I came here to share how much I enjoyed this puzzle and its fresh grid-spanning stacks. But perhaps the best part of today's entry is Adrianne Baik's beautiful contructor notes and the absolute gut punch at the end. Somewhere Arjun is smiling over this fabulous debut. I so look forward to the next puzzle.
best debut and constructor note of the year by far, in my opinion. not many people around me took my new "frivolous" crossword hobby seriously when i started 4.5 years ago besides my crush (soon to be fiance) and my best friend in college. i remember late nights idling away at my computer without any mentorship or guidance until i hit on a mario bros theme set i really liked. i sent it in on a whim after everyone had gone to bed after mom's birthday, out of view, not thinking much of it. the one thing i remember was telling the few people who believed in me that i was waiting for their rejection. but then it never came. there's something special about young people, like you and i, finding pride and dignity and passion through creative pursuits, and the truly priceless life that is injected into them by great people like arjun. enjoy the day, adrienne. let arjun's playful, persistent and abundant love guide you to great things in life.
@adrian! What a beautiful message, Adrian! Your words and Adrianne’s puzzle made my day.
@adrian! Terrific post! Thanks so much. I don't want to be a baby boomer anymore. Can I be in your generation?
My deep condolences to Ms. Baik on the loss of her friend, lab partner, and puzzle partner. I'm sure he would have been thrilled to see your published puzzle.
YES! Greenland is Danish. Sing it out to all the heavens above and the earth below and the water over there somewhere. Why some of us think we should put our grubby paws on it, I'll never understand.
@Francis the first time a president recommended the US take Greenland was in the 1860s. Unfortunately, Commander Cheeto is not experiencing a novel thought.
We'll keep that idea on ice. Luckily we were able to buy Alaska.
@Francis Not that I would ever advocate for a forceable takeover of Greenland, but is it really that Danish? Greenland is comprised almost exclusively of Native peoples, with very few Danes living among them (89.5% to 7.5%). Denmark's culture and influence do exist there, but the culture is mostly Native. Denmark does provide economic aid and services to Greenland, and the Greenlanders seem to be perfectly happy with that arrangement, but still, I don't think Greenland is inherently Danish. One thing is for sure, though. The Greenlanders do not want to be part of the United States.
@Francis Having travelled in Greenland, I was uncomfortable with that solution, I must confess, though I can see why some folks might applaud it. Most folk in Greenland would say that Greenland is Greenlandic. It's owned by Denmark, and its inhabitants are Danish citizens, but at best it's (to paraphrase Jonathan Miller) Dane-ish.
@Francis It doesnt seem to be such a bad idea to make a play for it. Full of minerals, strategic location, loose affiliation with Denmark, been discussed a few times in the past- very understandable.
@Francis As many Kroner that Denmark has been pulling in from the sales of Wegovy™ & Ozempic™, I would not be surprised if they try to buy Hawaii. Or us. hmmm Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. hmmm
@Francis I mean, historically it’s more Danish than American (and I’m both, for the record), but this was a squeamish solve. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, as the Danish PM said to her credit back in 47’s first term, earning herself a “nasty woman” badge for her trouble.
Today I solved my 500th puzzle in a row. And there could be no better crossword for that occasion than this beautiful tribute to a singular friend. Thank you, Ms. Baik. I'm sure Arjun is celebrating somewhere too.
Congratulations, @Lydia!
@Lydia Congrats. I'm in awe of everyone's streaks. I invariably miss a day when I'm away. It just happens that way.
@Lydia Impressive achievement!
@Lydia, Well done! That is an awesome streak. Congratulations!!!
Adrianne was the TA for my chem lab last semester; very exciting to see her debut!
@Aidan Deshong Wow, what a small world! For those who are just joining us, Aidan has had four puzzles published in The New York Times.
@Aidan Deshong Harvey Mudd stays winning!
