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Puzzles for May, 2025
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (3)Editor (4)Jim Horne (20)Hide comments
Thu 5/1/2025
ARTLABBBCPACT
BERATEALIARES
STEVIABASELINE
ORSLUMENLEAST
RICOTTAKIMONOS
BAHASEPIAARE
LISPLEMME
CIRCLESBACK
SYRIACLEF
HADEPSOMAERO
AVENGERDUSTPAN
GENOAILEFTSIM
REVILINGFEMALE
INESKGBLEAKED
DORYESTELDERS

CIRCLES BACK at 37-Across means that the starred clues (the across answers with circles) need to be read first by skipping the circles, and then circling back to include them. Or more simply, move the CIRCLES to the BACK of the words.

  • BA(S)(E)LINE → BALINESE
  • RI(C)O(T)TA → RIOT ACT
  • (K)(I)MONOS → MONOSKI
  • (A)(V)ENG(E)R → ENGRAVE
  • (D)(U)ST(P)AN → STANDUP
  • (R)EVIL(I)(N)G → EVIL GRIN

Once again, we see that the words before and after transformation are all legitimate crossword entries. It's the modern crossword ANTE for gimmicks like this.

Fri 5/2/2025
SALEMTHENCRAB
TRAGICHEROLEVI
ONIONRINGSOPEN
PODIONSHONORS
AMOKCELERY
HOWCANIRESIST
ARIELTIMONCHI
LENDWOVENSAIL
FOBRAVENLURKS
YOUGETTHEIDEA
LAZIERMIST
PENANGSIPSAHI
IGORASEXPECTED
TASKPIGEONHOLE
ALESSTARSENDS
Sat 5/3/2025
ANIMALFARMPSAT
DONETOATEEUHUH
LETSFACEITNADA
ALESTAKISKIT
ISRZOOMIESSOS
BIERRIGHTO
SALEPRICEGLUON
PROAMASLHOKUM
ITSMELIKEICARE
TIESUPHONK
SSRPROLONGSPA
GAPSESAUSPUD
ANALHADNOCHILL
MAYOAGEDCHEESE
ELSEBENSTILLER
Sun 5/4/2025 Force Play
ADSMUCHMASKIBSEN
FOOARRIDPOSTSSEETO
GINSKNIFERIPATHEMAN
HENRITILDESTEDRITE
AVEENOLETTCEWRAPS
NETGDPAPEROLSCOOTS
IRSADITSANEMIAINNIE
GOESHARDBEGRDGING
SDSUDIRTRNSCYA
INKSACSTUARTETAS
MAYTHEFOURTHBEWITHYOU
AIDSREVOIRCLOAKS
ACLETEDRIPCOCO
BLOWPDOLLBEDCHECK
BARREPIANOSADNASEAM
ADDLEDCRANIASISFBI
VITRVIANMANDENIES
SPATGOTNONGMOWILTS
KUDZUDIGITSENSALITY
ICEESKNEESTAMMYNEO
TERRAAGESLEOSGRU

May the fourth (letter) be (crammed into a box) with U. Happy Star Wars Day to all who celebrate. The first letters of each rebus square spell STAR WARS.

Mon 5/5/2025
ANNOYMOTTOPAD
LAILAUSHERRBI
TIMEMACHINEORS
SLROHAREIMAC
SORERSTANDS
DENTISTSCHAIR
MOANASATON
ACAISTUMPLENS
BARNSDEERE
CREDITHISTORY
TAMARASOSAD
RICEUNCAPMET
ITOWEGOWAYBACK
OLDASADAACHOO
TEESTRAYHEARS

This is Eric's third crossword, all Mondays. Each has had at least four solid debut entries.

