Sun 12/1/2024 Drive Around the Block
| B | U | S | S | | D | I | P | | S | I | L | A | S | | M | I | S | C | H | A |
| O | H | I | O | | A | D | A | M | S | M | I | T | H | | U | N | C | L | O | G |
| S | U | R | F | A | C | E | S | C | R | A | T | C | H | | S | E | R | E | N | E |
| C | H | I | T | C | H | A | T | S | | W | H | O | | S | T | R | E | A | K | S |
| | | P | E | A | L | E | | W | A | G | | B | E | A | T | E | N | | |
| A | D | D | E | D | | S | L | O | W | R | O | L | L | I | N | G | | S | P | F |
| L | O | U | D | | | | | P | E | E | W | E | E | | G | A | T | H | E | R |
| D | U | M | A | S | | T | B | S | | | | D | E | S | | S | E | E | T | O |
| A | P | P | L | E | P | I | E | | I | C | E | | D | O | C | | S | E | C | S |
| | | | E | R | S | T | | I | C | E | | M | S | U | | S | T | A | T |
| S | I | G | N | P | O | S | T | | I | C | E | | O | U | T | L | A | S | T | S |
| I | D | L | E | | B | U | Y | | I | C | E | | N | E | U | E | | | | |
| L | O | O | N | | E | E | R | | I | C | E | | E | M | P | E | R | O | R | S |
| A | N | S | E | L | | S | I | T | | | | D | Y | E | | R | O | B | O | T |
| G | O | S | S | I | P | | Z | S | A | Z | S | A | | | | | Y | E | T | I |
| E | T | E | | F | R | O | Z | E | N | A | S | S | E | T | | L | A | Y | E | R |
| | S | P | E | E | D | O | | D | M | S | | B | A | S | A | L | | | |
| R | O | O | S | T | E | D | | O | R | B | | S | O | U | T | H | B | E | N | D |
| I | N | V | A | I | N | | S | M | O | O | T | H | O | P | E | R | A | T | O | R |
| F | E | E | L | M | E | | R | A | I | N | M | A | K | E | R | | L | A | V | A |
| F | A | R | M | E | D | | I | N | D | I | C | | S | S | N | | L | S | A | T |
Mon 12/2/2024
| C | O | M | M | A | | D | R | A | W | | | T | H | E |
| O | N | I | O | N | | E | A | S | E | | T | R | E | X |
| P | A | S | S | I | N | G | F | A | D | | H | U | M | P |
| P | S | S | T | | O | A | T | H | | A | I | S | L | E |
| E | S | T | | P | E | S | S | I | M | I | S | T | I | C |
| D | I | E | S | E | L | | | | O | R | I | E | N | T |
| S | P | U | D | | U | P | O | N | | S | E | E | S |
| | | P | I | S | S | E | D | O | F | F | | | |
| A | S | H | E | | T | E | N | D | | R | U | G | S | |
| D | H | A | R | M | A | | | | S | E | N | A | T | E |
| P | O | S | S | I | B | I | L | I | T | Y | | V | A | X |
| A | W | A | I | T | | R | I | T | A | | T | E | R | I |
| G | E | N | Z | | P | U | S | S | Y | F | O | O | T | S |
| E | R | I | E | | A | L | T | O | | A | D | U | L | T |
| S | S | N | | | D | E | S | K | | N | O | T | E | S |
Tue 12/3/2024
| S | E | T | U | P | | C | O | M | I | C | | C | A | P |
| A | L | O | N | E | | A | N | O | N | O | | A | D | O |
| M | O | O | S | E | T | R | A | C | K | S | | N | O | N |
| | L | A | V | E | D | | H | U | M | A | N | L | Y |
| A | D | R | I | E | N | | M | A | P | O | T | O | F | U |
| W | O | O | D | | D | A | I | S | | | A | T | O | P |
| E | G | O | | B | A | R | R | | J | A | R | | | |
| E | M | P | T | Y | C | A | L | O | R | I | E | S | |
| | | A | S | S | | M | A | H | I | | L | E | D |
| E | D | E | N | | | L | A | W | N | | B | E | E | R |
| M | I | N | I | T | W | I | X | | C | H | O | P | P | Y |
| B | A | R | C | A | R | T | | S | H | U | S | H | | |
| A | L | I | | M | E | A | T | T | O | R | N | A | D | O |
| L | U | C | | P | A | N | S | Y | | L | I | N | U | X |
| M | P | H | | S | K | Y | P | E | | S | A | T | B | Y |
Wed 12/4/2024
| M | A | R | C | O | | J | A | R | S | | W | H | E | T |
| A | R | S | O | N | | E | L | I | E | | H | U | L | A |
| L | E | V | E | E | | T | E | D | X | | I | M | A | X |
| | P | R | I | C | E | E | S | T | I | M | A | T | E |
| | | C | O | O | | | O | E | D | | N | E | D |
| S | T | R | E | T | C | H | O | F | T | I | M | E | | |
| O | R | E | | A | K | O | N | | | G | I | R | D | S |
| L | E | A | K | | S | N | A | F | U | | O | R | A | L |
| D | E | L | I | S | | | I | S | L | A | | O | N | O |
| | M | A | K | E | A | R | U | N | F | O | R | I | T |
| F | C | C | | E | R | S | | | A | R | K | | | |
| R | O | C | K | G | U | I | T | A | R | I | S | T | | |
