Not a fan today, so sorry. Don’t get me wrong, I love rebus puzzles, and I very much appreciate two way rebus puzzles—but there has to be some rhyme or reason to it, and the title “Swing States” and the revealer WESTERNUNION just doesn’t cut it for me, especially for a big Sunday puzzle and only four rebuses. For one thing for a two way rebus, once you get one direction it should give you a hint to the other direction, which isn’t the case here (unless you are going to run every Western state abbreviation, which I had to at MOMTOBE since I didn’t remember HBCUs). Maybe, maybe if they were bordering states it could pass, but just because they are all Western states is not enough justification. I didn’t think the themed entries—or the majority of the puzzle, for that matter—were that sparkling enough either (although I smiled at IMNOTAKIDANYMORE). The editors are usually very stingy about passing two way rebuses, I’m surprised this one got through. I did love the clue for NBAREF though!
@SP I agree. And wrote similarly a few minutes ago, tried to post but was twice eaten by the emu, despite being completely innocuous.
@SP just read these comments after placing just one western state abbreviation in the squares where needed. So, duh, now I get the very weak theme. Sorry, if what to do isn’t clear on a two-way rebus puzzle, the problem isn’t with the solvers - it is the constructor and, more so, the editing choices of the person approving the clues.
@SP I too love rebus puzzles and did enjoy this one. If people just didn't like it, okay. But why are people thinking "Swing States" needs to be political? It doesn't need to mean purple states. Other ways to swing? Maybe swing because they aren't in a UNION with their usual neighbor? Or other swings? And I believe in an across/down situation, the two aren't necessarily related or need to make a new word. I'm voting for an asterisk by the date so haters can skip the puzzle and the heavy handed complaints (not looking at you here SP)
The Rebus only worked with a slash. I hate puzzles like this where you have to guess the arbitrary format the app accepts. It is a frustrating waste of time. Either accept all permutations of the Rebus (for example for the first Rebus, UTNV, NVUT, UT/NV or NV/UT) or don’t do these kinds of puzzles at all.
@Peter C Huh. I got a gold star entering both state abbreviations in one box, no slash.
@Peter C I guessed a slash between and it was accepted, but the discussion makes clear that even just one of the two-letter combos would result in a successful solve.
@Peter C 1. It could be that you had an error somewhere else. 2. It could be that there are variations between platforms. Others reported having no issues without a slash. 3. I would suggest always using a slash for bidirectional rebuses, because a. they are always accepted, and b. they are more logical. 4. Another workaround, but less satisfying for some, is to just enter any first letter (i.e. either rebus answer). This also always works, and I think it's a throwback to before they added a rebus button (a long, long time ago). Nothing is arbitrary. The rules for what is accepted have not varied. I guarantee it.
@Peter C I'm trying everything — both abbreviations with and without slashes, one abbreviation — and nothing works.
@Peter C, I think they should stick to one, and only one, acceptable format: ACROSSREBUS/DOWNREBUS. The fact that multiple formats are acceptable is what causes confusion. And the fact that the first letter, or only the first of two crossing rebuses, is acceptable makes no sense at all, since it makes the crossing answers nonsensical. If we were forced to stick to one format—and that were explained in the frequently circulated article—I believe people would learn over time.
@Peter C, they have to be in the order you would view them on the map (meaning they have to also be geographically correct.) At least that's what worked for me - no slashes used.
A kiwi or ostrich may be a ratite, but a flightless woodpecker is a ratatatite.
Generally disliked. Thought the trick wasn’t worth the squeeze. Knew what the rebus square had to be, but I just didn’t care. Non-American though, so your mileage may differ.
@Selective Walrus I’m American, I’m fine with rebus puzzles and I got one direction of the rebus pretty quickly but I didn’t enjoy this solve at all. Sorry.
@Selective Walrus Your compatriot here and I really enjoyed the rebuses. At first I thought they would all be based on "Four Corners" states (my knowledge of which is purely crossword-based). But then I realized it had to be a broader grouping. Working on an Android phone but not in the app, I had no problem entering the rebuses as XX YY. Thanks for a great just-under-an-hour.
