Mon 4/1/2024
| W | A | F | T | S | | M | G | M | | | N | A | N | A |
| A | W | A | I | T | | A | N | A | L | | O | R | A | L |
| D | E | E | R | E | | M | I | N | I | D | O | N | U | T |
| | L | E | E | R | A | T | | S | A | M | O | S | A |
| D | A | W | D | L | E | | C | H | A | N | D | L | E | R |
| O | R | E | O | | C | I | A | O | | T | A | D | A | S |
| R | A | N | F | R | O | M | | B | E | E | B | | | |
| M | B | A | | O | U | R | | B | R | A | | N | A | E |
| | | D | O | P | E | | L | A | N | S | I | N | G |
| O | W | E | R | S | | A | R | E | S | | T | A | N | G |
| B | E | L | I | T | T | L | E | | E | M | O | T | E | S |
| T | R | E | B | E | K | | V | I | S | I | O | N | | |
| U | N | C | E | R | T | A | I | N | | S | P | U | R | S |
| S | E | T | H | | S | I | L | O | | S | T | O | U | T |
| E | R | S | T | | | D | O | N | | M | O | M | M | Y |
Tue 4/2/2024
| R | A | F | T | | | B | L | A | B | | E | M | O | J | I |
| E | L | L | A | | T | I | A | R | A | | N | A | K | E | D |
| D | O | O | R | B | U | S | T | E | R | | D | R | I | N | K |
| I | H | O | P | E | N | O | T | | | | O | N | E | | |
| D | A | D | | L | I | N | E | O | F | C | R | E | D | I | T |
| | | E | T | C | | | U | I | E | S | | O | D | E |
| D | A | R | E | S | | M | E | T | T | L | E | | K | I | N |
| E | T | A | L | | H | O | L | D | I | T | | B | I | O | S |
| C | O | D | | M | O | T | I | O | N | | S | E | E | M | E |
| A | L | I | | R | U | T | H | | | E | W | E | | | |
| F | L | O | O | R | R | O | U | T | I | N | E | | I | C | Y |
| | E | M | O | | | | O | R | A | L | E | X | A | M |
| S | I | D | E | B | | M | A | Y | O | C | L | I | N | I | C |
| A | M | I | G | O | | E | V | E | N | T | | N | A | N | A |
| G | O | T | A | T | | L | A | D | Y | | | E | Y | E | S |
Wed 4/3/2024
| A | C | R | E | | A | C | E | T | I | C | | R | I | B |
| H | O | E | S | | C | A | S | I | N | O | | E | M | U |
| I | N | S | T | A | N | T | T | E | A | S | | G | P | S |
| C | H | A | T | E | A | U | S | | A | T | L | A | S |
| G | R | A | D | E | | P | A | U | L | | Y | U | L | E |
| R | E | P | O | | P | U | R | P | L | E | P | E | A | S |
| U | T | E | | R | E | L | Y | | A | G | E | | | |
| B | E | D | R | E | S | T | | T | M | O | B | I | L | E |
| | | O | A | T | | P | R | A | T | | L | E | G |
| B | U | M | B | L | E | B | E | E | S | | F | O | G | G |
| O | R | E | O | | R | U | D | E | | T | I | V | O | S |
| A | B | E | T | S | | D | A | R | K | A | L | E | S | |
| R | A | M | | S | M | I | L | I | N | G | E | Y | E | S |
| D | N | A | | N | I | C | E | N | E | | T | O | T | O |
| S | E | W | | S | L | E | D | G | E | | S | U | S | S |
Thu 4/4/2024
| I | N | S | | V | A | L | | P | S | I | | E | B | B |
| D | O | H | | E | W | E | | R | E | C | | L | E | O |
| E | R | A | | R | A | G | T | I | M | E | | I | R | S |
| A | S | K | | M | Y | A | L | G | I | C | | X | E | S |
| S | E | E | T | O | | L | D | S | | U | N | I | T | Y |
| | N | E | U | T | E | R | | T | B | A | R | | |
| S | I | N | A | T | R | A | | T | O | E | P | O | K | E |
| I | G | O | | H | I | G | G | I | N | S | | F | E | N |
| T | U | T | S | | O | L | I | V | E | | D | Q | E | D |
| C | A | S | T | E | | E | N | O | | C | O | U | P | E |
| O | N | T | I | L | T | | | | P | U | N | I | E | R |
| M | A | I | L | E | R | S | | B | A | T | T | E | R | S |
| | R | E | G | A | L | | I | D | B | E | T | | |
| M | A | R | T | I | N | I | | B | R | A | V | U | R | A |
| E | Y | E | T | E | S | T | | S | E | C | E | D | E | D |
| R | E | D | O | S | | | | | | K | N | E | A | D |
Hi, Crossworld! I'm a part-time corporate carbon footprint consultant and part-time stay-at-home dad of three young kids (although the title is ironic since it seems like we're never at home). I'm thrilled to be making my solo NYT debut on lucky 4/4.
This puzzle came to me at the end of a long day, when I was at my wits' end with my kids. They were running around the house while we were trying to eat dinner, and one knocked over her milk for the third time that day. "Rag time," I groaned. Then a light bulb went off. I wrote the Scott Joplin clue and stuck the entry in a prominent spot of a blank grid. Even though I don't drink and had to look up what a martini is, the rest of the puzzle somehow fell into place.
