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.
Episodes
2136 episodes
Saturday, August 22, 2026 — Box Jellyfish, *Incredibly* Difficult to Sneak Up On 🪼😎
Today's crossword was, by Saturday standards, quite straightforward. But since a) Friday's crossword was a real battle royale, and b) today's clues were suitably amusing/intriguin...
Friday, August 21, 2026 — It's a Proper Noun Playground! 😱
This, Adryel W. Robles Ojeda's second NYTimes crossword, was uber difficult, thanks to a plethora of relatively obscure names, abetted by some rather cryptic crosses: we loved it ...
Thursday, August 20, 2026 — Yoda Would've Found Today's Crossword a Snap 😀 🔦
Most of the time, Thursday themes do something unexpected with the answers, but occasionally the twist involves the clues. Hoang-Kim Vu has provided a sparkling example today, and...
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 — Woah, the Fun Factor Meter Exploded! 🥳
Kareem Ayas has a real knack for writing entertaining crosswords, and those skills are on full display today. The theme was LOL, and there were marvels throughout the grid. Beside...
Tuesday, August 18, 2026 —No, You Can't Forfend the Use of Forfend! 🙄
Kudos and congrats to Jeremy Venook on getting his debut crossword in the NYTimes! 🎉🥳 He had us when he name-dropped URIAH Heep, and kept us enthralled with a theme that was ideal...
Monday, August 17, 2026 — Green Day and Pink Floyd and the Kingsmen, Oh, My! 😎
You would expect that someone who has published 85 (!) NYTimes crosswords, including 31 Mondays, would craft a fine Monday puzzle, and your expectations would be met and then some. Zhouqin Burnikel has produced
Sunday, August 16, 2026 — Today's Crossword Features CADGE, Uncaged!! 🙄
This marks Sam Brody's fourth NYTimes crossword, and we found it quite appealing. The theme was suitably punny, and we learned oodles. For instance, we now know 40D, Bum, CADGE, M...
Saturday, August 15, 2026 — Blake Slonecker Dials It Up To Eleven!
This was a challenging Saturday crossword, requiring that both cohosts really put their backs into it — which, since we are talking about crosswords, involves moving hardly a mill...
Friday, August 14, 2026 — Zhou Zhang's Friday Debut is a Beaut!
Zhou Zhang is gradually working through the days of the week: this crossword marked her Friday debut. The only days on which she has not published are Tuesday and Saturday, but we...
Thursday, August 13, 2026 — Killian Olson's Killer Thursday 😀
Killian Olson has put together a very crunchy Thursday crossword for your puzzle-solving pleasure. We found it to be quite the workout. The theme was dazzling, with lots of bamboo...
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 — Attention All Techies, Your Time Has Come 😀 📡
This midweek crossword was short (well for some: YMMV) and sweet, with a theme that did a fine job of melding two of our favorite activities: cruising the web, and cruising NE Wis...
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 — Alright, Our Favorite Psychedelic Rock Band Named After a Body Part Is in the Grid 😀
Today's crossword, a debut (😃) by Wade Bednar, combined music and dynasties — specifically Chinese dynasties — in an absolutely ingenious way. But Wade didn't slough off whe...
Monday, August 10, 2026 — It's National Lazy Day! We'd Celebrate, But, YKNOW ... 🙄
Nate Cardin's 8th NYTimes crossword was a quintessential Monday puzzle. For one thing, it didn't have QUINTESSENTIAL in the grid. This is not particularly surprising, though, beca...
Sunday, August 9, 2026 —My, Grandma, What Long Answers You Have 😀
Making any Sunday crossword is definitely not easy. Making one with a two-high stack of grid spanning answers is amazing; and making one with 2 two-high stacks, in one puzzle, is so difficult that it has only happened 3 times in...
Saturday, August 8, 2026 — Roll Up Those Sleeves, It's Time to STEEVE 🙄
This was Kameron Austin Collins' 20th Saturday NYTimes crossword, and his name at the top of the marquee is pretty much an ironclad guarantee that we're in for a good time. We laug...
Friday, August 7, 2026 — Booyah, Jesse Cohn Has Assembled a *Panoply* of Clever Clues!
This is Jesse Cohn's fourth Friday NYTimes crossword, and it checks all the right boxes:Tough, but not soul-crushing ✅Educational ✅Highly entertaining...
Thursday, August 6, 2026 — A Highly Filling Thursday Crossword 😂
Today's podcast title — we promise! — will seem quite droll, even, dare we say it, chuckleworthy, once you've sussed out today's theme. We won't say any more about that here, but invite you to have a listen as w...
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 — Don't Caper Around With That CABER, You Could Put an Eye Out! 🙄
If you took a look at this crossword and decided that it's time to split, we commend you on your choice of metaphor. Daniel Bodily has constructed a puzzle that pays homage to, and...
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 — Could the NYTimes' Favorite Cookie Get Even Yummier? Evidently There Is a Way! 🍪
If you like weddings, have at least a passing knowledge of Indian words, and enjoy puns, then you should find today's crossword theme quite satisfying (as was the case for both coh...
Monday, August 3, 2026 — Hoozah, it's National Sandwich Month!! 🥪
Willa Angel Chen Miller's crosswords normally show up on Friday, so we were slightly concerned to see her name here on Monday, but she has done an excellent job, with some straight...
Sunday, August 2, 2026 — Today's Crossword Won't Steer You Wrong!
This was an awesome Sunday crossword by Ralph Sharaga (a debut for him) and veteran constructor Doug Peterson (this is his 61st!). The theme was absolutely hysterical, and...
Saturday, August 1, 2026 — Allo, August!
Saturdays are typically the most challenging crosswords of the week, and today's was a splendid mental workout, with some absolutely stellar clues, including 33A,...
Friday, July 31, 2026 — G'bye, July!
Rafael Musa was in his element today — over 50% of his crosswords have appeared on Friday. We were therefore unsurprisingly KEENON on today's effort, which featured a bevy of fine...