| A | N | O | N | | P | A | A | R | | C | U | L | L | S |
| N | E | Y | O | | T | N | U | T | | A | R | D | O | R |
| C | Y | S | T | | S | A | S | S | | N | E | R | T | S |
Thu 12/5/2024
| M | I | C | S | | A | L | S | O | | C | O | D | E | S |
| A | H | O | Y | | N | A | P | A | | O | P | E | R | A |
| C | O | L | D | S | O | R | E | S | | U | S | I | N | G |
| S | P | U | N | K | | A | L | I | E | N | | S | I | A |
| | M | E | A | T | | U | S | S | T | A | T | E | S |
| T | I | N | Y | | W | A | N | | C | O | G | | | |
| A | R | I | | K | I | N | K | | A | L | A | M | O | |
| D | I | S | H | I | N | G | | S | P | A | R | I | N | G |
| S | T | U | D | S | | C | O | I | F | | C | I | A |
| | | T | S | E | | A | S | S | | A | R | T | S |
| R | E | B | U | T | T | E | D | | T | O | G | O | | |
| O | E | R | | A | S | Y | E | T | | D | R | D | R | E |
| O | R | A | L | B | | I | N | S | I | D | E | O | U | T |
| F | I | N | A | L | | N | C | A | A | | E | S | S | O |
| S | E | D | G | E | | G | E | R | M | | S | E | E | N |
Fri 12/6/2024
| F | A | I | T | H | | M | E | R | E | | I | T | C | H |
| E | L | S | I | E | | A | L | O | E | | T | H | E | O |
| R | O | T | A | R | Y | D | I | A | L | | T | I | N | S |
| N | T | H | | D | A | R | E | D | | P | A | S | T | E |
| | A | C | E | L | A | | T | H | E | K | I | S | S |
| I | N | T | E | R | E | S | T | R | A | T | E | S | | |
| T | O | A | D | S | | | W | I | N | E | S | N | O | B |
| E | N | Y | A | | | S | I | P | | | T | O | R | E |
| M | E | E | R | K | A | T | S | | | S | I | T | A | T |
| | S | P | I | R | I | T | A | N | I | M | A | L | S |
| S | W | O | L | L | E | N | | D | O | X | E | D | | |
| M | O | R | A | L | | G | R | O | U | P | | R | A | E |
| E | W | A | N | | D | R | O | P | S | A | H | I | N | T |
| L | I | N | K | | R | A | P | T | | C | O | L | A | S |
| L | E | O | S | | E | Y | E | S | | K | E | L | L | Y |
Sat 12/7/2024
| B | I | T | O | F | F | | | | I | A | M | B | I | C |
| U | N | I | T | A | R | D | | | T | H | E | U | S | A |
| M | O | T | O | R | O | I | L | | S | E | T | S | O | N |
| R | U | L | E | R | | R | E | S | | M | E | H | T | A |
| A | Y | E | S | | L | E | A | P | S | | D | I | O | R |
| P | E | D | | M | I | S | D | E | E | D | | S | P | Y |
| | | D | O | N | T | B | L | A | M | E | M | E | |
| | R | O | A | D | R | A | L | L | I | E | S | | |
| C | E | N | T | R | A | L | B | A | N | K | | | |
| T | B | D | | S | O | I | L | I | N | G | | T | O | M |
| O | R | A | L | | S | T | O | N | E | | F | U | J | I |
| P | A | L | E | S | | S | O | D | | S | E | M | I | S |
| I | D | E | A | L | S | | N | E | C | K | R | U | B | S |
| C | I | R | C | U | S | | | R | O | Y | A | L | W | E |
| S | O | T | H | E | N | | | | D | E | L | T | A | S |
Sun 12/8/2024 Just for Fun
| P | U | S | H | P | O | P | | M | A | D | A | M | A | | T | O | O | F | A | R |
| A | S | Y | O | U | D | O | | O | R | A | T | O | R | | A | R | C | A | N | A |
| C | O | M | P | L | I | M | E | N | T | S | F | O | R | F | I | S | H | I | N | G |
| | P | E | L | E | | W | I | S | H | | C | A | L | L | | O | N | I | T |
| Z | A | H | N | | | M | E | S | | | P | O | K | Y | | | | T | K | O |
| A | L | O | O | P | F | O | R | T | H | R | O | W | I | N | G | | S | O | A | P |
| P | O | N | T | I | A | C | S | | E | A | U | | S | T | O | L | A | F | | |
| S | T | Y | | N | T | H | | G | R | I | F | T | | | L | O | C | H | T | E |
| | | P | O | S | I | T | I | O | N | F | O | R | J | O | C | K | E | Y | S |
| G | S | P | O | T | | | E | R | S | | E | T | H | I | C | S | | A | P | T |
| O | O | R | T | | L | A | N | A | | | | T | O | G | O | | T | R | E | E |
| U | N | E | | L | E | D | O | F | F | | P | E | N | | | S | I | T | A | R |
| D | I | S | A | S | T | E | R | F | O | R | A | R | E | C | I | P | E | | | |
| A | C | T | S | A | S | | | E | R | I | E | S | | L | A | O | | P | O | E |
| | O | U | T | G | U | N | | U | N | A | | L | E | G | O | L | A | N | D |
| O | R | C | S | | O | N | E | S | M | O | N | E | Y | F | O | R | A | R | U | N |