A big thanks to my wife, Zhou, for enduring years and years of dad jokes while I looked for the perfect one to print in the Times. I hope this makes it all worth it. After all, when does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent!
– puzzle by Kevin Curry
Fri 4/5/2024
| O | N | I | C | E | | B | A | N | C | | | P | A | T |
| L | O | C | A | L | C | O | L | O | R | | P | O | R | E |
| G | O | O | B | S | O | L | E | T | E | | L | I | E | D |
| A | N | N | O | | M | O | X | I | E | | O | N | Y | X |
| | | O | H | M | | A | P | P | L | Y | T | O | |
| L | A | S | S | I | E | | | Y | E | S | B | U | T |
| S | I | L | E | N | T | D | I | S | C | O | | L | O | O |
| L | O | L | S | | T | I | M | O | R | | J | A | K | E |
| U | N | O | | G | O | E | S | B | A | N | A | N | A | S |
| E | S | P | R | I | T | | | S | W | A | N | K | Y | |
| S | P | Y | S | H | I | P | | L | E | E | | | |
| W | H | O | D | | E | N | O | K | I | | E | T | N | A |
| E | A | S | E | | B | A | N | N | E | R | Y | E | A | R |
| B | R | E | R | | I | N | D | I | S | A | R | R | A | Y |
| B | E | D | | | T | E | S | T | | H | E | N | N | A |
Sat 4/6/2024
| B | U | B | B | L | Y | | C | Z | A | R | I | S | T | S |
| A | H | I | S | E | E | | H | O | M | E | C | O | O | K |
| D | O | G | I | E | S | | E | M | I | N | E | N | C | E |
| T | H | U | D | S | | P | A | B | S | T | | N | O | W |
| H | O | P | E | | L | A | P | I | S | | M | E | M | E |
| I | R | S | | W | A | L | L | E | | C | I | T | E | D |
| N | E | E | D | I | S | A | Y | M | O | R | E | | | |
| G | O | T | A | S | E | C | | O | P | E | N | M | R | I |
| | | R | E | S | E | R | V | E | D | S | E | A | T |
| H | O | S | E | R | | G | U | I | D | O | | D | I | S |
| I | N | H | D | | D | U | N | E | S | | P | I | N | T |
| A | D | O | | C | R | A | P | S | | C | R | O | C | I |
| T | O | R | A | B | O | R | A | | T | O | Y | C | O | N |
| U | P | T | R | E | N | D | S | | A | N | O | R | A | K |
| S | E | A | C | R | E | S | T | | B | E | R | E | T | S |
Sun 4/7/2024 Double Duty
| I | T | S | O | N | | C | A | B | O | O | S | E | S | | I | Q | T | E | S | T |
| V | O | I | L | E | | O | M | E | L | E | T | T | E | | P | U | E | N | T | E |
| E | O | N | D | O | W | N | T | H | E | R | O | A | D | | S | E | A | S | O | N |
| A | C | E | S | | I | G | O | R | | | C | L | A | M | | S | C | O | N | E |
| T | U | B | | A | F | R | O | | A | R | K | | T | A | B | O | U | R | E | T |
| E | T | A | | R | E | E | | B | L | A | C | K | E | Y | E | D | P | | | |
| N | E | R | V | E | | S | T | A | Y | M | A | N | | O | H | I | O | A | N | S |
| | | A | Y | E | S | I | R | | | R | I | P | | A | P | O | G | E | E |
| S | E | N | O | R | | V | E | S | T | | F | O | U | R | | D | E | A | N |
| B | E | N | | U | I | T | O | R | L | O | S | E | I | T | | | L | I | R | E |
| E | S | C | A | P | E | E | | | U | D | O | | | A | M | N | E | S | I | C |
| T | S | A | R | | | A | W | O | R | D | T | O | T | H | E | W | | T | S | A |
| C | I | N | C | | W | R | E | N | | Y | O | D | A | | M | A | R | S | H | |
| H | O | T | T | I | E | | E | T | C | | | I | N | T | E | N | D | | | |
| A | N | O | I | N | T | S | | W | A | V | E | S | K | I | | K | A | S | E | M |
| | | C | T | H | E | M | O | M | E | N | T | | D | O | E | | A | N | I |
| A | N | T | I | H | E | R | O | | P | E | T | | N | E | V | E | | M | T | A |
| Z | A | I | R | E | | B | R | I | S | | | C | O | P | E | | F | A | R | M |
| T | O | M | C | A | T | | A | S | I | G | H | T | F | O | R | S | O | R | E | I |
| E | M | I | L | I | O | | L | I | T | T | E | R | E | D | | P | A | R | E | N |
| C | I | D | E | R | Y | | S | T | E | E | P | L | E | S | | F | L | A | S | K |
Mon 4/8/2024
| H | A | I | K | U | | T | M | A | N | | T | I | F | F |
| O | L | D | E | R | | H | I | D | E | | O | D | O | R |
| M | O | O | N | S | H | A | D | O | W | | M | I | R | O |
| E | E | L | | I | O | N | S | | | K | E | N | T | S |
| | | I | N | T | O | T | H | E | N | I | G | H | T |
| H | A | R | N | E | S | S | | A | M | I | | | | |
| A | L | I | T | | | | B | R | I | S | K | E | T | S |
| S | T | A | R | I | N | G | A | T | T | H | E | S | U | N |
| P | O | L | O | N | I | U | M | | | | A | S | T | I |
| | | | A | L | A | | S | E | E | N | O | U | T |
| T | O | T | A | L | E | C | L | I | P | S | E | | | |
| E | M | A | I | L | | | O | P | E | C | | T | A | U |
| N | E | R | D | | O | F | T | H | E | H | E | A | R | T |
| O | G | R | E | | N | A | T | O | | E | V | I | T | A |
