Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

In today's episode, Mike learns how to pronounce MEME and LOLCATS; Jean teaches Mike how to pronounce MEME and LOLCATS; and we have a Fun Fact about an answer that appeared earlier in the week, ECOTONE. Download and enjoy!

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Apparently Pun Prison had a breakout today, but fear not -- the escapees got stuck in today's crossword, where they are waiting for your ... enjoyment? Here's just one, to give you the idea: 27A, Cry on arriving for a boating trip?, WHATSUPDOCK. Alas, they don't get any better (or is that worse)? All kidding aside, it was a pleasurable and not too difficult puzzle from the clearly pun-obsessed crossword constructor Jake Halperin. We give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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A nice Wednesday crossword. Jean got through it lickety-split and tickety-boo. Mike got through the first top 2/3 fairly expeditiously but then went into tai-chi mode, due to his lack of knowledge of 37D, Native Caribbean plant whose fruit grows in clusters,  the delicious SEAGRAPE, and his belief that  64A, A giant one rises in Citi Field after ever Mets homer. was somehow a reference to ADELE (as opposed to the correct answer, APPLE).

Both Jean & Mike, although solving, as usual, independently, were jointly and justifiably lured into believing that 46A, Transitional region between biomes, was ECOZONE, as opposed to the correct answer, ECOTONE. OOPSYDAISY!

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HEAVENSTOBETSY it's been a long time since we've heard anyone say HEAVENSTOBETSY, but it popped up today, along with several other phrases from some bygone era, courtesy of Amanda Chung and Karl Ni. There were several loooong clues, long enough that the grid needed to be stretched to 14x16: so for those of you who calculate your subscription on a per square basis, the New York Times owes you exactly 1 square (14x16 = 224, 15x15  = 225). 

It's Tip Tuesday, and today Jean reminds us that ORLE is a heraldic border, while ORLY is more likely to be seen on airplane tickets (remember those?). Mike has a tip on how to interpret ?, "" [ ] and word(word) grammar/structures when they appear in a clue.

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A more difficult than usual Monday crossword, but filled with sparkling clues like 34A, Hairstyle popularized by Lucille Ball, POODLECUT,  40D, Nonsense, MALARKEY,  44A, Cheap neighborhood bar, LOCALDIVE, and 38A, For two, in music, ADUE. Today's episode covers all that and more, so download and be prepared to be uplifted!

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Today's crossword was clearly a LABOROFGLOVE, and if you think that there's a typo in this sentence, listen to today's episode to be disabused of that notion. Jean got through today's crossword in her usual expeditious manner, while Mike-- puzzled by the fact that the answer to 31A, Emergency room concern, was TRAUMA rather than PROOFOFINSURANCE -- had to go EXTRAINNINGS before he could LASSO a victory. 

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A NEATO crossword from the pen of Peter A. Collins, rife with amusing clues (32A, "Squee!", IMSOEXCITED, 37D, Worn down apparel?, PARKAS (awesome!), and 20A, Part of a driver's manual, CLUTCH). There were a few clues that might make respectively, spelling-challenged and Anglophobes blanch -- 36A, Former name of Kazakhstan's largest city, ALMAATA, and 26A, Crown Jewels' quality, LUSTRE. The latter ties in nicely to Thursday's crossword, where the amazing Sam Ezersky challenged us with 48D, Strong luster, SATYR. 

All in all, a fine Saturday, we give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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After yesterday's quagmire, today's crossword is (relatively) straightforward -- not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but there were enough toeholds in every area of the puzzle to give one hope. Jean, for instance, knew 27D, Figure skater Lipinski, TARA, in the center left of the crossword; 21D, Tony-winning musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda during his second year of college, INTHEHEIGHTS, on the right side; 11D, It may keep you on your toes, BALLET, in the northeast corner;, and 45D, Painter and devotee of 11D, DEGAS, in the southwest. Mike knew, um, well, ... we'll get back to you on that. In the meantime, we give this crossword a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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An epically challenging Thursday opus from the fertile mind of Sam Ezersky, today's puzzle was ESSENTIALLY half cryptic crossword, half QUIZ. Jean took a shade longer than usual to figure things out, Mike was lucky to get out with his streak alive. Download and listen up for all the gory details.

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Happy Pre-April-Fool's Day!. And in honor of the occasion, Trenton Carlson has produced a crossword that fooled, well, one of us, with a  virtual-natick at the corner of 48A, Dance move that went from trendy to cringe in the 2010s, DAB, and 50D, Mayim who played Amy Farrah Fowler on "the Big Bang Theory", BIALIK. Said cohost also had  problems in the middle of the puzzle, briefly contemplating 59A, Key of Beethoven's ninth, to be NMINOR (a really, really low (high?) note). The other cohost found the entire puzzle to be a breeze.

For the full lowdown, and to discover which cohost was in the know and which was in lexiconic distress,  download today's episode and listen up!

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