I understood the rebus quickly, but I don’t really care for it since there is no apparent connection between the two states occupying each square. Solving the answer in one direction does absolutely nothing to help you solve the word that intersects through the rebus, because it’s basically as if the word doesn’t intersect at all - every letter used in the rebus square is only part of one answer. And I would strongly urge, AGAIN, that you simply have the app accept any rebus entry at all as a correct answer for squares with a rebus. Nine times out of ten, the solver only has the square entered “wrong” because they don’t know what syntax they are expected to use. If they got everything else right and only fudged the rebus syntax, they clearly knew the answer and you should just take it.
@Cameron That's what I found so disappointing. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a rebus per se, but surely there must be a connection between the embedded letter and/or a connection between rebus squares and corresponding crosses. Today's puzzle had neither and so delivered no "Aha!" moment for me.
@Cameron “you simply have the app accept any rebus entry at all as a correct answer for squares with a rebus” Just to clarify: supposing I were to have entered “666” into each of today’s rebus squares, are you saying the app should have counted those as correct?
I love a rebus, but this puzzle was a swing and a miss.
Some people have a rhyming friend called GAL PAL - they pass the time playing rhyme games. Me, I have a POTATO BUD. We compare good storage varieties, discuss leaf hopper control, and exchange recipes.
@Cat Lady Margaret Saw what you did there- didn’t bother me, Ore Ida run away 😂
@Cat Lady Margaret In the 60s, Berry Crocker POTATO BUDS were the instant mashed potatoes of choice for our family. I will admit to eating them right out of the box as an unsanctioned snack.
@Vaer Betty, not Berry! Though perhaps Berry not totally off base in a discussion about growing things.
I love a Sunday rebus and this one didn’t disappoint. A fun solve and a great revealer. I sometimes mix-up the A state abbreviations. My first thought was “Is Arkansas considered western??”, then realized AK is Alaska. Doh! Clever clue for NBA REF [Traveler’s check, in brief?]. Nice debut of the common phrases FEW AND FAR BETWEEN and I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE. MENTAL NOTE… I like puzzles by Aime Walker.
@Anita I made a mental note too. I don't like puzzles by Annie Walker. À chacun son goût...
@Anita I agree, Anita! I don't understand the animosity toward this puzzle! I thought it was fun and clever and had some interesting cluing. I feel like people are overthinking the perfectly simple trick: two western states=western union.
I hated this puzzle. Can we please have just one gimmick in a puzzle instead of two (that don’t work together) Okay, so you want to do a rebus? But you want to be really clever and add a double rebus? Well make them work. How does New Mexico (NM) and Oregon (OR) fit together in one rebus? They don’t. Neither do any of the others. This is how you get a sloppy puzzle. A constructor that wanted to create a creative, tricky puzzle without making any sense. Garbage. Please don’t use this kind of trash. Sincerely, Everyone.
@Darren Definitely not everyone. Maybe speak for yourself?
@Darren This is so rude. You can say you didn't care for a puzzle without insulting the constructor. You not liking something is not the same thing as it being trash. Hope your day gets better.
I’ll start with three things I liked about this puzzle, because my brain adores riddle-cracking: First, realizing it was a rebus puzzle. There are no indicators, like circles, to give that away, and the puzzle’s title certainly didn’t holler “Rebus!” Second, finding the rebuses. They are not symmetrical, or only in the longest answers. Third, seeing that each rebus square has two elements. A double-element rebus is a layer more difficult than a single element one. And figuring out, thanks to the puzzle’s title, that the elements were state postal codes. I’ll continue with what I liked most of all. There I was, after figuring out the above, filling boxes in, workman-like. Then I uncovered WESTERN UNION. Hah! – Now THAT was a special moment, combining surprise – that there was an in-grid revealer at all (Sundays often don't have them), not to mention that I hadn’t realized that the states were all in the West – and delight at its scintillating wordplay. For a moment, the air filled with sparks and the puzzle went from being good to being sublime. You happified my brain’s workout ethic, plus you surprised, and wonderfully tricked me, Amie. You got me thinking, “Ain’t Crosslandia grand!” Thank you!
@Lewis Yes. You described it exactly. Exactly.
I am going to make this as clear as I can. I hate this. I am not going to finish it. I want a NYTimes CROSSWORD puzzle. If I wanted some other kind of puzzle, I would search one out. This is clever and all that, but it's not why I come here. Thank you.
Kathleen, You may not like rebuses in crosswords, but this *is* the NYT Crossword, which has now had 646 rebus puzzles.
@Kathleen880 Sadly the NYT insists on these rebus puzzles. They're awful and a waste of time.
@Kathleen880 Agree 1000%. Terrible puzzle. NYT is trying too hard with this. Just give us a puzzle please.
@Kathleen880 Four letters was a bit too much to write in one box. If the two letters had worked in the across and down clue, I would have loved the rebus.
@Kathleen88 oh wild, can believe Barry A has an unsolicited opinion to force upon the world!
Second attempt: I love rebus puzzles but this one didn't do anything for me because: 1) I got all the rebus squares and entered four letters (state abbreviations) without slashes. When I didn't get my gold star, I couldn't be bothered to search for typo, so I checked puzzle. One of the rebus squares was marked incorrect but the other three were fine. So a slash wasn't necessary, except once where it was? 2) The reason I couldn't be bothered to search for my typo is because overall the puzzle was just meh. Uninspired clueing throughout. Nothing about it "sparked joy."
@Bill in Yokohama I agree. I didn’t enjoy this puzzle at all - and I usually love easy Sundays.
@Bill in Yokohama I will bet you had something else wrong in that square, like a space.
Huh, interesting to see all the griping in the comments on this puzzle. Stumbled onto the rebus relatively early; the column name was a broad clue that helped a ton. No trouble entering the rebuses, I was just glad we were given the number of them so I could stop second-guessing myself on every clue. Feels like I'm finally developing a sense for some of the different types of wordplay that show up in these puzzles - progress is being made! Just about 5 minutes longer than my Sunday record, not bad for a rebus puzzle for me! Very enjoyable, thanks, Amie!
@TholosTB any puzzle that is harder than about a Wednesday level will have griping, especially if there is anything about the puzzle that elevates it beyond straightforward letters, one by one, in a grid. This is because those who have not yet developed the skills to do the NYT crossword daily nevertheless want to be able to say they do it daily. They don’t want to put in the hours of work that make them a skilled solver. They have failed to understand that if this crossword were solvable by everyone every day, it would cease to be an aspirational thing to be able to do. Nevertheless, I believe that with practice they could indeed figure out, for example, the straightforward and consistent rules for entering a rebus. With practice they’ll learn the words “nobody has ever heard of,” and they’ll figure out the general patterns that make puzzles that were impossible for them a year earlier solvable in record time.
@TholosTB Rebus = griping. Always has, presumably always will. It’s always nice to see comments from people who enjoy the challenge, even when it’s difficult. Thanks for that!
Not sure what all the complaints are regarding--thoroughly enjoyed this one for a Sunday. I guess everyone has their own experience, and that's ok. Just putting this here so the constructor can see that there are some solvers that had an enjoyable time. Well done!
@Kristopher I always wonder how closely the constructors and the staff monitor the comments. There's a lot of drivel in here, and often much a constructor could find disheartening. Maybe the staff divides them up, and then shares the ones they found important? Do they just look at the ones with the most reccos? Enquiring minds want to know.
Everyone: please please please just save yourself a headache for double rebuses—just enter the rebus for one direction and one direction only. Yes the slashes may work but seems like there’s always glitches and typos that way. Yes it may annoy you because you feel like you didn’t finish the puzzle, or one direction or another is gibberish, but just keep the other direction in your head and know you completed the puzzle. Trust me I’ve always done it that way and I’ve never ever had a problem. Or at least if you think you’ve solved it but can’t find your error try it.
@SP Wish I had read your comment before I tried to complete the puzzle. But that would have defeated the whole point of the exercise.
@SP I'm always amazed at all the trouble that the rebus squares give some people. I only say that because once I figured out what rebuses were and how to work them, I've never had a single issue entering them. I do across first, then down and no slashes. I feel bad when it is a problem for people because rebus puzzles are so fun but if you're having technical issues that is no fun at all
Clear tell constructor is not a baseball fan: Players are "selected" for the All-Star Game - you can't be inducted into a game. Players are "inducted" into the Hall of Fame.
@joel88s I might have said they were “elected,” not “selected,” based on what the process is normally called, but in a crossword, what something is normally called isn’t the only option. On that basis, I think the clue is maybe a little off, but not a heinous error.