| R | A | Y | S | | E | T | O | N | | W | E | L | S | H |
Tue 4/9/2024
| S | T | A | B | | C | A | B | S | | T | E | M | P | S |
| L | A | V | A | | O | H | O | H | | I | M | O | U | T |
| A | P | E | D | | R | A | G | A | | K | I | T | T | Y |
| W | A | R | R | E | N | B | U | F | F | I | T | | | |
| S | T | O | K | E | | S | T | A | R | | O | W | E |
| | | M | E | L | | | | L | O | O | P | E | R |
| G | O | Y | A | | L | Y | L | E | L | O | V | E | I | T |
| I | V | A | N | A | | A | I | L | | M | E | R | G | E |
| J | E | D | C | L | A | M | P | I | T | | R | A | H | S |
| O | R | D | E | A | L | | | | I | M | P | | | |
| E | T | A | | C | O | M | A | | N | A | A | C | P | |
| | | C | A | T | E | B | L | A | N | C | H | I | T |
| R | A | Z | O | R | | C | H | E | F | | K | I | L | O |
| E | X | E | R | T | | C | O | N | E | | E | L | L | E |
| P | E | N | N | E | | A | R | T | Y | | D | I | S | S |
Wed 4/10/2024
| Y | O | U | T | O | O | | P | A | D | S | | H | E | X |
| M | A | N | I | A | C | | A | W | A | Y | | E | A | R |
| C | H | I | C | K | E | N | P | A | R | M | | A | S | A |
| A | U | X | | | A | P | P | L | E | B | E | T | T | Y |
| | | H | E | N | R | Y | K | N | O | X | | | |
| I | M | T | O | A | S | T | | | O | L | E | A | T | E |
| N | O | O | B | S | | O | A | S | T | | | P | O | M |
| C | U | R | S | E | | T | O | T | | C | H | A | R | M |
| A | T | M | | | K | E | K | E | | A | O | R | T | A |
| S | H | E | R | R | I | | | A | D | R | A | T | E | S |
| | | P | E | N | C | I | L | B | O | X | | | |
| H | O | T | M | A | G | E | N | T | A | | | A | I | R |
| E | R | R | | C | R | A | S | H | C | O | U | R | S | E |
| L | E | E | | T | A | S | E | | K | I | S | M | E | T |
| P | O | X | | S | T | E | T | | S | L | A | Y | E | D |
Thu 4/11/2024
| F | O | O | D | | R | E | P | | R | A | T | I | O | N |
| A | N | N | O | | I | N | A | | U | N | A | B | L | E |
| L | I | C | E | | O | L | I | V | E | T | R | E | E | S |
| C | O | U | R | T | | I | D | E | | E | A | T | S | |
| O | N | E | S | I | E | S | | I | D | S | | | | |
| | | | R | E | T | I | N | A | | S | T | A | B |
| F | O | R | S | A | K | E | N | | S | C | A | R | C | E |
| A | L | O | U | D | | D | A | P | | A | G | I | N | G |
| S | E | C | R | E | T | | P | A | S | S | A | G | E | S |
| T | O | K | E | | I | N | T | R | O | S | | | | |
| | | | J | L | O | | E | N | I | G | M | A | S |
| M | A | N | E | | T | I | N | | S | H | A | R | K |
| P | O | L | O | S | H | I | R | T | S | | O | R | G | Y |
| C | O | A | R | S | E | | M | A | E | | S | L | O | P |
| P | R | I | M | E | R | | A | L | E | | T | A | T | E |
Fri 4/12/2024
| T | H | A | T | T | R | A | C | K | S | | I | M | P | S |
| I | O | W | E | Y | O | U | O | N | E | | T | I | R | E |
| B | L | A | N | K | E | T | H | O | G | | S | N | I | T |
| E | L | I | T | E | | H | A | T | E | W | A | T | C | H |
| T | A | T | S | | C | O | B | | L | A | P | S | E | |
| | | | C | U | R | I | E | | G | L | A | D | E |
| A | R | T | L | A | B | | T | B | A | | A | U | R | A |
| L | A | R | A | M | I | E | | B | R | O | N | C | O | S |
| F | I | A | T | | T | A | N | | S | L | E | E | P | Y |
| A | N | V | I | L | | T | A | H | O | E | | | | |
| D | E | N | I | M | | S | O | N | | D | I | S | S |
| P | A | L | M | P | I | L | O | T | | R | U | N | U | P |
| A | N | K | A | | D | O | N | T | M | I | N | D | M | E |
| N | C | I | S | | S | W | E | E | T | O | N | I | O | N |
| S | E | T | S | | T | E | X | A | S | T | O | A | S | T |
Sat 4/13/2024
| P | A | N | G | S | | S | K | I | P | | N | C | A | A |
| A | V | A | I | L | | A | N | G | E | L | H | A | I | R |
| D | E | R | B | Y | | Y | O | U | T | E | L | L | M | E |
| I | M | W | E | L | L | A | W | A | R | E | | L | I | P |
| D | A | H | | Y | O | G | I | N | I | | B | O | N | A |
| D | R | A | G | | L | A | N | A | | G | O | N | G | |
| L | I | L | A | | C | I | G | | G | O | O | | | |
| E | A | S | Y | M | A | N | | H | O | T | M | I | C | S |
| | | B | O | T | | G | A | D | | E | C | O | N |
| P | T | A | S | | G | A | P | E | | D | E | M | O |
| P | O | O | R | | J | A | S | P | E | R | | D | E | W |
| E | L | M | | D | O | L | L | Y | P | A | R | T | O | N |
| D | I | A | P | E | R | P | I | N | | S | I | E | N | A |
| I | S | T | H | A | T | A | N | O | | P | L | A | I | D |
| S | H | O | O | | S | L | E | W | | Y | E | S | N | O |
I am a child therapist who provides in-school mental health support to elementary and middle school students. I live in Colorado but am a Minnesotan at heart.