Tue 5/6/2025
CREEBOOBOOSHAG
REAPLAURENTIDE
APRICOTTARTOTOE
FALLACYIHOP
TYSONADSLOGANS
GILSCOTTHERON
RAPSSPACYOSAKA
IDOSUIMASDIP
CHUMPDAVIDPEAS
COTTAGECHEESE
ICYSTARESPEARS
LIESBEERMAT
MAINCOTTONCANDY
APPAALBEITGOAL
DESIPEDALSETRE

Read The Revolution Will Not Be Televised by Gil Scott-Heron.

COTTON CANDY is COTT on C and Y.

Wed 5/7/2025
MACHOGALAETC
UTHEREPICKNOB
PEACEMARCHAMPS
PARKOURKEEPIN
ESTGUTMOTOR
TESLAPUTUPWITH
ETARUNEECO
FIGHTINGIRISH
CONLOPSTOR
DOTHEMATHREALM
STRUTOEDMOE
REREADCRAYONS
WEPTPITTSBURGH
ASISPESOCRATE
YTDSTARSILOS

The first cross-out clue refers to the whole answer word. Then, if you remove the final H of that answer, you can use the second clue. But that's crossed out too when, like PITTSBURGH, the final H is restored and the original clue returns.

Tom McCoy is known for regularly conjuring up unique themes.

Thu 5/8/2025
NOPEPABLOALI
AILSEQUIPBRAS
SLAPNUEVEELIM
ASINDANEPRODS
NUBNOTSEE
NITUTAHALFTON
ANOBAUMTOTORO
CPABUTTOUTODO
RESULTACROKEN
ENTRIESCNNARE
ANNUALSAD
ICINGPLUMLIDS
THOUSPADEOGEE
EATSALIENFACE
MIATENDSTTOP

Once again, each word before and after the letter additions is a legit crossword answer. Not only do the outside letters spell BUTT synonyms, they are all symmetrically located.

This is the 19th NYT crossword asking solvers to scribble outside the lines. Here are the rest.

Fri 5/9/2025
PADSOFFTHEGRID
ITOOCRIMEDRAMA
LANDCANISMAJOR
ALTLUISCAKE
FLYBALLBRIE
HOISTSEASHORE
TOUTSPLAYMONEY
OUSTCHILEPEAR
FREETRADESPADE
USERBASETEENY
SAMEHAIRDOS
SLEWBOSSDRU
HAVEAHEARTTONI
INEEDARIDEINOT
PASTAWATERPETS
Sat 5/10/2025
CHEAPGLOP
CHARISMAREAL
HOLISTICOTTO
IMISSEDDEBUSSY
PEEPERSOLONG
BONESNODDEDOFF
OWEDHUNGERSFOR
ANNDARNERSLIE
RECRUITERSNYSE
DROVENUTSMOATS
UTTERSMARKET
SUNROSESAIDIDO
ASTITURNITON
KEEPARTSCENE
ERRSBESTS

This unusual grid has more black squares than a typical Monday, but way more open squares than a typical Saturday. I like the kite shapes.

Sun 5/11/2025 Power Grid
ATARIGAMEIRISHSWEET
MOTORPLEXMOTHEREARTH
PROMISEMEMUSICALNOTE
SIDESORBITNAKEDSUN
UNDOCORTEXENTICE
POSSOVIETKLEETRIMS
SOLOEDHEEDPOSTIT
STPAULISTANGFARIDO
WHIPPEDMANTARAYSNIP
IRAISEHANKSNOWAMENS
SOMEONEISGETTINGFIRED
SWANNAFTERALLOFLATE
RATSPRIORITYPOLENTA
OWEEONDINEMEDIATED
LARYNXWONGREDACT
LYSOLWINEWEARITGUS
LAPELSSHALOMMASH
TARAROADSMOLTGAMMA
ORANGEVODKAMISTERBIG
MISDEMEANORAMOUNTING
BEHARSTARTNEDBEATTY

A rare themeless Sunday from a rare full-time constructor. This crossword has only 54 black squares — a new record for a 21x21 grid.

