Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, October 9, 2026 — For Some, Spelling SYSIPHEAN is, Well, SISYIPHEAN — or, Third Time's the Charm — SISYPHEAN🙄 | 10 Oct 2026 | 00:06:58 | |
Now this was a Friday crossword — themeless, tricky, and highly entertaining. We have to applaud 39A, It's mine, all mine!, EGO; scratch our heads at 44D, "Gymnopédies" composer, SATIE; and will, shortly after this podcast, be off to investigate 58A, Hidden element of FedEx's logo. Those were just three of scores of similarly high-caliber clues. TLDR: another fine effort from Nam Jin Yoon. Show note imagery: One of the biggest games in Spanish football, ELCLASICO, a battle between Barcelona and Madrid that has been raging since 1902. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, October 8, 2026 — Oh, No, It's an ONO 🐠 😀 | 09 Oct 2026 | 00:11:45 | |
Rachel Grey and John Kugelman have collaborated on a very clever Thursday crossword, based on a dizzying theme that it took both cohosts no little time to suss out. Fortunately — and we have proof — one did not need to grok the theme in order to solve the puzzle. The clues that surrounded the theme were also first-class. There was something very 19th century about 43D, Under a parasol, say, SHADED; something very last century about 33D, "Midnight Cowboy" con man, RATSO; and something very this century, and orthographically suspicious, about 34D, Cringeily cute, TWEE. Show note imagery: BLUTO, getting ready to pulverize Popeye (or at least try to!) We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, October 7, 2026 — In the Great ROTI v. NAAN Contest, ROTI Scores Again!! | 08 Oct 2026 | 00:13:21 | |
Listeners may recall that the appearance of ROTI or NAAN in the grid immediately drives us to xwordinfo.com to check out the number of times each has appeared in a crossword. As a consequence of today's fine puzzle, ROTI is up by one, so ... yay, ROTI! 😀 We consider ourselves to be up by much more than that, for this was a wonderful Wednesday crossword with some sharp cluing. A few entries that stood out were: 18A, Well-manored men?, EARLS (ha!); the debut 3D, Sly reply to "You can't possibly know that!", OHBUTIDO (uh, oh!); and the very LOL 14A, LOL lite, HEH (Heh!). There are more great clues (of course!), and we explore a fair number of them in today's episode. Kudos to Ben Zimmer for this fine midweek puzzle. Show note imagery: It's T. Rex's great, great, great, great, great, great, great granddaughter, still ticked after not getting a callback for Jurassic World 7 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, October 6, 2026 — Adam Vincent's Got Our Number! | 07 Oct 2026 | 00:14:54 | |
This was definitely a Tuesday crossword, and we say that not just because of the calendar. The clues were slightly trickier than yesterday's, but still eminently doable with a little cogitation (and a few well-placed crosses). While not everyone is familiar with, say, 14A, Classical Persian poet, RUMI; 64D, Bank with a lion in its logo, ING; or 30A, Who said "Revolutions are the locomotives of history", MARX — the crosses were pretty straightforward (although, as usual, YMMV, depending on what's in your wheelhouse). In addition to our cutting-edge crossword analysis, we have a hilarious Triplet Tuesday™️ segment that you will not want to miss ... so don't! Show note imagery: ING Bank, long may it roar We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, October 5, 2026 — Ah, Those Tsky Tusky animals 🐗🙄 | 06 Oct 2026 | 00:09:18 | |
It's been a hot minute since Chase Dittrich's last NYTimes crossword, but he's here now with a fine Monday effort. The theme was engineered for Monday solvers, and while most of the answers were common enough, there were a few that neither cohost had heard before — always a good thing. Being a Monday, we have another JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) segment for your listening pleasure. But we don't want to spill the beans here, so — in a display of willpower — we won't! Rather, you are welcome, nay, heartily encouraged, to check out the episode for all the deets. Show note imagery: Is that a vegetable, or a fruit? Only your local botanist knows for sure ... We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, October 4, 2026 — 🎶 Mercy Sakes Alive, Looks Like We Got Ourselves a Convoy! 🚛🚚 😀 | 05 Oct 2026 | 00:12:52 | |
Kathryn Bale's absolutely fabulous debut crossword is in honor of a holiday that we had no idea existed until tackling Kathryn's puzzle. In our defense, the holiday first came into existence in 2020, and its appearance in today's crossword appears to be the first time it's been mentioned anywhere in the NYTimes. What is that holiday, you ask? Check out today's episode and all will be revealed! Show note imagery: A pair of SPRINTCARS, based on a 410-cubic-inch, methanol-fueled engine, vroom! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, October 2, 2026 — KAC Is Back with a Chef's Kiss of a Saturday Crossword 😘 | 04 Oct 2026 | 00:13:44 | |
