Wed 5/1/2013
H | A | D | J | | S | C | O | W | | A | L | O | H | A |
A | L | I | A | | U | H | N | O | | L | O | D | E | S |
R | O | O | M | | B | I | E | L | | E | V | E | N | S |
P | U | R | E | L | L | | | F | I | V | E | R | S | |
| | | S | E | E | S | A | F | T | E | R | | | |
A | N | O | I | N | T | E | D | | I | L | L | P | A | Y |
F | E | L | I | D | | R | O | A | N | | Y | I | P | E |
L | E | E | | L | E | I | | D | A | Y | | E | L | O |
A | D | I | A | | S | E | E | M | | A | F | L | O | W |
C | Y | C | L | E | S | | R | E | A | L | I | S | T | S |
| | | B | E | A | N | A | N | G | E | L | | | |
| A | M | A | L | I | E | | | L | U | M | M | O | X |
S | C | E | N | E | | L | E | I | A | | D | O | R | M |
C | L | A | I | R | | L | E | E | R | | O | L | G | A |
H | U | L | A | S | | Y | O | R | E | | M | E | S | S |
Thu 5/2/2013
S | C | A | B | | S | E | A | M | | S | H | A | S | T | A |
H | O | U | R | | A | X | L | E | | T | O | W | A | R | D |
I | P | S | O | | W | I | L | L | B | E | B | L | O | O | D |
N | I | T | W | I | T | S | | V | A | I | O | | T | O | R |
G | O | E | S | N | O | T | H | I | N | G | | P | O | P | E |
L | U | R | E | S | | E | I | N | E | | G | A | M | E | S |
E | S | E | | T | A | N | G | | | C | R | I | E | R | S |
| | | N | E | I | T | H | E | R | N | O | R | | | |
S | T | R | E | A | M | | | R | E | N | U | | M | E | W |
C | H | A | R | D | | R | A | I | D | | C | H | A | C | O |
R | E | I | D | | C | O | M | E | S | T | H | E | S | U | N |
E | R | N | | K | O | F | I | | C | O | O | L | C | A | T |
W | A | S | A | N | O | L | D | M | A | N | | D | A | D | O |
I | G | O | T | I | T | | S | O | R | E | | T | R | O | N |
T | E | N | E | T | S | | T | I | E | D | | O | A | R | S |
Fri 5/3/2013
Y | I | D | D | I | S | H | | A | I | R | M | A | I | L |
A | R | I | A | N | N | A | | C | L | E | A | N | S | E |
W | I | S | H | F | U | L | D | R | I | N | K | I | N | G |
E | N | B | L | O | C | | E | Y | E | T | E | S | T | S |
D | A | E | | | K | F | C | | D | A | G | | | |
| | L | A | E | | A | A | H | | | O | S | H | A |
T | W | I | T | T | E | R | F | O | L | L | O | W | E | R |
O | N | E | T | O | G | O | | P | A | Y | D | I | R | T |
S | E | V | E | N | O | F | D | I | A | M | O | N | D | S |
S | T | E | N | | | F | E | N | | E | N | G | | |
| | | D | E | T | | A | G | O | | | F | U | R |
T | R | I | A | X | I | A | L | | W | I | N | O | N | A |
M | I | D | N | I | G | H | T | I | N | P | A | R | I | S |
E | L | E | C | T | R | A | | D | E | S | P | I | T | E |
N | E | M | E | S | E | S | | O | R | E | S | T | E | S |
Sat 5/4/2013
T | H | I | S | I | S | T | R | U | E | | A | S | S | T |
R | A | C | O | N | T | E | U | R | S | | T | K | O | S |
I | N | A | R | T | I | S | T | I | C | | T | A | L | K |
C | E | N | T | E | R | S | | | R | I | A | T | A | S |
E | S | T | E | R | | | H | O | O | S | I | E | R | |
| | | R | I | P | V | A | N | W | I | N | K | L | E |
A | N | I | | M | A | U | V | E | | S | T | E | A | L |
L | A | M | B | | C | L | A | S | H | | S | Y | M | S |
A | T | P | A | R | | C | R | E | E | D | | S | P | A |
N | U | R | S | E | R | A | T | C | H | E | D | | | |
| R | O | S | S | I | N | I | | | S | E | L | M | A |
C | A | V | I | T | Y | | | R | A | I | S | E | U | P |
O | L | I | N | | A | N | N | E | B | R | O | N | T | E |
E | L | S | E | | D | E | A | D | L | E | T | T | E | R |
N | Y | E | T | | H | O | W | D | Y | D | O | O | D | Y |
Sun 5/5/2013 CRUNCH TIME