| N | I | H | | | | J | A | Y | S | | | T | N | T | | | M | E | S | A |
| S | T | A | N | | P | A | R | D | | I | M | E | D | | E | C | O | N | | |
| P | U | N | I | S | H | M | E | N | T | F | O | R | A | G | L | U | T | T | O | N |
| E | A | G | L | E | D | | S | E | A | S | O | N | | P | A | R | T | A | K | E |
| C | L | O | S | E | S | | T | Y | R | O | N | E | | A | N | D | A | L | S | O |
Mon 12/9/2024
| I | P | O | D | | T | S | P | S | | F | A | R | S | I |
| M | U | C | H | | H | O | O | P | | I | D | I | O | M |
| P | L | E | A | | E | D | G | E | | L | A | P | U | P |
| A | L | A | B | A | M | A | S | L | A | M | M | E | R | |
| I | O | N | I | Z | E | | | L | C | D | | | | |
| R | N | S | | U | N | I | T | | L | O | U | N | G | E |
| | | A | L | U | M | I | N | U | M | F | O | I | L |
| H | O | A | X | | | D | A | E | | | O | R | G | S |
| A | L | B | E | R | T | B | R | O | O | K | S | | | |
| N | A | S | S | A | U | | A | N | N | E | | O | L | D |
| | | | C | B | S | | | B | E | A | N | I | E |
| Y | O | U | C | A | N | C | A | L | L | M | E | A | L |
| T | E | M | P | O | | O | R | C | A | | E | D | I | T |
| H | U | N | D | O | | R | U | T | S | | N | A | S | A |
| U | N | I | O | N | | E | X | I | T | | D | Y | E | S |
Tue 12/10/2024
| I | S | A | A | C | | | | M | A | T | T | H | E | W |
| C | O | S | M | O | | | M | E | T | O | O | E | R | A |
| E | T | H | I | C | | E | A | S | T | E | R | E | G | G |
| U | T | E | | O | I | N | K | S | | | S | L | O | E |
| P | O | S | E | N | U | D | E | | A | M | O | K | | |
| | | M | U | D | | U | G | L | I | | I | T | S |
| I | M | H | I | T | | S | P | E | A | R | | C | H | I |
| S | W | A | R | M | | H | A | N | | R | O | K | E | R |
| L | A | T | | I | N | E | R | T | | O | A | S | E | S |
| A | H | H | | L | A | S | T | | A | R | F | | | |
| | A | R | K | S | | I | N | C | I | S | O | R | S |
| S | O | Y | A | | | P | S | A | L | M | | P | E | W |
| I | W | O | N | T | B | I | T | E | | A | G | I | L | E |
| B | I | G | D | E | A | L | S | | | G | E | N | I | E |
| S | E | A | B | A | S | S | | | | E | L | E | C | T |
Wed 12/11/2024
| E | S | P | O | R | T | S | | V | E | H | I | C | L | E |
| M | A | E | W | E | S | T | | C | R | A | S | H | E | R |
| M | A | D | E | H | A | Y | | R | A | N | P | A | S | T |
| A | B | I | D | E | | | | | | G | O | O | S | E |
| | | T | A | U | T | | F | E | S | S | | | |
| P | R | I | O | R | T | O | | R | E | T | E | S | T | S |
| E | O | N | | S | E | A | | E | L | I | | A | H | A |
| E | M | O | J | I | | S | S | E | | G | A | M | E | R |
| L | E | N | I | N | | T | I | L | | H | Y | E | N | A |
| | E | G | G | | E | D | O | | T | E | L | | |
| D | I | S | S | | B | R | E | A | D | | S | L | A | M |
| A | L | E | | A | L | O | A | D | O | F | | I | C | U |
| M | I | N | I | S | U | V | | E | N | A | M | O | R | S |
| P | A | S | T | I | M | E | | R | O | T | A | T | E | S |
| D | E | A | F | E | N | | S | T | E | N | T | S | |
Thu 12/12/2024
| P | O | S | E | | J | A | M | | M | U | C | H | O |
| J | O | H | N | | U | N | A | | A | R | R | O | Z |
| S | P | O | T | | S | T | R | A | N | G | E | R | S |
| S | W | E | E | T | S | I | X | T | E | E | N | |
| | B | R | A | D | | A | I | R | | | | |
| S | A | O | | R | O | N | | S | A | L | O | N | S |
| I | G | A | | T | I | E | R | | | A | N | E | W |
| C | A | T | C | H | T | W | E | N | T | Y | T | W | O |
| E | V | E | S | | | T | U | B | A | | H | B | O |
| M | E | D | I | C | I | | P | A | N | | A | S | P |
| | | | R | N | S | | S | E | C | T | | |
| A | R | E | A | F | I | F | T | Y | O | N | E | |
| T | R | A | T | T | O | R | I | A | | D | O | R | A |
| L | A | T | T | E | | E | R | R | | E | T | A | S |
| C | L | E | A | R | | D | M | S | | S | E | S | H |
Fri 12/13/2024
| H | A | T | R | A | C | K | | G | I | F | T | B | O | X |
| O | H | H | E | L | L | O | | O | N | L | E | A | V | E |
| T | O | O | S | O | O | N | | F | L | A | N | K | E | D |
| E | R | R | I | N | G | | M | E | A | N | D | E | R | |
| L | A | N | G | E | | B | U | R | Y | | O | D | D | S |
| | | N | A | M | E | S | | | U | N | Z | I | P |
