Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Today's crossword was an homage to the iconic series STARTREK, which has been around since the 1960s and at this rate seems likely to continue to exist until its actual putative time, in the 2260's.

While this likely gave an advantage to trekkies, we suspect that most readers will at least be familiar with the major characters -- and if not, that the crosses would come (as they often do) to the rescue.

Besides the crossword...

This was a superlative Saturday crossword, thanks to an ocean of uber-crisp clues, each forming a "mini-mystery" that you had to solve en route to the happy music. 

Marvel at the handiwork of, for instance, 9D, Mountain range that spans 67º of latitude, ANDES; 6D, Key for getting rid of your work, in brief?, DEL; and 29D, They're all equal in a circle, RADII; The vast majority of the clues were of that ilk, making for...

This was a fantabulous Friday crossword that will have you saying 49D, "Look what I did!", TADA, if you are able to solve it. On the way to that illustrious goal, you might have a hunch as to an answer, in which case your 22D, Intuitive ability in the Marvel Universe, SPIDERSENSE, might start tingling. And if you were both able to solve the puzzle and let your friends know about it, they might give you a hearty 12D, "...

Once again, the rebus rules, and indeed in today's crossword may even be said to teem, for it appears a whopping ten times in today's grid, in various amusing and unexpected places that are detailed in today's episode. Really, the whole puzzle is fANTastic! Deets inside.

Show note imagery: If you're looking to book a shanty, why not book from Wisconsin's very own Northwood SHANTIES?

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Today's theme was sweet -- literally! You'll know why within 30 seconds of the start of today's episode, or, if you're in more of a hurry, within 30 milliseconds of glancing at the grid. 

There were some fine clues in today's puzzle. We doff our hats in recognition of 25D, Land of llamas and Llosa, PERU; 62A, "Really?", HUH;  and finally, the wry 39A, Like poker champion Chris Moneymaker's nam...

This was an ab fab Tuesday crossword by Peter Gorman, with an admirably serpentine theme, as we explain in today's episode (and, as usual, you can see  by checking out the solution at xwordinfo.com). Beyond the theme, there were sone other unexpected answers - our favorite kind! Finally, icing on the cake, we have our fabled Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

Show note imagery: All aboard the Glacier ...

Writing the clues for today's crossword must've been quite the chore, but Brian Callahan has done himself proud. It took a bit of cultural archeology to make sense of 64A, Coneheads, e.g., for short, ETS (a reference to SNL characters); it took no effort at all to meander down the wrong path while contemplating 1A, "Catfish" channel: MTV (oh, that sort of catfish); and we still cannot believe that after 82 years...

This was an astonishingly good Sunday crossword by John Kugelman, thanks to a jaw-dropping display of anagrammatic magic. We've got all the deets inside, so be prepared, to be amazed!

Show note imagery: THOMASEDISON, who in 1904 obtained a patent for an electric car, was only about 100 years or so ahead of his time.

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This was a relatively straightforward Saturday crossword, but the clues included 7 debuts (and 2 that have not been seen in donkey's years): that made for an intriguing grid, and we definitely enjoyed the solve. Of course, based on the Law of Conservation of Crossword Difficulty (which, as we recall, won Margaret Farrar a Nobel prize in Cruciverbalism in 1960), it means that tomorrow's crossword could be nigh well impossi...

This was an excellent debut crossword by Fritz Juhnke: the clues and answers were fascinating, offering plenty of opportunities for AHAMOMENTs. There were several answers that neither cohost had ever even heard of (but have now!), always a good sign when working on an end-of-the-week crossword.

Besides the crossword, we have a terrific Fun Fact Friday™️ segment for your edification, so have a listen, and, as always, let us know what...

This was a delightfully crunchy crossword by Ginny Too - her third NYTimes crossword in about a year. There were a boatload of novel clues†, which made the solve just that much more satisfying. We have the deets inside, so have a listen, and please tell others about us on social media.

Show note imagery: Behold, a MELISMA (multiple notes sung over one syllable)

†like 14A, † symbols on manuscripts, OBELI

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Joseph Gangi has had 4 NYTimes crosswords published, all of them Wednesdays. He clearly has the difficulty level down pat, and his themes are always inventive: today's crossword being a case in point.

Apart from the clues scrutinized in today's podcast, we'd like to draw your attention to 33A, "I don't mind ___ / Except as meals. / And the way they feels": Ogden Nash, EELS; 37D, Word aptly hidden in &qu...

In honor of the heatwave that some of you may be experiencing, Jeremy Newton has crafted a cool crossword to cool you down. ☃️ You are cordially invited to chill out with us as we frolic through the grid (and, of course, another great edition of Triplet Tuesday™️).

Show note imagery: CICERO, who presumably was at a very bad party when he uttered his famous phrase, "Silence is one of the great arts of conversation".

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Alright, here's a challenge: what word has appeared in the NYTimes crossword grid a whopping 926 times, counting today? We'll let you ponder that, and wait until the end of these show notes for the "big reveal".

There were a lot of very fine clues in today's puzzle. We were fans of 4A, What an angry customer may leave, NOTIP. We also liked the zing of 60D, Something to pick up at a beach, TAN; and finally we...

This was a fun crossword by Michael Schlossberg. The theme gave us an opportunity to -- at last! -- use the word "idiom" in a sentence without sounding like an idiot 🙄, and the clues gave us a chance to exercise our little grey cells (as Mary Westmacott (or, to be precise, the writer whose ALIAS was Mary Westmacott) would have put it).

Among our favorite clues not heretofore mentioned were 55D, More than wanna, GOTTA (thr...

In the pantheon of great cruciverbalists, there clearly needs to be a pedestal with Erik Agard's name on it. Why? Just check out today's crossword (and podcast!), or any of Erik's 81 other crosswords that have appeared in the NYTimes. This one being a Saturday, it was tough -- and Mike found it almost streak-breakingly-so, whereas Jean, to whom people are apt to turn when Wikipedia doesn't deliver the goods, had...

Kelly Morenus has crafted a superb Friday crossword, challenging but not overwhelming (although YMMV depending upon your life experiences, how many crosswords you have solved previously, and, at least a SKOSH of good luck). We've covered a hefty tranche of clues in today's episode, but we'd also like to give a shoutout to 4D, The Brickyard 400 or Southern 500, e.g., NASCARRACE; 32A, Between then and now, SINCE (good ...

Thesauri will have to be cracked open to do justice to today's crossword, it was that extraordinary/astonishing/engrossing/ingenious/delightful. It was, of course, the theme that made it so, one that took both cohosts, working independently as always, no little time to suss out; but that just made the eventual "aha!" moment that much sweeter. Deets inside!

Show note im...

This was a highly elegant Wednesday crossword, featuring that most elegant of drinks (and one of the most famous letters in the English alphabet 😉). If you haven't figured it out by now, then we'll keep this short so you won't have to wait tOOLONG to achieve enlightenment.

Show note imagery: Bud Abbott (left) and Lou Costello, two legendary old-time radio comedians who definitely would've appreciated the tOOLONG...