Mon 5/12/2025
LASSOMALTSALT
OCCURELIAEDIE
BRANDYALEXANDER
SETEELSMUSEUM
URNPAGED
SPUNTWEENSAN
CANDYLANDGOUGE
OLDIERDAANGER
REEDSHANDSTAND
NORMOTTOARTS
DROOLMVP
STRAWSOREOAPE
SHETLANDISLANDS
NOSEIBETTADAS
SUSSCASESAYSO

More andy words from the Finder.

Tue 5/13/2025
AMCSCAPERCCS
FARRABATEERIC
FRUITPUNCHLAMA
AIMANTIIGETIT
INBOXCORNBELT
RALLIEDPEAREO
SEAMISTSISSY
FOODFIGHT
BEGINTOONARC
ALAIPONUCLEAR
LAMBCHOPHYDRA
STEREOACAICON
AIDEBANANASLUG
MOATINERTEASE
NYTADDLEEYES

The theme here is original, but it reminds me of this food fight from 2022.

Wed 5/14/2025
SWABCRABGASX
OHNOHORAPRGURU
MOODRINGSAREPAS
MANIACIANEYE
CHARACTERARCS
PALENONALUMNA
EMITOOTHNOOMI
REGRESSIONCURVES
UNHIPSTOOPARI
STRINGERRTEAS
DIVIDINGLINES
ESECUEBEAPAL
ATRISKALLELBOWS
LESMISREALIKEA
RESTSEXTNEST

Fun theme.

  • The shaded O's are the literal RINGS in MOOD.
  • The C's are the ARCS in CHARACTER.
  • The S's are the CURVES in REGRESSION.
  • The I's are the LINES in DIVIDING.
  • The L's are the ELBOWS in ALL.
Thu 5/15/2025
SHOPDISHEDBFF
EAVEIMPALAERA
TIEDNNHIRTSLOX
ARRIDINTOSIZE
ESPTOPSRNNEED
ARSONTOTO
ALOUCAPOITEMS
DOUBLENEGATIVES
ANDSOTEARLEAN
FLUETRYST
LNNOAPPUSHDEA
ODORLOOTISIAH
CUDHAWKENNTATE
ALLSTEERSAREA
LEENESSIEBYRD

Two wrongs don't make a right, but in this puzzle, two NO's (a DOUBLE NEGATIVE) make a YES for the Across answers.

Eve's Diary by Mark Twain.

Fri 5/16/2025
SPACESHIPTAFFY
MEGASTOREAGORA
ICANTEVENDEREK
LOSSFENDSITE
ESPFREUDSHAG
ITISLETMEGO
ALGAEFUJIWES
DOOMSDAYMACHINE
USOSISIKINTE
LEGOARTMUST
TALLTALONBAG
TESTTILTRIFE
CUBERINAILEDIT
PRONENERDALERT
ANTSYEASYMONEY

Why the Doomsday Machine is such a great idea. 🙂

Sat 5/17/2025
LISTSBINSOMAN
AGAVEANYADVICE
KIMSCONVENIENCE
EVETRAITARI
REDGIANTSLIMED
AROARLOTATE
FLYINGSOUTHRAN
RIDESUPGHASTLY
ONEGMLKASH
GELSPILLTHETEA
DINOTEESRUGS
RAVENSEATSALOT
ONETOTENHOTAIR
CCRMOREALONSO
KEYAPEXTENETS

Americans can watch KIM'S CONVENIENCE on Netflix.

Sun 5/18/2025 Halving the Last Word
RECTOBIALYALAICAPE
BAIULEMCEEPEEKOWES
GRANDRAPIDSPENNFAST
LOITEREDTAKEOFFICE
NOTITCHYSAWEETIE
DRUGWARROARSSIRE
MAKINGANIMPACTTNOTES
EVENDOPEAIMSCREW
DESEMITVIRGILLANA
CHAOSMENUDEPOSIT
GROUCHOMARXMUSTACHE
JOHNDOERAGSRUBIK
ATONSAYSMEIMEDOCD
GADOTDEWLIAMIRAQ
STAIRSWHATSTHEDAMAGE
SUCHOLLASRIVALED
BRASTRAPACTASDOM
LOVEHOTELSBEAUCOUP
ALOULETOSALESPERSON
HEIRLOCOERUPTTOMMY
SODSSNOTTORSOSNAPE

Chop the last word of each theme answer in half to make sense of the clues.