I am thrilled to have PADIDDLE as the seed for my debut New York Times puzzle! Last fall, as I was driving my six-year-old to school, I saw a car with only one headlight. Of course, I immediately thought, "PADIDDLE!" and then decided that would be a fun seed for a themeless. The clue for GO DEEP is a nod to my day job, and I'm happy to present what I think(?) is a new angle for that entry!
– puzzle by Jess Rucks
Sun 4/14/2024 Savings Plan
| A | L | A | N | I | S | | | E | L | W | A | Y | | | A | B | L | U | S | H |
| T | I | T | A | N | I | C | | K | O | H | L | S | | C | R | E | A | S | E | S |
| S | M | A | C | K | E | R | | E | M | A | I | L | | O | T | T | O | M | A | N |
| I | L | L | E | G | A | L | | A | C | E | | F | R | E | T | S | A | W | |
| U | T | A | | D | E | S | I | | L | A | N | | O | P | R | Y | | R | O | W |
| S | O | N | G | | D | H | L | | I | M | A | | R | O | Y | | M | I | R | A |
| A | N | T | E | S | | I | T | S | N | O | T | F | A | R | | W | A | N | L | Y |
| E | A | T | S | I | N | | A | D | L | E | R | | E | F | I | L | E | D | |
| | | I | N | O | T | | P | A | E | S | E | | A | R | I | L | | | |
| T | M | A | N | | S | O | A | P | | | | I | D | L | Y | | S | E | W | S |
| B | I | L | G | E | | | C | H | I | C | A | G | O | | | G | A | T | O | R |
| S | T | E | E | P | | C | H | I | N | A | S | H | O | P | | I | N | T | R | O |
| E | X | A | C | T | A | | C | O | M | E | T | | O | R | A | T | E | D | |
| | | R | O | S | S | I | | R | O | C | | A | R | E | N | A | | | |
| A | T | M | | T | U | T | T | E | | | | S | L | E | P | T | | I | R | A |
| S | H | A | G | | | | O | V | E | R | D | U | E | | | | A | N | O | D |
| A | R | C | E | D | | G | O | E | X | T | I | N | C | T | | B | L | A | B | S |
| T | O | E | N | A | I | L | | R | U | S | T | S | | A | P | O | L | L | O | I |
| E | N | D | A | N | G | E | R | E | D | | S | P | E | C | I | E | S | A | C | T |
| A | G | O | | C | O | A | R | S | E | | Y | O | R | K | E | R | | R | O | E |
| M | S | N | | E | R | N | S | T | | | | T | E | S | T | S | | M | P | S |
Mon 4/15/2024
| C | L | A | S | S | | W | I | T | H | | S | P | A | M |
| A | E | S | O | P | | A | S | E | A | | U | R | D | U |
| D | A | I | R | Y | | S | O | N | I | C | B | O | O | M |
| S | P | A | T | | C | P | L | | F | O | L | D | S | |
| | N | A | I | L | | A | G | A | T | E | | | |
| Y | I | P | | P | E | S | T | O | | S | A | S | S | |
| E | S | E | | S | A | T | E | E | N | | S | O | H | O |
| A | S | A | B | O | V | E | | S | O | B | E | L | O | W |
| H | U | R | L | | E | F | F | A | C | E | | A | W | L |
| E | S | O | S | | F | E | T | A | S | | R | N | S |
| | | S | Q | U | I | D | | S | O | U | P | | |
| B | A | S | I | N | | O | O | H | | M | A | A | M |
| M | A | S | O | N | J | A | R | S | | S | A | N | T | A |
| A | L | U | M | | A | L | A | S | | I | M | E | A | N |
| D | I | S | S | | M | I | S | O | | T | I | L | D | E |
Tue 4/16/2024
| E | L | A | T | E | | O | R | B | S | | | R | A | T |
| R | E | L | I | C | | W | E | A | K | | T | Y | R | E |
| S | T | E | P | H | E | N | F | R | Y | | R | A | I | N |
| | | T | O | S | S | | B | Y | L | I | N | E | S |
| T | A | C | O | | C | U | B | A | | E | A | G | L | E |
| O | C | H | E | R | | P | I | C | C | O | L | O | | |
| P | H | A | S | E | S | | G | O | O | | S | S | N | S |
| P | O | R | | M | A | N | B | A | B | Y | | L | O | T |
| S | O | L | E | | K | O | I | | B | I | K | I | N | I |
| | E | N | D | E | A | R | S | | N | I | N | E | R |
| C | O | S | T | A | | H | D | T | V | | S | G | T | S |
| S | P | L | I | N | T | S | | R | I | B | S | | | |
| P | E | A | T | | S | A | M | U | E | L | C | O | L | T |
