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...

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, P...

This was a classy Monday crossword, and the fact that Carolyn Davies Lynch and Christina Iverson are in the marquee has a lot to do with it. The clues just seemed to have a little...

Hopefully you remember your Greek lessons, listeners, because they — or at least one of them, which we hope for comedy's sake took place on a PHIday — will come in particularly handy ...

This was a fine Saturday crossword by Kamereon Austin Collins, his 25th for the NYTimes and his 17th Saturday opus.There were a slew of great clues in the grid, inclu...

Greg Snitkin and Glenn Davis have collaborated on two crosswords, both Fridays, and both fantabulous. Today's had some novelties, including 3 superb debuts: 14A, Winning like crazy...

This was a delightful Thursday crossword by Mallory Montgomery and Zhou Zhang. Jean got through it at gazelle-like speeds, whereas Mike, who made the tyro's mistake of following hi...

Our co-hosts had almost comically differing experiences solving today's crossword. Jean found it to be ... a breeze, whereas Mike found it to be a category 5 hurricane, wh...

Today's crossword was terrific. A theme that pegged the pun-meter, a second theme that nobody other than your cohosts know about 😀, and a lot of other fine clues in the grid. We pa...

This was a gentle Monday crossword, easing us into our crossword-solving week. It was still entertaining, though, thanks to a theme that will lift your spirits — literally. 

Gene Louise De Vera's 5th NYTimes puzzle was one for the books. One of the sacrosanct rules of NYTimes crossword-dom is that an answer never appears twice in the grid. Well, rules ...

The clues in today's crossword, Hannah Slovut's third for the NYTimes, were so dazzling that we felt we ought to wear shades while solving it. There were scads of clever clues ever...

To explain the episode title: this was, indeed, an awesome crossword. And, as has happened for years upon years, Deb Amlen scrutinized the crossword in the accompanying NYTimes col...

It's a new year, so why not start it off with a new constructor? That may or may not be Will's reasoning, but today's crossword is indeed a debut for Topher Booth, and it is an aus...

In honor of the ultimate day of 2025, Jeffrey Martinovic has donned both his party hat and thinking cap, the end result of which is today's fine crossword. We have, as a...

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 cros...

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 Dav...

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 throu...

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 ...

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 appar...

This was a whimsical Wednesday crossword by the talented duo of Gary Larson and Doug Peterson. The theme was a triumph, buoyed up by a bevy of crisp clues, including:...

This was a gentle Tuesday crossword, slightly more challenging than Monday, and prepping us for the even more rigorous crosswords sure to come this week. Difficulty level not wit...

Today's puzzle checks all the Monday crossword boxes: Clever and straightforward theme?  ✅Built with the novice-solver in mind? ✅Published...

This was a jaw-dropping pick-me-up of a Sunday crossword by debut constructor Zachry Edward-Brown (a high-school student, no less!) and veteran John Kugelman. The theme was spectacular, with a twist at the end that would have Agatha...

Today's crossword, by Gene Louise De Vera, was one for the record books. Exactly what record was broken we are not going to reveal here, but rather keep you in suspense, dear lis...