Mon 5/19/2025
SPADAYSOFTCAB
TOMATOCLEOUSA
OLIVEGARDENSIT
WAGALISTUTAH
ROMAUMPIMO
OLYMPICGAMES
IPHOTOSCANFAE
NEOSOULEROTICA
TENSNAPTRUTHS
OPERAGLASSES
SIXARTSHEL
VETOGLEAMREG
ERAORANGEGROVE
RIBLINTMAIDEN
BEEENDSOHGEEZ

Two ways to find O G phrases using the Finder:

Tue 5/20/2025
UNITBINSAGAME
NOAHEMITLEMUR
ONMESSAGEALITO
CATCHPHRASES
ONEHOPEMT
HERAASPCAOMAR
WEASELWORDSAVE
EDSELIPOAWGEE
LTEFINISHLINES
LORDDENSENENE
USEXACTOS
SIGNLANGUAGE
OSAKACARGOSHIP
LEGITALSOAURA
DEANSALANTHAW
Wed 5/21/2025
CHIPEMMASHARD
DUNELOANPALEO
CHEESEDOGLITHE
SLIVERFURIES
PVCDELIVERYMAN
PORTENTERGART
SLOGMEMES
TWISTEDSISTER
FIRSTAXES
FENCIASTARTLE
BLOCKBUSTEREYE
INTUNELONGER
LIBREWILDHONEY
ANAISOMITNAME
BODESWEDOSLOT
Thu 5/22/2025
ACIDMONEYACME
BASEAROSEPHIL
STANDTRIALPANE
EINESULUNOM
ORDINARYEMIGRE
ITSSAFETRADEIN
LOOLASSOISNT
FIREBRAND
COWLTAEBOUGH
ANOINTSRETITLE
MENTORCOLONIES
ELOSUERUCLA
ROVEEVERYTHING
OVENTEPEEEZER
NERDONTOPDEDE

There's a lot going on here. To start, you need to know your international monetary currencies.

  • Iran : RIAL
  • Jordan : DINAR
  • South Africa : RAND
  • Korea : WON
  • Costa Rica : COLON — named after Christopher Columbus (Cristóbal Colón in Spanish)

Then, you have to realize that MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING means that those currencies are replaced with ALL (a synonym for everything.) So,

  • STAND TRIAL → STAND TALL
  • ORDINARY → ORALLY
  • FIREBRAND → FIREBALL
  • COLONIES → ALLIES
  • WON OVER → ALL OVER
Fri 5/23/2025
FASTCASUALPSP
AUDRELORDEHAHA
ITSYOURLUCKYDAY
ROUTMESHUDDLE
HISSTERRIER
AWAITUGATAN
KISSEDBUTTGYM
ELKMOJITOSTOE
ELFTELLMEMORE
OAFCEEMONET
FARLEFTTWIN
ACHIERHARTOIL
CREATIVELICENSE
EELSSIDESTREET
TSPKEYSTROKES
Sat 5/24/2025
PSYCHRIGAMAROLE
EPODEENTRYLEVEL
CAUTIOUSOPTIMISM
OWWRUSTSREEDS
SNOGTEAWENT
PURSESSHAQSIM
COLEADSEATURTLE
HIDEFSTATEVILS
INNKEEPERFELLAS
ATTHAIMARNOLD
SORTANYTIVO
UHHUHSINESRIP
PLEASANTSURPRISE
INEVERWILLEASED
SALESTAXESWEEDS
Sun 5/25/2025 Travel Bug
SAWDUSTSWIFTRAPDUO
CATHETERTAPIRERRAND
OBSOLETEATARINEEDTO
BEESSARGESOPENBAIR
BRAIARACTERISHAPSE
ROOTLEGAHORSO
ADDINGESCAPEONISTEP
PERSEUSASSUREDTIME
EMITEXTOLGADOTDIG
SOLIDSHALOMFIBERS
LAYWORMHOLESFOP
SCENESEMUOILFROTH
WADSHAKASODOMNOHO
ASIFINFRAMEPEDALER
NANARICETISTSGAGSON
CATOYESOTTAWA
CAENNSASTAYINGIILD
MACBTESTMANDMSACAI
UPTILTAMOCOISOPRENE
CRONESGOOUTEULOGIES
HANGRYSPREEDEEPEND

