Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Many of us needed to TAKEABREAK after Thursday's epic struggle, and this puzzle by Robyn Weintraub filled the bill nicely. It had some clever cluing, like 24A, One who might have a brush with fame?, ARTIST, and tricky word acrobatics, like 15A, What's before after, at the end?, EVER. 

Of course, based on the law of conservation of crossword difficulty (which we just made up), Saturday is going to be devastating. Or will it now? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

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A fabulous Thursday challenge by Sid Sivakumar, with a gimmick that has to be seen to be believed ... except that you *can't* see it. Intrigued? Listen to the podcast to hear the whole story!

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Today's crossword features SLEWS of PRETTY funny puns, like 17A, Ways to cross a river in Switzerland?, BERNBRIDGES, and 28A, First showing at a film festival in France?, CANNESOPENER (oof). Jean cruises through today's puzzle like it's a Monday, but while Mike was able to DOIT, he finds  the top left corner ETRE (eh, to be) a pretty tough slog.

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In today's podcast, Jean revs up the Tip Tuesday apparatus with tips about cars, Mike extols the virtue of listening to musicians that appear in the crossword (e.g., Joe Satriani), and both agree that today's crossword deserves an EASYA -- because it was, easily, worth an A, the equivalent of 5 squares on the JAMCR scale

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A somewhat "crunchier" crossword than usual for a Monday, including words like 56A, Perfect example (EPITOME), 39D, Calm and impassive (STOLID) , and a reference to 48D, Portrait painter Rembrandt PEALE (aka, we hope, the "other" Rembrandt). Still, we do not EGRET for a moment having done this VINE crossword 🙄.

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Jean cruises through today's crossword, while Mike crashes his ASTIN, excuse us, *ASTON* in this light-hearted Sunday exercise in punnery. It earns a 4.25 on the JAMCR scale, and ... that's AWRAP!

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A relatively straightforward Saturday crossword, with lots of new words thrown in to the mix, including 36D, French dessert of fruit encased in sweet batter, CLAFOUTI, 40D, Language from which "peyote" comes, NAHUATL, and  a reprise of an oldie but goodie, 1A, Pattern of five shapes arranged like this puzzle's central black squares, QUINCUNX.

All in all, a nice Saturday frolic by Victor Barocas and Brad Wilber, edited, as always, by Will Shortz.

For those of you of a culinary persuasion, here, from the same newspaper that brought you today's crossword, is a recipe for Clafouti.

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In today's podcast, Jean contemplates the eternal question -- is it UTAHN, or Utahan. Mike, meanwhile,  engages in a painful rationalization of BATFLAPS as the answer to 15A, Showboaty home run celebrations. The correct answer was, of course, BATFLIPS, but, well, ACCIDENTSHAPPEN.

Listen in to learn more about today's crossword-- which earns a very respectable 4.5 on the JAMCR scale.

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G'day mate! You call that a crossword? THIS is a crossword, a fine one, in fact, celebrating all things from the land DOWNUNDER, aka AUSTRALIA -- from DIGERIDOO to VEGEMITE, and several other clues in between. Jean & Mike also briefly ponder whether Will Shortz is stranded at an airport, because no less than 3 clues alluding to being stranded at an airport, involving either a FOGIN or ICEIN, have appeared in the last 3 days. Send a search party!

Be sure and check out nytimes.com/crosswords, where you can subscribe to the New York Times crossword and begin your journey crossword-solving. And while you're on the web, also check out Jeff Chen's amazing xwordinfo.com, an indispensable site for serious crossword solvers (well, as serious as crossword solvers can be 😀)

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Jean & Mike give a VULCANSALUTE to Rich Proulx, who, HOPEFULLY, will not HANGLOOSE too long before he graces us again with his presence -- this crossword was a VICTORY for all concerned, 5 squares on the JAMCR scale.

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