Kameron Austin Collins, aka KAC, specializes in tough Friday and Saturday crosswords. Today's is a perfect example, with cunning clueing everywhere you look in the grid. We can't say enough good things about it, but we gave it the ol' college try in today's episode, so ... enjoy! Show note imagery: DIANFOSSEY, a real primatologist's primatologist! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, October, 2, 2026 — Finally, Epictetus Gets His 15 Minutes of Fame! | 03 Oct 2026 | 00:13:46 | |
This was a perfectly crafted crossword to wrap up the work week — not too hard, not too easy, but juuuuust right. It included some awesome clues, for example:
And there were others, which we explore at length in today's podcast. To top it all off we have a tasty FFF (Fun Fact Friday) segment for your listening pleasure. Enjoy! Show note imagery: Epictetus, a Greek stoic philosopher who was dead set against lying We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, October 1, 2026 — Do Not Rebel, But Rather, *Revel*, For RAVEL is Back! 🙄😉 | 02 Oct 2026 | 00:10:31 | |
Jill Singer's fourth NYTimes crossword was a great way to start October, with a legion of edutaining clues — and if that's not a real portmanteau, let's just call it slang and move on 😀. We certainly were educated and entertained by 9D, Great Basin tribe, PAIUTE; likewise by the very witty 48A, Is long ago?, EST; and, more edu- and less -taining, 9A, Some instructors, for short, PROFS. Show note imagery: The Queen of Salsa, CELIA Cruz (no relation to TED, AFAWK). And if you are unfamiliar with Ms. Cruz, don't walk, run to your favorite music app and be prepared to be amazed! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, September 30, 2026 — A Crossword with a Lot of PANACHE | 01 Oct 2026 | 00:10:19 | |
Unsurprisingly, themed crosswords rise and fall on the strength of their themes. In this case the theme causes the crossword to rise, but there are a slew of other clues in the puzzle that make it soar. Besides the awesome ones covered in today's episode, there was a clue written for onomatopoeia-ists: 57A, Pie-in-the-face sound, SPLAT; another for the math majors in the crowd: 42D, Trig function that can output every real number, TAN; and a brilliant one for fans of all things Norse: 29D, God whose name has one "I," fittingly, ODIN. tldr: A fabulous crossword by Joel Woodford, absolutely worth five squares on the JAMCR scale. Show note imagery: The absolutely gorgeous Isle of IONA, in the Scottish Hebrides. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — Hanh Huynh Hits a Plakata!! (Fear Not, We'll Explain 😀) | 30 Sep 2026 | 00:16:33 | |
This was a fine Tuesday crossword by Hahn Huynh. The theme was novel, and the supporting cast of characters elsewhere in the grid were plentiful and suitably perplexing. We had to rule out several obscure answers before solving 1D, Address ending that's not .com, .org or .gov, EDU (not MIL nor BIZ, and definitely not INFO). It took us a HOTMINUTE to figure out 25A, Pretty long time, in an idiom, HOTMINUTE (😀). And we could see two ways to go with 57A, Pitcher's asset, ARM (the right way), and AIM (the not-so-right way). We also have a splendid piece of listener mail that includes a slew of synonyms for home run, including, plakata (so now you know). Show note imagery: The SUN•MAID maiden, possibly wondering why it took her so long to get into the NYTimes crossword! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, September 28, 2026 — We'd Never Lead You Down The Garden Path ... But this Crossword Might😱😉 | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:09:40 | |
This, Helen Chen's second NYTimes Crossword, slung a lot of slang (which for the sake of argument let's pretend is grammatically correct 🙄), but it was all for a very good cause, as today's episode will reveal. In addition to the crossword, we have chosen our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and we've awarded it to a gifted constructor for a highly challenging piece of art. Deets inside. Show note imagery: A scrumpdillyicious Girl Scout SAMOA We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, September 27, 2026 — A Crossword Engineered to Make Your Head Spin! | 28 Sep 2026 | 00:17:21 | |
