Advertise on podcast: Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

Today's crossword leveraged a hilarious line from a very well-known sitcom, and with just the slightest change in syllabification, turned it into the foundation of a terrific theme. Sheer genius from the gifted minds of Hanh Huynh and Ted Mayer. Deets inside. Show note imagery: DELHI, land of 16+ million people and —  inevitably and indubitably — the best curry restaurants on the planet! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

It's been almost 2 years since Nate Cardin last graced the pages of the NYTimes, and from our perspective that's almost 2 years too long. But he's back now, and in excellent form, with a wry theme and some amusing other clues. We were buoyed by the juxtaposition of 53A, Beyond well-done, BURNT, and 56A, Exceptionally good, in Gen Z slang, FIRE (a GUCCI of a clue, in our opinion 😀). We also were cheered by the appearance of both 57A, "Very funny!", HAHA, and 66A, "Say cheese!", SMILE. We did both while solving this excellent puzzle. Besides the crossword, we have a Triplet Tuesday segment for your enjoyment and edification: see if you can beat Mike and seize the Triplet Tuesday crown (or possibly tiara, or babushka, we're still working that out 😀). Show note imagery: The SHAKESHACK is hopping! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

The Cardinal Rules of Crossword Construction: Rule # 1: never repeat an answer in the gridRule # 2: ignore rule 1 if it'll make for an especially awesome  crosswordWe are pleased as punch to report that the authors of today's crossword — John Ewbank and Colin Thomas — have taken great pains to adhere to the  aforementioned cardinal rules, and the result of that adherence is most gratifying: check out the podcast to find out why. In addition, it's Monday, and we therefore have a new JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) to announce. No spoilers, but if it were a poem it would be fair of face. 😉 Show note imagery: Punxsutawney Phil, ready for his photoshoot We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Both cohosts found today's crossword, a collaboration between Lance Enfinger and John Kugelman, to be a real workout (mentally, of course: physically they were pretty much doing their best mannequin imitations throughout the entire process). The theme was intriguing, to put it mildly: and the clues were definitely crunchier than usual for a Sunday, making the happy music, when it did at last arrive, particularly gratifying. Deets inside. Show note imagery: It's Seabiscuit and Jockey George Woolf in the lead, War Admiral and jockey Charles Kissinger right behind, a real nail-, er hoof-biter! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

This was a strenuous Saturday workout, no doubt, with more misdirection then you'd see at a Penn & Teller performance. Consider 15D, "Science is ___ that works": Kurt Vonnegut, MAGIC (what a fabulous quip!); 31A, Dice rolls from Jail to Free Parking, in Monopoly, TENS (easy if you'd memorized the board!);  and 8D, Part of a great deal?, ACE (what an ACE clue! 🙄). These are just a few of the many delights skulking about in the puzzle and brought to light in today's episode. Show note imagery: The ol' SNELLEN chart  (and ol' really does apply: it was created in 1882). We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Robyn Weintraub is one of our favorite constructors, and today's crossword shows why. It is, in a word, the clues. OK, technically that's two words, but we're feeling generous after having just enjoyed Robyn's handiwork. Pick a clue anywhere in the grid, at random, and you'll find it to be excellent. Repeat, and the result will still be excellent, there are no meh clues anywhere, at all: it's classic Robyn Weintraub. Show note imagery: The Milky Way assembly line, yum! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

This was a debut crossword by Kit Sheffield — kudos! — with a cute theme that must've been a bear to put into practice. Somehow Kit managed, though, and we are better off for it! Apart from the theme, today's crossword seemed a little crunchier than usual for a Thursday, with awesome clues such as 61A, "Think again!", NOPE; 42A, Sound made with a wince, OOF; and 66A, Five train in Brooklyn, NETS. Bravo, Kit! Show note imagery: Not sure if we'd be as enthused with a giant glass of TANG about to annihilate us 😀  We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

This was a fun mid-week crossword, built with HI (Human Intelligence), with just a skosh of (non-AI) assistance from Excel. (See the xwordinfo.com entry for the gory details).  The theme was, well, punny, and the surrounding clues intriguing. We liked 1D, It goes down in flames, ASH; a reference to a lady desperately in need of Aveda, 5D, Monster whose gaze remained lethal after her death, MEDUSA; and our favorite artist, 47D, Painter Matisse, HENRI. Mais oui! Show note imagery: Your typical Wisconsin ICEHUT We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Miranda Kany and Tracy Bennett have teamed up to create a sweet Tuesday crossword, most definitely not  for the birds (even though birds did manage to glide into the grid). We found the theme sweet, and the rest of the clues just right for a Tuesday. Deets inside. Show note imagery: Some COYOTEs are slyer than others. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

There's a lot of pressure on a Monday crossword. It needs to be easy (well, easier), entertaining, and educational. Today's puzzle definitely checks all the boxes: Easier: 44A, Food court pizza chain, SBARRO ✅Entertaining: 6D, "Aiiiiieeeee!," SCREAM; ✅ and Educational: 28A, Purple yam used to flavor desserts, UBE.✅We've also selected our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award) winner. Have a listen, and let us know if we got it right! Show note imagery: A CHERUB, as seen, among other places, in Raphael's "Sistine Madonna." We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

If you're a member of the Geek Squad or work at Apple's Genius Bar, you'll find today's crossword to be a breeze. If not, fear not: the crosses were not too difficult, as befits a Sunday puzzle. We have all the deets inside, so, if you need something to listen to while you're digging out from this weekend's snowcopalypse, we've got your back! Show note imagery: Just one more thing ... Peter Falk in his most famous role, Columbo We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Adrian Johnson and Ryan McCarty have a predilection for writing late-week crosswords, and they have a predilection for getting them published because they are awesome! The clues in today's puzzle, for example, universally ranged between amazing and woah! We give it a full 5 squares on the JAMCR scale (obviously), and consider it a top contender for this week's JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award). Show note imagery: Charlie PUTH, a fabulous singer-songwriter — seriously, check him out — making magic happen in his studio  We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

In the course of two days we've spanned the experience spectrum. Yesterday's constructor, Joe DiPietro, has published 142 (!) NYTimes crosswords. Today's, Joyce Keller, has published 2, both Fridays, and both excellent. We covered the best-of-the-best clues in today's episode, but we'd also like to give a shoutout to 37D, Hangouts, HAUNTS (🧐); 51A, Out of joint?, FREE (😀); and 41A,  One may be carried in a concert hall, TUNE (🤣). Besides the crossword, we have a gem of a Fun Fact Friday™️ segment, featuring the world's RAREST ... wait for it ... gem. 💎  😇 Show note imagery: Geoffrey BEENE, looking sharp! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

If somebody has published 142 crosswords in the NYTimes, there's gotta be a reason ... and today's GUCCI crossword reminds us why Joe DiPietro gets published over and over again. It has an awesome theme, and nougat-like clues: tough to crack, but delicious on the inside. In addition to our analysis of today's puzzle, we also have some terrific listener mail. So, to take advantage of all that goodness, just hit subscribe (so you never miss an episode!), download, and enjoy! Show note imagery: VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), a guarantee that the youngest eau-de-vie (spirit) in the bottle is at least 4 years old. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!

Today's crossword, a collaboration between Ginny Too and Avery Gee Katz, had scads of splendid clues. In addition to those mentioned in today's podcast, we also were amused (and at times bemused) by 64D, The Three Kingdoms in Chinese history, e.g., ERA; 61A, Opportunity to dress up, OCCASION; and 31D, Let float, as a currency, UNPEG. Show note imagery: Promo for The GREATESCAPE. We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, [email protected]. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conversation!