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Puzzles for September, 2019
with Editor comments

Sun 9/1/2019 THAT'S A TALL ORDER!
ASHARABOFFSKICAP
SIAMEDESLEDCHICAGO
PLINYTHEELDERRETUNES
COLORWSLOISBLT
ASSAYEDMICCHECKBEEB
HAECOMOROSLARVA
IMSNTSBREIBOOKREC
DATESUEKEEPSITREAL
CYANSPREPPOED
HITJOBSMOWLINTBARK
IGUANAAPPOLLSEYEDUP
POEMSALTWOODREADED
BASTAYATIMESNAFU
JAMELORELISMUT
JANEROESIPLIRRSLY
AMINOGENETICOAT
MASTGLUTENININTEGRA
PIEZOOMSEXCOMEDIES
ACTAEONJALISXICO
CATCAFELOONATADNUN
KNEELSOCTBANGGRE

Finn Vigeland graduated in May from the Harvard Graduate School of Design with a master's degree in urban planning. He now works as a transportation planner in Washington. Urban planning and crossword constructing evidence a dual interest in grids. Finn sold his first puzzle to The Times in 2010 when he was 18.

This will make 18 puzzles by him for the paper altogether, half of them Sundays.

Mon 9/2/2019
SPAAHAOHARE
TENSEGADMADAM
RACKGORDONJUMP
ICHINGTRILIT
PHOTOSHOOTETSY
SCOURHEWS
AMSANTIONEWAY
BENINUGGCRIME
SHONDAAUTOMAP
WOOSMAORI
RAFTCHICKENRUN
IREKOIESCAPE
PENTATHLONANTS
INCURAIDSSCOT
TAEBOTEEHPS
Tue 9/3/2019
TWASSUPERBBIG
YODAENAMORUNO
PURPLEPROSECDT
ELIIPAAWAKEN
ADAGEILKPLANA
BANANADAIQUIRIS
LSDSNUBOAT
PDFSENOKIHOLY
ERRSLURPRO
COURTEDDISASTER
ONCUEEATMERGE
RETELLSIBORG
IDOLATEBLOOMER
NOSAMORALAPSE
ONESPEEDSREST
POW Wed 9/4/2019
SAGALTIMACAD
ILEOVERDIDONO
NFLVANILLALOU
GRABLIBELNUMB
LETINONDECIMAL
EDISONRABBLE
ONESMOAPLOY
CHOCOLATE
CARTRIVALTACO
CHASTELOSTIT
SAPROADMAPMAT
PISTACHIO
SCOOPORKAORTA
PEARLMTATOTAL
FORTESHYEVENT
Thu 9/5/2019
COWLWITCHLACE
AREAHAILEIMOK
BEERINNESNINE
LADDERGASTANKS
EDSELHEREIGO
RIMESTEAM
JESSGRITASCOT
OATEMOTIONIPA
TROLLNONOSDSU
PLAIDCHIC
EPAULETCHORE
SANDSPURLUMBER
LUCEONICEEARN
IRASNACHOAMAS
PARKTRAINRANT
Fri 9/6/2019
ANILALUMHISS
SUZYQCAKESANNA
PEANUTBUTTERCUP
EVADESLEADDOGS
RAKESHERRING
TOOLSTONER
UMPSDEEDOSIDO
SOLARISWIRETAP
GLUTENBAEDOME
ADMITMARDI
BROCADEASKME
CORIOLISOMAHAS
3MUSKETEERSBARS
PELTOREOCOOKIE
ONESEDNATINS
Sat 9/7/2019
JVSQUADSPERIL
RAPUNZELGAMETE
PRIEDIEUANIMAS
AILIMPROVCLASS
CALDUDTERENCE
MBASTISSUEDAN
ALGAHSTPAW
NEEDSHATSAPID
ETSGASVICE
IMSINDEBTEXEC
MATINEELEIYSL
PRICKLYPEARSKI
ISRAELATLANTAN
SHIRRSNOTQUITE
HANESSPHINXES
Sun 9/8/2019 WELL, WELL, WELL, IF IT ISN'T ...
ADVERBANGORASSUCHAS
BRIDESGRENADAARREST
BURYTHEHATCHETONESIE
ENGDATASURADAM
SKIDRNSHEARTBROKEN
SANEPATIOHURRAHAPP
TWASCRTNAISHDEA
SHORTSIGHTEDPOPINJAY
OOORENOYNEZAIRS
SNLASLEWNEAPSSYMS
WHATADISGRACE
FIBSWHIRSSALONCTN
IAGOLAPDWARDOHO
DRONEDONGROUNDNUTMEG
EMTTIDEDOCTPEER
DENAVOWALKESHASTIR
ROLLERSKATECOTSODA
ESTEBILHORAPDT
UTHANTFORTLAUDERDALE
RAISINITALICSSEEPED
ONNEXTTBTESTSTAMARA

Joe DiPietro, of Brooklyn, owns a bar called "one star" in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. He's been contributing puzzles to The Times since 1995. He's sometimes confused with the Tony-winning playwright with the same name, but the two don't know each other.

