Sun 2/1/2015 THIS N' THAT
| M | E | A | T | P | I | E | S | | F | L | A | W | E | D | | H | A | H | A | S |
| C | A | R | O | L | A | L | T | | O | E | N | O | N | E | | E | L | E | N | A |
| S | U | M | M | O | N | S | U | B | S | T | A | N | C | E | | A | A | R | G | H |
| | O | A | T | | | F | U | S | S | | | | R | A | V | I | O | L | I |
| M | A | R | T | | C | O | F | F | I | N | W | H | E | E | Z | E | | N | E | B |
| A | L | C | O | P | O | P | | F | L | O | R | I | D | | T | H | A | M | E | S |
| N | F | L | | R | O | E | G | | | T | A | K | E | S | | O | P | A | | |
| D | R | A | G | O | N | D | R | O | P | | Y | E | M | E | N | | O | K | R | A |
| M | E | D | A | L | | S | A | J | A | K | | D | A | V | I | D | L | E | A | N |
| | | G | I | F | | C | A | N | I | S | | | E | N | R | O | U | T | E |
| D | O | W | | F | O | R | E | I | G | N | T | W | E | N | T | Y | | P | E | W |
| A | R | A | B | I | C | A | | | S | K | I | E | D | | H | B | S | | | |
| M | A | R | A | C | A | I | B | O | | S | N | A | G | S | | O | U | N | C | E |
| N | L | R | B | | L | L | A | M | A | | K | R | A | K | E | N | P | E | E | L |
| | E | E | L | | S | C | A | L | D | | | R | I | L | E | | C | R | O |
| R | I | N | S | E | S | | O | N | P | O | S | T | | M | I | S | S | T | E | P |
| A | S | P | | F | I | S | S | I | O | N | C | H | I | P | S | | T | A | S | E |
| M | A | E | S | T | R | O | | | | I | R | A | N | | | L | A | R | | |
| A | B | A | T | E | | F | O | R | E | M | A | N | F | U | N | C | T | I | O | N |
| D | E | C | A | Y | | T | I | N | C | U | P | | E | V | I | D | E | N | C | E |
| A | L | E | N | E | | C | L | A | U | S | E | | R | A | T | S | N | E | S | T |
Mon 2/2/2015
| J | U | M | B | O | | P | A | R | E | | | W | S | J |
| O | N | I | O | N | | O | N | E | A | | D | O | T | O |
| T | O | N | Y | C | U | R | T | I | S | | R | U | I | N |
| | | D | E | S | T | I | N | Y | C | A | L | L | S |
| A | W | W | | | E | S | C | | C | A | N | D | L | E |
| M | O | H | A | I | R | | | A | L | L | O | W | E | D |
| Y | E | A | S | T | | B | A | L | I | | | E | R | A |
| | T | H | E | B | I | G | A | P | P | L | E | | |
| W | A | S | | | U | D | O | N | | R | A | V | E | L |
| A | L | M | O | N | D | S | | | V | O | W | E | L | S |
| F | L | Y | R | O | D | | A | C | E | | | R | I | D |
| F | E | L | O | N | Y | C | H | A | R | G | E | | | |
| L | A | I | N | | C | O | M | P | A | N | Y | C | A | R |
| E | R | N | O | | O | L | E | O | | A | R | O | M | A |
| S | S | E | | | P | A | D | S | | W | E | E | P | Y |
Tue 2/3/2015
| G | L | O | B | A | L | | | | P | O | S | T | A | L |
| R | E | V | E | N | U | E | | D | I | P | L | O | M | A |
| I | N | I | T | I | A | L | | O | N | T | A | R | I | O |
| G | O | D | | | N | I | T | R | O | | K | I | S | S |
| | | T | R | A | D | E | | T | H | E | | | |
| C | A | R | E | | E | A | R | | A | D | D | E | D |
| P | A | R | E | N | T | | R | O | O | M | | R | A | Y |
| A | N | T | E | | O | R | D | E | R | | S | A | V | E |
| I | T | S | | O | V | E | R | | B | A | T | T | E | D |
| R | O | Y | A | L | | F | O | R | | M | A | S | S | |
| | | C | A | R | | P | A | R | T | Y | | | |
| W | I | D | E | | I | S | S | U | E | | | N | E | W |
| A | C | A | D | E | M | Y | | L | E | T | T | U | C | E |
| R | E | T | I | R | E | D | | S | C | I | E | N | C | E |
| S | T | A | T | E | S | | | | E | A | R | N | E | D |
Wed 2/4/2015
| M | I | R | E | | H | Y | A | T | T | | F | I | E | F |
| A | M | E | X | | M | O | T | E | S | | I | O | W | A |
| C | H | E | C | K | O | U | T | C | O | U | N | T | E | R |
| S | O | F | I | A | | B | A | H | | R | E | A | R | S |
| | | T | Y | P | E | B | | A | G | A | S | S | I |
| T | A | K | E | O | U | T | O | R | D | E | R | | | |
| A | L | L | S | E | T | | Y | E | A | | T | G | I | F |