Adam Wagner's 35th NYTimes crossword was a doozy that just might make you dizzy, so strap in before you try it! And once you have, come back right here to check out our analysis of this spectacular piece of work. We won't divulge the theme right here, but merely note that it was such an attention getter that a slew of other marvelous clues got lost in the glare. Among the many worthies were 26A, Turned into an internet gag, MEMED; 8D, Have a spring in one's step, PRANCE; and 64D, Univ. course that's in demand, ECON — all pretty spectacular in their own right. Show note imagery: Mmm, SMOREOS 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, September 26, 2026 — 🎶 🎸 Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting ... Clever Crossword Constructors Like Brian Callahan 😀 | 27 Sep 2026 | 00:11:50 | |
Now this was a Saturday crossword, and there are two key tells that give it away. First, of course, the calendar never lies — it's Saturday. Secondly, the clues were deliciously devious, definitely pegging the difficulty meter in multiple areas. We have clue-by-clue coverage inside, so have a listen, and, if you like what you hear, please spread the word among your friends/family/colleagues/random strangers you meet in the streets 😀. Show note imagery: Frangipane, a delicious almond-flavored cream We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, September 25, 2026 — Rafael Musa's Back with Another Baffling (but Fabulous!) Friday Crossword | 26 Sep 2026 | 00:17:37 | |
We would venture to guess that today, Friday, is Rafael Musa's favorite day of the week. He certainly knows how to construct Friday-level crosswords, with just the right ratio of confoundment to merriment. Today's puzzle is a case in point. In addition to the crossword, we also have a delightful Fun Fact Friday🥳 segment for your listening pleasure. All that's available right now, and it's all yours in 3 easy steps:
Show note imagery: Jordan's capital AMMAN, formerly known as Philadelphia We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, September 24, 2026 — Another CFTA (Crossword For the Ages)!! 🎉 | 25 Sep 2026 | 00:10:50 | |
The NYTimes crossword has its standards (as in an expectation of excellence: no dreck allowed) and its standards (rules/conventions that must be followed). We are pleased to announce that its standards (former) remain as high as ever, and that its standards (latter) have been temporarily set aside, resulting in the glorious puzzle that it is our privilege to discuss today. Years from now, we predict that people will be able to recall the exact couch/sofa/recliner/chair they were sitting in when they tackled this crossword: yes, it's that good. Deets inside. Show note imagery: Yum, our favorite pizza! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, September 23, 2026 — An OBOE's a "Sprightly Companion"? Um, Okaaaaay ... 🤔🧐 | 24 Sep 2026 | 00:11:48 | |
There were several quite intriguing clues in today's grid. Your cohosts found 62A, Instrument also called the "sprightly companion", OBOE, to be the intriguiest* of the lot. Mike's curiosity was piqued by 33D, Jay's reticent partner of filmdom, SILENTBOB, while Jean was at least mildly surprised by 3D, "Star Wars" series starring Diego Luna, ANDOR. Both found 4D, Music genre named for its voluminous dos, HAIRMETAL, to be Wednesday-worthy cluing. Indeed, the entire crossword was of a high caliber — exhibit A being today's podcast on that very subject. Show note imagery: The Sprightly Companion, an instruction manual for playing, and the inspiration for the nickname of, the OBOE. *that might be a word, somewhere ... We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, September 22, 2026 — A WONDERful Tuesday Crossword 😉❤️ | 23 Sep 2026 | 00:05:04 | |
The name "Erik Agard" has been known to cause crossword solvers to quake in their boots, because the esteemed gentlemen has crafted some very challenging puzzles in his time. Since today's was a Tuesday crossword, however, Erik did manage to dial it down appropriately, and turn in this fine homage to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. No revealers here, but we will say that the artist in question has won 25 Grammy awards (more than any other male solo artist), and has sold over 100 million records to date. Now that's a strong work ethic! Show note imagery: Look out, Titans, 12 o'clock high! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, September 21, 2026 — 🎶 🫖 Tea, For Two, and Two For Tea 🫖 🎶 | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:05:20 | |
Today's crossword was a great start to our puzzle-solving week. The theme was très amusant, as the French like to say, definitely worth the price of admission. The clues were designed for novice crossword solvers, but still had a certain joie de vivre (as the French also like to say) about them — we're looking at you, 31A, Hair parter, COMB; 27D, Paves the way?, TARS; and speaking of French, 58D, French possessive, SES. C'est bon! Show note imagery: The gloriously beautiful Emerald Isle, EIRE We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, September 20, 2026 —Tracy Gray Shows Off Her Crossword Super Powers | 21 Sep 2026 | 00:14:29 | |