| L | E | T | S | G | E | T | I | T | O | N | | I | D | A |
| E | S | A | | A | A | A | C | A | R | D | | T | I | C |
| A | C | T | | I | N | S | I | N | C | E | R | I | T | Y |
| C | O | T | A | N | | | A | T | A | R | I | | | |
| H | O | O | D | | P | O | N | E | | W | H | O | S | E |
| T | O | E | C | A | P | S | | S | H | A | R | P | S |
| S | E | A | L | A | N | E | | T | E | E | N | L | I | T |
| A | R | R | I | V | A | L | | B | A | R | N | O | N | E |
| M | S | T | E | A | M | S | | S | N | E | A | K | E | R |
Sat 12/14/2024
| S | E | R | B | | L | E | A | F | | | T | E | C | H |
| E | X | C | U | S | E | Z | M | O | I | | A | L | L | O |
| S | E | C | R | E | T | P | A | C | T | | P | L | O | P |
| A | T | O | N | E | | A | L | I | S | T | | E | V | E |
| M | E | L | T | | B | S | A | | S | A | B | R | E | S |
| E | R | A | | D | I | S | | C | E | R | E | B | R | O |
| | | C | A | S | T | P | A | R | T | I | E | S | |
| | G | A | Y | M | A | R | R | I | A | G | E | | |
| C | O | T | T | A | G | E | C | O | R | E | | | |
| P | A | S | T | O | R | S | | H | U | E | | B | T | S |
| I | N | S | Y | N | C | | T | A | S | | C | A | I | N |
| A | N | I | | A | K | B | A | R | | L | A | R | V | A |
| N | O | P | E | | N | O | N | G | M | O | C | R | O | P |
| O | L | E | S | | D | R | Y | E | R | S | H | E | E | T |
| S | I | R | S | | | E | A | R | S | | E | N | D | O |
Hi xwordinfo readers! It's... honestly terrifying to be making my debut today. I am a high school junior, and I've been waiting for this moment for years. I got into making crosswords in fourth grade, put it down, then got back into it in earnest when I started high school. The summer before freshman year, I spent hours reading every single constructor note on this entire site and perusing all of the pages. To finally have one of my own is... uncanny. (To celebrate, I finally am releasing a blog I've been working on for months! You can find it at dissonantgrids.blogspot.com)
Now for the actual puzzle: this grid is so, so meaningful to me. I watched Edith Windsor's heart-wrenching documentary for the first time in eighth grade, and can't recommend it enough. I try to put ample queer representation in every puzzle; an original draft of this one had the center stair-stack read: LESBIAN BAR GAY MARRIAGE COTTAGECORE. But even though that's gone, I recommend you all research United States v. Windsor. The queer rights struggle didn't end with Obergefell!
Ultimately, I made this puzzle in a really, truly, dark era in my life, an era that crosswords (including this one) helped pull me out of. Thank you to the New York Times for accepting this puzzle. Thank you to all of my editors and collaborators everywhere for working with me. Thank you to everyone who answered weird, out-of-the-blue emails and DMs from a crossword-obsessed teen, and who offered grace and love and support. Thank you to everyone who offered advice or mentorship; especially Jeff Chen, Claire Rimkus, Spencer Leach, Will & Shannon, and Kelsey Dixon. This is starting to sound like an Oscar acceptance speech, so I guess I'll end it by saying what they all do: "wow, this thing really is heavy." <3
– puzzle by Owen Bergstein
Sun 12/15/2024 Art Heist
| T | A | C | T | I | C | S | | | | M | O | N | E | T | | | S | W | A | P |
| R | A | D | I | S | H | E | S | | P | O | T | A | S | H | | K | A | H | L | O |
| E | A | S | T | E | A | N | D | A | R | D | T | I | M | E | | O | R | I | O | N |
| | | I | N | F | | S | L | O | E | | R | E | C | | O | G | L | E | D |
| S | L | A | T | E | S | | E | L | L | S | | | G | N | K | E | E | S | |
| B | U | E | N | O | S | A | I | R | E | S | I | N | A | | U | S | N | | | |
| A | T | A | | | A | L | O | T | | S | L | A | L | O | M | | T | E | L | E |
| T | U | N | A | | T | O | N | T | O | | L | I | L | L | E | | | B | O | D |
| E | R | N | S | T | | N | I | E | L | S | | F | A | I | R | | W | O | N | T |
| S | E | A | H | A | G | | A | X | L | E | D | | H | O | O | K | U | N | G | E |
| | | O | R | E | L | | T | I | T | E | R | | S | U | E | T | | | |
