| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Scrab | Debut | Flow | Fresh |
| 1.48 | 6 | 24.4 | 13% |
Tue 11/30/2021
| M | C | A | T | | O | L | G | A | | S | T | A | S | H |
| E | L | L | A | | P | E | R | U | | E | A | G | L | E |
| C | E | E | S | | E | D | I | T | | L | I | R | A | S |
| C | A | P | T | U | R | E | T | H | E | F | L | A | G | |
| A | T | H | E | N | A | | | O | T | I | S | | | |
| | | S | I | T | F | O | R | A | S | P | E | L | L |
| A | O | L | | T | E | R | M | | S | H | I | N | E | S |
| C | H | A | T | | | Y | E | S | | | N | O | V | A |
| I | N | W | I | T | H | | G | A | M | E | | L | I | T |
| D | O | N | T | S | A | Y | A | W | O | R | D | | | |
| | | A | U | R | A | | | S | T | A | T | U | E |
| C | O | N | N | E | C | T | T | H | E | D | O | T | S |
| N | O | K | I | A | | H | O | O | P | | B | R | A | T |
| S | T | R | U | M | | T | O | R | I | | O | S | H | A |
| A | S | A | M | I | | S | L | O | T | | D | O | N | S |
Some of my favorite memories involve playing board games with friends and family, so it was wonderful to get this theme accepted for publication. I detailed the creation of this puzzle in a lengthy blog post, in hopes that it would help other new constructors like me (and also because I just like talking crosswords, even if I'm speaking into an empty room). The highlights:
- This one went through multiple iterations. The first version included PICK A BONE WITH US (Operation), PULL A FAST ONE (Jenga) and STOP DROP AND ROLL (Yahtzee) as themers. I think you'll agree that the finished product is an improvement.
- Hopefully solvers don't find this grid to be too segmented. Grid design is not my strength. On the plus side, I'm glad I kept the grid to 74 words.
- I find there's often a balancing act between a clean grid (free of obnoxious crosswordese) and a sparkly grid (with some interesting non-themers). Overall, I was happy with the long Downs but getting them in required some concessions in the fill that I hope didn't detract from the solve.
I want to thank everyone at the NYT — especially Wyna, who was my main contact on this one — for their help in getting this puzzle to the finish line. Feel free to email me (billy.ouska at gmail dot com) any comments or critiques. Also, if there are any aspiring constructors out there who have questions about the process or who are looking for a resource, please get in touch!
Thu 12/24/2020
| B | A | S | H | | A | M | B | E | R | | S | P | I | N |
| A | R | I | A | | L | U | I | G | I | | U | R | D | U |
| L | E | T | T | H | E | G | O | O | D | S | R | O | L | L |
| M | A | S | T | E | R | S | | | D | I | E | S | E | L |
| | | R | A | T | | | B | A | L | D | | | |
| W | A | I | T | S | F | O | R | N | O | O | N | E | |
| C | A | T | C | H | | E | P | I | C | S | | O | R | E |
| R | I | S | K | | S | L | I | D | E | | P | L | U | S |
| U | S | E | | S | T | O | N | E | | T | R | I | P | S |
| T | A | K | E | O | N | E | S | S | W | E | E | T | |
| | | I | R | I | S | | | A | I | D | | | |
| S | T | A | T | I | C | | | E | S | C | A | P | E | S |
| C | A | N | T | F | I | N | D | T | H | E | T | I | M | E |
| A | C | N | E | | S | E | I | N | E | | O | N | M | E |
| M | O | A | N | | M | A | M | A | S | | R | E | A | D |
I'm thrilled to make my constructing debut in the New York Times! I'm a corporate attorney in Frisco, Texas (about twenty minutes north of Dallas), and I've been building crosswords for just about three years now. I originally submitted this puzzle in November 2019 and, after a few rewrites and some additional minor tweaks, I got the thumbs-up in May. I'm grateful for the helpful feedback I've received from Will, Sam, Joel, Wyna, Tracy, and Andy along the way — even their rejections are always pleasant. I could not have built the grid without Matt Ginsberg's clue database and Keiran King's crossword maker, so thank you to both.
Feel free to email me (billy.ouska at gmail dot com) any comments or critiques you may have. If there are any aspiring constructors out there who have questions about the process or are looking for a resource, please get in touch. I certainly don't know as much as some veterans, but I'm always interested in working with other new constructors and getting better together.