| A | R | M | Y | | P | R | O | M | | T | A | P | I | R |
| N | A | B | | | S | K | I | S | | S | M | I | T | E |
Wed 4/17/2024
| F | L | O | R | A | S | | M | A | T | H | | P | O | D |
| L | E | V | E | L | A | | A | C | R | E | | A | R | E |
| A | G | A | T | E | S | | I | C | A | N | T | S | E | E |
| P | O | L | Y | P | H | E | M | U | S | | A | T | O | P |
| | | P | H | A | T | | S | H | E | B | A | | |
| M | E | R | E | | | A | T | E | | A | S | S | E | T |
| A | L | A | S | K | A | | U | R | L | S | | A | L | A |
| D | O | N | | O | D | Y | S | S | E | Y | | L | E | X |
| A | P | E | | R | O | O | K | | G | A | R | A | G | E |
| M | E | R | G | E | | U | S | S | | | E | D | Y | S |
| | R | O | A | S | T | | A | S | A | P | | | |
| O | R | A | L | | T | H | E | C | Y | C | L | O | P | S |
| W | A | N | D | E | R | E | D | | S | T | A | B | L | Y |
| E | N | D | | P | U | R | E | | C | O | C | O | O | N |
| S | T | S | | A | M | E | N | | O | N | E | E | Y | E |
Thu 4/18/2024
| A | I | D | | P | L | U | M | E | S | | | M | A | W |
| P | S | I | | D | E | F | U | N | C | T | | C | F | O |
| E | L | E | C | T | I | O | N | D | A | Y | | C | O | N |
| S | A | G | A | | | | R | O | M | P | | A | U | G |
| M | O | T | H | E | R | O | F | P | E | A | R | L | |
| | | S | O | L | E | | | S | A | L | T | | |
| A | S | H | | A | H | E | A | D | | | I | N | O | N |
| S | E | A | | R | I | V | I | E | R | A | | E | W | E |
| K | I | T | S | | | E | M | B | E | R | | Y | E | T |
| | C | U | S | P | | | R | I | A | N | | | |
| T | H | E | C | R | E | T | A | N | B | U | L | L | |
| A | O | L | | R | I | S | E | | | | M | O | O | S |
| S | K | I | | A | S | T | A | R | I | S | B | O | R | N |
| A | Y | N | | P | O | E | T | I | C | A | | M | R | I |
| P | O | G | | | N | E | S | T | E | D | | S | E | T |
Fri 4/19/2024
| A | H | A | B | | | | P | G | S | | F | L | A | K |
| D | E | B | U | G | | C | R | E | W | | A | U | R | A |
| V | I | B | R | A | P | H | O | N | E | | U | N | I | T |
| I | D | O | N | T | H | A | V | E | A | L | L | D | A | Y |
| L | I | T | | T | A | T | E | R | T | O | T | | | |
| | | C | A | S | S | I | O | | P | L | E | B | E |
| P | A | L | A | C | E | | T | U | T | | I | D | E | A |
| R | H | U | B | A | R | B | | S | A | D | N | E | S | S |
| O | M | N | I | | S | U | M | | P | U | E | N | T | E |
| M | E | A | N | T | | S | A | D | I | E | S | | | |
| | | F | E | L | T | G | O | O | D | | S | H | U |
| S | O | M | E | T | H | I | N | G | C | A | M | E | U | P |
| O | L | A | V | | A | N | I | M | A | T | I | O | N | S |
| J | E | T | E | | S | O | F | A | | E | L | U | D | E |
| U | S | S | R | | A | N | Y | | | | A | L | O | T |
Sat 4/20/2024
| E | G | O | | S | H | E | A | R | | | A | W | E | D |
| L | E | S | B | I | A | N | B | A | R | | R | O | M | E |
| F | R | I | E | N | D | D | A | T | E | | M | O | A | N |
| H | A | R | D | E | N | | S | I | D | E | | K | I | T |
| A | L | I | S | | O | C | H | O | | R | O | I | L | S |
| T | D | S | | B | O | O | | | N | O | F | E | E | |
| | | B | O | O | M | R | O | A | S | T | E | D | |
| | W | A | R | M | F | U | Z | Z | I | E | S | | |
| C | R | I | S | P | Y | B | A | C | O | N | | | |
| B | E | L | C | H | | | W | A | N | | L | O | S |
| B | R | A | S | H | | Z | E | A | L | | L | O | R | E |
| O | A | K | | T | A | I | L | | I | M | O | V | I | E |
| O | D | I | N | | S | P | O | O | N | E | R | I | S | M |
| T | I | N | S | | A | P | P | L | E | T | I | N | I | S |
| Y | O | G | A | | | Y | E | E | S | H | | G | T | O |
Sun 4/21/2024 Get Cracking
| C | C | L | E | F | | | G | A | S | C | A | N | S | | | G | S | U | I | T |
| L | A | I | D | U | P | | O | B | L | I | G | E | E | | S | P | E | N | C | E |