Thank you for this wonderful puzzle, and I send my deepest condolences to you on the loss of your friend. I'm honored that you shared his story with us, and I'm sending you much peace and compassion.
Easy but clever and satisfying fill by a brilliant young college student. Very sad that her lab partner did not live to see this. <a href="https://www.hmc.edu/in-memoriam/arjun-vattipalli-27" target="_blank">https://www.hmc.edu/in-memoriam/arjun-vattipalli-27</a>/
@A B Church Thank you for posting the link. So sad.
@A B Church Thank you for sharing this. It reminded me of my favorite segment on “Sunday Today with Willie Geist” when he does “A Life Well Lived.” While it is sometimes about a celebrity, it’s often about someone who did one amazing thing in their otherwise ordinary life - a woman who played in the Women’s Baseball League; a pioneer nurse practitioner; the frozen custard king of the Midwest. But it also reminded me of a couple funerals I went to a few years back - ordinary parents of a friend. They were simply known for loving the people in their lives. The church was packed - people were spilling out the door. It sounds like Arjun had amazing potential to be featured on “A Life Well Lived” but it also seems like he loved well the people in his life. Someday, I hope our world recognizes the true value of a human being - every human being - and what we lose when we lose one. And also what we gain.
@A B Church Thanks for that link.
Lovely puzzle and a beautiful tribute to your friend. I’m so sorry for your loss, Ms. Baik, especially as you are so young, but I know for sure Arjun would be extremely proud of you. Please keep making puzzles!
Dogs on short stumpy legs, long novels, Dante, Barnes & (implied) Noble, and triple-stacked spanners? A puzzle to warm the cockles of my heart. As for Adrianne’s story—I’m not crying; you’re crying. Adrianne, may your life be filled with friendships like the one you shared with Arjun. I am so sorry for your loss.
This seemed like a younger, hipper puzzle than most Fridays, and my only difficulty was (ahem) the generation gap. Favorite clue: "Request by those under 21." Looks like you've got a long haul case of the puzzle bug, Adrianne, and I'm sure we'll be seeing your name again. In the meantime, thank you for this one!
Oh, so clean, so noise-free, so well-scrubbed, this filled-in grid. My whole being calms down as I look it over. Ahhhh. But that’s not all I liked. That top stack, for instance, opening with the lovely colloquial THAT ANSWERS THAT – a NYT answer debut, by the way – then shifting gears to the classy ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, then moving to EVERY VOTE COUNTS, that in ordinary times would sound, well, ordinary, but packs a punch, at least in my mind, these days. Gorgeous stack. I liked HOVER floating at the top. I liked MAIN POINT and can’t believe it has never appeared in a Times crossword before. I liked CHEATS IN, which so perfectly describes that infielder sneakily edging closer to the batter. I liked ON INTIMATE TERMS – simply a lovely phrase. And I loved [Request for those under 21] which had me trying to come up with scenarios involving young people for so long that when the answer finally hit me (as it were), it gave me one terrific aha. From all this, I left the puzzle feeling happy – what a gift! Congratulations on your debut, Adrianne, and thank you for this jewel!
I am greatly impressed, Ms Baik, both in your skill as a constructor (and at such a tender age) AND in your choice of Chemistry as a major. I LOL'd at your comment about solving puzzles while waiting in organic lab. That's exactly how I remember organic lab. A few interesting seconds followed by hours of boredom. ("Reflux, but not too actively, for the next 72 hours.") And to lose a friend at such an age much have been tragic. When you get to Physical Chemistry you'll find it the single most rewarding class you've ever taken. I am not at all biased because that was my primary teaching responsibility.
@Francis. P Chem was very difficult for me. Maybe if I had had a better teacher…
@Francis. I don’t think you’ll find many compatriots agreeing with your love of physical chemistry. I say this as someone who earned his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry. Unfortunately, most p-chem textbooks are poorly written. Additionally, most of my physical chemistry professors were truly awful teachers. I hope you are an exception to the rule…
In case no one has already pointed it out, Jeanette Rankin was the sole member of Congress to vote against the declaration of WAR on Japan in 1941.
