This was a pleasing Friday crossword - the grid looked daunting, and the clues were definitely on the hard side (Mike in particular wallowed in the bottom third of the grid), but it was overall a great end to the work week. We have deets inside, as well as a delectable Fun Fact Friday™️ segment, so check it out now! 

Show note imagery: The stunning ROYALOPERAHOUSE, in Covent Garden, London.

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The NYTimes crosswords are always good, but this one stands alone, definitely worth a chef's kiss and even possibly a hug -- it was that exceptional. The theme was stupendous, and absolutely essential to solving the puzzle, for reasons that we delve into, in detail, in today's episode.

Show note imagery: TAIO Cruz, author of (among other great works), Dynamite.

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Although this was a Wednesday crossword, some seriously Friday-level clueing did manage to make its way into the grid.  Jean had to exert considerable mental effort, and Mike had to  consume almost an entire bowl of Lucky Charms™️, before -- working independently, as is their custom -- they were able to get to the happy music. This was an awesome Wednesday/Friday, and represents Eli Cotham's third NYTimes crossword. We await, with eagerness and a tinge of trepidation, crossword number 4.

Show note imagery: A few JAWAs, probably getting ready to make a deal with some desperate moisture farmers.

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This was Tarun Krishnamurthy's second NYTimes crossword. It was just as good as his first, and considering that he wrote it while still in high school, we can anticipate him constructing a long, long string of great puzzles. 

A few clues (not mentioned in the podcast) of note include 26D, Get tangled up, RAVEL (oh, so that's what happens when you don't UNRAVEL); 36D, A sixth of the way through the hour, TENPAST (uh, oh, math 😀); and 61A, Reason for overtime, TIE (un, not PAY, gotcha!).

To get the full 411, as well as hear how Mike did on today's Triplet Tuesday™️ battle royale, download today's episode ASAP. (Oh, and don't forget to subscribe, so you never miss an episode).

Show note imagery: ALTHEA Gibson, a ground-breaking and supremely talented tennis player. 

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This was the second crossword and collaboration between Jill Rataloff and Michelle Sontarp. Both are lawyers, and while they might be, and it would be awesome if they were, partners in the firm Cross, Down and Diagonal, Attorneys at Law, that is only speculation on our part.

The puzzle itself was great -- a gentle Monday with several surprising clues and answers that we hone in on in today's episode.

Show note imagery: A KITTENHEEL

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This was yet another highly challenging NYTimes crossword, but, since it was a Saturday, we were not surprised in the least. [Truthfully, we thought that maybe Will would give us a break after yesterday's mental marathon, but nooooo... 😀]. So, written at exactly the right level of difficulty, and with stellar cluing throughout, today's oeuvre by Barbara Lin definitely deserves 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

In unsurprising news (since it is Saturday, and we do this every Saturday) we have our JAMCOTWA - Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award - winners. Check out today's episode to see if your champion took the brass ring, so to speak.

Show note imagery: Gee, HAW is an interesting word 😀 

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Friday crosswords are supposed to be a challenge, and we can only imagine Evan Mulvihill cracking his knuckles while saying "I got this". And what we got out of the deal was this excellent, challenging Friday puzzle. Definitely worth a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale, for reasons that we make clear in today's podcast.

Show note imagery: Yes, beast mode is a thing!

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It took just one teensy-weensy act to shift this crossword from nigh-well impossible to fun and eminently doable. Unfortunately, that act was to figure out the theme. If you know, in your heart of hearts, that an answer is correct, yet won't fit, then one word should emblazon itself in your frontal lobe, and that word should be ... rebus! 

Deets inside, so have a listen, subscribe, and then tell others about us on social media.

Show note imagery: NASA's pumpkin suit, aka the "Advanced Crew Escape Suit", used by Space Shuttle astronauts to protect them in case of a loss of ship pressure.

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If crosswords were paintings, today's would be hanging in the Louvre, it is that good. The theme is a winner, but the rest of the clues are magnificent. We're not just speculating here, though, we have proof -- all of which can be found in today's episode.

Show note imagery: The mighty MISSISSIPPI

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Today's grid had a few surprising entries. One that in particular caught our eye, because it has never caught our eye, was 30A, Altar constellation, ARA. It is located in the southern hemisphere, and, alas, never visible from Northeast Wisconsin (and when we've been in the southern hemisphere, we forgot to look). We also liked 44A, Flim-________, FLAM, mainly because of its origin story: it came from the Norse, flim, which at some point, for reasons unknown, became yoked to flam. Really, that's no flim-flam!

Show note imagery:  To ARA is human, to forgive (including for bad puns like this one), divine 😀.

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