| L | I | E | | D | I | Y | | C | P | R | | E | C | O |
| L | I | E | F | | T | A | S | | T | E | H | R | A | N |
| | | L | O | O | K | O | U | T | P | O | I | N | T |
| S | A | T | U | R | N | | S | N | O | O | T | | | |
| A | L | O | N | E | | S | O | Y | | S | P | O | S | E |
| W | O | R | K | O | U | T | R | O | U | T | I | N | E | S |
| T | A | T | E | | M | A | R | K | S | | N | E | A | P |
| O | D | E | D | | S | T | Y | E | S | | K | A | T | Y |
Thu 2/5/2015
| T | A | P | A | S | | G | I | R | L | | P | A | M | S |
| I | V | A | N | A | | E | B | A | Y | | E | R | I | Q |
| F | O | R | Y | O | U | R | E | Y | E | S | O | N | L | Y |
| F | W | I | W | | K | A | L | E | | U | P | E | N | D |
| | S | H | E | R | R | I | | B | E | L | L | E | S |
| S | T | I | E | G | | D | E | C | O | D | E | | | |
| A | R | A | R | A | T | | V | I | A | | A | L | O | U |
| L | O | N | E | L | Y | T | E | A | R | D | R | O | P | S |
| S | I | S | I | | K | O | I | | D | E | E | D | E | E |
| | | W | H | E | N | C | E | | A | P | E | R | S |
| C | A | C | A | O | S | | A | N | K | L | E | S | | |
| E | D | E | N | S | | S | N | O | W | | O | T | I | S |
| L | E | A | D | E | R | O | F | T | H | E | P | A | C | K |
| E | L | S | E | | I | D | L | E | | E | L | R | E | Y |
| B | E | E | R | | D | A | Y | S | | K | E | S | E | Y |
Somehow over time, Thursday has gotten the reputation of being the "trickster" day for the Times crossword. This is when you're most likely to encounter a rebus, answers that read in unorthodox directions, letters getting entered onto black squares or outside the grid, etc.
In truth, though, at least to me, Thursday is just supposed to be harder than Wednesday and easier than Friday. That is all.
Today's puzzle has about as untricky a theme as you'll find — three 15-letter song titles Across intersecting three other 15-letter song titles Down. Amazing. How did Mike find this?! All are titles of truly big songs that are familar to me (although 4D, just barely — that's a little before my time). The construction is pretty damn clean, too.
What makes this a Thursday? Partly it's the puzzle's 72-word word count, which is low enough to meet themeless Friday/Saturday standards. And partly it's that not everyone may know all these titles, in which case they're not so easy to fill in. Naturally, the cluing level has been pitched to a Thursday level to keep everything in sync.
If you like your Thursday themes trickier than this, hang on for future weeks. I've got some doozies on the way. But sometimes a Thursday theme can come in a straightforward variety, too.
– puzzle by Mike Buckley
Fri 2/6/2015
| L | O | O | K | A | T | T | H | A | T | | B | E | T | S |
| E | X | H | I | L | A | R | A | T | E | | E | X | E | C |
| D | O | G | L | I | C | E | N | S | E | | N | E | E | R |
| | R | O | C | K | E | D | | | T | E | M | P | O |
| P | R | O | B | E | S | | | J | S | H | A | P | E | D |
| A | I | W | A | | | | P | A | L | E | T | T | E | S |
| Y | O | U | R | E | T | O | O | M | U | C | H | | | |
| S | T | P | | P | A | N | G | A | E | A | | M | A | O |
| | | T | H | I | S | O | L | D | T | H | I | N | G |
| S | C | O | U | R | G | E | S | | | | I | S | N | O |
| A | I | R | B | O | A | T | | | H | A | T | R | E | D |
| L | T | G | E | N | | | F | L | E | C | H | E | | |
| E | R | A | T | | S | P | E | A | R | H | E | A | D | S |
| M | O | N | O | | I | T | S | D | O | O | R | D | I | E |
| S | N | A | P | | E | A | S | Y | D | O | E | S | I | T |
POW Sat 2/7/2015
| G | R | A | B | L | E | | E | A | S | Y | A | C | E | S |
| R | U | L | E | O | N | | M | O | N | O | T | O | N | E |
| I | C | H | I | N | G | | B | R | O | U | H | A | H | A |
| P | H | I | N | D | I | C | A | T | O | R | | L | A | G |