S | P | A | T | S | | G | A | S | C | A | P | | V | O | L | | A | L | A | R |
A | I | L | E | Y | | O | C | T | A | D | S | | I | N | A | S | T | A | T | E |
L | E | M | A | D | E | S | T | A | N | D | S | | R | E | B | U | T | T | E | D |
O | R | D | | | S | H | U | T | | S | T | A | T | O | F | D | A | V | I | D |
O | R | I | B | I | S | | P | U | T | T | | E | S | N | E | | | I | N | E |
N | O | N | O | S | | H | O | T | D | O | G | S | | | E | S | T | A | T | E |
S | T | E | W | P | R | U | N | E | S | | R | O | O | F | | M | I | N | O | R |
| | | O | Y | E | R | | | | K | E | P | T | A | T | I | T | | | |
O | A | H | U | | O | L | D | L | I | N | E | | O | N | E | L | L | A | M | A |
P | L | A | T | A | | | N | A | D | I | N | E | | T | R | E | E | S | A | P |
E | L | S | | B | U | D | A | P | E | S | T | N | G | A | R | Y | | H | U | T |
N | O | T | S | U | R | E | | S | C | H | M | O | S | | | S | T | E | V | E |
S | K | E | P | T | I | C | S | | L | E | B | L | A | N | C | | Y | S | E | R |
| | | A | S | S | O | O | N | A | S | | | | A | R | A | P | | | |
S | E | A | T | O | | Y | O | U | R | | B | E | T | T | Y | F | E | D | A | N |
A | C | C | E | N | T | | | B | E | A | S | T | I | E | | C | A | I | R | O |
R | U | E | | | R | U | D | I | | P | A | A | R | | P | A | B | S | T | S |
C | A | T | C | H | E | S | R | A | I | N | | T | A | P | A | | | A | L | I |
A | D | O | R | A | B | L | E | | G | O | E | S | D | E | R | C | O | V | E | R |
S | O | N | I | N | L | A | W | | A | E | R | I | E | S | | A | R | O | S | E |
M | R | E | S | | E | S | A | | S | A | Y | S | S | O | | D | O | W | S | E |
Mon 5/6/2013
S | T | E | P | | Y | A | M | S | | A | D | Z | E | S |
C | A | F | E | | U | N | I | T | | W | R | I | S | T |
I | D | O | L | | M | E | M | E | | M | O | T | T | O |
| A | R | O | O | M | W | I | T | H | A | V | I | E | W |
| | E | S | P | Y | | | | O | N | E | | | |
M | A | F | I | A | | A | G | R | O | | M | O | L | D |
A | T | F | | R | E | R | E | A | D | | A | H | O | Y |
I | W | O | N | T | L | E | T | Y | O | U | D | O | W | N |
D | A | R | E | | L | A | G | O | O | N | | L | E | E |
S | R | T | A | | I | R | O | N | | A | B | Y | S | S |
| | | T | S | O | | | | S | P | A | N | | |
U | C | A | N | T | T | O | U | C | H | T | H | I | S | |
S | O | F | I | A | | S | T | A | R | | A | G | H | A |
P | A | R | K | S | | L | A | M | E | | I | H | O | P |
S | L | O | S | H | | O | H | O | K | | S | T | O | P |
Five theme answers (three of them Across and two Down) start with the words A, E, I, O and U.
– puzzle by Joel Fagliano
Tue 5/7/2013
H | A | R | P | Y | | T | H | U | S | | T | H | E | M |
O | H | A | R | A | | H | O | S | T | | H | O | B | O |
W | A | T | E | R | W | A | T | E | R | | E | M | A | J |
| S | A | Y | N | O | | B | R | A | | Y | O | Y | O |
| | | | S | O | S | A | | P | E | R | P | | |
A | R | T | S | | L | I | T | H | | N | E | H | R | U |
M | A | Y | O | | E | X | H | O | R | T | | O | H | S |
A | N | C | I | E | N | T | | M | A | R | I | N | E | R |
S | C | H | | A | S | H | C | A | N | | R | E | T | D |
S | H | O | P | S | | S | A | G | A | | E | S | T | A |
| | B | A | T | S | | L | E | W | D | | | | |
P | E | R | T | | E | A | T | | A | R | U | B | A | |
A | M | A | H | | E | V | E | R | Y | W | H | E | R | E |
I | M | H | O | | M | E | C | H | | H | U | R | O | N |
D | Y | E | S | | E | C | H | O | | O | H | G | O | D |
The print version of this puzzle has lines (representing chemical bonds) connecting the H-O-H squares instead of circles. See the PDF.