Tracy Gray has had 38 crosswords published in the NYTimes, including 13 Sundays. We'd call today's work a typical TG puzzle, except for the fact that there is no such thing: her creations are all unique. The only thing that they have in common is a bevy of novel clues, and a theme that you probably didn't see coming. We discuss the latter, at length, in today's episode. Just to give you a taste of the former, we present for your consideration 100A, Part of SCOTUS, THE (a fabulous way to clue a somewhat ordinary answer); 103D, State with only three counties: Abbr., DEL (news to us!); and 106D, Star football player?, TEXAN (hike! 😀) Show note imagery: Nicola Amati, creator of some of the world's finest violins We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, September 19, 2026 — Playing a Ukitar's Easier When Wearing a Unitard? Riiiiight ... 🙄 | 20 Sep 2026 | 00:09:57 | |
This was a lively Saturday crossword, thanks in part to Hannah Slovut's talent at working exciting new answers into the grid: there were a total of 10 debuts, not too shabby at all. Even the non-debut answers were exciting. There were at least 4 that neither cohost had ever heard of before, for which we are quite grateful. There's more inside, so have a listen, and please don't forget to leave us a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts. Show note imgagery: Ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdale and Judy Splinters — jointly awarded the first Emmy award ever given. History does not record who delivered the acceptance speech ... 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, September 18, 2026 — A Splendiferous Way to Wrap Up the Workweek | 19 Sep 2026 | 00:15:50 | |
Ryan Mathiason's third NYTimes crossword, and his first Friday, was an elegant piece of cruciverbial magic. We like clues that educate —13A, Modern tech aid whose design was inspired by a Go board, QRCODE; clues that make us think — 31D, Act like yourself, perhaps?, DOACAMEO, and especially clues that allow us revel in the joys of English — 40A, Two in a row?, FOES. There were, manifestly, many such clues in today's puzzle. For that reason we are proud to give Ryan's oeuvre a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. After a highly analytical, um, analysis of the crossword, we have a Fun Fact Friday segment, and a fabulous Fan Mail message. You can check that all out, for the low, low price of $0.00, right now! Show note imagery: TED Chiang, sci-fi writer extraordinaire. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, September 17, 2026 — 🎉 Woo-hoo, 250,000 Downloads and Counting!! 🎉 | 18 Sep 2026 | 00:14:02 | |
According to BuzzSprout, our podcast has had over 250,000 downloads, and so, to celebrate, we're ... going to do another podcast 😀 Your cohosts had slightly different impressions of today's crossword. Jean, who used her wits to power through the top of the crossword despite the total absence of down clues in the region, found it to be a major challenge. Mike, who completely ignored the top of the crossword until the rest of the grid was filled out, found it ... considerably easier. For all the color commentary, check out today's episode (and get us to 250,001 downloads 😀). Show note imagery: LINDT chocolates, mmm, mmm, good! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — Bonjour, BASENJI! | 17 Sep 2026 | 00:10:35 | |
Today's crossword was an homage to a state that seems to be bursting at the seams with National Parks, and that state would be ... [REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE SPS (SPOILER PREVENTION SOCIETY)]. In addition to the theme, we found much joy in today's grid. We covered the highlights in today's episode, but we also were quite fond of 21A, Big bang cause, TNT; 55A, Canine guard?, RETAINER; and 65D, In medias _______, RES. Show note imagery: a BASENJI, the Cutest Dog Ever™️ We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, September 15, 2026 — All Cohosts Present and Accounted For, Suh! | 16 Sep 2026 | 00:11:14 | |
There was cause for much celebration at JAMDTNYTC HQ, as the J of the aforementioned podcast made her triumphant return to the studio. She chose an auspicious day to do so, because the crossword was awash with theme clues, which she spotted with unnerving accuracy. We also have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your enjoyment. Show note imagery: Ah, yes, we remember the dreaded EDITWARS of aught-six, We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, September 14, 2026 — 🎶 Daylight Come and Me Wanna Go ... Solve a Crossword 🎶🙄🍌 | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:06:06 | |
