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Puzzles for July, 2025
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (3)Editor (3)Jim Horne (5)Hide comments
Tue 7/1/2025
CRISPTKOMEDAL
HANOIYENORATE
UNCLEPITBASED
HORSERADISH
CRABAPPLE
SEGUEDSERVED
PLOPSUBSEMI
LOOSTOMACHGOV
ITSPIRANHAETA
TEENAGEDILATES
BORECODA
REVERBOKSURE
TORENOCAPLILY
EARLUNITETAME
EDYSTESSASNOW
Wed 7/2/2025
COBBCNETBLACK
OVALHALERISEN
PUBTRIVIAAMPLE
AMYIRAICICLE
GRAPHICDETAIL
TOROSOCHI
OPALSKENOSAC
FUNFACTRAWDATA
USDYOURLABOR
ABUTSWOMB
BANKSTATEMENT
UBOATSTUXESC
IBIZAHARDTRUTH
LEROIECIGAREA
TYSONELSEESPN
Thu 7/3/2025
BAACHIPRASTA
OLDFADERAPTOR
LIMBOREDONTAPE
OWIEMARAUDYAW
TOTALLOVERDONE
INTROSINYOUGO
EGOLHASASTAN
BLACKTIRE
DESITIETOFED
EMPRESSSIMONE
BALDSPORTLARGE
UNICANAANCRAP
SACRUMBLINKERS
STEEDSBOCAADE
YESNOINKYLEA

Is 2025 the year of the slashed-double-clue late-week theme? This is the fifth puzzle of the genre so far, and the second in two weeks! Ok fine yes three of those five themes have been my own puzzles, so this may just be a case of me trying to make 'fetch' happen. But still interesting!

This one came up in the same text chat that led to this puzzle. It's an admittedly similar concept, but I thought these finds were cool, and the 'blinking' down crossing component made it different enough. Shoutout to Rebecca Goldstein for her blessing for me to pursue it solo.

I had a playwriting professor in college who said that in every play you write, you should always include one element that's impossible to stage. That way, everyone involved is forced to be creative in bringing the play to life instead of operating by rote.

I submit a lot of puzzles with elements that are impossible to print — in this case, animated clues where the left and right halves become bolded in an alternating, blinker-esque pattern. Similarly, I wanted the circled squares in the grid to flash back and forth, left-right, while you were solving. The Times team put the kibosh on those this time (though I hear there may be a post-solve overlay), but it won't stop me from continuing to try to push the boundaries of the medium in the future.

More puzzles soon — of the non-slashed-double-clue variety!

Fri 7/4/2025
RIPSARKSSTRUT
ELLEMEANHOOHA
SLEWBALLOONDOG
ICANTLIEWHISKS
NASHERENE
TEPIDFRUITBAT
ACRESCORPORATE
RHINOAROHITME
MUSCLECARTETON
SPEEDWAYGASES
TOOSONRPG
COACHKMEDIASHY
ARTHISTORYUBER
LATINWOVETORO
CLANGODESOXES
Sat 7/5/2025
STOPYANNREACH
LONEEDIEENLAI
UNITSOFACOVERS
EGOSARTTHIEVES
UNCANNYVALLEY
HERALDOSSO
ATONECADSPERE
NILSTARKEYPIG
DELTIDEAACING
EPEEBLOCKY
QUEERTHEOLOGY
GUTTERBALLLADY
LITERALISTAMIE
OPERAURIENENA
BURSTEYEDTSKS
Sun 7/6/2025 Escape Room
MARXERGOSPAMGIZA
VOGUELOUDPEPEANIME
PRESSPSISFENDGATOR
SESHMAILLEIAWIRE
DOESNTHAVEACLUE
ATEINTOTOTEDIGNOBLE
DINEROROMEOALFRED
WMDYOSHIUNSEEEVE
ATONETAPTAUTRAIN
RAFASANMBAEKES
MTVITDEEMUBOD
HERMESXNASSAU
TEEOUSTIARTETAJ
ORRALMATMIRESPA
TAOMIENENIDTAN
ASAPUNDERTHESEABARK
LEDUPXENONWARTY
RODDENTUREHID
FOURSQUARERODEODRIVE
LOSEHEARTLIPREADER
APEDDEESLEANPOTS

Zhou: I am so very thrilled to be making my NYT debut (especially because there were many times over the last two years where I was convinced it would never happen), and it is particularly meaningful to be sharing a byline with my favorite person in the whole world.