| A | D | V | E | R | B | | T | E | E | N | A | G | E | | P | A | I | D | A | D |
| M | I | E | N | | S | | T | R | E | E | S | A | P | | Y | | K | E | N | T |
| B | L | A | S | E | | T | A | R | P | | S | T | A | B | | A | O | R | T | A |
| E | L | M | | | J | | G | A | Y | | I | R | S | | S | | | T | E | L |
| R | A | M | S | | E | C | O | N | | | | O | T | T | O | | P | O | L | K |
| S | C | O | O | P | E | R | | T | I | M | O | N | | E | L | F | O | W | L | S |
| | | M | I | R | O | | | N | A | N | | | A | D | O | S | | | |
| C | H | U | M | S | | W | | P | L | A | T | T | | L | | M | I | T | Z | I |
| S | T | R | E | A | K | | M | O | I | | A | R | K | | N | O | T | I | O | N |
| I | T | S | | | | C | | P | E | P | P | A | | C | | | | L | O | X |
| S | P | A | M | M | E | R | | Q | U | E | E | N | | P | O | S | S | E | S | S |
| | | Y | E | S | Y | O | U | | A | | S | T | R | A | W | S | | | |
| C | C | L | A | M | P | | L | I | P | | S | I | R | | T | A | N | T | R | A |
| O | R | E | | E | | A | D | Z | | L | | T | A | B | | N | | W | I | N |
| L | O | A | N | | D | A | M | | B | A | S | | I | O | U | | T | O | P | S |
| B | O | P | | O | | S | O | L | A | R | P | U | N | K | | O | | F | E | W |
| E | N | D | I | V | E | | N | U | G | G | E | T | S | | U | R | B | A | N | E |
| R | E | A | P | E | R | | E | T | I | E | N | N | E | | S | A | U | C | E | R |
| T | R | Y | O | N | E | | Y | E | T | | T | E | T | | A | L | T | E | R | S |
Mon 4/22/2024
| C | O | A | L | | A | T | A | L | L | | A | D | A | M |
| A | N | N | E | | R | O | X | I | E | | F | A | V | A |
| R | A | K | E | | G | R | E | E | N | P | O | W | E | R |
| E | R | A | | C | O | O | L | | | H | O | N | | |
| T | U | R | B | A | N | S | | T | R | I | T | E | S | T |
| S | N | A | I | L | | | W | O | O | L | | D | N | A |
| | | P | E | R | S | O | N | A | | W | O | O | D |
| G | L | O | B | A | L | W | A | R | M | I | N | G | |
| F | O | O | D | | N | I | E | L | S | E | N | | | |
| A | B | U | | F | O | N | D | | | T | O | S | C | A |
| D | I | S | H | I | N | G | | D | I | E | S | O | U | T |
| | E | O | N | | | F | I | N | D | | M | E | H |
| F | O | S | S | I | L | F | U | E | L | | N | A | D | A |
| A | B | U | T | | A | O | R | T | A | | O | L | I | N |
| R | I | P | S | | B | O | S | S | Y | | W | I | N | D |
Tue 4/23/2024
| M | A | G | I | | K | A | P | U | T | | S | I | S |
| A | C | E | R | | U | P | O | N | E | | A | B | E |
| O | H | N | O | E | W | H | E | I | S | M | Y | E | X |
| E | X | C | L | A | I | M | | T | A | S | T | Y |
| | | | V | I | D | | S | E | E | P | | |
| S | O | I | S | I | T | | C | P | R | | R | I | P |
| I | N | C | A | S | | D | O | A | S | W | E | D | O |
| G | A | E | L | | A | R | M | Y | | I | S | I | S |
| H | I | M | A | I | M | U | P | | A | L | T | O | S |
| T | R | A | | K | E | G | | U | P | T | O | M | E |
| | C | O | N | S | | S | P | A | | | | |
| T | A | H | O | E | | A | P | R | I | C | O | T | |
| O | K | I | F | W | E | G | O | I | N | O | N | I | T |
| F | I | N | | I | C | E | R | S | | S | L | E | W |
| U | N | E | | T | O | R | T | E | | T | Y | R | O |
It's been quite a journey to get here, to my debut puzzle published in the New York Times. After being an avid crossword solver for over 40 years, I decided to try my hand at constructing (like many other recent debut constructors) in early 2020, when so many of us were sentenced to "House arrest"! It took me quite a few submissions before I was able to catch the editors' eyes with today's theme, but now that I have my foot (or at least a toe) in the door, I'm hoping to get some of my other ideas noticed for future puzzles.