This Joe writes: "I love the sweet pain of filling grids." He sometimes spends weeks working and reworking them — and the resulting quality shows.

POW Mon 9/9/2019
COMBOBYOBSAWN
ORIONIOWAIMHO
TENDERRYESROOT
SKYUDONDENSE
SEMIDINGED
ALPHABETTIES
TOYOTAWANTEBB
TARPSHEXSTAIR
ADOICEEGOESTO
STANDARDDYES
SATOUTFEAT
TWERPDAFTALL
OGRESOCIALLIES
MESAOVERSKEIN
PEETPERMUSUAL
Tue 9/10/2019
AMYCAROMSALMA
DOEADELECLOUD
MOSLOVEDTOBITS
ISSUEARREST
THINBLUELINE
SURIALPSACE
SUMTOSPACEX
LOWERBACKTATTOO
ALEXISHALLE
ODDFATEAARP
THISLOOKSBAD
MAOISTVERDI
BORNTOOLATEAID
LOTTOPIXELMAD
TRYONSTEALSLY
Wed 9/11/2019
ZESTSAMIGAHAR
ALPHAGODOTAGO
HIREDPERSONRIP
NEYOUNADOODLE
CATTLEFODDER
RAWSTSRANDR
INIGOSITMICK
MARSFORINSTANCE
STETXISINKED
HASITONESDS
SPAACCESSORY
MYIDOLAMIARMS
ERRPERFORATION
LEEEATENLEONA
LSDSNERDFSTOP
Thu 9/12/2019
LIMBNABSAMELIE
ONEAERATPARODY
THARWIDOWSPIQUE
ALBOMFLEEUND
CLIQUEBAITKEANU
SEESTETDUNSTOP
IRSTSALINEA
THATSMYQUEUE
AKITAUMPRPG
BEAVERNOIASNER
ELVESBOOTLIQUOR
APEDAHLINURN
MARQUEEMARKASIS
ASTUTEALOEREEF
NOSOAPNAYSESSO
Fri 9/13/2019
ARCADETHATSODD
COUGARHERHONOR
TIRADEEXPERTLY
ODESBIOSPEALE
FRAPPUCCINOPAR
GALASKGOOBERS
OGLEDANDRE
DESKPROSEREFS
EBOOKANGLE
RANDALLDDTGAT
EMOYELLOWVESTS
LARVACUTELATH
INTERVALEMILIO
EDONEILLBADART
FANTAILSSWEDES
Sat 9/14/2019
SPAREDCRAVAT
MEASUREMETIME
PINCHHITHOMERUN
INSTIRARNOTSA
LEASELIEROUEN
ARTRIELTAMEST
TAILDESPISES
ELOIOCTALGIBE
NAILHOLEAGOG
SNARFSFURYNOR
TULSACOPEDATE
UBITILLSMALLS
PIZZADELIVERIES
OLEOLEOPENING
RESOLEWANING
Sun 9/15/2019 GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER
TBSPNSFWARESALPO
HATEOHIOLUMPSAID
EZRATIERVEILANSE
TAILFINDRURYLIMPETS
OAKOMENAPESITECOS
PREMIEREWPAGODZILLA
ZESTWEDIDITECKO
MOTTOLENINCANSO
FINESSEPAGEDPILEUPS
ACERPAPALDUPESWRAY
MASERATISCITIFIELD
DARENOTSENTOUT
ALFNEROISETENNAMP
BURPSTEEPROADPLEA
CLAIREVSIGNSWILLS
SUMNERVEINIERTENETS
EYESANNOVOINKY
PARLEAPTOPARTCAP
IMAGELIFEWIIGMIAMI
NOTERTNUTACNEASTIN
TREESOGLEREGSDOSES

Andrew Kingsley is a 2019 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a master's degree in education. His thesis was on how ninth-grade boys learn to think about aspects of identity such as gender, class and race through literature. This month he began teaching middle and high school English at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx.

This is Andrew's 16th crossword for The Times, and his first Sunday.