My original concept for this puzzle involved a passcode that was a Schrödinger entry but with one unchecked square… I reluctantly agreed to Kevin's simpler approach of putting a lock in the middle, secretly still thinking my way was better. Yikes! In hindsight — I hate to say it, but: Kevin, you were right. (Please don't use this statement against me in the future.)

Lastly, and most importantly, we're actually not the first people in our family to publish a crossword in the Sunday NYT. Our two oldest kids, Kaela (newly 9) and Nate (10), were published in the Kids section in April (interview by the incredible Christina Iverson here, solve the puzzle here). Time will tell if Vivi (almost 7) also catches the construction bug.

Kevin: Zhou and I met as teenagers. It's fun to think back to those days: she convinced me to dance the hula with her in front of 500+ people, and I convinced her to play offensive line on my flag football team. Our interests were so different, but we were always looking for ways to help each other grow.

Fast forward more than two decades: many of our interests have converged as we've shared our lives together. But our spirit of tackling new challenges side-by-side remains. This particular puzzle builds on literally hundreds of hours put into puzzles that were rejected. With the help of Christina and the amazing editing team, we couldn't be prouder to share it with the world.

This note wouldn't feel complete without mention of our friends Shawna and Austin, who we've tackled many escape rooms with. There's nothing quite like the feeling of deciphering the final challenge and becoming 42-Downs. We hope that this puzzle recreates some of that magic for you!

Mon 7/7/2025
BOFFOOTISLEFT
AARONMASKOTRO
STARTINGPITCHER
SHYITISAKERS
NPRAMSTEREO
VANITYPLATE
AMINOEELYAPSE
IOBJECTOXIDANT
OSSARUINCOCOA
COLLEGEBOWL
EATLOCALAWE
ACHOOSOBAISH
STILLONTHETABLE
EINEDIOSEVIAN
LIEDEXPORESTS
Tue 7/8/2025
GISTSACSSLAP
EVEREDGESPELL
LAGUARDIAPASTA
NATGEORAMSAY
HANNABARBERA
SEMITESENSOR
CLASHSPEDTERM
ASKACHEFORVIA
BEESHERSOMITS
STARESMOOLAH
DOPAMINERUSH
OPERASOTTAWA
GRADSAPLUSWORK
MACOSSOFAKNEE
AHEMHEELSTAY
Wed 7/9/2025
MUTTLIDPISTOL
EPEEETEOCTOPI
MOLEVALMISAIM
ONETRILLIONDEB
HITANNES
BASEMANCASHAPP
OTCSTEPSEGEL
ARABEDGESSERA
RILEYSTUBNIT
DAYTIMEAPOSTLE
ANODEELK
PGAYOUDIRTYRAT
UNREALGOBLALA
NANANAATOAGES
TROUGHRAYBUCK
Thu 7/10/2025
CUBSSSNBIOS
OBOECOOPELLE
MOONDANCEFADE
MASTERGARDENER
ATTICPILLARS
MOOTOIL
TIGERWOODSBTU
UDONNANTSARS
BENTOSITTRES
ADEMATCHMAKER
MACECIG
ESSENCEDEUCE
JACKIEROBINSON
ELIODINOSAURS
CMONEVESMANU
TANGOSSELSE
Fri 7/11/2025
HOSTSOWLYSASH
YAHOOGHEEPLEA
DRILLSDOWNOMNI
READAHEADHOOT
ADSRANHANDIN
WEKROARONO
RACECARDRIVER
BALLOONANIMAL
GETTINGCLOSER
INSPISHHOT
FINESTEONABA
HERECAMPFIRES
NASAVOICEOVERS
ANTSACMERENEE
BASENOSEDRATS

Happy to be making my New York Times debut!