I have to give a big shout-out to my husband, Larry Lichens, for getting me started and guiding me through some of the nuances of grid design and fill techniques. Also, many thanks to Tracy Bennett at the Times for shepherding me through the process, helping to smooth out the rough edges of my initial submission, and getting this up to NYT publication standards. Hope everyone enjoyed it.
– puzzle by Judy Bowers
Wed 4/24/2024
| J | A | M | | W | E | S | T | E | L | M | | H | A | M |
| U | S | A | | A | R | C | A | D | I | A | | O | L | E |
| T | A | U | | I | M | O | D | I | U | M | | I | O | N |
| S | P | I | L | T | | P | A | T | | M | E | T | E | D |
| | H | A | W | K | E | | S | C | A | L | Y | | |
| S | A | Y | H | I | | | | E | M | I | T | S | |
| E | W | W | | A | P | O | L | L | O | I | | O | T | S |
| L | E | A | S | T | | P | I | E | | A | D | I | E | U |
| S | L | I | T | | M | R | M | O | M | | A | T | V | S |
| E | L | I | E | | W | A | N | N | A | | R | Y | E | S |
| | | W | O | A | H | | A | X | L | E | | | |
| I | S | A | I | A | H | | | | I | A | M | S | A | M |
| L | A | T | E | R | A | L | S | Y | M | M | E | T | R | Y |
| L | G | A | | S | H | A | P | E | U | P | | U | M | S |
| S | A | D | | | A | B | Y | S | M | | | N | Y | T |
Ever since I began solving crosswords many years ago, I have been fascinated by all the conventions we take for granted that are unbeknownst to most non-solvers. Some of my favorite puzzles, though, are ones that purposely subvert the solver's expectations with well thought out justification. This puzzle began as my attempt to justify using mirror symmetry in place of typical crossword symmetry. Among the treasure trove of puzzles that play on mirror symmetry, I was shocked to discover none had centered around symmetry in the English alphabet.
There are actually a surprising number of entries that fit the theme constraints, given how small the subset of symmetrical letters is in the English alphabet. In spite of that, the puzzle did not come together easily and it required many iterations to come to fruition. I want to thank the editing team for sticking with me on it and helping me through the revision process. I hope you enjoyed solving the puzzle and have a great Wednesday!
– puzzle by Jeffrey Martinovic
Thu 4/25/2024
| P | I | C | | W | O | E | | P | A | C | E | C | A | R |
| S | C | | O | | W | L | | E | M | O | T | I | V | E |
| T | H | R | O | N | E | S | | E | N | R | A | G | E | D |
| | | H | U | T | | S | P | I | N | | | | |
| | S | I | M | O | N | C | | O | | W | E | L | L |
| P | L | A | N | B | | A | A | S | | | A | L | O | E |
| H | E | D | G | E | D | I | N | | E | D | S | E | L | S |
| E | N | D | | R | E | F | | T | M | I | | C | I | S |
| N | O | L | O | S | S | | C | A | S | S | E | T | T | E |
| O | V | E | R | | | W | A | X | | M | C | R | A | E |
| M | O | S | C | | O | | W | I | D | A | H | O | | |
| | | | S | U | S | S | | E | N | O | | | |
| O | N | E | I | O | T | A | | A | T | T | E | M | P | T |
| F | A | N | D | U | E | L | | H | O | L | Y | C | O | W |
| T | H | E | A | T | R | E | | H | O | E | | I | D | O |
Fri 4/26/2024
| | C | R | E | M | A | | S | C | A | D | S | | |
| M | A | I | L | I | N | B | A | L | L | O | T | S | |
| T | I | N | C | A | N | T | E | L | E | P | H | O | N | E |
| O | C | T | | T | A | I | L | O | R | S | | P | O | D |
| W | R | I | T | E | | H | A | N | K | | A | G | O | G |
| N | O | N | O | | H | E | Y | S | | B | L | A | Z | E |
| S | N | A | P | P | E | R | S | | H | E | L | P | E | R |
| | | D | I | N | O | | F | O | L | D | | | |
| A | P | R | O | N | S | | F | U | L | L | O | F | I | T |
| P | L | U | G | S | | T | E | N | D | | N | O | D | E |
| R | I | D | S | | L | E | I | F | | B | E | N | I | N |
| E | N | D | | M | E | T | G | A | L | A | | D | O | S |
| S | K | E | L | E | T | O | N | C | O | S | T | U | M | E |
| O | R | I | G | I | N | S | T | O | R | I | E | S | |
| | S | P | A | N | S | | S | P | A | T | S | | |
Sat 4/27/2024
| L | O | C | A | L | P | A | P | E | R | | N | A | S | T |
| I | N | O | V | E | R | T | I | M | E | | E | T | T | A |