@joel88s. Given the extensive editing we all hear about that goes on before puzzles are published, let’s put this one on the editors.
The leap from Western Union to state abbreviations is so broad that even Evil Knievel couldn't jump it! This was a tiresome puzzle. Blech!
Wow, that was a bit of fun - but it took me an age! I’ve only been puzzling for a few weeks now so that was my first time ever encountering a rebus, nor did I even know what one was! I thought something must be afoot but also wondered if “YATALKINTOME” was a cute way of conveying DeNiro’s accent (not at all helped by me thinking it was an isAgon not an isOgon). I moved on for a while until I hit IMNOTAKIDANYMORE and knew I was being played (and wound up) like a CASSETTETAPE(s). A few I wasn’t a fan of mind you… cookies belong in a JAR, and I’d need more than a few of them (certainly not a little snack) if I wanted to NOSH, even with a few SUPS of milk on the side. But with that sort of meal I’d need to switch to a NOCAL diet if I wanted to be an athlete, or even an NBAREF. Curious to see how LOLCAT went down, especially so close to YADAYADA, UHNO and maybe even DANO for the non-movie-watchers. Anyway, time for this sleepy brit to RETIRE for the night, and even though I lost my streak I’ll do an ERICIDLE and look on the bright side of life!
@Nathan It’s almost Christmas – so cookies certainly go in a TIN so they can be delivered to two friends and family. if you’re not dining (Dinner), you will likely sup (Supper).
meh. I got to the end...counted the number of rebus boxes...realized I had 5 and not 4...and guessed maybe my "NC" was just a "C". This puzzle left me feeling apathetic.
Oh my goodness I am mad at myself! It took me 30 minutes to find my typo! Just did not catch i had “BONSET” instead of “BOXSET” because TENnessee is also a state that spans two time zones! 🤦🏻♀️ What a wonderful puzzle, Amie Walker! This was so much fun. I was able to make good time til the double rebuses got me. I knew there was a rebus, it just didn’t occur to me that it was double, so I could not make it work until I read WordPlay. Even though I knew what the letters had to be. It was still very enjoyable. I love a big puzzle like this that has lots of fun clues and answers. Y’all have a wonderful Sunday!!
@Terry The phone version of the Games app has a list view that makes it much easier to find typos and silly mistakes. Using that has saved me a lot of time with Sunday puzzles (in which I make a mistake about three-fourths of the time). I'm glad you found your mistake.
@Terry LOL, I also had BONSET until the very end!
@Terry Same experience with BONSET. Knew it was wrong but didn’t think of TEXas until I ran the alphabet on the third letter.
@Terry I originally plopped in TEn as I spent a lot of time in Tennessee for work. However, I lived in Texas and didn’t know it also had different time zones 😬 Not sure why I didn’t know that?!?! 😆
I know this is the New York Times crossword but if there was ever a puzzle to put off anyone not born and bred in the US from doing the NYT crossword again this was it - not just the theme but too many clues that only someone who lived in the US would get.
@Tim [Sad, Polish nod] 🏴🤜🏼🤛🏼🇵🇱
@Tim yes totally agree, a somewhat painful puzzle.
@Tim I feel this is often what explains why some commenters think a puzzle is easy and others don't. If you know the US-centric fills (college sports mascots, SNL members from 40 years ago, and airport codes) then it gives you a decent skeleton for the harder clues. I'm not complaining, as part of the fun of the NYT crossword is learning about another culture, but I do wish there was a button to pre-fill all the US trivia!
@Tim Unfortunately it is what it is, ie. An American puzzle . I made it about 95% through but got caught on hbcus and the airport. Once I checked the puzzle though, I was a little disappointed in myself because they all could have been attained by the crossing words. A non-American solver is at disadvantage, but I relish the challenge. Makes me feel high and mighty when I finish them, even with a handicap 😂😂😂
@Tim Even as an American, this was rather a slog for me so I empathize with our solving friends across the pond.