Today's crossword — a joint effort by Andrea Carla Michaels and Dena R. Verkuil — had a lot of appeal, and if that generates peals of laughter, then this sentence will have done its job! Being a Monday, the puzzle was straightforward: its mission was to entertain and entice, not (as sometimes happens later in the week) confound and confuse. As today's episode can attest, it succeeded on all fronts. Show note imagery: SHEL Silverstein and Johnny Cash, writer and singer, respectively, of "A Boy Named Sue". We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, September 13, 2026 — Hey, It's a Tiny Escape Room 😀 | 14 Sep 2026 | 00:06:05 | |
Today's crossword — a very nice piece of work by Henry Lin-David and Frank S. David — featured an adorable, tiny escape room! You can't miss it — it's right in the center of the grid — and you also can't escape it, because the room is entirely walled off from the rest of the grid by black squares. This is only the 31st time, in the entire history of the NYTimes crossword, that the puzzle has included a disconnected region (it's hard to have crosswords if words don't cross!), but it is all for a very good cause. Check out today's episode for all the deets. Show note imagery: On the left, a cake topped with STREUSEL; on the right, an apple strudel We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, September 12, 2026 — An *Effervescent* Saturday Crossword! | 13 Sep 2026 | 00:04:53 | |
It's not often that we get to haul "effervescent" out of long-term storage, dust it off, and plant it where it needs planting, but today is one of those days, for the crossword, by Adam Wagner and Michael Lieberman, was terrific. The puzzle was not the hardest Saturday we've seen — in part because the Pop Culture Meter was close to 0 — but the clues were just delights, every one of them an intricate work of a master crossword constructor / punster. Deets inside. Show note imagery: MOTHRA and Godzilla, in such a frightening battle that they scared all the colors away 😱 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, September 11, 2026 — Robyn Weintraub Is Back, and We Are Better for It! | 12 Sep 2026 | 00:14:06 | |
Considering that this is Robyn Weintraub's 37th Friday crossword(!), she has certainly earned the sobriquet, the Queen of Fridays. We hope she wears her crown at a jaunty angle, in honor of the many jaunty clues in today's puzzle. We enjoyed the bait-and-switch of 6D, Sounds of fall?, THUDS; the spirited defiance implied in 13D, "Keep Commerce Human" website, ETSY; and the somewhat esoteric (at least from Mike's perspective), 23D, Fabric related to chambray, DENIM. TLDR; Another fine Robyn Weintraub puzzle, worth every one of the 5 squares, on the JAMCR scale, that we hereby bestow upon it. Show note imagery: Pretty much every 10th building in major Canadian cities, Tim Hortons (no apostrophe!) We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, September 10, 2026 — Simeon Seigel, aka "Mr. Thursday", Strikes Again!! 🥳😱 | 11 Sep 2026 | 00:13:15 | |
Today's crossword, by Simeon Seigel, featured another "puzzle-within-a-puzzle", and we loved it, from 1A, TikTok stars, to many, IDOLS, all the way down to 61A, Filler akin to "like ..." or "I mean ...", YKNOW — and everything in between. A few non-themed clues stood out, among them 6A, Locale for an old flame?, WICK (very nice!); 53D, Completely savage, PAN (we were not ready for that one!); and the "duh, of course"-inducing 27A, New Year's date, concisely, ONEONE. There were more, and they are in today's episode, so check it out and then let us know what you think! Show note image: Golf club taxonomy Show note videography: a WAVETANK, in motion: We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, September 9, 2026 — Argh, It's Write Crosswords Like a Pirate Day! | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:11:47 | |
Our cohosts had very different experiences, solving today's puzzle. Jean cruised through it like the QE2 on a serene summer's day; Mike's journey was more reminiscent of the Vasa's, thanks to a series of stupefying own goals, although he did eventually emerge from the depths, sputtering and muttering oaths like "what the deuce!". Details of the full saga are one click away, so download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Show note imagery: The Vasa, a 17th century Swedish warship that sank in Stockholm harbor just as it was beginning its maiden voyage. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, September 8, 2026 — A Terrific Tuesday Debut! ❤️ | 09 Sep 2026 | 00:14:39 | |