| B | I | M | E | T | A | L | L | I | C | | G | A | E | L |
| S | T | E | R | | W | A | L | T | H | E | R | P | P | K |
| | | A | N | N | S | | | A | D | O | R | B | S |
| D | E | G | A | S | | A | W | R | Y | | E | Y | E |
| C | O | X | E | S | | F | L | A | G | S | | M | S | N |
| L | O | T | S | | B | O | O | Z | E | | S | I | T | S |
| E | R | R | | B | O | R | N | E | | S | Q | U | E | E |
| A | K | A | | L | O | M | E | | C | L | U | M | P | |
| R | E | E | B | O | K | | | S | I | R | I | | | |
| T | E | X | A | C | O | S | T | A | R | | R | O | K | U |
| A | P | T | S | | N | O | T | C | R | I | C | K | E | T |
| P | E | R | K | | C | H | O | R | U | S | L | I | N | E |
| E | R | A | S | | D | O | P | E | S | H | E | E | T | S |
Sun 4/28/2024 The Sounds of Music
| S | H | E | R | A | | M | E | S | A | | B | R | O | | B | O | B | C | U | T |
| T | U | X | E | D | | O | N | E | S | C | O | O | P | | A | G | L | A | R | E |
| I | N | T | W | O | | P | A | V | A | R | O | T | T | | D | R | A | M | A | S |
| R | A | R | E | R | | S | C | E | N | E | | C | I | N | D | E | R | E | L | L |
| N | A | D | I | R | | T | R | A | S | H | | C | U | R | | E | L | S | A |
| | | | N | I | K | E | S | | C | I | O | | B | E | E | | | | |
| S | H | I | N | G | L | E | D | | T | E | N | T | H | | A | B | I | T | O | F |
| C | O | N | I | F | E | R | | L | I | N | K | T | O | | M | A | R | A | C | A |
| A | M | A | N | A | | I | T | O | L | D | Y | O | U | S | | Y | O | K | E | L |
| L | E | M | A | N | S | | H | A | L | O | | | D | O | T | | N | E | A | L |
| E | M | O | | S | I | R | E | N | S | | S | K | I | B | I | B | | A | N | T |
| D | O | M | O | | P | O | P | | | S | E | A | N | | C | O | P | S | T | O |
| O | V | E | N | S | | W | I | Z | K | H | A | L | I | F | | T | A | P | I | N |
| W | I | N | K | L | E | | P | I | N | O | L | E | | A | S | T | R | I | D | E |
| N | E | T | P | A | Y | | S | P | E | W | S | | B | I | C | O | R | N | E | S |
| | | | P | E | G | | S | E | C | | C | A | R | O | M | | | | |
| A | C | T | I | | B | U | B | | L | A | T | I | N | | W | H | O | A | M | |
| T | H | A | T | S | A | M | O | R | | S | E | E | Y | A | | E | L | L | I | S |
| H | A | M | I | L | L | | R | E | F | E | R | R | A | L | | A | D | E | L | E |
| O | N | E | N | I | L | | G | L | I | S | S | A | N | D | | V | I | X | E | N |
| S | T | R | A | P | S | | E | O | N | | E | S | S | O | | Y | E | A | S | T |
Mon 4/29/2024
| W | A | R | E | | A | B | B | A | | O | U | S | T | S |
| E | B | A | Y | | S | O | A | R | | U | B | O | A | T |
| B | L | U | E | W | H | A | L | E | | T | E | M | P | E |
| S | E | L | F | I | E | | D | O | G | T | R | E | A | T |
| | | U | L | N | A | | L | E | A | | | | |
| T | A | L | C | | B | L | A | C | K | B | A | L | L |
| B | E | T | | O | G | R | E | | K | E | E | N | L | Y |
| R | E | A | R | | R | A | T | I | O | | D | O | O | R |
| E | T | R | A | D | E | | I | T | S | Y | | D | Y | E |
| W | H | I | T | E | W | I | N | E | | O | W | E | D | |
| | | | L | O | T | | M | A | U | I | | | |
| A | U | D | I | E | N | C | E | | M | I | S | A | I | M |
| B | R | U | N | T | | H | U | E | A | N | D | C | R | Y |
| U | S | A | G | E | | E | R | O | S | | O | M | I | T |
| T | A | L | E | S | | S | O | N | S | | M | E | S | H |
Tue 4/30/2024
| P | E | A | S | | N | I | L | L | A | | | E | G | O |
| C | A | P | N | | O | R | E | O | S | | P | S | A | T |
| B | R | E | A | D | F | R | U | I | T | | T | A | R | O |
| S | P | R | I | E | R | | | N | O | T | S | U | R | E |
| | | L | Y | I | N | G | | R | E | D | | | |
| A | T | O | | | L | A | M | E | S | A | | Y | T | D |
| G | I | B | R | A | L | T | A | R | | S | H | E | E | R |
| A | G | A | I | N | S | T | | O | R | E | G | A | N | O |
| T | E | M | P | I | | E | L | D | E | S | T | S | O | N |
| E | R | A | | S | T | R | E | E | T | | | T | R | E |
| | | N | E | A | | I | S | I | T | I | | | |
| K | E | T | O | S | I | S | | | T | I | N | C | T | S |
| N | O | O | R | | W | I | G | G | L | E | R | O | O | M |
| E | N | Y | A | | A | N | N | I | E | | E | C | R | U |
| E | S | S | | | N | O | U | N | S | | M | O | N | T |