– puzzle by Jeff Chen
Wed 5/8/2013
H | E | P | | S | H | I | R | K | | A | D | E | L | A |
A | A | A | | A | U | D | I | O | | D | O | D | O | S |
M | V | P | | S | H | I | P | P | E | D | G | I | F | T |
S | E | E | P | S | | | A | P | R | | F | E | T | A |
| | R | O | Y | A | L | | E | L | I | A | | | |
M | O | T | O | | M | A | I | L | E | D | C | A | R | D |
S | C | O | R | P | I | O | N | | | E | E | L | E | R |
N | A | W | | U | N | S | T | O | P | S | | L | O | A |
B | L | E | A | R | | | R | H | E | T | O | R | I | C |
C | A | L | L | E | D | H | O | M | E | | H | I | L | O |
| | | L | E | I | A | | E | R | R | O | L | | |
U | Z | I | S | | A | R | K | | | U | S | E | R | S |
S | E | N | T | F | L | O | W | E | R | S | | D | E | P |
C | A | C | A | O | | L | A | V | E | S | | U | A | R |
G | L | A | R | E | | D | I | A | N | E | | P | R | Y |
Thu 5/9/2013
A | J | A | R | | A | W | A | L | K | | N | C | A | A |
M | O | N | O | | V | O | I | C | E | C | O | A | C | H |
B | E | T | W | E | E | N | T | H | E | L | I | N | E | S |
| C | O | S | Y | | | | A | L | I | S | T | S | |
S | O | I | | R | I | C | C | I | | E | Y | E | O | N |
W | O | N | D | E | R | W | O | M | A | N | | R | U | E |
F | L | E | A | | A | T | M | | N | T | E | S | T | S |
| | | H | | I | | M | | O | | M | | | |
T | E | S | L | A | S | | O | B | I | | I | M | A | X |
A | M | Y | | L | E | A | D | I | N | G | L | A | D | Y |
B | I | N | A | L | | R | E | C | T | O | | C | U | Z |
| R | A | M | O | N | E | | | | E | T | A | L | |
H | A | P | P | Y | M | O | T | H | E | R | S | D | A | Y |
I | T | S | U | S | E | L | E | S | S | | K | A | T | E |
P | E | E | P | | X | A | X | I | S | | S | M | E | W |
Fri 5/10/2013
R | E | S | T | A | I | N | | | | C | O | M | E | T | S |
O | S | C | A | R | N | O | D | S | | O | P | A | Q | U | E |
S | T | O | R | Y | B | O | O | K | | B | A | K | U | L | A |
Y | O | W | Z | A | | K | N | O | W | | L | E | A | S | T |
| | | A | N | S | | T | R | I | B | | A | L | A | S |
| V | O | N | | M | S | T | | N | A | T | S | | | |
L | I | T | T | L | E | L | E | A | G | U | E | T | E | A | M |
I | S | T | H | A | T | A | L | L | T | H | E | R | E | I | S |
B | A | S | E | B | A | L | L | D | I | A | M | O | N | D | S |
| | | A | S | N | O | | A | P | U | | N | Y | E | |
W | A | S | P | | A | M | F | M | | S | K | G | | | |
A | S | H | E | S | | S | O | A | K | | A | C | O | A | T |
I | S | O | M | E | R | | A | T | A | G | L | A | N | C | E |
T | E | J | A | N | O | | M | O | V | I | E | S | E | T | S |
S | T | I | N | G | Y | | | | A | L | L | E | G | E | S |
I recently teased Martin Ashwood-Smith that one way to avoid overused words in his stacks of 15s would be to stack 16s instead. Derek Bowman beat him to the punch. This is the first time 16s have been stacked in any NYT crossword.
– puzzle by Derek Bowman
Sat 5/11/2013
D | R | A | W | E | R | | B | A | S | I | L | I | C | A |
R | E | M | O | R | A | | A | R | C | H | I | V | A | L |
E | L | I | J | A | H | | H | A | R | A | K | I | R | I |
W | O | R | T | | M | A | I | M | | V | E | E | P | S |
A | S | S | Y | R | | S | A | I | L | E | D | | | |
| | | L | O | T | T | | S | A | N | T | A | N | A |
P | A | R | A | G | U | A | Y | | M | O | O | C | O | W |
O | R | E | | U | R | B | A | N | I | I | | I | V | A |
R | I | E | S | E | N | | W | I | N | D | Y | D | A | Y |
T | A | K | E | S | T | O | | G | A | E | A | | | |
| | | A | T | O | N | C | E | | A | N | D | E | S |
S | A | S | H | A | | F | O | R | T | | G | R | A | M |
L | O | C | A | T | I | O | N | | R | A | T | I | T | E |
E | N | I | W | E | T | O | K | | E | C | Z | E | M | A |
D | E | S | K | S | E | T | S | | F | E | E | D | E | R |
The print puzzle has "*taking into account its 61-Across" in italics after the clue list, referring to 4 clues with asterisks. For online, that phrase was added to the clues themselves.