@Gary K Congress has abdicated that responsibility. Now it just passes Resolutions that give carte blanch to the Executive Branch to commit Acts of War at will.
@Gary K Yeah, the whole "going to Congress to get approval for a war" is deader than...than...something really, really dead.
So sorry, Adrianne, for the loss of your dear friend Arjun, and thank you for reminding us how powerful our simple kindnesses can be in the lives of others. You said you hope that sharing his story will inspire. It greatly moved and inspired me. Thank you.
Holy cow! Constructor Notes never choked me up before today! Right out of left field, that was...
I'm not usually too effusive, but I thought this was superb. The entries were rock solid, the clues were fresh, it wasn't too easy and wasn't annoying - I just really clicked with this puzzle and enjoyed solving it. Seasoned constructors don't make them as good. Adrianne is gonna be a star that much is obvious, thanks for the first of many!
Wow. An incredibly intimidating looking grid that actually produced a fairly smooth fill. Very well done Ms Baik. Your comments were a real gut punch. I hope you feel you’ve done your friend proud. With subtle pointers at 17, 44 and 49A you give me hope for your country. Let the next generation take over.
There is even hope for your country. Well-wishes for the mighty empire, may thee fore'er colonise and rule supreme!
Congratulations on this delightful debut, Adrianne! Thank you for your puzzle and for generously sharing how it came to be. A lovely way to honor Arjun’s memory. This is a diverse, thoughtful, and compassionate community of solvers and constructors, most of whom I’m sure will appreciate your creativity and poignant story.
Casually read the column & was caught off guard by the bonus short story. A well-written surprise tribute that brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for your beautiful sincerity
I'm sure Arjun would be watching over, thrilled by Ms. Baik's accomplishment. Looking forward to more puzzles in the future. From Gen Z's point of view, I suppose 37A is indeed a "retro" tech. I feel old...
@Heidi I just read that flip phones are making a comeback and many young people are ditching smartphones.
@Heidi It is, but so is 46A. Do new cars still come with those? Laptops don't.
Great debut, Adrianne! So happy Arjun inspired you to create this fun and clever puzzle. Looking forward to the next one. Deb, I totally said, “I can’t hear you,” out loud after 3D!
@Valerie I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one!
I watch 162 baseball games (plus postseason) every year and I’ve never heard “cheats in.”
@Tish I watch about as many as you, and I did an "if you say so" at that one. But I'm not sure I've never heard it.
@Steve L Happy Birthday Mine was the 17th Maybe Keith will chime in on "cheats in" during next announcing gig.
@Tish I *played* a lot of baseball. The answer and clue seem perfect. "Cheating in" is exactly what infielders sometimes do. Especially first and third basemen when a bunt is likely.
@Tish Infielders will cheat in when say the bases are loaded, they are expecting a bunt and have to make a play at the plate or the game is over.
@Tish I have heard the phrase “cheats in” who-knows-how-many times during baseball broadcasts…in fact, thinking of the phrase now, I hear it in the voice of the late Mike Shannon, who called Cardinals games on the radio for decades.
@Tish If you’ve played baseball, you’ve had a coach tell you to “cheat in, a little” on defense, every now and then. Often, if a bunt is expected. In the back of your mind, you’re saying to yourself, “but protect your teeth.”
@Jane Wheelaghan In certain situations in baseball, a batter might choose to "bunt". This amounts to letting the pitched ball simply bounce downward off his bat, which is held roughly parallel to the ground and is not swung. This results in the ball rolling a short distance into the playing field. (The word is also a noun; the result of this action taken by the batter is called a "bunt".)