| P | E | R | S | O | N | A | L | A | D | | G | E | N | L |
| E | D | T | | N | E | W | M | E | | T | O | S | C | A |
| | | L | A | M | E | S | | B | R | A | C | E | S |
| W | A | V | E | R | E | D | | B | O | I | L | E | R | S |
| E | L | E | V | E | N | | H | O | B | B | S | | | |
| A | T | R | I | A | | D | I | T | K | A | | P | I | M |
| K | A | Y | S | | W | I | L | H | E | L | M | I | N | A |
| S | I | M | | D | E | S | I | A | R | N | A | Z | J | R |
| P | R | I | C | E | C | U | T | | R | A | Z | Z | E | S |
| O | I | L | L | E | A | S | E | | E | M | D | A | S | H |
| T | V | D | I | N | N | E | R | | Y | E | A | S | T | Y |
Sun 2/8/2015 MULTIFACETED
| T | I | M | E | | | S | L | I | T | | I | C | E | T | | | C | B | E | R |
| S | H | I | E | R | | P | A | S | S | I | N | G | G | O | | S | H | E | R | A |
| G | A | R | N | E | R | A | T | T | E | N | T | I | O | N | | W | E | A | R | Y |
| A | V | A | | P | U | R | E | | T | K | O | | S | E | X | I | E | R | | |
| R | E | C | K | O | N | S | O | | S | E | W | N | | D | I | S | S | I | N | G |
| P | I | L | E | | T | I | N | T | E | D | | C | R | U | I | S | E | S | B | Y |
| T | E | E | N | | T | S | A | | | S | O | U | P | | E | T | H | A | N |
| | | P | O | N | Y | E | X | P | R | E | S | S | | S | S | R | | | |
| S | L | O | M | O | | T | R | O | O | P | | H | A | I | | A | R | S | |
| M | E | A | N | S | T | O | | A | S | S | | N | E | L | L | | Y | E | T | I |
| L | T | D | | G | A | M | E | T | H | E | S | Y | S | T | E | M | | V | O | L |
| K | I | L | L | | F | R | E | E | | T | C | M | | I | N | A | F | U | N | K |
| N | E | E | | A | I | L | | S | T | O | P | S | | T | R | I | P | E | |
| | | A | N | N | | P | O | P | A | W | H | E | E | L | I | E | | | |
| O | B | E | S | E | | B | O | N | A | | | O | T | T | | E | S | P | Y | |
| W | A | T | E | R | G | A | T | E | | J | U | S | T | A | S | | T | O | U | R |
| S | H | O | T | F | O | R | | D | C | U | P | | L | I | P | B | A | L | M | S |
| | N | O | G | O | O | D | | U | N | S | | E | L | A | L | | E | M | T |
| A | E | I | O | U | | Q | U | A | R | T | E | R | S | I | Z | E | H | A | I | L |
| P | R | A | W | N | | U | L | U | L | A | T | I | O | N | | W | A | X | E | N |
| P | E | N | N | | | E | L | K | S | | S | O | N | G | | | M | E | R | E |
Mon 2/9/2015
| O | F | L | A | T | E | | H | A | T | E | | C | P | R |
| B | R | I | D | A | L | | O | X | E | N | | O | R | E |
| S | U | P | E | R | B | O | W | L | A | D | | V | I | M |
| E | M | T | | P | A | N | T | | | | M | E | M | O |
| S | P | O | T | | | C | O | L | D | W | A | T | E | R |
| S | Y | N | A | P | S | E | | O | R | A | T | O | R | S |
| | | L | E | E | | O | L | E | G | | U | S | E |
| | M | E | A | D | O | W | L | A | N | D | S | | |
| U | F | O | | L | O | V | E | | M | E | R | | | |
| P | A | N | T | E | N | E | | P | Y | R | A | M | I | D |
| S | L | O | W | D | A | N | C | E | | | W | A | D | E |
| U | S | T | A | | | | A | L | I | T | | H | I | M |
| R | I | O | | W | H | E | R | E | S | W | A | L | D | O |
| G | E | N | | I | A | G | O | | L | I | V | E | I | N |
| E | S | E | | G | L | O | B | | E | X | E | R | T | S |
Tue 2/10/2015
| S | P | A | T | E | | A | M | O | K | | H | A | W | S |
| N | A | S | A | L | | R | O | T | O | | O | D | O | N |
| O | U | T | O | F | S | O | R | T | S | | M | I | M | E |
| O | L | E | S | | U | S | E | | | S | E | E | Y | A |
| T | A | R | | F | E | E | L | I | N | G | P | U | N | K |
| | O | S | A | Y | | | N | A | T | L | | | |
| H | A | I | T | I | | C | H | A | P | | A | S | T | O |
| U | N | D | E | R | T | H | E | W | E | A | T | H | E | R |
| B | A | S | E | | E | I | N | E | | P | E | O | N | S |
| | | L | E | A | N | | | P | E | S | O | | |
| W | A | Y | B | E | L | O | W | P | A | R | | T | A | P |