– puzzle by Matt Ginsberg
Sun 5/12/2013 SIMPLY PUT
P | O | E | T | | F | R | A | N | | | O | R | B | | P | A | S | S | G | O |
A | I | D | A | | R | A | M | A | | | C | I | A | | O | N | E | C | A | R |
C | L | U | B | S | O | D | A | S | | L | E | T | T | E | R | G | R | A | D | E |
| | | L | A | N | I | N | A | | O | A | T | H | S | | | E | R | G | O |
P | O | T | E | N | T | I | A | L | C | O | N | S | E | Q | U | E | N | C | E | S |
A | L | O | H | A | S | | | | O | K | S | | | | S | W | E | E | T | |
L | O | G | O | | | | K | A | L | B | | D | E | L | T | A | | | | |
O | F | A | P | L | A | N | O | R | D | E | C | I | S | I | O | N | O | N | E | |
| | | S | O | B | E | I | T | | F | L | A | T | S | | | P | E | N | D |
A | S | S | | G | E | E | | | D | O | O | N | E | | S | P | E | E | D | Y |
C | A | N | N | O | T | R | E | V | E | R | S | E | S | H | O | U | L | D | B | E |
D | R | A | I | N | S | | R | E | N | E | E | | | E | U | R | | S | Y | D |
C | A | R | T | | | S | U | E | T | Y | | S | K | A | T | E | S | | | |
| H | E | E | D | E | D | P | R | I | O | R | T | O | T | H | E | T | I | M | E |
| | | | E | X | I | T | S | | U | E | Y | S | | | | E | B | A | Y |
| A | C | I | N | G | | | | A | L | E | | | | S | T | P | E | T | E |
A | N | A | C | T | I | O | N | I | S | E | F | F | E | C | T | U | A | T | E | D |
P | O | S | E | | | P | O | D | I | A | | A | L | A | R | M | S | | | |
L | I | T | T | L | E | T | R | A | M | P | | C | O | M | E | S | I | N | T | O |
U | N | L | E | S | S | | T | H | O | | | E | P | E | E | | D | I | O | R |
S | T | E | A | D | S | | H | O | V | | | D | E | L | T | | E | X | P | O |
Mon 5/13/2013
R | O | B | E | | F | E | R | N | | M | I | C | A | H |
A | P | E | X | | A | L | I | A | | C | R | A | N | E |
H | I | G | H | | R | O | T | T | E | N | E | G | G | S |
M | E | S | A | A | R | I | Z | O | N | A | | E | R | S |
| | | U | M | A | | | | T | I | E | D | Y | E |
A | M | E | S | B | R | O | T | H | E | R | S | | | |
M | U | L | T | I | | B | O | O | R | | P | E | R | P |
P | C | B | | T | R | E | N | T | O | N | | Z | O | O |
S | H | A | M | | O | S | T | E | | A | S | I | A | N |
| | | S | A | M | E | O | L | D | S | T | O | R | Y |
T | O | P | G | U | N | | | | E | A | U | | | |
A | R | E | | S | E | A | M | W | E | L | D | I | N | G |
B | E | A | U | T | Y | S | H | O | P | | I | R | O | N |
L | O | C | K | E | | T | O | M | E | | O | O | N | A |
A | S | H | E | N | | I | S | B | N | | S | C | O | W |
Tue 5/14/2013
C | A | S | I | N | O | S | | L | E | B | A | N | O | N |
T | H | E | W | A | V | E | | O | R | I | G | A | M | I |
R | I | P | O | P | E | N | | B | A | S | E | M | E | N |
| | | N | O | R | | N | O | S | E | | E | G | O |
M | A | N | T | L | E | | A | S | E | C | | D | A | S |
I | C | E | | E | A | R | N | | S | T | A | R | | |
L | E | I | | O | T | I | C | | | | L | O | S | S |
E | L | L | E | N | | O | Y | L | | D | E | P | T | H |
R | A | D | S | | | | D | E | N | Y | | P | A | R |
| | I | S | B | N | | R | O | A | N | | E | V | E |
C | S | A | | R | I | C | E | | T | A | R | R | E | D |
Y | A | M | | A | C | O | W | | U | M | A | | | |
S | N | O | O | Z | E | D | | A | R | I | Z | O | N | A |
T | A | N | L | I | N | E | | L | A | T | E | R | A | L |
S | A | D | D | L | E | S | | P | L | E | D | G | E | S |
Wed 5/15/2013
C | A | T | S | | A | L | I | S | T | | L | A | V | A |
U | N | U | M | | R | A | C | K | S | | E | D | E | N |
S | T | R | O | N | G | W | E | E | K | | F | O | N | T |
P | I | N | T | O | | | | I | T | S | T | R | U | E |
| | | H | I | D | D | E | N | S | C | E | N | E | |
N | A | M | E | D | R | O | P | | K | A | Y | | | |
A | V | E | R | | N | E | I | N | | P | E | S | K | Y |
Z | I | T | | L | O | S | T | O | N | E | | L | A | S |
I | D | A | H | O | | T | O | T | O | | W | A | N | E |
| | | E | C | K | | M | U | L | L | O | V | E | R |
| B | R | A | K | E | R | E | P | A | I | R | | | |
N | A | I | V | E | T | E | | | | M | S | N | B | C |
O | B | O | E | | T | H | E | Y | R | E | H | E | R | E |
M | E | T | H | | L | A | N | A | I | | I | R | A | N |
E | S | S | O | | E | B | O | O | K | | P | O | N | T |
Thu 5/16/2013
D | I | N | E | | T | E | E | M | | F | O | R | K | S |
J | O | E | L | | H | A | L | O | | A | N | N | I | E |
E | T | A | L | | E | C | H | O | | L | L | A | M | A |
D | A | R | I | N | C | H | I | N | E | S | E | | | |
| | | O | O | H | | | | L | E | A | N | T | O |
U | A | L | T | R | A | N | S | M | I | S | S | I | O | N |
L | S | A | T | | M | O | T | O | | T | H | E | S | E |
L | I | T | | | P | I | O | U | S | | | K | S | U |
M | A | T | T | E | | R | I | N | K | | D | R | I | P |
A | G | E | E | X | P | E | C | T | A | T | I | O | N | S |
N | O | N | A | M | E | | | | G | U | V | | | |
| | | M | A | N | O | V | E | R | B | O | A | R | D |
I | T | G | U | Y | | Z | E | R | O | | R | U | B | E |
Q | U | E | S | O | | M | E | N | U | | C | R | I | B |
S | M | E | A | R | | A | P | O | P | | E | A | S | T |
This is similar in concept to a 2005 puzzle by Courtenay Crocker III where the key phrase was MAN IN OUTER SPACE. A few other puzzles required scribbling beyond the lines. Here's one from 2006 that asked you to think outside the box and more recently, there was this outsiders puzzle from 2012. For a rather different but equally clever MAN rebus, see this 2003 crossword by Dan Reichert.