Play both Badly Misspelled Signs and More Badly Misspelled Signs by today's constrictor.

Answers that hit WORM HOLES continue at the same colored circle in the same direction. A 2024 puzzle had a similar idea.

Mon 5/26/2025
BLEDCUSPCOST
REDOASIAALTO
ANYGIVENSUNDAY
FIGSPERTRAINS
ENTEARBRED
ASHWEDNESDAY
STEAKBOONNES
TENDAVOWSLEST
SMSTRIOCIRCA
FREAKYFRIDAY
AWAYALYAPE
ALARMSACESLED
MOVIEOFTHEWEEK
THENFOOTOGRE
SARAARMSOATY

It's been 17 years since Mr. Halpern's last NYT crossword.

Tue 5/27/2025
TOSCACLAMPBED
OCTALHENCEAXE
WHOLLYOWNEDDEB
ERAGEODESFAST
RETOOLSCPAS
HOLEYCHEESES
BLINDAREAERE
LIMOOCCURBRIE
EPAARCHCOYER
HOLIFESTIVAL
LOCOLETTERS
EDENCABLESVET
CIAHOLYTRINITY
HERENTERTOTAL
OTSMESSYSTAGE
Wed 5/28/2025
JIBNAVALHID
ANEGAWARENEMO
ZENOGAPEDIRON
ZZTOPKENAGENT
DOSEASCH
ANEMIAPUTTER
BAYONNEARMYVET
AVERTEDTEENAGE
NARYVENI
RONIGSIX
OCANADANEWHIRE
GURGLEDOMITTED
ELIFIDDLERUNO
RATASTAIREPEU
SRASMOKEYSSST
Thu 5/29/2025
SNOOPSAMSCRAY
KIPLINGSOAREWE
ICEDTEAETVOILA
CONSELLAION
ALLFRAUMLKDAY
PAYOLACREEEYE
GETSHOTVEEP
FLAEARHER
GLUELADYBUG
OILBONOENAMOR
VELVETRANTINA
DEAHANDAXES
CRINGEYTEASEUP
INVALIDERNURSE
SCALENESASSED

The T's are up!

If you don't know the Mensa Constellation, you probably don't live in the southern hemisphere.

Fri 5/30/2025
GAYBARSWEARJAR
ONEONEHOTSAUCE
LETSGOROCKBAND
WISEDUHPINES
ALLABOARD
MEANSITOPIDIE
ARLOPEASCIONS
DRIVERSLICENSES
RESALEECOSARI
EDTDADARTISTE
SODABREAD
OTTERZOETENS
HAVEANINFAJITA
SLAMDUNKIMOKAY
OLDSONGSRIBEYE
Sat 5/31/2025
KARAOKEBARLALA
ICANRELATEIDOL
BACKSPLASHEMIT
OCELOTIAMISM
SIREDUNGBEETLE
HASBOSONGLOAT
SEWERANNA
AWAKENSUSSTEEL
MALIARNIE
ISLETSUGARBFF
CHESSBOXERVAIL
LAYARTFRESNO
EBOYARABIANSEA
ALOETURINGTEST
REPSZEITGEISTY
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