| A | S | I | A | N | | | Y | S | L | | R | E | P | O |
| S | T | E | N | | I | N | T | H | E | D | U | M | P | S |
| T | O | L | D | | D | O | H | A | | A | D | U | L | T |
| E | N | D | S | | S | T | E | W | | T | Y | P | E | S |
POW Wed 2/11/2015
| T | O | D | D | | C | A | T | T | | C | A | U | S | E |
| A | R | E | A | | W | H | O | A | | H | U | R | T | S |
| N | C | A | R | | T | H | E | B | E | E | T | L | E | S |
| G | A | F | F | E | | | R | O | D | E | O | | | |
| | L | U | D | I | C | R | O | U | S | | L | U | V |
| I | T | E | R | A | T | E | | | C | E | L | I | N | E |
| T | A | O | | M | E | D | I | C | | S | A | N | D | S |
| H | I | P | S | | M | A | C | A | W | | S | C | O | T |
| A | W | A | S | H | | R | E | D | I | D | | O | N | E |
| C | A | R | T | E | D | | | E | N | A | B | L | E | D |
| A | N | D | | B | O | Y | S | T | O | M | E | N | | |
| | | A | R | R | A | Y | | | S | A | P | P | Y |
| M | O | T | L | E | Y | C | R | E | W | | S | A | R | I |
| A | L | L | O | W | | H | I | H | O | | T | R | A | P |
| P | A | C | E | S | | T | A | S | E | | S | K | Y | S |
Thu 2/12/2015
| S | W | A | L | L | S | | A | F | T | | G | E | M | S |
| H | I | T | S | A | T | | J | I | B | | A | T | O | M |
| E | N | L | A | C | E | | A | R | S | | L | A | V | A |
| N | E | A | T | | P | A | R | E | | Z | A | L | E | S |
| G | S | N | | N | O | S | | A | R | I | | I | T | O |
| E | A | T | | I | N | S | C | R | I | P | T | I | O | N |
| P | I | T | T | | | A | M | O | C | O | | | |
| | C | O | R | N | E | R | S | T | O | N | E | | |
| | | P | O | E | M | E | | | D | E | M | I | |
| T | I | M | E | C | A | P | S | U | L | E | | O | M | G |
| O | S | A | | A | P | E | | S | I | S | | T | E | R |
| U | T | T | E | R | | R | I | S | E | | S | I | M | I |
| C | R | I | T | | Z | O | O | | N | I | A | C | I | N |
| H | I | N | T | | A | R | T | | O | S | M | O | N | D |
| S | A | G | E | | G | S | A | | R | H | I | N | E | S |
Fri 2/13/2015
| S | T | E | W | | P | U | S | H | | T | B | I | L | L |
| T | A | X | I | | I | N | N | A | M | E | O | N | L | Y |
| U | K | E | S | | E | C | O | N | O | M | Y | C | A | R |
| D | E | C | K | | C | A | R | G | O | P | L | A | N | E |
| F | A | R | | K | E | P | T | O | N | | E | N | O | S |
| A | L | A | N | I | S | | | V | E | T | | | | |
| R | O | B | E | S | | E | Y | E | D | O | C | T | O | R |
| M | O | L | L | S | | S | I | R | | S | H | E | B | A |
| S | K | E | L | E | T | O | N | S | | S | I | S | S | Y |
| | | | R | A | T | | | P | E | N | T | E | L |
| D | U | E | T | | S | E | N | S | E | S | | P | S | I |
| O | B | L | I | T | E | R | A | T | E | | M | I | S | O |
| R | O | U | G | H | R | I | D | E | R | | A | L | I | T |
| M | A | D | E | A | S | C | E | N | E | | C | O | O | T |
| S | T | E | R | N | | A | R | O | D | | E | T | N | A |
Sat 2/14/2015
| J | A | V | A | S | C | R | I | P | T | | M | A | S | S |
| I | H | A | D | N | O | I | D | E | A | | O | N | E | L |
| M | A | I | D | E | N | F | O | R | M | | O | G | R | E |
| I | S | O | L | A | T | E | | | P | E | T | R | I | E |
| | | E | K | E | | A | P | E | X | | Y | A | P |
| W | S | W | | E | S | Q | U | I | R | E | | B | L | Y |
| A | C | H | E | D | | U | R | G | E | | P | I | P | E |
| F | R | O | M | | M | O | O | E | D | | T | R | O | Y |
| F | E | D | S | | O | T | R | O | | P | A | D | R | E |
| L | E | A | | E | L | E | A | N | O | R | | S | T | D |
| E | N | T | | R | E | D | S | | N | E | D | | | |
| C | I | G | A | R | S | | | D | E | T | E | C | T | O |
| O | D | I | C | | K | A | R | A | T | E | C | H | O | P |
| N | O | R | M | | I | C | E | B | O | X | C | A | K | E |
| E | L | L | E | | N | I | X | O | N | T | A | P | E | S |
Sun 2/15/2015 SPLIT ENDS
| B | E | T | H | E | R | E | | G | O | B | I | G | | T | H | E | L | A | D | Y |