– puzzle by Brendan Emmett Quigley and Elizabeth Donovan
Fri 5/17/2013
C | R | A | Z | I | E | R | | | A | B | B | O | T | S |
A | U | G | U | S | T | U | S | | B | A | L | B | O | A |
C | S | I | M | I | A | M | I | | C | M | A | J | O | R |
A | T | L | A | S | | B | L | T | S | | M | E | L | C |
O | Y | E | | | L | A | I | R | | M | E | C | C | A |
| | | M | A | E | | C | U | T | E | | T | A | S |
| | P | O | S | T | M | O | D | E | R | N | I | S | M |
| D | R | S | T | R | A | N | G | E | L | O | V | E | |
D | E | A | T | H | I | N | V | E | N | I | C | E | | |
O | M | G | | M | P | A | A | | I | N | K | | | |
M | O | M | M | A | | G | L | E | E | | | S | A | C |
I | T | A | S | | F | E | L | L | | S | M | I | T | E |
N | A | T | T | E | R | | E | I | T | H | E | R | O | R |
O | P | I | A | T | E | | Y | O | U | O | W | E | M | E |
S | E | C | R | E | T | | | T | O | P | L | E | S | S |
This grid ties the record for most Ms in a 15x grid.
– puzzle by Josh Knapp
Sat 5/18/2013
A | V | A | I | L | A | B | L | E | C | R | E | D | I | T |
P | E | R | C | E | N | T | A | G | E | E | R | R | O | R |
E | N | T | E | N | T | E | C | O | R | D | I | A | L | E |
S | T | A | R | S | I | N | O | N | E | S | E | Y | E | S |
| | | S | E | T | | N | S | A | | | | | |
J | A | W | | S | A | K | I | | L | A | C | K | E | Y |
A | T | A | D | | N | A | C | L | | M | I | L | N | E |
M | R | L | U | C | K | Y | | O | C | A | N | A | D | A |
B | I | D | E | S | | E | M | I | L | | Q | U | I | T |
S | P | O | T | T | V | | O | N | E | D | | S | T | S |
| | | | | A | T | O | | A | E | C | | | |
A | M | E | R | I | C | A | N | I | N | P | A | R | I | S |
R | E | G | U | L | A | R | G | A | S | O | L | I | N | E |
F | E | E | D | I | N | G | O | N | E | S | F | A | C | E |
S | T | R | E | E | T | A | D | D | R | E | S | S | E | S |
Sun 5/19/2013 BEFITTING
M | A | N | G | E | | G | I | L | D | S | | R | I | T | A | | L | P | G | A |
A | X | I | O | M | | O | R | T | E | A | | A | T | U | G | | U | R | L | S |
T | E | N | N | I | S | S | E | R | B | S | | G | I | N | O | R | M | O | U | S |
T | R | E | E | L | E | S | S | | T | H | A | T | S | A | G | I | B | B | O | N |
| | | F | I | N | I | | | | | W | A | I | F | | T | E | E | N | S |
B | A | L | L | E | T | P | A | R | K | I | N | G | | I | B | A | R | | | |
A | Q | U | A | | | S | L | O | A | N | | | U | S | E | R | | F | B | I |
N | A | T | T | E | R | | B | A | L | I | O | F | T | H | E | D | O | L | L | S |
A | B | E | | D | E | F | A | M | E | | C | L | E | | | | H | E | E | P |
L | A | S | A | G | N | A | | | | S | H | A | R | P | | D | A | D | D | Y |
| | | L | E | A | V | E | I | T | T | O | B | I | E | B | E | R | | | |
D | E | A | L | S | | A | L | T | O | S | | | | P | A | N | A | R | A | B |
A | C | R | O | | | | L | A | O | | I | S | E | E | I | T | | A | R | E |
S | H | O | W | E | D | B | A | L | L | A | D | I | D | | L | E | W | D | E | R |
H | O | D | | E | V | A | S | | | M | E | T | I | S | | | E | I | N | E |
| | | O | L | D | S | | G | E | T | O | U | T | T | H | E | B | O | A | T |
S | C | A | L | P | | E | G | O | N | | | | | A | A | R | P | | | |
H | O | T | D | O | G | B | E | N | D | E | R | | G | R | I | M | A | C | E | D |
A | R | B | I | T | R | A | T | E | | S | I | B | Y | L | R | I | G | H | T | S |
L | E | A | S | | A | L | A | R | | S | C | A | R | E | | N | E | A | T | O |
L | A | T | H | | B | L | T | S | | A | H | O | O | T | | E | S | T | E | S |
Mon 5/20/2013
L | C | D | | M | C | G | R | U | F | F | | E | S | C |
I | O | U | | A | E | R | O | S | O | L | | T | A | L |
M | M | M | | G | R | A | N | D | B | A | H | A | M | A |
B | A | B | Y | M | A | M | A | | | | E | L | I | S |
| | D | O | A | | M | L | K | | A | R | I | A | S |
F | R | O | G | | R | A | D | I | O | D | R | A | M | A |
D | O | R | I | T | O | | | D | U | D | | | | |
A | T | A | C | A | M | A | | D | I | O | R | A | M | A |
| | | | P | E | P | | | D | N | A | L | A | B |
M | A | L | I | A | O | B | A | M | A | | V | A | T | S |
A | Y | E | R | S | | S | P | A | | S | E | N | | |
R | E | N | O | | | | O | N | E | L | L | A | M | A |
V | A | S | C | O | D | A | G | A | M | A | | L | A | N |
E | Y | E | | P | I | N | E | N | U | T | | D | A | N |
L | E | S | | T | O | O | E | A | S | Y | | A | M | A |
Speed solvers probably dislike Ms because they take longer to write. This grid has 16 Ms, breaking the record for most Ms in a standard puzzle. Don't be surprised if your hand is getting sore. The puzzle just three days ago had 15 Ms.
