Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

This was a fun Saturday crossword, which one of our cohosts (Jean) found to be an easy solve whereas the other (by process of elimination, Mike) found to be deucedly difficult. The reasons for both may be found on today's podcast.A few other artfully-crafted clues that were left on the editing room floor* include 6D, ___ Carlos Jobim, father of the bossa nova, ANTONIO (careful: the music is uber-soothing); 52A, Bracket contents, TEAMS (oh, those kinds of brackets); and 39A, Artificially unsophisticated, FAUXNAIF. Show note imagery: ARUBA, the westernmost territory of the Netherlands*nobody's actually edited video like this since the last century, but is still an evocative phraseWe 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 was a great cruciverbial workout by Kyle T. Dolan, whose crosswords tend to be on the challenging side, with 11 of his 19 NYTimes puzzles appearing on Friday or Saturday. The clues today were deviously clever, yet oddly obvious in hindsight. We have all the deets inside, plus a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment celebrating one of the great leviathans of the deep (but no, not that leviathan, the other one 😉). Show note imagery: From l. to r., APOLLOVII astronauts Donn Eisele, Wally Schirra, and Walter CunninghamWe 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, a collaboration between Wendy L. Brandes and Barbara Lin, had an awesome theme that both cohosts temporarily missed in distinct and rather amusing ways that we will not describe here, so as to mildly increase suspense as you wait for the episode to download. While that is happening we would also like to draw your attention to 58D, Where the coffee and Wi-Fi might both be strong, CAFE 😀; 13D, Actor John who has granted more than 650 wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, CENA 😇; and, file this under "sad but true", 34D, About a third of an N.F.L. broadcast, ADS 📺.Show note imagery: ANTON Chekov, desperately trying to find something that rhymes with "Orchard" 😀 Show note URL: For those of you wondering who ANTON Chekov was, checkout Checkov for beginners: recommended storiesWe 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!

As the week progresses, the crossword constructors get more opportunities to add spice to the mix, and Joseph Gangi, author of today's fine puzzle (edited, as always, by the legendary Will Shortz), has been spending overtime in the kitchen, the result of which is the effervescent grid you see before you (or will see if you visit our favorite site, xwordinfo.com).Besides our cutting-edge analysis, we also have (speaking of cutting) some listener mail regarding CUTCO. So for all of that, you are cordially invited to download, listen up, and enjoy today's episode.Show note imagery: Georges Seurat, a man well suited to crossing those t's and (especially) dotting those i's 😀.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 was a debut for Nate Hall, and he does a bang-up job. The theme was perfect for a Tuesday, and there were some marvelous clues throughout the grid. Jean's favorite was 44D, Pet sitters?, LAPCATS, whereas Mike's was definitely 22A, Creature that moves at an average speed of 0.03 miles per hour, SNAIL. 🐌Besides our tour through the grid, in honor of Tuesday we have another Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your enjoyment: this week Jean shows why she is the Queen of Triplet Tuesday.Show note imagery: Speaking of queens ... arguably the greatest arena rock rockers of all time, QueenShow note URL: the latest trailer for Avengers: DoomsdayWe 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!