New York Times, Monday, April 25, 2022

Excited to be making my NYT crossword debut! A little about me: I grew up in Denver, CO, graduated from Duke, and currently live in New York City. I've been a fan of puzzles (a la Martin Gardner) and word games (anybody else remember Yahoo's Word Racer?) since childhood — I'm grateful now for the chance to share a puzzle of my own creation with you all.

This crossword sprouted from the fun mental imagery of GENERAL TSO and COLONEL SANDERS pitted against each other in a poultry-based battle for dominance. After scouring Wikipedia for more food-related individuals, CAP'N CRUNCH arrived with naval support (though it's lost to history which side he fought on), and the FOOD FIGHT revealer came to mind soon after.

Many thanks to Alex, Matthew, Tom, and Ann for their test solves and feedback, and a big shout-out to my girlfriend Steph, who happily accepted "brainstorming clues for a crossword puzzle" as a date night activity.

I'll be donating the proceeds from today's crossword to GiveDirectly, a nonprofit that delivers direct cash transfers to the world's poorest households, giving those living in poverty the "dignity to choose for themselves how best to improve their lives." If you'd like to join in support, please visit their site.

Appropriate that GENERAL TSO kicks off today's theme because this is a five-star puzzle. Delicious theme, aromatic bonuses, and plated so elegantly, with not even the tiniest smear in sight.

I've thought about GENERAL TSO many a time, since I have a guilty love of Americanized Chinese food. CAP'N CRUNCH and I have fought many a battle, his devious charm and sweetness leading to wild sugar rushes for my kids. Fried chicken is my kryptonite, so the COLONEL and I are well acquainted.

I'm astounded that I've never made the FOOD FIGHT connection. That's thematic gold.

Awesome corners. Only two multi-worders in SIN CITY and GET THIS, but they're both sizzlers. And such color in LAGGARD, OCEANIA, ANNUITY (said the MBA dork); these one-worders sing.

The centered revealer isn't for everyone, as it gives away the game too quickly. A mirror symmetry layout could have avoided this, with the themers running vertically and FOOD FIGHT centered in row 12. That would also have allowed COLONEL / SANDERS to be placed closer together, perhaps at the tops of columns 6 and 8.

Mirror sym isn't for everyone, though — Mike Shenk at the WSJ doesn't like it unless it's absolutely necessary, for example.

It's a rare treat to feast on such a tasty puzzle with so much nutritional value. The fact that it's a debut — and on a Monday, one of the most difficult days to construct for — makes it that much spicier.