Update: This is no longer even close to the current record.
– puzzle by Tim Croce
Tue 5/21/2013
A | S | L | | T | R | I | A | D | | S | P | O | O | L |
W | H | O | S | A | Y | S | S | O | | T | O | N | T | O |
L | O | N | G | R | E | A | C | H | | A | L | T | O | S |
S | T | E | T | | | W | H | A | T | G | I | V | E | S |
| | | S | I | C | | | | R | E | C | | | |
S | P | A | | W | H | E | R | E | A | R | E | Y | O | U |
C | O | N | S | I | G | N | E | D | | | M | A | D | D |
R | A | D | O | N | | D | I | A | | L | A | Z | E | D |
E | C | R | U | | | O | N | T | H | E | N | O | S | E |
W | H | E | N | D | O | W | E | E | A | T | | O | A | R |
| | | D | R | S | | | | W | O | K | | | |
W | H | Y | B | O | T | H | E | R | | | I | T | H | E |
R | O | S | I | N | | A | L | O | E | V | E | R | A | S |
A | R | E | T | E | | T | H | E | F | I | V | E | W | S |
P | A | R | E | S | | S | I | S | T | A | | E | N | O |
Wed 5/22/2013
R | U | M | B | A | | P | R | E | Z | | G | N | A | T |
A | L | O | O | N | | R | O | L | E | | R | I | L | E |
K | N | O | X | K | N | O | C | K | S | | A | X | E | R |
E | A | R | S | H | O | T | | S | T | I | N | K | E | R |
| R | E | E | | M | E | M | | A | N | O | N | | |
| | | A | R | A | M | I | S | | A | L | I | S | T |
D | A | R | T | E | D | | T | A | X | T | A | C | K | S |
O | R | E | | T | I | P | O | V | E | R | | K | E | A |
L | O | X | L | O | C | K | S | | R | E | I | S | E | R |
T | O | W | I | T | | G | I | J | O | E | S | | | |
| | R | E | A | M | | S | I | X | | O | M | E | |
I | C | E | F | L | O | E | | N | E | T | L | O | S | S |
M | C | C | L | | S | T | A | X | S | T | A | C | K | S |
A | N | K | A | | S | T | Y | E | | O | T | H | E | R |
M | Y | S | T | | Y | A | R | D | | P | E | A | R | S |
Thu 5/23/2013
M | E | Y | E | R | | | S | E | T | H | | L | B | J |
I | R | E | N | A | | T | H | R | E | E | Y | E | A | R |
M | A | C | Y | S | | R | A | I | L | R | O | A | D | S |
I | T | H | A | S | C | I | R | C | L | E | S | | | |
| | | | L | U | M | P | | | | T | O | R | Y |
A | L | G | I | E | R | S | | M | C | S | | T | H | E |
T | E | A | S | | | | A | G | I | T | A | T | O | R |
M | A | Y | B | E | Y | E | S | M | A | Y | B | E | N | O |
F | R | E | N | Z | I | E | S | | | | U | R | D | U |
E | N | S | | R | N | S | | H | I | N | T | S | A | T |
E | S | T | H | | | | F | E | T | A | | | | |
| | | U | N | D | E | R | I | T | S | E | Y | E | S |
L | A | U | R | E | A | T | E | S | | C | R | E | A | K |
V | O | L | L | E | Y | E | R | S | | A | M | O | R | Y |
I | L | E | | D | O | S | E | | | R | A | W | L | S |
This puzzle has a cleverly disorienting use of circles that I've never seen before. The letters in the circles themselves have no special meaning. It's only their positions relative to the squares above them that matter.