| F | R | O | M | O | T | E | N | | E | A | G | E | R | | S | M | O | C | T | S |
| L | A | M | E | | S | H | A | M | | T | A | P | E | S | | S | N | O | O | P |
| A | V | A | | | W | A | D | U | P | | S | L | A | N | G | | G | O | Y | A |
| M | I | R | O | | I | R | I | S | E | D | | O | V | E | R | | | K | M | S |
| | | K | O | S | | R | E | G | I | S | T | E | R | E | D | D | I | E | T |
| S | T | E | A | M | N | | | S | T | A | T | | D | A | R | I | E | N | |
| D | A | R | E | S | | U | M | A | | C | R | E | S | | T | I | A | | | |
| A | L | I | F | E | | M | A | R | Y | H | A | D | T | T | L | E | L | A | M | B |
| L | E | A | F | S | | B | I | T | T | E | N | | P | O | I | S | O | N | E | R |
| I | S | L | E | | | S | L | E | D | S | | | | M | E | T | G | A | L | A |
Mon 12/16/2024
| U | S | A | | | A | R | B | O | R | | | P | C | S |
| N | O | R | A | | S | U | A | V | E | | S | O | A | P |
| S | I | T | H | | S | P | L | A | T | | T | E | L | L |
| C | H | I | A | S | E | E | D | | | O | U | T | I | E |
| R | E | S | | P | R | E | S | S | O | F | F | I | C | E |
| E | A | T | S | A | T | | | E | D | U | | C | O | N |
| W | R | I | T | | | A | C | R | O | S | S | | | |
| | C | O | F | F | E | E | B | R | E | A | K | | |
| | | P | E | A | R | L | S | | | L | E | A | F |
| I | F | I | | T | R | I | | | S | L | E | E | V | E |
| M | I | S | S | A | M | E | R | I | C | A | | N | O | D |
| P | L | O | P | S | | | E | L | E | G | A | N | C | E |
| E | L | M | O | | C | H | A | I | N | | B | E | A | R |
| D | E | E | T | | V | A | L | U | E | | U | S | D | A |
| E | R | R | | | S | I | M | M | S | | | S | O | L |
Tue 12/17/2024
| A | T | O | P | | A | I | S | L | E | | K | A | V | A |
| S | I | N | E | | L | O | C | A | L | | I | G | O | R |
| K | N | I | C | K | K | N | A | C | K | K | N | O | C | K |
| E | G | O | | H | A | S | T | Y | | E | D | G | E | S |
| D | E | N | I | A | L | | | | N | E | O | | | |
| | | F | L | I | P | F | L | O | P | F | L | A | P |
| G | O | L | F | | S | A | L | I | V | A | | A | C | L |
| O | B | E | Y | S | | G | I | T | | T | B | O | N | E |
| O | V | A | | U | R | A | N | U | S | | A | S | E | A |
| P | I | N | G | P | O | N | G | P | A | N | G | | | |
| | | A | P | E | | | | M | E | S | S | E | S |
| A | T | A | L | L | | L | A | B | O | R | | E | X | T |
| D | I | L | L | Y | D | A | L | L | Y | D | O | L | L | Y |
| E | L | L | E | | A | R | G | U | E | | A | M | A | L |
| S | L | A | Y | | B | A | A | E | D | | T | A | X | I |
Wed 12/18/2024
| P | O | S | Y | | | R | B | I | | C | A | B | L | E |
| U | H | A | U | L | | O | R | C | | I | S | L | E | S |
| F | A | N | T | A | | G | R | E | E | N | P | E | A | S |
| F | R | A | Z | Z | L | E | | E | V | E | | U | F | O |
| Y | E | N | | E | A | R | L | | I | A | M | | | |
| | T | O | S | S | | A | L | L | S | O | R | T | S |
| S | O | N | | E | P | E | E | | T | R | A | I | T |
| C | O | N | S | I | D | E | R | T | H | E | O | D | D | S |
| A | L | I | E | N | | E | T | S | Y | | S | O | Y | |
| F | O | O | T | N | O | T | E | | P | E | E | N | | |
| | | S | O | B | | S | T | E | M | | T | B | A |
| I | F | S | | V | I | M | | A | R | C | H | E | R | S |
| S | I | T | U | A | T | I | O | N | | E | A | S | E | S |
| A | D | A | P | T | | M | L | K | | E | S | T | E | E |
| W | O | R | S | E | | I | D | S | | | P | S | S | T |
Jeffrey Martinovic: This is one of those rare puzzles where the revealer preceded the rest of the idea. Last summer, Will and I were brainstorming themes off of random phrases, and eventually stumbled upon CONSIDER THE ODDS. We discussed the idea of this gimmick and at first glance I thought it would be impossible to pull off. But sure enough, with the help of some Python code and a bit of imagination, it was actually remarkably easy for us to find theme entries. Who would've thought learning about Gregor Mendel in Grade 11 biology would end up coming in handy for this engineering student? I hope that discovering these unexpected connections in the English language was as interesting and enjoyable for you as it was for me!
