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Puzzles for May, 2025
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (1)Editor (2)Jim Horne (8)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.

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