@Tish I've heard the term used in tennis for returning a serve inside the baseline, so I didn't really do a double take for the same concept being applied to a baseball fielder
@Tish I agree… with the tangle of CDSLOT, GMT, WOAH, and DANO… left me stymied for a long time… I wanted GASLOW or FUELOW rather than CDSLOT. But hey, it’s a puzzle! It succeeds well at being puzzling!
@Tish CHEATS IN and CD SLOT both got me. I don't watch 162 games, but I've never heard the term. I did "google" it. It took several search attempts before I found a reference to the phrase. Aside from my failure on those two, this was a well constructed puzzle.
@Steve L Huh. Now I’m wondering what that says about the coaches I’ve been around…certainly the moral environment of dugouts declined steadily after little league—for good and ill. :)
@Tish Long-time SF Giants fan here. I think the confusion is the word “fielder” in the clue. I read it as “outfielder,” so shared your comment. Had the clue said “infielder,” it would be an easy fill for us fans. Outfielders typically “play” in or back or “shade” left or right. Yes, infielders “cheat in” when expecting a bunt.
@Tish Cheats in is pretty well known. Maybe watch the post-season too. :)
During Organic Chemistry labs, my partner Stan and I exchanged shoulder rubs. We both became osteopathic doctors to continue such care for others. Decades later when I had Covid in early 2020, he was one of my supports. I am so sorry for your loss and the untimely passing of your friend, Arjun. Your puzzle was marvelous. A+
What an excellent puzzle debut, Adrianne! Your constructor notes brought tears to my eyes. Arjun would be so proud of your puzzle. 💕
There should be a word for the precise moment that you figure out that you are enjoying something while you already are enjoying it. Excellent design decisions on this crossword. Well done!
@Akin Exactly! I had one of the smile moments during this solve.
A lighter but still very enjoyable Friday. Loved the triple stacks. A great debut with a heartfelt story from the creator to go along with it.
When I first saw the multiple intimidating spanners I thought I was done for. However, in the end I managed to fill the grid in Wednesday time without any lookups. In fact, the solve took only several minutes longer than this week's overly tough Monday (which requited three Googles). So... This probably seemed like a Monday to American solvers? And possibly all native speakers? CHEATS IN was new to me, of course. Sport lingo, for almost any sport, and in any language, will never ceases to confuse me. My wife watches a lot of football (soccer), and I often ask her what the stuff the commentators are saying actually means. To me it sounds vaguely Polish, but I understand very little. The only sport I'm fluent in, in both English and Polish, is climbing. Slopers (Pol. oblaki), crimps (krawądki), slabs (połogi), fig fours, dead points, campusing, Houdini swaps, Gastons, barn doors, flags - all that means something to me. Ain't it funny how FLIP PHONES are considered retro? My dad was one of the first people in our area to get a tiny Motorola flip phone, the latest model at the time, a marvel of miniaturization. It was slightly larger than a matchbox, and it weighed nothing. A shopping assistant at the local store was so fascinated by it she asked my dad to hold it 🤣. My current flagship phone weighs ca. 230g... I wanted to ask why K solved to THOU but it just dawned on me. 1k, thousand. Doh. Easy. Why was I confused about it in the first place? I should have my head checked.
@Andrzej This native speaker felt a difficulty-level of Wednesday.
@Andrzej i was right at my Friday avg, but I was solving on my phone in bed and dozed off once or twice, so... yes, prolly on the easier side for a Friday.
Do I detect a subtle mini theme with 17 and 44 across?
@Bill in Yokohama I think you've spotted something very real. Viva la Résistance!
@Bill in Yokohama Afraid you can't sell me on that one.
Amazing debut. A fresh voice and a unique solving experience.
A poignant story. It reminds me of a few coworkers of mine who have died suddenly over the years. I’m also impressed that it sounds like you constructed the bulk of this within a 24-hour period. It was a different era, but when I was actively constructing (and even getting a few published) the process usually took me much (MUCH) longer. Great debut. Bravo!