We are pleased to report that Sunny Maharjan has joined the elite pantheon of NYTimes crossword constructors. This, his debut, is a gem. It was a quick solve (especially for Jean), but the theme was a hoot and a half (which we conjecture is a well-known adage, somewhere — we just don't know where). What we do know is that the rest of the grid had some abfab clues, such as 67A, College, to Aussies, UNIS; 15D, Shape of conchiglie pasta, SHELL (ok, now we know); and 1D, Jaguar's home, JUNGLE (not, as Mike originally theorized, GARAGE). Beyond the crossword analysis, we have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your enjoyment, and another listener-inspired edition of So, That's How You Pronounce It!. Enjoy!! Show note imagery: Dame Judi DENCH, playing M alongside a person who definitely likes their MARTINI shaken, not stirred. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, September 7, 2026 — Alas, Poor Muzak, We Hardly Knew Ya'! | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:15:36 | |
For the of you who are feeling nostalgic for Muzak, you have two choices: this crossword, or Urgent Care 😀. We recommend the former, because Jeff Chen and Stephan Prock have put together a wonderful Monday offering, as we discuss in today's episode. We are also pleased to announce our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for this week, namely [REDACTED: SEE PODCAST FOR ALL THE DEETS]. Show note imagery: Regardless of how you spell it, ODES(S)A is one cool city! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, September 6, 2026 — Lights, Camera, ... Really Cool Crossword! | 07 Sep 2026 | 00:16:41 | |
John Kugelman has written 24 crosswords for the NYTimes, including an impressive 17 Sundays. Today's was novel, in that for the first time it featured color illustrations — Gray Lady indeed! Both cohosts found the puzzle to be a challenge, definitely crunchier than usual for a Sunday — filled with fascinating clues and quite a few bedeviling naticks*. We loved it, and thereby bestow upon it 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Show note imagery: Aww, it's a SHIHPOO ❤️ *A natick consists of two clues whose answers cross and are both unknown to the solver. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, September 5, 2026 — We'd Be Lyin' If We Said We Weren't Curious About the LION Dance 🙄 | 06 Sep 2026 | 00:12:08 | |
Both cohosts found today's crossword easier than yesterday's, but just as entertaining. It featured some phenomenal clues, including those discussed on today's episode, but here are a few more to whet your appetite:
We also have a poker aficionado set us straight on the question of poker rivers in today's listener mail. You'll definitely want to check out all that, and you can do so, very easily, by clicking on the ol' play button, somewhere in the vicinity of where you are reading these words. Show note imagery: Definitely not your typical African lions, doing the lion dance in Qinhuangdao, China. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, September 4, 2026 — Julian Xiao Cranks it Up to 11! 😱🥳 | 05 Sep 2026 | 00:17:39 | |
Both cohosts struggled mightily with today's crossword, the third from Julian Xiao since 2024. Here are just a few clues, to give you a taste of the difficulty level (spoiler alert: it's high):
We cover quite a few more in today's podcast, and have a terrific Fun Fact Friday segment / game for your enjoyment, so get it now, hot off the presses (um, so to speak)! Show note imagery: The Shanghai Maglev, the fastest passenger train in the world We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, September 3, 2026 — Holy ingenious crossword theme, Batman!🦇😉 | 04 Sep 2026 | 00:16:21 | |
If it seems like you've been seeing Zhou Zhang's name in the crossword a lot, lately, you are not imagining things: her name has appeared in the masthead a whopping 7 times ... and the year's not over! The reason she is appearing so frequently is as obvious as today's crossword was sublime — she writes clever, quirky clues that make you think, smile, and feel great once, or if, you've figured them out. Check out today's podcast for a profusion of examples. Show note imagery: An example of Labanotation, a dance notation used by choreologists to capture dance moves. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, September 2, 2026 — MMMMagnificent! 😋 | 03 Sep 2026 | 00:11:24 | |
Mac Motz has produced a mmmmagnificent debut crossword. We are not entirely sure how he came up with the theme, but we thought it terrific — we are such suckers for alliteration. Who could resist 46A, Making out openly or a mobile device, in brief, PDA; or 12D, Member of a membership, TIER; or 50D, Mouth moistener, SALIVA. We could go on and on, because every single clue had the same alliterative structure. Stupendous! This definitely merits a full and enthusiastic 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Show note imagery: UPS, née The American Messenger Company We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, September 1, 2026 — Javan Rhino, Nine O'Clock High ... Sipping a Latte?? | 02 Sep 2026 | 00:13:13 | |