Here are a couple other entries that didn't make the final cut: [Get rid of] - BLOT OUT (BOOT), [Some fermenters] - BREWERS (BEES), [One might help a motorist get on the highway] - ROADMAP (RAMP)
– puzzle by Jeffrey Martinovic and Will Nediger
Thu 12/19/2024
| | R | O | A | N | S | | J | E | O | N | G | | |
| V | U | N | N | E | L | | O | R | D | E | R | S | |
| S | I | N | C | I | T | Y | | B | A | D | R | A | P | S |
| I | S | L | E | | P | L | E | B | | | O | N | I | T |
| M | I | A | | V | A | Y | L | O | R | S | | D | N | A |
| M | O | T | L | E | Y | | S | A | U | T | E | P | A | N |
| S | N | E | E | R | | V | E | R | M | I | N | A | L | |
| | | I | S | E | E | | D | I | R | T | | | |
| P | O | P | S | I | C | L | E | S | | | E | L | S | A |
| R | H | O | | O | H | O | K | | S | C | R | E | E | N |
| I | F | S | | N | I | C | E | | H | O | S | T | E | D |
| M | E | T | E | | D | I | S | M | A | Y | | S | N | O |
| P | R | S | T | U | N | T | | A | R | E | W | E | O | N |
| S | U | N | R | A | Y | | G | E | S | T | A | T | E |
| | P | A | L | S | | | E | S | T | A | T | E | |
Fri 12/20/2024
| E | T | A | L | | S | P | A | S | | S | C | O | R | E |
| M | A | R | I | J | U | A | N | A | L | E | A | V | E | S |
| U | N | I | C | O | R | N | S | T | A | R | T | U | P | S |
| G | A | I | A | | | W | I | N | | | M | O | O |
| | | T | O | P | S | E | E | D | E | D | | | |
| A | C | T | | | A | I | R | | | X | E | S | | |
| T | H | E | G | O | L | D | E | N | S | P | I | K | E | |
| M | I | N | E | R | A | L | D | E | P | O | S | I | T | S |
| T | O | N | G | U | E | T | W | I | S | T | E | R | S |
| | R | E | A | | | O | D | E | | | D | E | N |
| | | S | N | O | T | N | O | S | E | D | | | |
| F | O | O | | | M | A | O | | | L | O | B | S | |
| I | D | H | A | V | E | T | O | K | I | L | L | Y | O | U |
| R | E | M | A | I | N | A | N | O | N | Y | M | O | U | S |
| M | A | Y | A | N | | R | E | I | N | | A | B | L | E |
Sat 12/21/2024
| B | E | N | D | Y | S | T | R | A | W | | A | C | C | T |
| O | P | E | R | A | H | O | U | S | E | | P | O | O | H |
| T | I | T | O | P | U | E | N | T | E | | A | L | M | A |
| | | O | P | T | | I | U | D | S | | L | E | T |
| N | O | B | L | Y | | A | N | T | S | I | N | E | S | S |
| U | R | L | S | | R | I | T | E | | L | O | G | A | N |
| C | I | O | | P | E | K | E | | M | O | R | E | S | O |
| L | O | W | E | R | F | O | R | T | Y | E | I | G | H | T |
| E | N | A | C | T | S | | F | U | N | D | | R | O | B |
| A | N | G | I | E | | R | E | B | A | | M | A | R | A |
| R | E | A | G | A | N | E | R | A | | W | A | D | E | D |
| P | B | S | | M | O | M | E | | B | R | R | | | |
| A | U | K | S | | B | O | N | S | A | I | T | R | E | E |
| C | L | E | O | | I | T | C | A | N | T | H | U | R | T |
| T | A | T | S | | D | E | E | P | S | E | A | T | E | D |
Sun 12/22/2024 Go With the Flow
| D | E | A | D | L | I | E | S | T | C | A | T | C | H | | | | C | P | U | S |
| E | X | P | R | E | S | S | C | H | E | C | K | O | U | T | | | A | I | N | T |
| P | E | R | I | S | H | T | H | E | T | H | O | U | G | H | T | | P | E | L | E |
| T | T | O | P | S | | E | N | S | U | E | | P | O | R | E | S | T | R | I | P |
| H | E | N | S | | F | L | O | E | S | | | | S | E | A | P | O | R | T | |
| S | R | S | | B | O | L | O | S | | T | S | P | | E | R | A | S | E | | |
| | | H | E | W | E | D | | S | H | O | E | S | | J | R | S | | | |
| | J | E | L | L | | L | I | T | E | B | R | I | T | E | S | | F | T | W |
| C | O | A | L | | B | E | T | A | T | E | S | T | E | R | | R | O | A | R |
| L | O | G | R | I | D | E | | S | H | A | | P | I | N | K | B | E | R | R | Y |
| A | C | T | S | N | O | R | M | A | L | | D | I | N | N | E | R | D | A | T | E |
| T | O | R | T | I | L | L | A | S | | F | I | R | | I | R | O | N | B | A | R |
| T | A | O | S | | L | I | F | E | S | A | V | E | R | S | | C | O | I | N | |
| E | S | T | | V | A | N | I | T | Y | C | A | S | E | | H | O | S | T | | |
| | | M | I | R | | A | U | N | T | S | | A | S | I | D | E | | | |
| | P | A | R | T | B | | P | C | S | | C | R | E | P | E | | M | O | M |
| B | E | L | A | R | U | S | | | | B | A | S | E | S | | F | O | R | A |
| L | A | W | C | L | E | R | K | S | | M | O | V | E | D | | G | R | A | I | L |
| O | T | T | O | | E | Q | U | A | T | O | R | I | A | L | G | U | I | N | E | A |