| U | S | H | E | R | I | N | | O | H | A | R | A | | R | E | T | I | R | E | E |
| S | Q | U | E | A | L | S | | T | O | N | E | S | | A | R | I | E | T | T | A |
| S | U | R | | S | E | L | D | O | M | | S | E | A | D | O | G | | I | R | R |
| T | A | B | L | E | | E | R | N | E | | T | O | R | E | | E | P | S | O | N |
| O | R | E | O | S | | R | I | T | | | | U | M | S | | R | E | T | I | E |
| P | E | R | P | | | | V | O | L | | G | S | A | | | | E | S | T | D |
| | | | | G | E | E | | O | R | E | | N | U | S | | | | | |
| H | A | L | F | F | U | L | L | | C | H | O | | I | S | I | T | L | I | V | E |
| I | N | P | E | R | I | L | | Q | U | E | R | Y | | N | E | M | E | S | I | S |
| M | A | N | M | A | D | E | | U | S | A | G | E | | A | G | E | G | A | P | S |
| | | P | I | E | R | C | E | | | | S | A | V | E | M | E | | | |
| I | N | T | L | | Y | O | U | R | M | O | N | E | Y | | O | N | L | Y | |
| B | R | A | Y | E | D | | B | E | L | A | B | O | R | | D | R | D | O | O | M |
| U | R | N | | S | I | P | S | | I | T | O | | I | S | E | E | | G | L | O |
| T | I | N | S | T | A | R | | A | F | T | E | R | | T | A | X | I | C | A | B |
| T | T | Y | L | | R | I | F | L | E | | S | A | T | E | D | | N | A | T | S |
| R | A | G | A | | I | T | O | O | | | | H | O | W | E | | A | B | E | T |
| E | B | O | N | | S | H | O | U | L | D | I | S | T | A | Y | | P | I | N | E |
| S | L | A | T | | T | E | D | | B | E | G | | E | R | E | | E | N | G | R |
| S | E | T | S | | S | E | S | | J | L | O | | M | D | S | | T | S | O | S |
Mon 2/16/2015
| E | L | M | E | R | | C | H | I | | J | O | D | I | E |
| N | E | A | T | O | | R | A | N | | E | A | R | L | S |
| T | I | R | E | T | R | A | C | K | | S | T | E | E | P |
| S | A | X | | T | A | C | K | Y | | T | E | A | | |
| | | O | I | N | K | S | | D | E | R | M | A | L |
| A | M | O | U | N | T | | | M | A | R | S | A | L | A |
| B | O | U | R | G | | Y | E | A | T | S | | B | L | U |
| A | R | T | S | | P | O | L | K | A | | H | O | E | D |
| T | E | O | | O | A | K | I | E | | G | O | U | G | E |
| E | N | F | O | R | C | E | | | R | R | A | T | E | D |
| D | O | O | D | L | E | | S | A | U | E | R | | | |
| | R | O | E | | A | N | I | M | E | | J | E | W |
| A | U | D | R | A | | T | E | M | P | T | F | A | T | E |
| P | R | E | E | N | | T | A | E | | E | L | I | T | E |
| B | I | R | D | S | | A | D | D | | D | O | L | E | D |
Tue 2/17/2015
| C | A | T | | B | A | G | S | | G | A | B | | P | O | M |
| H | M | O | | O | O | N | A | | A | C | E | | Y | A | O |
| O | A | T | | X | R | A | Y | | R | C | A | | R | H | O |
| W | H | O | L | E | T | T | H | E | D | O | G | S | O | U | T |
| | | O | R | A | | I | S | E | U | L | T | | | |
| A | R | L | O | | | | T | A | N | N | E | R | I | E | S |
| S | E | E | K | | | | O | U | S | T | | E | N | N | E |
| S | A | M | O | A | N | | | | | | | T | A | C | T |
| I | D | U | N | N | O | | | | | | | C | R | A | T |
| S | T | R | E | E | T | | A | M | P | M | | H | O | S | E |
| T | O | S | S | E | S | | N | C | O | S | | E | W | E | R |
| | | B | L | O | O | D | H | O | U | N | D | | | |
| P | I | P | E | | B | R | E | A | D | | T | O | A | S | T |
| U | K | E | S | | A | T | A | L | L | | H | U | S | K | Y |
| G | E | N | T | | D | O | N | E | E | | S | T | A | I | R |
Wed 2/18/2015
| C | C | C | P | | A | S | S | I | S | I | | B | P | S |
| U | L | N | A | | S | P | I | D | E | R | | R | I | P |
| B | A | B | Y | T | H | E | R | O | C | K | | U | N | O |
| E | N | C | A | R | T | A | | | | | I | N | T | O |
| | | B | O | O | K | S | T | H | E | C | O | O | K |
| E | V | E | L | Y | N | | T | R | I | P | E | | | |
| S | O | R | E | | | P | A | I | G | E | | D | E | S |
| Q | U | E | S | T | I | O | N | T | H | E | D | U | C | K |
