Podcast Episodes

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - This crossword was absolutely CAPITAL!

Season 14 Episode 89

Today's crossword was a debut for Jonathan Baude, kudos for that! The theme was uplifting (literally), and the rest of the puzzle was perfect Tuesday fare. We had some entertaining clues --  46A, Top…

Published on 4 weeks, 1 day ago

Monday, December 1, 2025 - Masa, which, sadly, is not available at any NASA commisary 🙄

Today's crossword was perfectly timed, at least for those of us living in those northern regions currently besieged by winter storms. We were intrigued to learn of the existence of NAURU, the world's…

Published on 4 weeks, 2 days ago

Sunday, November 30, 2025 - Welcome back, LOUDOUTS!

Season 14 Episode 87

The easy-to-spell and fun-to-say LOUDOUTS has appeared a grand total of two times in the NYTimes crossword: today, and on June 15, 2013. We are on tenterhooks awaiting its next appearance, which acco…

Published on 1 month ago

Saturday, November 29, 2025 - YAISC (Yet Another Impossible Saturday Crossword 😀)

Season 14 Episode 86

Did an early version of Elton John's Saturday Night include the lyric "Saturday night's alright for fighting crosswords"? We don't know for certain, but we do know that today's crossword was an epic …

Published on 1 month ago

Friday, November 28, 2025 - All hail ARTTATUM, not just a jazz pianist, a jazz *genius*

Season 14 Episode 85

This was a fine crossword by constructor -- aka SETTER, depending on which side of the pond you live on -- Jacob McDermott, for whom we are thankful for this entire crossword, but especially the reve…

Published on 1 month ago

Thursday, November 27, 2025 - Happy Thanksgiving / Black Friday Eve!!

Season 14 Episode 84

On this dual US holiday -- Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday Eve -- we wish to say how thankful we are for our myriad faithful listeners, and for the geniuses who labor day in and day out to deliver …

Published on 1 month ago

Wednesday, November 26, 2025 - Two thumbs up, waaaaaay up!

Season 14 Episode 83

Today's crossword -- a debut by John McClung -- paid homage to one of the great movie critics of the last century, to wit, ROGEREBERT; and he was full of wit, heaping praise when deserved and throwin…

Published on 1 month ago

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - A crossword engineered to leave you completely ENRAPT 🧐😍

Season 14 Episode 82

This was a splendid Tuesday crossword, thanks to an ingenious theme surrounded by a bevy of bedazzling clues. We appreciated the aptness of seeing 3D, In an angry way, CROSSLY, in a CROSSWORD; were f…

Published on 1 month ago

Monday, November 24, 2025 - It's not just a RUMOR: this was a magnificent Monday crossword

Season 14 Episode 81

We're just GAGA about today's crossword. It included some of our favorite words in the English language, such as 3D, Flabbergasted, GOBSMACKED; our favorite Shakespearean insult, 63A, Playing card be…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Sunday, November 23, 2025 - In Praise of the Ol' Switcheroo

Season 14 Episode 80

The NYTimes has not shied away from publishing GOL (Groan Out Loud) Sunday crosswords, so we're delighted to report that today's is of the lesser known but always appreciated LOL variety. We will spo…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago