving -- a subscription to the best crossword puzzle on the planet. Show note imagery: NERDFEST 2025 (and there's still time to register for NERDFEST 2026)We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected], we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

This is a stellar Friday crossword, chockfull of effervescent clues that make it clear that an ace constructor -- in this case, Hemant Mehta --  is at the helm. There is no doubt that today's puzzle is entitled to a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, and we therefore gladly bestow it. Deets inside.Show note imagery: Yum, a delectable SMORE We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected], we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

The genius required to craft an NYTimes-worthy crossword is on full display today: Joseph Gangi has created a cuuute theme, and the hilarity of that last clause will become apparent upon listening to today's podcast and/or solving today's puzzle. Numerous other clues in the grid are also worth celebrating. We chortled at 62A, The time of one's life?, AGE (😀); puzzled over 27D, About 35,000 for the Taj Mahal: Abbr., SQFT (🧐); and chortled once more at 52D, Fabrication expert, LIAR (😁).Show note imagery: A FAUXBERGE, almost indistinguishable from a Fabergé.We love feedback! Send us a text...Contact Info:We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected], we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!