| S | H | E | L | | | A | L | T | E | R | N | A | T | E | E | N | D | I | N | G |
| T | E | R | M | | | | L | E | T | T | E | R | S | T | O | S | A | N | T | A |
Mon 12/23/2024
| O | R | B | S | | C | B | C | | C | A | R | O | M | S |
| K | A | L | E | | Y | A | O | | O | V | E | R | I | T |
| S | N | A | C | K | M | I | X | | S | E | C | E | D | E |
| | S | T | A | B | L | E | S | | | E | L | A | N |
| C | U | T | | M | A | S | S | T | R | A | N | S | I | T |
| G | L | O | B | A | L | | | E | A | S | T | E | R | |
| I | N | F | O | | | A | W | A | I | T | | | | |
| A | F | T | E | R | M | I | D | N | I | G | H | T | |
| | | | S | O | O | T | Y | | | E | A | R | S |
| M | O | U | S | S | E | | | S | A | L | L | I | E |
| C | O | W | B | O | Y | B | O | O | T | S | | F | O | X |
| A | N | N | O | | | A | R | R | E | A | R | S | | |
| T | R | E | A | D | S | | O | I | L | P | A | I | N | T |
| T | O | R | T | E | S | | N | O | M | | G | E | A | R |
| Y | E | S | S | I | R | | O | N | O | | E | S | P | Y |
Tue 12/24/2024
| S | H | E | E | P | | | E | A | R | S | | T | K | O |
| T | E | X | T | E | D | | T | H | A | T | S | A | I | D |
| E | S | C | A | P | E | | C | A | N | E | T | O | A | D |
| A | T | E | | P | A | T | H | | I | P | O | | | |
| L | I | P | B | A | L | M | | O | N | D | R | A | F | T |
| S | A | T | E | | | Z | E | D | | A | M | B | E | R |
| | | N | D | A | | L | O | O | N | | L | A | Y |
| T | H | E | N | U | T | C | R | A | C | K | E | R | |
| T | A | U | | A | G | U | A | | F | E | E | | | |
| O | R | E | O | S | | S | P | Y | | | R | H | E | A |
| P | A | Y | C | A | S | H | | E | W | G | R | O | S | S |
| | | H | M | M | | O | S | H | A | | O | P | I |
| E | U | R | O | P | E | A | N | | U | T | O | P | I | A |
| O | N | E | A | L | A | R | M | | P | O | L | L | E | N |
| N | O | D | | E | R | I | E | | | R | E | A | D | S |
Wed 12/25/2024
| A | L | S | | | | C | O | E | D | | R | A | S | P |
| P | I | T | T | | S | U | C | K | A | | E | M | I | R |
| A | G | R | A | | E | T | H | E | R | | V | I | B | E |
| C | H | U | M | | M | O | R | O | N | S | | L | E | S |
| H | T | T | P | S | | P | I | U | | A | W | A | R | E |
| E | S | S | A | Y | T | E | S | T | | G | E | T | I | N |
| | | | M | O | N | T | | O | U | T | E | A | T |
| G | E | T | U | P | S | | M | A | R | A | | | | |
| A | V | A | S | T | | C | A | T | A | R | A | C | T | S |
| R | A | N | D | O | | A | S | S | | O | L | L | I | E |
| L | C | D | | M | A | N | T | I | S | | T | E | N | D |
| A | U | E | R | | S | A | R | G | E | | H | A | S | A |
| N | E | M | O | | I | R | E | N | E | | O | V | E | N |
| D | E | S | I | | A | Y | E | S | | | | E | L | S |
Thu 12/26/2024
| A | B | S | | A | L | E | C | | | A | U | R | A | S |
| P | O | K | E | B | O | W | L | | A | S | T | U | T | E |
| P | A | Y | R | A | I | S | E | | T | H | E | B | A | R |
| | | I | S | S | | A | P | T | | | I | R | T |
| S | T | A | K | E | | G | R | E | A | T | | K | I | A |
| T | H | I | S | | | P | E | N | C | I | L | S | | |
| E | R | M | A | | B | A | D | | K | N | O | C | K | |
| P | U | T | T | I | E | S | | R | A | Y | G | U | N | S |
| M | O | I | R | A | | D | A | D | | O | B | I | T |
| | P | E | A | T | B | O | G | | | M | E | T | A |
| C | E | L | | S | N | I | D | E | | G | A | S | S | Y |
| A | X | E | | | I | N | G | | W | I | N | | | |
| S | P | A | C | E | K | | S | K | I | L | I | F | T | S |
| C | A | S | H | I | S | | O | F | F | L | A | B | E | L |
| A | T | E | I | N | | | N | C | I | S | | I | C | Y |
Fri 12/27/2024
| F | O | L | K | A | R | T | I | S | T | | E | G | G | S |
| E | T | O | N | C | O | L | L | A | R | | M | I | L | A |
| M | O | R | E | T | O | C | O | M | E | | O | V | A | L |
| H | E | E | L | S | | V | E | S | T | | E | M | T |
| | | L | I | T | H | E | | S | A | V | O | R | Y |
| F | L | A | S | K | | E | T | S | | N | E | R | O | |
| A | I | D | | E | T | C | H | A | S | K | E | T | C | H |
| T | G | I | F | | A | T | A | L | L | | R | A | K | E |
| S | H | O | R | T | N | O | T | I | C | E | | K | E | N |
| T | S | A | R | | R | F | S | | A | V | E | R | S |
| S | T | A | T | I | C | | O | H | A | R | E | | | |
| T | I | M | | P | U | R | R | | B | A | T | H | E | |
| A | M | I | D | | R | O | Y | A | L | C | O | U | R | T |
