Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

A picture-perfect crossword, with an LOL theme, a geographically wide-ranging set of clues (from 35A, Manhattan neighborhood next to SoHo, NOLITA, to 36D,Hawaiian island shaped like an apostrophe, LANAI, to 42D, Setting for many van Gogh works, ARLES), and a few other goodies that we delve into in today's episode.

Remember, the NYTimes crossword is a great way to stretch your vocabulary, keep your pop culture references up-to-date, and impress your friends at parties (if you go to those sorts of parties, which you most definitely should). Just go to nytimes.com/crosswords, they'd love to have you as a subscriber!
 
And we would too! If you like this podcast please a) hit the subscribe button and b) tell your friends about us.

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A fine, feline-themed Tuesday crossword by Emily Rourke, with a few rarities in the grid, including 15A, Darling one, MOPPET (last seen in 2014!), and 1D, Shaggy Beatles hairdos, MOPTOPS (making its 4th appearance in the crossword, ever), and finally 24A, Cereal mascot who says "They're gr-r-eat!", TONYTHETIGER ( appearing for the second time, debuting in 1966). We liked this crossword a lot, it was GR-R-EAT!

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

It's not clear if the authors, Andrea Carla Michaels and Kevin Christian, were in the midst of a raging snowstorm when they constructed this crossword, but 9A, How revenge (or pizza) is best served, COLD, 21D, Frozen, GELID, 57A, Behaved in a laid back way, ACTEDCOOL, and 34D, "Rocks" that clink in a glass, ICE, really make us. think that that might've been the case. Regardless, this crossword did not leave us COLD at all -- in fact we warmly give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A slightly GNARLY Sunday crossword: Jean, we have it on good authority, tore through this in no time flat, but Mike, due to his almost total lack of knowledge of pop culture (anything more recent than 1850), to say nothing of his woeful ignorance of Spanish, found the road a little less SEDATE. Deets inside, so download now and beat the rush.

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A sweet Saturday crossword by Adam Aaronson, not too difficult, but we are not complaining! Just the opposite in fact, and to hear us expand on that general assessment we cordially invite you to subscribe, download, listen up, and enjoy!

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Today's crossword was just bursting at the seams with tricky clues: it seemed like the entire top of the grid was roped off with GIVEITUPYOUDONTHAVEACHANCE tape, but thanks to perseverance, grit, and in Jean's case a functional memory, in Mike's case a large dollop of good luck, both were able to persevere.

In today's episode we also have a yummy fun fact for Fun Fact Friday™️, and another episode of our periodic segment, "Oh that's how you pronounce it!". Enjoy!

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A highly educational Thursday crossword. Clues like 16A, Smallest South Pacific nation, NAURU; 1D, The flowers in Amy Lowell's "Your great puffs of flowers / Are everywhere in this my New England"; and 31D, Agricultural item that Nigeria produces more of than the rest of the world combined, YAM; were certainly eye-openers for your co-hosts. One of us found the puzzle tricky, the other impossible; and to find out who, all you need to do is subscribe (optional, but highly recommended), download and listen up!

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

For those of you who remember where you were when the James Webb Space Telescope finally deployed, the NYTimes has you covered, with a great, astronomy-themed puzzle. But even if you're not a space-nerd, there was a galaxy of fabulous clues, such as 27A, Dispenser of drafts, TAP (cute!), 43A, "The lowest form of humor -- when you don't think of it first," per Oscar Levant, PUN (ha, ha!), and 42A, One righting writing, EDITOR (ho, ho!). We approve, and hereby bestow this puzzle a perfect 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A fine Tuesday puzzle by Margaret Seikel, with a straightforward theme and not too much pop culture. It helped slightly to be acquainted with The Princess Diaries, so, advantage Jean. Mike only had one gimme, 46D, Lex of "Superman", LUTHOR, counterbalanced by the curious 41D, "Should we bounce?", WANNAGO, and the overwhelming urge to spell 11D, Italian pressed sandwich, PANINI, with more N's than a sandwich deserves to have.

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

A hilarious (and we use that term very rarely) theme by Seth Bisen-Hersh in their debut NYTimes crossword  appearance, a great start. We won't spoil the joke by telling it here, but the entire crossword is a setup, and the payoff is exquisite. Details within, so you know the drill: subscribe (if you don't already), download, listen up and enjoy!

We love feedback! Send us a text...

Contact Info:
We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected].

Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!