Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Today's crossword was filled with GOBBLEDYGOOK, MUMBOJUMBO, and BALDERDASH, but we mean that in the best possible way: because today's crossword revolved around words/phrases that implied nonsense. There were a few names that might have proven difficult for newer and younger solvers, like 6D, Actress Saint of "North by Northwest", and 8D, 1957 title role for Frank Sinatra, PALJOEY, but for the most part the cluing was about as gentle as ALAMB, with plenty of opportunities for novices to experience that joyous AHA moment that makes crossword solving so much fun.

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If you are INTHEMOOD to reminisce, then this crossword is just what you need. It's a stroll down memory lane, if memory lane happened to run through a toy store, because all the major theme answers are famous, enduring and endearing toys, including CHATTYCATHY, SILLYPUTTY, TAMAGOTCHI and ETCHASKETCH, to name a few. Jean, as is her wont, breezed through today's crossword, while quite a few clues were a surprise to Mike including 50D, Promoting peace, IRENIC, and the spellings of 76D, Operatic villains, often, BASSI , and 107A, Performed a Latin ballroom dance, SAMBAED (which, for the record, still looks wrong).

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A major challenge, because, well, Saturday crosswords just tend to, AHEM, BELIKETHAT. There were numerous classical allusions in today's crossword -- from 38D, Agamemnon's son, ORESTES, to 45D, Lyre holder in classical artwork, ERATO, but there were also some more "hep" clues, such as 24D, Excited, in modern slang, TURNT, and 6D, R&B artist with the Grammy-winning 2017 hit, "Best Part", HER. Both Jean & Mike agreed that the bottom half of the puzzle was significantly tougher than the top, but both -- like 7D, The "she" of "Nevertheless, she persisted", ELIZABETHWARREN -- persisted. We give it a 5 on the JAMCR scale.

Our latest contest has a winner! Congrats to Steve M. of ... gmail.com (wherever that is 😀), who is now enjoying a free year-long subscription to the New York Times crossword.

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Well, SHIVERMETIMBERS, it's a crossword, and we solved it ... BECAUSEITSTHERE. And, just like the SCENEOFTHECRIME, there were plenty of good. clues, including 47D, Center of a circle or square, maybe, STATUE, and a fun phrase, 17A, Using any means necessary, CATCHASCATCHCAN.

We have a special offer ... be the first person to email us at [email protected] with the subject "Yes, I Want the New York Times Crossword!", and you will win a free year's subscription to the LA Times ... no, just kidding, a free year's subscription to the New York Times Crossword! It'll look great under the tree ...

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If those immortal opening notes, dum, dum, dum, duuuuuuum, don't get your heart racing, then the ANTIDOTE is to sit down and listen to those notes in situ, specifically in BEETHOVENSFIFTH. Today's crossword is an homage to LUDWIG, that most revered of composers. Jean got through the crossword with little difficulty, while Mike was stuck in IDLE for the longest time until he realized that 1A, Needing some kneading, say, was ACHY, rather than SORE.

There were a few famous folks in today's crossword -- America FERRERA, star of Ugly Betty; LOKI, the trickster from ASGARD, and Marlee MATLIN.

Finally, in honor of the holidays, Jean & Mike are giving away a fabulous (and very apropos) prize ... listen to this episode for all the details.

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This crossword was the TOPS, presenting just a SKOSH of trouble here and there. Jean, for instance, momentarily forgot how to spell KENOBI, whereas Mike likely never knew how to spell ROSEANNE, and had to deal with his old nemesis, ERSE (not to be confused, as he is wont to do, with EIRE, or ERIE, or ERIN)

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Stop the presses! it's a crossword about ... the presses! Print journalism, to be precise, with a few cameos from NPR and PBS. In keeping with the spirit of education, there was an array of interesting clues, including 4D, Indian ox, ZEBU, 15A, Comic Fields on old Ed Sullivan shows, TOTIE, and Mike's favorite, 41D, Nickname for the 1967 N.F.L. Championship Game, famously played at about -15°, ICEBOWL (yikes!). 

There were some nice juxtapositions - TOTIE close to TOTE, and ALMS next to ASKME, very nice!

Finally, for Tip Tuesday, Jean recommends learning the cardinal points in Spanish - Norte, Sur, Este and Oeste, while Mike assigns, as homework, watching The Simpsons, characters from whom show up in the crossword astonishingly frequently.

Remember, you can always subscribe to the New York Times Crossword -- it makes an excellent holiday gift! -- at nytimes.com/crosswords, and to follow along with a solved crossword, go to xwordinfo.com.

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An ABLY constructed crossword, with a TROVE of accomplished women -- ELLEMACPHERSON, KAYHAGAN, SAMANTHABEE, and SANDRAOH -- all distinguished not only by their accomplishments but by having a homonym for a letter in their name. We appreciated the reappearance of PSY (11D, Gangam style rapper), who hasn't been alluded to in the crossword since ... yesterday; and were intrigued by 34D, Typical John Le Carre work, SPYNOVEL, appearing two days after that extraordinary author's passing.

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An AMIABLE Sunday crossword by Dan Margolis, not too OUTRE, with only a few troublesome areas to SPOIL your day. The theme involved  punnily-clued movies (e.g., 26A, Indy film? (1981), RAIDERSOFTHELOSTARK, and 103A, Dock-udrama? (1954), ONTHEWATERFRONT). There were some other gems as well, e.g., 99D, Bit of ranch dressing? STETSON, and right off the bat, 1D, Wear off?, DISROBE. A nice palette cleanser after Saturday's epic battle, we give it a 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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Ooh, a killer Saturday crossword, with some real stretches in the southeast corner. Jean  was stopped by STOPTIME (47A, Rhythmic pattern in jazz) , and got run over by a baseball player doing HOMERUNTROTS (37A, They cover all bases). Mike, meanwhile, couldn't see past OPERAGLASS to get to the correct answer, OPERACAPES for 60A, Luxury wear for showgoers, and still maintains that nobody, ever, anywhere, has said PEACES on their way out the door.

We give it a 4 on the JAMCR scale.

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