Quite a challenging puzzle, wonderful debut…and congratulations especially on the triple stack. I am so sorry for the loss of your friend and lab partner. I looked up his obituary this morning, and the heart-breaking tributes other students, and professors wrote. He does sound remarkable…it’s clear the world lost a light with his passing. Listening to Chopin’s Ballades as I write this.
🤩 Adrianne, what a spectacular debut. After seeing all of those grid spanners, I decided to solve the downs first. I got ALY, ERE, RACCOONS, TOURS, and HUNG right off the bat. With just those in, I was able to suss out all three of those top spanners, and what a smile it brought 😁 I continued through the grid solving small sections of downs and then seeing if I could do the crosses. Hand up for filling in His before HER and CHeW before CHOW. The latter was my final correction for the gold star 🌟 I was just a couple of minutes over my PB on this one and I really enjoyed it! It just felt fresh and lively. I look forward to solving many more of yours! On a side note, I was strongly considering attending Harvey Mudd as many of my high school teachers suggested it for me, but I couldn’t bring myself to attend a school that was so close to home (Glendora was a mere 10 miles/three towns away). Best of luck to you as you continue your studies, Adrianne, and I am so sorry for your tragic loss as so many others have expressed here today as well.
@Jacqui J I was offered a scholarship to Princeton but didn't like the idea of being so close to home; I worried that my parents might come visit every weekend. Teenagers can be such idiots. ;)
To the constructor: Your retelling of your heart-breaking loss made me forget, and then not want to think about, how fun this puzzle was. But maybe that would miss the crux of today. So: If you’re idly dreaming, remember to put your pants on first. :)
Really enjoyed this puzzle, esp FLIPPHONE and CDSLOT, both of which I still have and use, among more current devices. There is something so satisfying about actually snapping the phone shut at the end of a call that you just don’t get from a flat phone. EVERYVOTECOUNTS felt timely with NYC’s primary just a few days away and early voting going on right now. Someone knocked on my door to talk about one of the candidates yesterday. First time that has happened in my 20-ish years of living here. Steve L, happy birthday! Vaer, happy belated birthday! Adrianne, thank you for a smooth and satisfying themeless puzzle. The clues were fresh, the grid intimidating but surmountable, and the fill made me smile. And thank you for sharing the story of your time with Arjun. Unexpected deaths cause a unique kind of pain, and I’m so sorry you had to experience that. My condolences for the loss of your friend.
What a beautiful ode to Arjun! Thank you for a great puzzle and an incredible story to go with it. 🤗
Ms. Baik, nice grit and grace pushing through figuring out such a complex puzzle and the loss of a friend. I struggled with somethings with this puzzle, generation gap is a great way of putting it as I saw someone else comment. My other struggle was that usually when I am struggling with a clue, especially in a foreign language or baseball or political my go to for help was my boyfriend who speaks 3 languages, is very good at politics and history and baseball. However, after almost 13 years together we broke it off last weekend. Uggh
@Megan I’m sorry to hear of your breakup. Sending warm thoughts and peaceful vibes for this transition in your life. {{{hugs}}}
@Megan I'm sorry to hear that. In many ways I'm glad I've been exiled from that dangerous garden, by age.
@Megan That’s tough, Megan. Take care.
@Megan Was your boyfriend Steve L?
@Megan Again, I find myself in a situation where I feel the need to apologize for Andrzej's behavior. He's really generally a good boy, but there are times when his mercurial mind will cause him to come up with the most outlandish questions. 😆
@Megan As a man I am obliged to point out that on the face of it he had three more things to offer than most men in a relationship. Hope you feel wholer soon.
@Megan That sounds really tough and I try to remember that a relationship ending doesn’t mean it was a failure.
I'm glad Arjun continues to inspire you, Adrianne. This is a beautiful debut. I study chemistry too, just from across the seas. I wish your lab, and crossword, partner a peaceful rest.