– puzzle by David Levinson Wilk
Fri 5/24/2013
A | S | B | I | G | | H | S | T | | T | O | P | U | P |
S | T | O | R | E | | O | O | H | | H | Y | E | N | A |
H | A | S | A | N | I | N | T | E | R | E | S | T | I | N |
I | R | T | | E | L | K | | S | O | S | | R | O | D |
P | R | O | C | R | A | S | T | I | N | A | T | I | N | G |
| | N | E | A | | O | Z | S | | H | E | F | | |
G | A | S | O | L | I | N | E | S | T | A | T | I | O | N |
M | A | T | | E | K | E | | T | A | R | | E | R | A |
C | A | R | E | L | E | S | S | A | B | A | N | D | O | N |
| | A | T | E | | H | I | T | | D | E | F | | |
R | A | N | A | C | L | O | S | E | S | E | C | O | N | D |
E | N | G | | T | O | R | | M | A | S | | R | O | O |
T | O | L | E | R | A | N | C | E | L | E | V | E | L | S |
A | L | E | X | I | | A | R | N | | R | O | S | I | E |
P | E | R | E | C | | T | O | T | | T | A | T | E | R |
The twelve 15-letter answers (six Across and six Down) and the 44 three-letter ones both tie the record set by David Levinson Wilk back in 2009. In fact, the shapes of the two grids are identical.
Interestingly, there are two other NYT grids with the same 29 blocks, 72 words, 68 open squares, and an average word length of 5.44, and they're both by Paula Gamache. Her beautiful grids in 2010 and 2011 only have eight 15s but they're also evenly split four Across and four Down.
All four of these grids have the rare property of supersymmetry, that is, they are symmetric about horizontal, vertical, and diagonal axes
– puzzle by Joe Krozel
Sat 5/25/2013
P | U | R | P | L | E | H | A | Z | E | | H | S | I | A |
U | N | D | E | C | L | A | R | E | D | | A | T | O | P |
S | T | A | N | D | A | L | O | N | E | | B | A | N | S |
H | O | S | S | | T | O | D | | | H | O | R | S | E |
| | | I | D | E | E | | C | H | A | O | S | | |
| D | A | V | I | D | S | T | E | I | N | B | E | R | G |
L | I | N | E | A | | | W | E | L | D | | A | A | R |
I | N | G | | L | A | C | O | S | T | E | | R | N | A |
E | E | L | | S | L | I | T | | | D | E | C | A | F |
D | R | O | P | O | U | T | O | F | S | I | G | H | T | |
| | S | H | A | M | E | | L | U | N | G | | | |
S | H | A | R | P | | | S | I | R | | R | B | I | S |
H | E | X | A | | P | O | W | E | R | P | O | I | N | T |
E | R | O | S | | I | M | A | R | E | A | L | B | O | Y |
D | O | N | E | | P | A | T | S | Y | C | L | I | N | E |
Sun 5/26/2013 MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES
M | A | T | E | S | | S | N | E | E | R | A | T | | G | A | V | O | T | T | E |
A | W | A | R | E | | H | O | T | B | A | T | H | | O | L | E | M | I | S | S |
T | A | X | I | S | T | A | N | D | B | Y | M | E | | S | E | R | I | O | U | S |
T | I | R | E | S | O | M | E | | | | O | S | M | O | T | I | C | | | |
E | T | E | | | O | U | T | H | O | U | S | E | O | F | A | F | R | I | C | A |
| | T | R | O | T | | | U | P | S | T | A | R | T | | I | O | T | A | S |
T | R | U | T | V | | M | C | G | E | E | | | | | L | E | N | G | T | H |
T | H | R | E | E | C | H | E | E | R | S | A | M | I | G | O | S | | I | T | T |
Y | E | N | | R | A | Z | O | R | | | N | O | D | A | T | | A | R | L | O |
L | E | S | T | E | R | | | | | S | T | A | I | R | | A | R | L | E | N |
| | | S | A | Y | A | N | Y | T | H | I | N | G | M | O | N | K | | | |
A | R | G | O | T | | G | O | U | G | E | | | | | P | A | S | T | A | S |
R | O | I | S | | M | E | R | C | I | | | S | T | R | I | P | | A | G | O |
A | M | O | | B | R | E | A | K | F | A | S | T | G | L | E | E | C | L | U | B |
B | A | R | G | E | S | | | | | S | L | A | V | S | | S | I | K | E | S |
I | N | N | I | E | | A | S | O | C | I | A | L | | | P | T | A | S | | |
C | O | O | L | H | A | N | D | S | O | A | P | L | U | K | E | | | D | E | M |
| | | M | I | M | O | S | A | S | | | | N | I | C | O | T | I | N | E |
I | M | M | O | V | E | D | | G | E | T | L | O | S | T | S | H | O | R | T | Y |
C | A | I | R | E | N | E | | E | L | M | T | R | E | E | | M | I | T | R | E |
C | R | O | E | S | U | S | | S | L | I | D | E | R | S | | S | L | Y | E | R |
Mon 5/27/2013
D | I | D | | S | A | W | I | N | | G | E | E | N | A |
E | D | U | | O | R | A | T | E | | O | R | S | O | N |
P | A | R | | W | E | L | L | G | R | O | O | M | E | D |