Mon 9/16/2019
SPECSRELICPBS
ALCOAELENAIRON
GUINNESSOFFICIAL
EGGSLIESLGODS
IMININONE
STUDIOSINGERMAG
HUBERTNOHOCOLA
OPERABUTTMANLY
OARSERRSBERTIE
TCMSTENOGRAPHER
ERECTAIDA
ANILHEAVECITE
JUSTFORTHERECORD
ORCAMETALLINED
BAHSNUBSMOSEY
POW Tue 9/17/2019
LAPCATARGOTVS
ITHACAWHEWRIO
OVERTHEMOONANN
NSAIDAESIGN
SITTINGPRETTY
IMADEITOUST
DENIMESCPAPA
ONTOPOFTHEWORLD
LASTPECWIRED
BYESGUINEAS
INGOODSPIRITS
DEOXYINSTOT
LABONCLOUDNINE
ETAMOUELOANER
SODAWESAGEGAP
Wed 9/18/2019
HOHUMFLOATWOK
OBAMAAERIEAWE
OILPLATFORMTIE
DEFLSATSPLEEN
TAILSHEER
PAGERSSPIRITED
AWARDSTEPSOLE
NASACHOWSTWIN
DISSLAVSCREST
ATTITUDESHORES
ARABYLEAD
ASTERSGETSWAD
CHIDOWNTHEPIPE
TOOODIUMRINSE
SONMANSESEDER
Thu 9/19/2019
ASSARABSMADMN
LAHGOPROABODE
ONOAMRICANCRIM
NTWTAINTACA
GAMOFTHRONES
ASPIREALLFOR
ANTSILOSORCA
SIAHOMLANDACT
ATTATENORUAE
PAELLADROIDS
PANTOMIMQUIZ
AFTSTARSLOE
PRIMTIMEMMYENS
PERILSOFIANET
STORYTSARSTDS
Fri 9/20/2019
SPEEDDATESSTUB
HEAVENSENTAWRY
ONRETAINERLINE
DANCEASSAULTS
USOICYHOT
OVERTOYOUSWELL
MOVIEFANRYE
ILIEDPHDSLADE
TVSEMPHATIC
SOCALZACHARIAH
ELATEDORG
TRIBUNALPEAKS
BIASPICARESQUE
ALTOATHLEISURE
GLENCHEAPSEATS
Sat 9/21/2019
TRACKDOWNDEAL
REPAIRSHOPIAGO
IMPRESSIVESTEW
BOEUFOPALTOMB
ERASERLARVAL
CALORIFICLIETO
ASSCAMERACREW
SOCIALIST
MAJORINGINSAG
AGAPETEAKETTLE
LEBRONSUREDO
WNBAELBARIPER
ADINCOARSENING
RENOKUNTAKINTE
ERGSTHEMASSES
Sun 9/22/2019 ON THE UP AND UP
DROPCAPBALSAIGGY
ACREAGEBEMOANCOLAS
BASETANREMINDEWASTE
KAPPEARANCESIMMAD
TSOREALIGNTROLLINA
IONIALISAKISSEDANDM
SBENCHTERSEOATWES
ETUDEDURANRKO
PURSERRESINVIOLETS
PELTEVENSCREDOPOW
ESCREVERSEPHONELERA
ATEALITODRONEMEAT
TORNMCLSLOESENDASH
ASHBEAUSGRIEF
LESAPEITSMEPGIRLS
HIGHSPEEDDPISHEAVES
UNONOTSOSASSOONSIN
METOOSTRANSFORMER
PARROTIMPOSESARALEE
RIZZONESTEDENEMIES
POETGROSSDISPELS

Tracy Gray lives in Sparks, Md., near Baltimore, where she and her husband own and operate a lawn-and-landscaping business. She made her Times debut in 2010. Tracy always includes fresh, colorful vocabulary in her puzzles. Her last Sunday one, two years ago, is the only Times crossword ever to contain OVEN TIMER, RIVER THAMES, MALL OF AMERICA, MADAME TUSSAUD'S, QDOBA or LEFT AJAR.

This is her 27th puzzle for The Times.

