Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Today's crossword included the reappearance of 2D, Egyptian king of the Gods, AMNUNRA, whose alternative spellings are so legendary - AMUNRA, AMENRA, AMONRA , to name just three -- that he has earned the unofficial moniker, God of Dubious Spelling. 

The rest of the grid was entertaining, focused on the concept of 37A, Portmanteau coinage describing this puzzle's theme, ALLITERNATION. Examples of these include 17A, Game that has only a single round, RUSSIANROULETTE, 23A, Single item seemingly always found at the bottom of a McDonald's bag, FRENCHFRY (cute!), and 49A, Entrance divided in half horizontally, DUTCHDOOR. 

In other news, it's Triplet Tuesday, and Mike gets 2 out of 3, only striking out on DOW. To hear that and more, download and listen up!

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Today's crossword was a Monday, but it was a little "crunchier" than usual., with clues that might trip up novice solvers, such as 53D, Thai currency, BAHT,  42A, Official language of Iran, FARSI, and 27D, Feature introduced to the iPhone in 2009, VIDEO). Jean (of course) tore through today's grid, but Mike found a few speed bumps - is it CATE or KATE Blanchett? The former. Is it TIG or MEG Ryan (definitely the latter).  A fine crossword, so in response to 17A, "This is my final offer", TAKEITORLEAVE it, we most assuredly will take it.

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A crunchier than usual Sunday crossword, the grid was filled with amusing clues but plenty of pitfalls. Jean had a spot of bother with 77A, Sesh on Reddit, AMA (short for Ask Me Another). Mike, meanwhile, was apparently  unaware of 88D, Ike's domain in W. W. II, ETO, an answer that had appeared in the New York Times crossword a staggering 449 times, even more than the official cookie of the New York Times crossword, the OREO (443 times). The fact that the T of ETO crossed with 91A, Dostoyevsky's Prince Myshkin, so the book title declares, IDIOT, is just salt in the wound 😀. So, a tough but interesting crossword, we give it a 4.5 squares on the JAMCR scale. 

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A surprisingly straightforward Saturday crossword, with joyfully few RORs (Ridiculously Obscure References™️) to slow down the proceedings. Mike still managed to find a way, however: and to learn exactly how, you know what to do: download and listen up!

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Both Jean & Mike found today's crossword to be definitely on the harder side of the spectrum -- with the top-left corner causing particular grief. Both were eventually able to rally, although it was an epic battle. For all the deets, as well as the 411 on the EVZONES that is the basis of today's Fun Fact Friday, hit download now!

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One look at the grid, with a series of 1 letter squares with black on both sides (something that almost *never* happens) was a tipoff that something unusual was happening. Fortunately, the puzzle was written by Timothy Polin, who's usual behavior is to crank out great crosswords, and he is in fine form today, apparently able to create cross-lesswords as well as crosswords. We rate this an awed 5 squares on the JAMCR scale -- download and listen up to get all the deets.

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A shocker of a Wednesday, with (wait for it) a rebus! And a very clever rebus at that, one that might drive you coocoo, so to speak. (We won't say more about the theme here, download the podcast  to get the full 411.) The crossword started off strong, with 1A, Animal that's also a plant?, MOLE (nice!), a helpful tip at 16A, Good advice during an emergency, KEEPACOOLHEAD, and possibly together for the first time ever in a grid, 22A, Yokohama drama, NOH, and 40D, "I'm such a meathead", DOH 😀.  A fun Wednesday, we give this a cheerful 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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If you felt HEARTBROKEN after doing today's crossword, well, that's probably just a side-effect of the theme - the word HEART, appearing in words with an increasing number of other letters being inserted in between. Otherwise this was a fun crossword, with a few notable clues -- 34D, Communication at Gallaudet Univ, ASL (marking the second time that has appeared in as many days); 46A, Stage name of Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys, MCA (!), crossing 46D, One of the Spice Girls, MELB (which is not, apparently, short for MELBATOAST or something similar). Jean got through the crossword, PRESTO, as musicians like to say, while Mike was more LARGO, getting hung up on 37D, Euro rival, in brief, USD (not USA, which he had equated with an abbreviation of Europe).

It's Triplet Tuesday, and Jean goes down swinging. To hear all the deets, download and listen up!

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Mondays are traditionally the easiest crossword puzzles of the week, designed to gently welcome novice solvers to the fold, and this one definitely succeeds. It has some intriguing clues -- 1D, Handy way of communicating, in brief?, ASL; 56A, 1967 hit by the Tremeloes suggested by the starts of 17-, 27- and 46-Across, HERECOMESMYBABY; and a nod to one of Mike's favorite books, 7D, "_____ and Crake" (Margaret Atwood novel), ORYX. But it also has some old chestnuts, such as 41A, Airport guesses, for short, ETAS 25A, "Othello" villain*, IAGO, and 40A, Brian who was once with Roxy Music, ENO. And of course ... [pregnant pause] ... it had a theme, involving delivery. For more deets, download today's episode!

*but a hero to crossword constructors

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It's hard not to like a puzzle that manages to work in 63A, Final creature encountered in "Dr. Seuss's ABC", ZIZZERZAZZERZUZZ, on its way to working a grand total of 40 (count 'em) Z'S into the grid, a genuine tour de forze, um, we mean force. Jean had trouble in the upper right, in particular with 33A, Jurisdiction of a Catholic Church official, DEANERY crossing with 34D, Kilt-wearing Greek infantryman, EVZONE (really?). Mike, meanwhile, worn out by having worked on this puzzle for an embarrassingly large number of hours ( listen to the podcast if you really want to know!),  totally missed the point of 86A, Opportunities to win a vacation on "Wheel of Fortune", PRIZEPUZZLES, instead going for PRICEPUZZLES, unfamiliar, as he was, with the crossing 87D, Victoria Falls river, ZAMBEZI, thinking instead that it was CAMBEZI. 

So, a tough puzzle, with a lot of naticks, but with bonus points for so much RAZZLEDAZZLE, it still earns a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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