I first became interested in crossword construction around 3 years ago, after my girlfriend made me a puzzle on one of our early dates. We initially bonded over a shared obsession with the daily NYT crossword and would race to see who could solve it faster. She beat me (almost!) every time.

Friday themeless puzzles have always been my favourites to solve, so they quickly became my favourites to create. This grid started with the slanted stack in the middle, specifically with the entry RACE CAR DRIVER. As a big Formula 1 fan, it's nice to debut this phrase in the Times. I'm also fond of BALLOON ANIMAL as another marquee middle entry. I don't know how to make one, but I assume it's harder than it looks. Like race car driving.

I have a couple more puzzles in the queue to be published (one with my aforementioned girlfriend), so I am excited to share those as well in the near future.

Hope you enjoy the puzzle!

Sat 7/12/2025
WHATABLASTRIGG
HOMEBREWERITOO
OBOESONATAVALE
POSSEDISCALDA
NESTELLIES
STRATAECRUANY
PRIGREDOLINGO
EAGERLYBRUNSON
EVADERISEGUAM
DEMADENFEEBLE
CLAIREFIST
HORNBLOWHYENA
EGOSROBODIALER
SULUICONOCLAST
SEEMSIXTHSENSE
Sun 7/13/2025 Tunnel Vision
HALTDEMONSRATEWAITS
OTOEINASECOLAVERDOCS
LEANTECHNOTILESOOTHE
ELDERSBEETOVENTUSHIE
SOTTOLEASTRESUMESESP
ICIPEATPEREOMS
NAMELPHABAUEYNODAT
LETLIEGOBTWEENSSHEL
HADLUNCHTEAMOSECO
STBEDEDECOERRINGERHU
CAREDNOSIRRSSIMISSED
ODEECONETONILE
UPARROWCTAADAGEREDOS
ROKUDISHONRINGRESENT
ELONGOASKTODOLIST
DENTMENSCHIRSINPAWN
TSLOTMASESOBESOEAT
ICHIRISLOONNTH
MARLATETAGRADONSATIE
GLOOMYAAVEAGESBELLOW
UVULAERBISILLSUETINA
REGIMECOATTOCOMEOVAL
SHOALHONETWOMANSELL
Mon 7/14/2025
BELLACARGOPTA
AVOIDONIONROD
BASKETWEAVEEMO
ALTAHEWNDETER
BRERRAZZIE
TITLESTHEYRE
INHEATHUPALFA
EREMONOBOBBAR
DERNNASROBUST
EUGENETWENTY
KIDDOSBELL
HOPESGEARLARS
ANOHARRYSTYLES
KINNOISEHUMAN
ICYOLDEROPALS
Tue 7/15/2025
MASSNOGORATIO
ULNAUNITUBERX
SMUTDELTABURKE
KABUKIDATAMSN
REEFWADS
DANNYBONADUCE
OVASARIBAITS
ROMPRENEWMESA
KNEADJAILIAN
DREWBARRYMORE
ECOLSERE
DREAMOKMADMEN
DAVIDBOWIEIAGO
AGILEPANSCIAO
YULESSIGHIMDB
Wed 7/16/2025
PLEAATEONBASE
DONTEVENBESTIR
FOOTLONGSOMBER
ROWENEATO
WHATSTHEMATTER
PEACESEDATE
EASTANNARBOR
EVABOBTAILAMA
RENFAIREFLAN
IDLERSTISNT
THELASTSAMURAI
ROLLSVERT
ALWESTTEABREAK