| S | S | S | | A | N | O | D | E | | | E | L | H | I |
| | | A | L | I | C | E | | T | E | F | L | O | N |
| B | L | A | M | E | T | H | E | B | E | A | R | | | |
| L | I | L | T | | | | | E | T | V | O | I | L | A |
| A | F | T | | D | E | C | K | T | H | E | S | W | A | B |
| Z | E | E | | A | V | I | A | T | E | | T | O | N | I |
| E | R | R | | B | A | T | T | E | R | | S | N | I | T |
POW Thu 2/19/2015
| D | A | U | B | | A | S | W | A | N | | M | F | A | |
| O | M | N | I | | P | H | O | T | O | | T | I | L | T |
| T | A | F | T | | S | E | E | Y | A | | A | R | I | A |
| C | R | A | C | K | E | R | | P | I | A | | E | E | K |
| O | N | I | O | N | | P | A | I | R | P | L | A | N | E |
| M | A | R | I | E | | A | N | C | | P | A | W | A | T |
| | | N | E | D | | N | A | U | S | E | A | T | E |
| A | W | W | | | U | R | A | L | S | | | Y | E | N |
| B | R | E | A | T | H | E | S | | E | E | G | | | |
| S | E | N | N | A | | S | U | R | | L | O | O | P | S |
| C | A | T | A | L | Y | T | I | C | | L | E | C | H | E |
| E | T | C | | L | E | A | | R | O | A | S | T | E | R |
| S | H | O | E | | A | R | G | U | S | | B | A | N | E |
| S | E | L | F | | S | E | E | M | S | | A | V | O | N |
| D | D | T | | T | A | E | B | O | | D | O | M | E |
Fri 2/20/2015
| B | I | G | B | R | E | A | S | T | E | D | | A | S | K |
| I | S | H | O | U | L | D | H | A | V | E | | C | H | E |
| K | N | O | W | N | B | E | T | T | E | R | | T | R | E |
| E | O | U | S | | A | S | I | T | | B | E | N | I | N |
| S | T | L | E | O | | | C | L | A | Y | T | O | N | |
| | | R | O | O | M | K | E | Y | | A | R | K | S |
| S | T | R | | Z | I | P | S | | E | G | G | M | A | N |
| T | R | A | V | E | L | S | | S | A | M | E | A | G | E |
| A | U | T | I | S | M | | A | N | Y | A | | L | E | E |
| R | E | P | O | | A | P | P | L | E | I | D | | | |
| C | O | L | O | N | E | L | | | L | E | I | L | A |
| T | R | I | A | L | | L | E | H | R | | A | D | I | N |
| H | I | S | | I | N | O | N | E | E | A | R | A | N | D |
| E | M | O | | O | U | T | T | H | E | O | T | H | E | R |
| Y | E | N | | S | T | A | Y | E | D | L | O | O | S | E |
Sat 2/21/2015
| C | L | A | S | S | T | R | I | P | | S | A | L | T | I |
| L | A | T | E | T | E | E | N | S | | A | X | I | O | M |
| O | V | E | N | R | E | A | D | Y | | T | E | M | P | T |
| C | I | A | | E | M | M | Y | | M | O | R | E | S | O |
| K | E | M | P | T | | | | S | Y | N | | L | E | O |
| | | A | C | E | T | A | T | E | | S | I | C | S |
| R | A | L | P | H | N | A | D | E | R | | O | G | R | E |
| O | B | E | Y | | C | L | U | E | S | | C | H | E | X |
| S | O | A | R | | H | E | L | L | O | K | I | T | T | Y |
| A | U | D | I | | A | N | T | E | N | N | A | | | |
| P | T | S | | B | I | T | | | | E | L | U | D | E |
| A | T | T | A | I | N | | D | A | L | E | | D | E | V |
| R | H | O | M | B | | S | A | T | E | L | L | I | T | E |
| K | A | R | E | L | | C | L | O | S | E | I | N | O | N |
| S | T | Y | N | E | | H | Y | P | E | R | T | E | X | T |
Sun 2/22/2015 FLIP-FLOPS
| A | F | F | O | R | D | S | | T | A | T | | E | L | M | O | S | | C | P | A |
| D | R | U | M | O | U | T | | A | G | E | | R | E | C | A | T | C | H | A | S |
| S | A | E | N | D | R | I | | P | U | R | I | N | A | S | T | A | R | E | O | W |
| T | L | I | E | E | R | H | E | A | R | T | E | D | | | T | E | S | L | A |
| | | | O | R | S | O | N | | A | S | S | | | S | E | W | S | O | N |
| S | N | I | P | | | | N | A | R | C | | T | W | I | T | | | | | |
| C | A | N | A | D | A | | O | D | I | E | | | E | L | A | C | T | P | A | D |
| A | R | U | N | U | S | | R | E | F | | S | T | A | L | B | O | W | I | T | E |
| B | D | I | E | E | T | T | E | | T | A | P | I | N | S | | L | I | B | R | A |