T | H | A | T | S | A | L | L | | E | D | S | E | L | S |
H | O | N | E | | S | A | D | | F | Y | I | | | |
| | D | E | L | | W | O | K | | G | O | D | O | T |
B | T | U | | O | F | A | | N | E | O | N | O | I | R |
O | A | R | | U | R | L | | O | R | O | | U | L | E |
S | P | A | T | I | A | L | | C | A | D | | B | Y | E |
C | A | N | W | E | | A | S | K | | Y | U | L | | |
| | | E | L | M | | A | K | A | | R | E | D | O |
O | D | D | L | O | T | | U | N | T | E | N | D | E | D |
P | E | R | F | U | N | C | T | O | R | Y | | O | L | E |
A | M | A | T | I | | R | E | C | U | E | | W | H | O |
L | I | T | H | E | | T | S | K | E | D | | N | I | N |
Tue 5/28/2013
M | A | O | R | I | | S | K | I | L | | E | S | T | S |
A | R | R | I | D | | E | I | N | E | | Z | O | O | T |
S | P | A | C | E | B | A | R | G | E | | R | O | P | E |
| | C | H | A | R | L | I | E | C | H | A | N | G | E |
B | R | U | I | S | E | | | S | H | E | | Y | U | L |
R | O | L | E | | W | H | E | T | | P | L | I | N | Y |
A | B | A | | T | S | A | R | | I | C | E | | | |
| B | R | E | A | K | I | N | G | B | A | D | G | E | |
| | | W | I | I | | S | A | L | T | | A | D | D |
A | Z | T | E | C | | S | T | Y | E | | E | R | G | O |
D | U | H | | H | I | E | | | W | A | N | D | E | R |
O | R | I | G | I | N | A | L | S | I | N | G | E | | |
R | I | C | O | | E | V | I | L | T | W | I | N | G | E |
E | C | K | O | | P | E | S | O | | A | N | I | M | A |
S | H | E | D | | T | R | A | P | | R | E | A | C | T |
Wed 5/29/2013
W | H | O | | S | A | W | Y | E | R | | R | I | C | H |
H | A | T | | C | R | E | O | L | E | | E | S | A | U |
E | N | O | | H | A | N | D | E | L | | J | U | S | T |
E | D | S | E | L | | T | A | C | O | | O | R | E | S |
| | | B | E | S | T | | T | A | P | I | R | | |
M | E | T | A | P | H | O | R | | D | E | C | E | I | T |
O | P | R | Y | | O | P | U | S | | L | E | N | N | Y |
V | O | A | | T | W | O | B | A | L | L | | D | I | N |
E | D | I | F | Y | | T | I | T | I | | S | E | G | A |
S | E | L | E | C | T | | N | I | N | E | I | R | O | N |
| | B | R | O | O | D | | N | E | X | T | | | |
A | V | I | V | | S | O | L | D | | C | H | O | W | S |
T | A | K | E | | S | N | O | O | Z | E | | G | A | P |
L | I | E | N | | E | A | G | L | E | S | | L | I | E |
I | N | S | T | | S | T | Y | L | E | S | | E | T | C |
Thu 5/30/2013
B | A | H | S | | S | C | A | R | F | | B | A | D | E |
O | L | E | O | | T | I | M | O | R | | I | L | E | R |
W | O | L | F | D | N | A | B | B | E | | G | I | T | A |
L | E | D | T | O | | | L | O | S | L | O | B | O | S |
| | W | E | I | V | R | E | T | N | I | T | I | X | E |
J | E | A | N | N | I | E | | S | O | A | R | | | |
A | L | T | | | N | A | P | | | N | Y | L | O | N |
C | H | E | | W | O | R | C | T | A | E | | I | V | E |
K | I | R | B | Y | | | S | E | C | | | F | E | W |
| | | E | L | A | N | | N | E | U | T | E | R | S |
W | O | N | T | I | S | E | O | D | Y | S | A | E | | |
O | M | A | R | E | P | P | S | | | D | I | V | A | S |
V | E | G | A | | E | A | S | T | T | O | W | E | S | T |
E | G | G | Y | | C | L | I | O | S | | A | N | K | A |
N | A | Y | S | | T | I | E | T | O | | N | T | S | B |
17-, 23-, 37- and 51-Across not only have to be read EAST TO WEST, they each start with E and end with W. Or is it the other way around?
– puzzle by Julian Lim
Fri 5/31/2013
A | M | I | W | R | O | N | G | | | J | U | L | I | E |
G | A | M | E | O | V | E | R | | S | O | N | A | T | A |
E | X | H | I | B | I | T | A | | O | N | A | P | A | R |
N | O | U | S | | D | I | V | I | N | G | B | E | L | L |
D | U | R | S | T | | Z | I | T | I | | A | L | I | G |
A | T | T | | A | C | E | T | E | N | | S | P | A | R |
| | | E | P | O | N | Y | M | | T | H | I | N | E |
A | M | E | X | E | S | | | | T | E | E | N | S | Y |
D | A | V | I | D | | M | E | O | W | E | D | | | |
A | R | E | S | | C | A | N | N | O | N | | M | A | T |
P | I | N | T | | O | N | I | T | | S | L | U | S | H |
T | A | K | E | F | L | I | G | H | T | | A | R | C | O |
S | C | E | N | E | I | | M | E | R | R | Y | M | E | N |
T | H | E | C | A | N | | A | Q | U | A | L | U | N | G |
O | I | L | E | R | | | S | T | E | W | A | R | D | S |