@Tim Not only is it a USA-centered puzzle, it's a New York City-centered puzzle at times. I was born in NYC, grew up 30 miles west of the city, and made many visits to the city up until I was 18 and left the area for college. I just turned 78, yesterday, and I've usually lived at least 800 or more miles away, and only been back a couple of times since then, so no reinforcement for NYC news, neighborhoods, or other city-specific features over the last 60 years. It took me a little while to get over my initial resentment about the NYC-specific clues, but then I realized that the main focus for the paper is, and should be, the NYC and metro area population, even though it's available in print in many other locations, and available for anyone online. One positive is that usually the NYC-USA-specific content is discoverable/discernible via the crosses, which has made the correct answers appear in more than one instance for me. When it isn't, and the crosses don't cooperate, I feel there is no shame or streak-breaking by doing some research to find an answer, like the recent "controversial sculpture in a specific park" clue. I do what I can to fill in the puzzle, and make allowances for my lack of exposure to some topics or sometimes when my memory wants to play tricks on me.
@Tim I truly can't imagine what it would be like to solve a London-based crossword then publicly complain that it was too UK-centric. The entitlement is beyond me.
@SBK - Urdu doesn't even use the western alphabet. My inlaws cheat and read song lyrics transliterated into our alphabet.
This was brilliant, I loved it! Over 30 years of doing crosswords, I’ve encountered rebuses, answers that spill out of the grid, answers you have to imagine in three dimensions, clues that could have more than one answer that are both acceptable, answers that wrap around or go through wormholes, etc. I have nothing but appreciation and gratitude to get to enjoy the creativity and effort that goes into this format. All of my grandparents were absolute crossword fiends and I thank them for passing the habit down. One of my favorite pieces of inheritance is my nana’s handwritten crossword notebook where she collected difficult/interesting clues/answers.
I understand that there are those who dislike rebus puzzles. What I don't understand is applying the term "lazy" to this feature. It is certainly not lazy of the constructor, who woiuld have a much easier time simply finding a shorter word rather than fitting a theme-specific string of letters to one square. If anything then, it is laziness on the part of the solver, who does not want the added difficulty of reasoning out an additional element in order to successfully complete the puzzle.
@Andrew Lazy or not, it's counterintuitive and makes these puzzles impossible for the uninitiated. It has nothing to do with reasoning when a crossword breaks the fundamental rule of one letter per square and doesn't bother to tell you that. This one in particular does feel a little lazy, though. A rebus where the square means different things for different directions...ugh.
No thanks on this one. Nothing much to learn and have to redo the rebus squares to figure out whatever arbitrary format is accepted.
@Iona I enjoyed learning about LORIS and ONAGER.
Thank you Amie for a clever and fun puzzle. It was thoroughly enjoyable, and my hat is off to you for the effort. The whinging in the crossword comments section has become tiresome. If one is so inclined, fault can be found in almost anything. Try to enjoy the ride and variety, open the mind, and try to appreciate the time and effort required to construct the puzzles.
Second attempt: On a day like this, all the anti-rebusites come out to complain. But for every anti, there’s got to be a dozen or more lovers of the genre. Otherwise, rebuses couldn’t have survived for 70 years. It’s just that it’s more fun to complain than to offer appreciation. Although I’m fairly certain most of the complainers don’t read through all the comments, let me advise the newcomers to withhold judgment until you have more experience. Most rebus haters grow to like them quite a bit. And some never do. Then again, my late mother-in-law never got why “The Big Bang Theory” was funny.
@Steve L you make quite a few generalizations here that, for me, are patently untrue and unfair…say how you feel but don’t make assumptions about me please It is not more fun to complain. I love puzzles and crosswords and often come to express my appreciation for a good puzzle. I do read both sides of the story. I would love to at least like rebuses…and maybe I will someday when I can comprehend them in a better way. For now they feel like artificial cleverness in a format for which I have a lifetime regard. I do not need to agree with you to be respectful to you. Perhaps using more respect is the greater lesson here and for this time in our world at large. Have a great Sunday and a great week ahead.
@Steve L Sorry to disappoint ol’ Steve.
@Steve L I am 100% on your side. Your advice is essential and exquisite, like a lighthouse in a monster storm. But the seas are merciless.
The long explanation is a good clue that this was a no-good Crossword.
Oh, that WESTERN UNION twist caught me by surprise and brought a most satisfying "Oh sweet!" Best moment of the puzzle for me.
Was expecting bordering states in the same rebus to go with the 'union' bit but that didn't seem to be the case. And was expecting all Western states for completeness rather than a few random ones. Didn't fully understand how the 'theme' was even a theme.