| S | O | T | S | | R | E | E | L | | G | A | L | | | S | I | N | B | A | D |
| | | | G | O | E | S | U | P | A | N | D | D | O | W | N | | | | |
| S | C | O | W | L | S | | | N | A | P | | A | U | R | A | | D | A | T | E |
| O | H | A | R | A | | D | O | G | I | E | S | | P | R | I | M | U | S | E | G |
| W | A | R | I | D | E | A | P | E | R | | L | I | L | | N | A | P | I | N | A |
| S | T | S | T | E | P | N | T | | | P | I | N | E | | S | E | E | D | E | D |
| | | | | E | A | S | E | | I | M | A | X | | | | S | E | T | S |
| E | X | H | A | L | E | | | V | A | T | | S | E | A | M | S | | | | |
| S | A | U | N | A | | | S | E | L | F | R | E | S | T | A | N | T | E | T | |
| S | C | R | O | P | M | O | U | N | T | A | I | N | | B | R | A | I | N | R | S |
| A | T | O | N | E | O | L | I | S | | L | P | S | | A | I | R | C | O | O | L |
| Y | O | N | | L | E | D | T | O | | L | E | E | | T | A | L | K | S | T | O |
POW Mon 2/23/2015
| G | L | A | S | S | | C | L | A | W | | P | O | R | T |
| Y | E | N | T | A | | H | O | L | Y | | U | H | O | H |
| M | E | G | A | N | | A | U | T | O | | T | Y | P | E |
| R | O | T | T | E | N | T | O | M | A | T | O | E | S |
| | R | E | A | R | | | | I | M | S | U | R | E |
| C | H | A | D | | A | C | C | T | N | O | | | | |
| R | A | C | E | | S | O | U | R | G | R | A | P | E | S |
| A | R | A | B | S | | M | R | I | | E | R | A | T | O |
| B | I | T | T | E | R | P | I | L | L | | T | R | O | T |
| | | | G | O | S | O | L | O | | M | E | N | S |
| A | T | R | I | U | M | | | | S | H | U | N | | |
| L | E | A | V | E | A | B | A | D | T | A | S | T | E | |
| I | N | T | O | | N | O | V | A | | D | E | I | T | Y |
| B | E | E | R | | C | R | I | B | | J | U | N | T | A |
| I | T | S | Y | | E | N | D | S | | I | M | G | A | Y |
Tue 2/24/2015
| B | L | A | S | S | | U | S | M | C | | H | O | W | L |
| L | A | N | C | E | | N | C | A | A | | O | P | I | E |
| E | N | D | U | E | | D | A | N | L | | R | U | N | G |
| E | A | R | L | S | S | U | N | G | L | A | S | S | E | S |
| P | I | E | L | I | K | E | | A | A | R | E | | | |
| | | E | N | A | | | N | C | O | | O | F | F |
| B | R | E | R | | | I | D | E | A | L | | H | U | E |
| L | A | D | Y | J | A | N | E | S | B | L | I | N | D | S |
| A | G | E | | E | M | C | E | E | | | N | O | D | S |
| H | E | N | | A | B | U | | | O | W | N | | | |
| | | S | N | U | B | | S | T | O | O | L | I | E |
| Z | A | N | E | S | L | A | M | P | C | O | V | E | R | S |
| I | M | A | X | | A | T | I | E | | D | A | N | E | S |
| N | O | S | E | | N | O | T | A | | S | T | O | N | E |
| G | R | A | D | | T | R | E | K | | Y | E | S | E | S |
Hi Jeff,
Your description on XWord Info today sounds about right. When Joel and I look at submissions, we mark them up with our reactions — check marks for entries we like, minus signs for ones we don't, x's for things we won't accept, question marks for entries we have to think about (like, hmm, is this really an in-the-language phrase?), and "ck" for stuff we need to check.
The size of these marks indicates the strength of our feelings. For example, OONA might get a small ding for being crosswordese, whereas E LEE would get a big demerit for being something we really, really don't want to use.
When we're done, we look over the manuscript as a whole, weighing the pluses and minuses, in deciding whether we want to accept the puzzle or not.
As for Elizabeth's puzzle today, we liked CALL A CAB, MANGANESE, SCULLERY, and WOODSY. On the minus side, PIELIKE gave us pause, and the grid has a modest amount of crosswordese. Joel revised the lower-left corner to remove the crosswordy ZASU and ANAS. He also looked at improving other areas, but didn't see a way to do this without making wholesale changes in the construction, which we didn't want.