This was a relatively rare event, a double debut for Paul Hudes and Margot Kohn. Kudos to both for an excellent job. The theme sparkled, and clues like
kept us thoroughly engaged. After analyzing the crossword, there is a Triplet Tuesday segment in honor of, well, Tuesday — and Jean makes short work of it. Show note imagery: A Javan rhino, one of, if not the, rarest large mammals on Earth, with just over 70 known to exist. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, August 31, 2026 — A Gooey-licious Monday Crossword 😀 😋 | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:11:05 | |
This was another fine Monday crossword by Christopher Youngs. The theme was delicious, and the clues maybe a tad more feisty than usual for a Monday. As an illustration, consider 37A, Took shots first, then paid for them later, RANATAB (nice!); 50A, "Need an ark? I Noah guy," e.g. PUN (argh!); and 43D, Tetra- minus one, TRI (indubitably 🧐). In honor of Monday we have picked out our JAMCOTWA, a doozie of a crossword that really tickled our fancy. Deets inside. Show note imagery: The Inuit village, of Oopungnewing, near Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, about 160 years ago. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, August 30, 2026 — Tempus Fugit? Perhaps Tempus Has a Terrible Memory 🙄 | 31 Aug 2026 | 00:14:42 | |
Today's crossword relied on an anagram-adjacent concept, that of a letter bank: all the letters in the clue can be used as many times (but at least once) in the answer. Once you realize this (which may only happen once you get the revealer figured out), you can rule out answers that include non-banked letters, considerably shortening the solve. 😀 What makes the puzzle particularly challenging (and therefore fun!) is the need to recognize the names in the answer based only on an unrelated name. Both cohosts were able to get through this, Jean through talent and encyclopedic knowledge, Mike by repeating his mantra, aka the Galaxy Quest theme — never give up, never surrender*. There were a slew of difficult (read: abfab) head scratchers in today's crossword. We don't have enough room to list all of them(!), but these certainly got our attention: 82D, Barolos e Brunellos, VINOS; 52D, John ___ Day (California commemoration), MUIR; and 42D, Double-breasted pieces of menswear, POLOCOATS. Show note imagery: John MUIR, environmentalist extraordinaire! *unless it's a Saturday Sam Ezersky puzzle, in which case knock yourself out 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, August 29, 2026 — Red Alert! Deviously Difficult Saturday Crossword at Twelve O'Clock, High! | 29 Aug 2026 | 00:14:32 | |
Rafael Musa and Kate Chin Park have put together an awesome Saturday crossword, tough, fair, with some absolutely magnificent cluing. Both cohosts had to follow the advice of 42A, Put your backs into it, TRY — while reconciling that with the Yoda's famous quote and meme, "Do or do not. There is no try". We've covered some of our favorite clues in the podcast, but others stood out as well. We were enthralled with 35A, Ones giving a toast at an outdoor party?, PATIOHEATERS. 😀 Right beneath it was the nicely misleading 37A, Court session, perhaps, TENNISLESSON (ah, that kind of court...). Finally we had the rarely spotted 11A, Half-spoken, half-sung passages of an opera, ARIOSI. Show note imagery: Three of the founders of TECHNO — Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May — in their native habitat, aka the recording studio. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, August 26, 2026 — Let's Hear It For SCREAMO 🎸🎸 | 29 Aug 2026 | 00:13:29 | |
Jack Hatchett seems to be getting a good handle on Friday crosswords. This marks his second in just over two months, and both have been quite entertaining. Today's did include a large dollop of pop culture, which Jean barely noticed, but caused Mike to mutter "heavens to murtagroyd!", and, in particularly sticky corners, "what the deuce!", while en route to victory. We have all the deets inside, plus a Fun Fact Friday segment that just may cause you to adjust your travel plans. Have a listen, and let us know what you think! Show note imagery: BRER Rabbit, getting ready to do something very tricky indeed We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 — Captains Ahab, Noah and Kirk Walk Into a Bar ... | 28 Aug 2026 | 00:15:04 | |
We wouldn't say that today's crossword had a boring theme, au contraire. But you still might think about snoozing as you solve, for reasons that will become abundantly clear once you've looked at the puzzle. Apart from the non-snoozefest of a theme, we did admire 38D, French bread?, EURO (trés drôle!). We also were astonished that 56A, Large storage unit, GIGABYTE, was a debut. Finally we loved the nostalgia-inducing 31D, "Heavens to Murgatroyd!", EGAD. EGAD! Show note imagery: The mysterious, awe-inspiring NAZCA Lines, of Southern Peru. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Wednesday, August 26, 2026 — You Don't Know EDUMACATE? Prepare To BE EDUMACATED! | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:13:00 | |