| M | E | G | A | | S | T | O | N | E | H | E | N | G | E |
| P | R | O | M | | T | H | U | N | D | E | R | G | O | D |
Sat 12/28/2024
| | S | P | O | R | T | S | P | A | G | E | | | |
| W | H | A | T | A | B | O | U | T | I | S | M | | |
| D | E | E | R | S | T | A | L | K | E | R | C | A | P | |
| E | R | R | S | | | | V | I | A | L | | N | E | D |
| C | E | L | | | S | A | I | N | T | | M | I | N | I |
| C | F | O | | S | T | U | N | G | | T | E | N | S | E |
| A | R | C | | K | O | N | G | | B | E | A | T | I | T |
| E | K | E | O | U | T | | L | A | N | D | H | O | |
| T | S | H | I | R | T | | R | E | N | T | | E | N | T |
| S | H | O | R | T | | S | O | N | G | S | | M | F | A |
| P | O | L | E | | B | E | N | D | S | | | I | U | D |
| S | U | M | | E | L | L | A | | | | M | R | N | A |
| T | E | N | D | O | L | L | A | R | W | O | R | D | S |
| | S | I | G | N | E | D | P | H | O | T | O | S | |
| | | H | Y | D | R | O | P | O | W | E | R | | |
Sun 12/29/2024 Multi-Hyphenates
| U | N | T | O | | C | L | O | A | K | | L | A | G | | | | B | A | W | L |
| H | O | O | P | | F | A | R | G | O | | I | G | E | R | | A | L | P | H | A |
| - | - | - | - | W | O | R | K | E | R | | P | E | T | E | | H | O | P | E | S |
| U | N | D | E | R | | D | I | N | E | | - | - | - | - | C | H | A | R | T | S |
| H | O | O | D | E | D | | N | D | A | | R | O | G | U | E | | T | O | T | O |
| | | | S | E | T | | A | N | T | E | L | O | P | E | | E | V | E | S |
| K | E | T | T | L | E | S | | | P | A | D | | | L | A | D | E | D | |
| T | A | M | I | L | | S | U | R | G | E | D | | C | M | O | N | | | | |
| A | L | O | N | E | | T | R | E | A | D | | P | H | U | | A | T | M | | |
| - | - | - | - | D | R | I | V | E | S | | T | R | I | S | H | | H | A | S | H |
| D | E | P | P | | E | M | I | L | E | | V | E | N | T | I | | I | N | T | O |
| A | L | O | O | | M | O | V | E | S | | - | - | - | - | D | A | N | C | E | S |
| | P | T | A | | N | E | D | | A | M | O | U | R | | T | A | I | N | T |
| | | | L | A | Y | S | | F | R | A | P | P | E | | T | I | N | T | S |
| M | O | Y | E | R | | | B | O | G | | | S | A | F | A | R | I | S | |
| D | I | R | E | | U | P | A | R | R | O | W | S | | D | E | C | | | | |
| O | D | E | S | | B | E | S | E | T | | I | O | N | | W | H | A | R | F | S |
| - | - | - | - | B | A | C | K | E | R | | S | N | A | G | | E | T | H | A | N |
| R | A | I | M | I | | O | O | Z | E | | D | A | S | H | E | D | L | I | N | E |
| A | I | D | E | D | | S | U | E | S | | O | T | T | E | R | | A | N | T | E |
| G | R | A | N | | | | T | D | S | | M | A | Y | E | R | | S | O | A | R |
Will Shortz returns as editor
Mon 12/30/2024
| S | M | A | R | T | | Z | A | N | Y | | I | M | A | C |
| T | E | N | O | R | | E | L | I | E | | N | O | G | O |
| E | N | J | O | Y | | B | U | T | T | E | R | C | U | P |
| P | L | O | T | | A | R | M | | I | M | O | K | A | Y |
| H | O | U | R | G | L | A | S | S | | M | A | T | | |
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| A | L | T | | P | R | O | B | O | W | L | | L | O | L |
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| S | A | M | O | S | A | S | | T | O | O | L | | | |
| | C | A | T | | T | H | I | N | K | T | A | N | K |
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| P | A | S | O | | D | E | A | D | | E | X | E | R | T |
I am absolutely thrilled to be making my New York Times Crossword debut. Although I've been a dedicated daily solver for a while, I started constructing crosswords in 2020. I've had many, many rejections as I gradually learned the ins and outs of creating a high-quality puzzle. To new constructors: Don't give up even if you start out badly! Thanks to everyone whom I talked into test-solving my puzzles over the years
This theme came together nice and quick. I wanted to make sure I kept the fill smooth while still having some rarer letters and some good tidbits such as MOCKTAILS. Cluing-wise, I'm particularly happy that the fandom definition of SHIP was allowed to stay, as well as the clue for EMMA
When not constructing, I'm a particle physicist. Check out this article from 2023 on my research! Currently, I'm working on measuring the mass of an extremely light particle called a neutrino.
– puzzle by Hannah Binney
Tue 12/31/2024
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