The theme is really what sold me on this puzzle. I thought it was different and amusing. Of course, we timed its publication for the release of the movie "Fifty Shades of Grey."
I believe Elizabeth constructs without a computer (her grids are hand-drawn), so I give her big props for that.
--Will
– puzzle by Elizabeth A. Long
Wed 2/25/2015
| R | O | L | L | E | D | R | | | A | M | E | B | A | E |
| O | N | E | E | A | R | E | D | | B | O | N | E | R | S |
| C | A | N | T | L | O | S | E | | E | N | V | I | E | S |
| | | | | W | I | S | P | | T | O | N | N | E |
| L | A | N | S | I | N | G | M | I | C | H | I | G | A | N |
| A | D | O | P | T | | N | O | E | L | S | | | | |
| I | D | E | A | T | E | | I | C | U | | D | I | S | K |
| L | I | N | C | O | L | N | N | E | B | R | A | S | K | A |
| A | N | D | Y | | S | U | E | | S | O | R | T | O | F |
| | | | N | O | R | S | E | | S | T | O | R | K |
| S | T | P | A | U | L | M | I | N | N | E | S | O | T | A |
| C | H | A | R | T | | I | O | T | A | | | | | |
| R | E | G | I | M | E | | W | R | I | S | T | P | A | D |
| A | M | A | Z | E | S | | A | A | V | E | R | A | G | E |
| M | E | N | A | G | E | | | P | E | N | A | L | T | Y |
Thu 2/26/2015
| H | I | P | P | O | | E | C | H | O | | G | A | M | E |
| I | D | E | A | L | | L | E | O | I | | O | B | O | E |
| K | E | N | N | E | D | Y | D | O | L | | I | D | O | L |
| E | S | S | | M | U | S | E | D | | I | N | U | S | E |
| | A | S | I | D | E | | W | A | G | G | L | E | D |
| A | C | C | U | S | E | | D | I | N | G | O | | | |
| C | O | O | P | S | | F | U | N | N | Y | F | A | R | M |
| T | A | L | E | | J | A | C | K | O | | F | R | A | U |
| S | T | A | R | B | U | C | K | S | | C | C | I | N | G |
| | | B | I | D | E | S | | G | H | O | S | T | S |
| M | O | L | O | T | O | V | | T | R | A | C | T | | |
| S | H | O | W | S | | A | D | A | I | R | | O | A | K |
| N | A | C | L | | F | L | Y | I | N | G | A | T | M | A |
| B | R | A | T | | D | U | E | L | | E | L | L | E | N |
| C | A | L | I | | R | E | D | S | | R | E | E | S | E |
Fri 2/27/2015
| | G | R | A | C | E | P | E | R | I | O | D | | |
| P | R | I | S | O | N | E | R | O | F | W | A | R | |
| T | H | I | S | I | S | S | P | I | N | A | L | T | A | P |
| R | O | S | E | A | T | E | | C | A | T | S | E | Y | E |
| A | N | T | | | | | | | | | | B | O | T |
| M | E | L | I | S | M | A | | B | U | S | L | A | N | E |
| P | S | Y | C | H | I | C | | B | R | I | A | R | S | |
| | | H | O | M | O | | G | A | R | P | | | |
| I | M | A | G | E | R | | U | N | E | A | R | T | H |
| E | D | I | T | I | O | N | | N | O | N | Z | E | R | O |
| D | I | N | | | | | | | | | | G | A | P |
| Y | O | U | A | N | D | I | | S | H | A | L | L | W | E |
| S | T | E | P | H | E | N | J | A | Y | G | O | U | L | D |
| S | T | O | R | A | G | E | S | P | A | C | E | S | |
| | S | P | A | R | E | T | H | E | R | O | D | | |
Sat 2/28/2015
| P | A | N | A | M | A | H | A | T | | P | A | R | T | B |
| I | R | O | N | C | R | O | S | S | | O | P | E | R | A |
| G | E | T | S | A | G | R | I | P | | T | O | P | A | Z |
| L | A | N | | N | O | N | S | | | | D | O | D | O |
| E | M | I | T | | S | E | A | N | | C | A | M | E | O |
| T | A | C | O | S | | D | I | C | K | C | L | A | R | K |
| S | P | E | L | L | S | | D | I | A | L | | N | S | A |
| | | D | A | N | K | | S | L | A | T | | | |
| S | S | R | | P | O | N | S | | E | M | B | O | S | S |
| P | H | O | T | O | B | O | M | B | | P | A | N | A | M |
| Y | O | U | I | N | | B | E | L | A | | R | E | N | E |
| W | E | L | T | | | | L | U | L | U | | S | R | A |
| A | B | A | F | T | | S | T | R | E | T | C | H | E | R |
| R | O | D | E | O | | W | E | A | R | I | S | O | M | E |
| E | X | E | R | T | | F | R | Y | O | L | A | T | O | R |