Today's crossword, a collaboration between John Kugelman and Lance Enfinger, had a bonus puzzle within a puzzle. First, there was the traditional 15x15 grid we all know and love (to solve); then we had the theme, whose revealer seemed to be more of a concealer. Fortunately, the light eventually dawned, so we've got the full 411 right here for your listening pleasure. Show note imagery: The one, the only, it's Mr. Rockhead Sylvester Nate Oscar George Slate (really, that's his full name!). We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Tuesday, August 25, 2026 — Bryan Kaproth-Gerecht Swings For the Fences and ... It's Outta Here! | 26 Aug 2026 | 00:15:06 | |
Bryan Kaproth-Gerecht's debut NYTimes crossword is a marvel, with an insanely clever theme brilliantly executed. We can't say enough good things about it, but in today's episode, we give it the ol' college try. We also have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment to test your mettle, so have a go, and let us know how you did! Show note imagery: There's nothing like a quick holiday getaway to Saturn's largest moon, [NAME REDACTED TO AVOID SPOILERS], for a little water skiing, er, hydrocarbon skiing 😀 We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Monday, August 24, 2026 — Zing ZANG, Runner Up, 2026's Most Amusingly Named Drink Mix Contest | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:11:32 | |
Steven Jopek is making his debut in the NYTimes, so kudos, congrats, huzzah, etc., etc. Although after the fact the crossword seemed like a typical Monday, during the solve it seemed to put up just a bit more resistance than usual, although, of course, YMMV*. One thing that stood out: we were impressed by the progression represented by 44A, She, in Portuguese, ELA, 40D, Actor Idris, ELBA, and 57A, Jazz great Fitzgerald, ELLA. It's that attention to detail that gets you, well, published in the NYTimes. 😀 We've also picked our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) for the week, and had to reach waaaaay back to find it. How far back? Let's just say that we are currently seeking chiropractic treatment to recover from the effort. Medic! Show note imagery: ANGELFALLS, Canaima National Park, Venezuela, the world's tallest waterfall. *or if you're on the Metric system, YKMV We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Sunday, August 23, 2026 — A Crossword That Has Absolutely Nothing to Do With Tubular Pasta 🙄🍝 | 23 Aug 2026 | 00:14:09 | |
Today's puzzle marks Jill Singer's debut Sunday NYTimes crossword, which playfully pays homage to a now passé form of coinage. We'll let you mull over that cryptic hint, or, if you can't wait, simply download today's episode, where all will be revealed. Show note imagery: One of our favorite stores, which, if you stretch it a lot, is indeed related to today's theme We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Saturday, August 22, 2026 — Box Jellyfish, *Incredibly* Difficult to Sneak Up On 🪼😎 | 23 Aug 2026 | 00:09:04 | |
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/intriguing/educational, we are not complaining, quite the contrary. Our analysis waits within, so have a listen, and, as always, please let us know what you think! Show note imagery: A Box Jellyfish, in search of a Lens Crafters that offers quantity discounts We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||
| Friday, August 21, 2026 — It's a Proper Noun Playground! 😱 | 22 Aug 2026 | 00:16:00 | |
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 (as today's podcast makes clear). As an example of the cryptic crosses, we had 29D, Diamond wear, MITT (nice one!); 49A, Especially ornate, ROCOCO (we definitely had to dredge that out of long-term storage); and 7D, Sport similar to pétanque, BOCCE (a clue that helped ...not at all 😀, which was surely the point). tldr: this was a delightful piece of work, definitely worth 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Besides the crossword, we have a Fun Fact Friday segment which may be of particular interest to those of you suffering from, well, just about any malady at all (although remember, we are not medical doctors, and under no circumstances, whatsoever, should you listen to us as opposed to persons who are, you know, qualified 😉). Show note imagery: The Schaezlerpalais' Festival Hall, in Augsburg: it doesn't get much more ROCOCO than this! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: | |||