An impressive debut, and a haunting tribute. From the memoriam reposted earlier in these comments, it is clear that Arjun touched many hearts and lives. And now he has touched ours. Thank you, Adrianne, for sharing not only your talent, but your story as well. I look forward to your next puzzle.
Congratulations on your debut! I’m so sorry about Arjun. I’m sorry you didn’t get to keep him for much, much longer and celebrate this day with him. Crucivibed like crazy on this one. Only downside was that I wish I’d been able to enjoy it for the whole morning, but it was lovely, fresh and fun. Looking forward to your next! Happy Friday all!
Two nice grid spanning triple stacks and some fresh answers and clever clues made this one a quick delight. Not the hardest Friday ever, but plenty of fun. Sadly, CDSLOTs are becoming a thing of the past.
@Marshall Walthew I don't think any new cars have come with such in years.
@Marshall Walthew Yeah, if flip phones have to be marked as retro then cd slots certainly should.
@Marshall Walthew If the constructor is like the undergrads I ran with, nobody had a car fewer than ten years old.
@Marshall Walthew Yup. CD slots Curly fax paper Wired remotes Patience and compassion Wind up car windows VCR rewinders (and VCRs!) Continuous cloth roll dispensers (Thank you!) . . . .
@Marshall Walthew As part of the process of moving after 40 years in the same house, one of the steps we're taking is taking the LP's and CD's to a local record shop, where they'll probably give us a paltry sum to take them off our hands. We have had a small $100 Walmart-bought turntable for a few years that's never been used, and recently I realized I have absolutely no way to play the CD's anymore. Not on my computer, not in my car, not in a portable player, no way at all. It's not that we don't listen to music anymore, like some older people. It's just easier to put on SiriusXM, and if we want to listen to something specific, we can always find it on the internet.
@Marshall Walthew Yes, that clue may be obsolete already. My 2016 'yota has a CD player and I consider it essential for road trips. Sirius XM channels are too formulaic and repetitive. I seek out the NPR stations on the FM band when I can get them, elsewise it's CDs. And CDs are useful in pacing myself on the drive. When the CD starts to replay, then it's time to pull over somewhere, get out and stretch, then change the CD for the next leg of the drive. I often pick up a few CDs at the thrift shop at my mother's retirement community. For 25 cents, I can experiment and listen to all kinds of stuff.
I never collected LPs but I still have all my cassettes and CDs. Thankfully my trusty vehicle has a 5 disc CD player. This has come in very handy on the long road trips I used to take through low population areas where, if you could find a radio station, it was usually country music or talk radio, both of which would put me to sleep, lol. I should probably look into streaming services, but as long as my cd player still works, I don't feel the need to.
@Marshall Walthew et alia/alii Wow. I made DHubby look at this thread. (We have the capability to play/ listen to recorded sound going back to Edison's gramophone (cylinders), the two sorts of discs (the Edison/Pathé and the Victor/and subsequent technology), not to forget tape recordings of many iterations and CDs/streaming, etc. DHubby has the electronic technology that allows him to restore the original sound--whiich was often changed/distorted to make printing a record easier-- and with superior playback equipment, the listening experience is vastly enhanced compared to something like Sirius or streaming, which often emphasizes mere volume level..) *What I am reading seems to say that the quality of the sound doesn't matter to the listeners commenting here.* Well....gee. There is a reason folks still go to symphony concerts to hear "live music"...or collect multiple recorded performances by different artists/orchestras. (A recent puzzle entry addrssed a very different impetus/experience--ARENA music--which is not part of this post..)
FLIPPHONE, CDSLOT....Whoa, errr I mean uh WOAH...I do feel old!.(Egads, maybe I AM old!) Thank you, Adrianne, for sharing your story, and for a lovely Friday puzzle.
Not me crying while reading the constructor notes... This was a beautiful puzzle and tribute, Adrianne. Thank you for sharing both with us!