PLATESCANOEING
SAYSSOMSTENDS
Thu 7/17/2025
ATTICSMOGEDAM
BAIDUHAKETOKE
EXCELETALOMIT
AIRDRYTIARA
APPNOSYFILIAL
SEESAWOILMEN
STEERISSUENIT
ARRAYSHEMOANA
MIRALIKEARMOR
ERRATAACCENT
RIVETSDASHSET
EPICSFOSSIL
AREAAILSNITRO
LAWNIDLEELMER
MYSTMOSTSTING
Fri 7/18/2025
ATONESINGEST
STEFANONOTSURE
THATSJUSTTOOBAD
RESCORKERSSIG
ONEDAYMORELUTE
PARERASSMEMOS
FRESHLUGER
DEATHTADAS
SINCEGROWL
JESSEGEERISES
AXLEANTECEDENT
ITOCREATESMAA
LAYINGITONTHICK
SPAREUSPALETTE
ELATESSCENES
Sat 7/19/2025
TITILLATEFLOW
EMOTIONALFRERE
MASTEROFSCIENCE
PMSINTERNETAD
CBSEND
SHOOATTAORO
SPUROFTHEMOMENT
AIREDALETERRIER
IGOTONEMOREINME
DONTGETANYIDEAS
TSADAPSDERN
SRIGAS
MASCOTRACEBCC
IMPOSSIBLECOLOR
DEITYDEANSPADE
ISNTSTMATTHEW
Sun 7/20/2025 Ten Point Spread
PEAKTVEAGLEDGOACAD
UMPIRETHRIVEANDDONE
SISTINECHAPELMELINDA
SLEEPINCASHREGISTER
SCARCEIDOBURRS
GASPEMERSONANISISI
ULTRAOLECAWMEETER
SPEEDTRAPHERBGARDEN
AVOWYEARAROMA
MALARIABEATITSTAR
DATINGSITEPHOTOBOOTH
SAHLTRALASADDUPTO
ALIASMOONOAFS
BARBERSHOPDAIRYFARM
ORDOCSAOLESTSLIER
NOMOSAMPECLASSELMS
AMISHSAOALLAYS
TATTOOPARLORGREASES
ENTEBBEGIRLSCOUTCAMP
ACERBICACCORDPORTIA
REDYETNESTORSNEERS
Mon 7/21/2025
BTSNOTIPGOBI
URLACHOOBAKER
TOUCHDOWNPASSES
TUSHAZUR
THEEVENINGNEWS
RUEDTEENIE
BBCREINSWORN
AIRPORTSHUTTLES
NCAASCABSADE
DENIEDREAD
SPELLINGERRORS
ISEEREPS
GOTTACATCHEMALL
ADAMSRURALMIA
BENZSPUNKSTY
Tue 7/22/2025
VIPFOAMGNAW
ACAIALTASOUTH
TALLORDERPEKOE
NEONSSCUSEME
VYINGHRC
ESSEXORCAUFOS
ACHYSPOILCAPE
TRIOCROCKKNEW
MENUROVESOGRE
EWESUBERSOSAD
ORBDOTOO
TEAMUSAHAVOC
APLUSSCOOPEDUP
BEACHIPASRITA
SESHFATENEW
Wed 7/23/2025
ALBUSAREAAPED
ISUZUTAXITORE
MUSICNOTESASIA
SKIMSLASTED
NAGALIETTA
INEPTCSIEELS
ETNAAMANDACEE
CHEMICALSYMBOLS
EERNESSIEODES
MAKOSADHYENA
TINTEWESAY
NOIDEAEJECT
IMONBLOODTYPES
LINELINKIRISH
ETSYELSECATCH
Thu 7/24/2025
MATEDLISPSCCS
OBELIUNHIPALE
COMMONSNIPEEAR
HUPROTMELISMA
ITERATESUNA
AMERICANCROW
ASANATASKESE
BIRDVESTSCALL
RAMRASPPINOT
AMAZONPARROT
DISTEALIGHT
UNITARDWWILEO
LOLCOOPERSHAWK
NILEASEDCASTE
AROAMENSITSON
Fri 7/25/2025
DOPESLAPNOAH
ICALLEDITBOCCE
STUDYDATEOUTTA
CELEBREGNANT
TAROTLATESHOW
LOOEBAYERA
DAYTODAYDMV
SATSKINTAGRAE
ITOATELOCAL
LAMARLODOO
EPICNESSIDLES
NOCANDOSUMAC
TIARAAHAMOMENT
ENGELPOLARBEAR
STEWTEETOTAL
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