Mon 9/23/2019
MANESPOOLSIAM
AWOLARGUEEDGE
TALKAHOLICZEAL
ERATAPETHWART
SENIORRUTH
BLABBERMOUTH
STEELREBELGAY
WILTCIAOSSLIP
ALLPRADOSTYLE
BLATHERSKITE
REVSNAMEIT
MALAWICASKMFA
USESCHATTERBOX
SIGHEERIEDELI
EASYSHLEPADDS
Tue 9/24/2019
SPCAAGRAPAW
AKRONIRANFATE
LEADAPRONSRSVP
FINALPHASEEAST
INKMONOOED
ESSOLEMONZEST
NEVERLIENEE
MYRTLESRIOTACT
PEAHENHENNA
HOMEGAMESGILT
STYARTEFEE
DOHAGREEKCROSS
OHOKPITAGAINST
TIREANISVALES
SONSECYALYN
Wed 9/25/2019
EDGARINSEASON
LAURANORMCORE
BRITCHESITCHES
ATTEAVEROOT
AMBLEGNU
BREYERSEYERS
BESTAREAOL
ONOBREXITIDA
ACLAOKISAY
HOMBRESHOMES
CAYCUFFS
AHABLOAFHBO
CEREBRALCEREAL
TAMARINDNOLIE
SLYLOOKSDOLLS
Thu 9/26/2019
ISPSHARASSKAL
CYSTAZALEAIDA
BRSINTOPLAYNAB
METRICSUSSUDIO
THOROSTARR
APPARENTNOES
CREWORTHYOPE
ELALSARASURAL
DESPULLSSTRS
HULAMEATCASE
TWOSOMESNO
EROBRAGHDRHOOK
COTENGAGEMENTR
HUEADORERNEIL
STRLASERSSASE

This puzzle involved a real-life marriage proposal from Brendan McGrady to Amanda Yesnowitz. Amanda is an acclaimed lyricist, performer, English professor at NYU, and published NYT constructor.

She and Brendan competed at the 22nd Westchester Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The contest included Doug's crossword as the playoff puzzle conducted on the large boards. Since it was Amanda's idea to take part in the contest, she had no idea that Brendan was going to propose.

When the round was over, I explained the theme to everyone ... and announced that Doug had made the puzzle at the request of someone named Brendan.

At that point, Brendan walked to the front, expressed his feelings for Amanda in a beautiful way, and got down on one knee and proposed. She said yes!

Fri 9/27/2019
ZUNIPUTBYSURF
AVONSTOREOTOE
PENTSTRESSBALL
SAGETENNISSHOT
MRTRADAR
GOOFONDAMSUMO
USCAPITOLJUROR
CHOCOLATERABBIT
CERESGREENWASH
IANSPTAMEANTO
ELECTSYD
ICEBREAKERMEWL
MAKESAMINTACAI
AREASENSEPAIL
CASKEDGESSYFY
Sat 9/28/2019
THESHIELD
SEASHANTIES
CHARLOTTESWEB
GLARESPICES
MEWSUSESSTREW
AAAHPINTATERI
INREIMFINETBS
LUMENPURTYWAS
PATISSERIEERR
STOOGESTARO
LADSYNODLAPEL
EVESREPOLL
WALLACESTEVENS
DIVORCEPAPERS
LEGISLATORS
POW Sun 9/29/2019 NOW WEIGHT JUST A SECOND
PUTTSSLEWWONTERGS
APRILEAVEAARONLEAP
SHIPOFTHEDESSERTFIDE
SIBETONOFABINGE
GLASSWORKNOBELMINDED
OLLIEEEKRITUALETE
DECOEELCTRLERR
THEMORALEOFTHESTORY
WHOSUDSPARESHOD
HERTREKSDENYISAY
ITSNOTROCKETTESCIENCE
MAYAFUNDSATANAHA
LISTBEDSRAJAPER
ICAMEISAWICONCURRED
ENOREDOEAUKNUT
ARMITALIANTHSEEME
SEMICOLOGNEDEATHSTAR
EPOCHLGAOARSHON
DONAMAJORTHOREAUFARE
USERALLOYURSAMINIS
PERECEOSESTSWREST

Tom McCoy is in his third year of a Ph.D. program in cognitive science at Johns Hopkins University. His area of research is computational linguistics — in particular, how to get computers to learn language as well as humans do.

He got the idea for this puzzle from an undergraduate linguistics class at Yale, remembering a remark by his professor about a certain rarity in English. Tom found just enough examples of it for a Sunday theme, then constructed the grid on his laptop during a long car ride.

Mon 9/30/2019
LAIRPCSCAPES
ALOEAHAORIOLE
PANPIPESMORTON
TRASHPICKUPS
CLAIMSALTISEE
DOLLARUSES
RODEBURGVSIGN
ONERIPTIDEROO
MSNBCTENSTORT
OAHUTBONES
SCABERASLASSO
PUTDOWNROOTS
OTOOLEBLASTOFF
TILLEDYAKERIE
SELESSRSDENY
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