Nice puzzle, although I agree with those who say it's a bit too easy for a Friday. One quibble: The cluing for 39D may be an amusing play on words, but it is not a pun.
I had the very same thought — that it was not a pun — because both meanings of the wordplay were the same.
@John Daly, Washington DC How about, I was reading a book about mazes, but it was just too corny.
@John Daly, Washington DC Hmm. My husband, who wrote his senior thesis at Harvard on puns (for real), says it is a type of pun because one meaning is literal and the other is figurative.
@John Daly, Washington DC I believe we count amongst our ranks the world’s foremost authority on puns. What say you, @Mike?!
@John Daly, Washington DC I see from other comments that there is a legitimate argument for calling it a pun, but seeing a term lose its specificity bothers me, too. It tends to happen when people infer meanings from context, and it blunts the precision of the language. It can be argued that it's a natural and inevitable process, but so's aging, rust and rot. I don't feel obligated to be happy about it. But at some point it happens. I've stopped commenting on this instance. It seems like a lost cause at this point.
Does anyone else have Taylor Swift going through their head right now? No? Well, I'm no Swiftie, but I have a little ear worm that begging to be shared. <a href="https://youtu.be/nfWlot6h_JM?si=LD434mh3kjZUDkUA" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/nfWlot6h_JM?si=LD434mh3kjZUDkUA</a> I loved this puzzle. Was it too easy for a Friday? Probably. But the answers and clues were so fresh. Like Deb, I thought the answer to 45D should have been, "Hey, Boomer, buy me a beer," but that didn't fit. I was surprised to see references to old tech, and I'm not just talking about the FLIP PHONE. For 46A I thought of SiriusXM, Bluetooth, GPS, USB, everything except CDSLOT. Do new cars still come with those? I thought BARNES & Noble was on its way out, but apparently it's been making a comeback. I'll bet a lot of folks filled in His for 55D, but fortunately, I checked myself, only filling in the H until I had enough from the other entries to know it was HER. Loved seeing both 17A EVERY VOTE COUNTS and 44A DANISH in the same puzzle. Not so subliminal message?
@Beth in Greenbelt Already the new Volkswagen we bought in 2016 didn't have a CD slot on the dashboard - it does have a hidden CD slot in the glove box though. There was an option to get onboard GPS, but it cost more than Android Auto integration, which made no sense at all. A 2006 Subaru I once owned had both a CD slot and onboard GPS (which could only be updated for crazy money by an official dealer, so I never bothered). We loved Sirius XM on our American vacations in 2011 and 2013 - all but one of our rental cars had it. Satellite radio never caught on in Europe, because with our higher population density and overall shorter travel distances it did not make financial sense compared to traditional radio. These days I stream Spotify in the car, obviously.
Not a swiftie here, but love the tune. Free your mind!
So happy to see a Mudder creating such great puzzles! Congrats on your debut! Thank you for sharing your memories of Arjun with us, it feels like he would be incredibly proud of you and excited to solve your puzzle.
You had me at CORGIS, Adrienne. A very lively debut. Congratulations on publication and condolences on your loss.
I had CROWNS in there forever, until I couldn't get the downs to fit.
Congratulations on a fantastic NYT debut, Ms Baik! There are many wonderful answers in your grid. Thank you for sharing the story of Arjun. I’m sorry to hear about your loss.
Surprisingly easy, but enjoyable puzzle, since I'm still working on Thursday's. Though I don't gamble, I guess living in Vegas has rubbed off. My immediate reaction to seeing the clue "Request by those under 21" was HITME. I enjoyed reading Adrianne's notes, until I got to the gut punch at the end. So sorry for your loss. I know Arjun would have been so proud of you.
Amazing debut! Congratulations and please continue to build crossword puzzles and with them, new relationships. Thirty five plus years into our puzzling relationship, we are still thrilled to hear about relationships formed over crosswords, this seems to be the best way of synchronizing your thoughts with another human being. Thank you for sharing with all of us