As a non-American, I cannot appreciate this crossword…
@Tahira I respect your right to not appreciate the crossword, but if I may be so bold...have you been to the NYT crossword frequently? If not, please know that there is a deep history growing here. So I suggest you try at least a week of puzzles.
Rebus puzzles often end up with users trying to guess how it needs to be entered. That's a failure of the Times. If they can't sort it out to a consistent input they should not run rebus puzzles.
I’m not a fan of any rebus that does not use the same letters down and across. Just saying.
@Andrew If the puzzle requires different letters or Rebuses for across vs down, the constructor was just lazy. It’s a CROSSWORD puzzle. I mean, if you can just sub in another letter going the other way, you’re playing tennis without the net.
Caitlin, you refer in a couple of place to 122 across as revealer. It's 117 across (as in your first reference).
I will always like a puzzle with a rebus element, and if it's different in the across and down entries, I will like it even more. Thanks for scratching my rebus itch, Amie. I only wish there were more of them in the grid, but that's asking a lot.
@Nancy J. I love a rebus too, but please have mercy on those of us who are not familiar with US state abbreviations. Four was more than enough for me! I learnt a lot when I was looking them up though, no complaints. It was a clever puzzle.
I like a good rebus puzzle, unfortunately this was not one of them
Call me shallow, but any puzzle that challenges me and that I can complete is a good puzzle. That includes this one.
I like a little challenge, but this one turned into a slog. Not fun. I know, I'm a lightweight. I probably would have died half-way through the Bataan Death March, too.
Thoroughly defective puzzle. If you're going to use rebuses, make them work in both directions.
This is a perfectly functioning bidirectional rebus puzzle. The rebuses work -- differently -- in each direction. This is hardly the first bidirectional rebus puzzle, and I doubt it will be the last.
Wow! Comments, huh? Lots of rebus-haters, and rebus-hater-haters. I've seen a lot of downright insulting replies to people who say they hate rebuses--as in, you are just not clever, you will learn, etc. However, I just don't like rebuses much because they slow down my fun. In general, I am blind to themes and revealer hints, and just slog away, solving, filling letters, until I have to ask for a reveal of a letter or word. I do this because I want to continue the fun dopamine hit when I complete a word, and then a puzzle. I've been doing crosswords for about 66 years, and yes, I have gotten "cleverer" at them and at many other things. But I am just a girl, and I do just wanna have fun. So let me "hate" the rebus if it harshes my vibe.
@Cloudy Rockwell Best anti-rebus comment I've seen. I am not a rebus hater, but really enjoy your explanation. I think most of the rebus-hater-haters are actually just "accuse the constructors of laziness" haters.
@Cloudy Rockwell To be clear, I am not saying that most rebus-haters accuse the constructors of laziness. I am saying that most of the rebus-hater-haters don't actually hate most rebus-haters.
AROACE might be the ugliest word I've ever seen. Just because a word is your wordlist, doesn't mean it's a good word. Not to mention ATON and ALOT ??? And why oh why did you use a STATE ABBREVIATION clue for TEX ?!?!? Bit redundant and does not fit the postal code theme you set up. Amie...(and Will)...c'mon. You guys can be better than this. Not challenging, not intriguing...not fun.
@Ben Blackwell Agreed, and I’m not being political at all, if I were of that persuasion I’d fight hard to find another word to call myself. But of course the perceived aesthetic value of a word has no bearing on its appropriateness for a crossword.
@Ben Blackwell It’s “aro ace,” short for aromantic and asexual.
@Ben Blackwell Aro/ace is not a single word-- it's two, often joined with slash or hyphen but sometimes just a space. Some people are asexual (ace) but still have romantic attraction; some people are aromantic (aro); some people fit both labels. (And having language for this sort of thing is extremely useful. Even if you find the words ugly...)
@Ben Blackwell I agree that it’s ugly, but we’re stuck with terminology like this and the prefix “cis” lest our lexical revulsion be mistaken for a political position. BTW, in the explanation of AROACE I initially read “aromantic” as “aromatic”, and was wondering, why bother to apply perfume if you’re not interested in attracting someone?
I got to say, not knowing Kamal, I had at least one other option. But guessed right. Headed for 1000 comments, divided over this F DUM(BC/AB)ROSSWORD U L O U S ?
@JohnWM forgot to say he is team down.
@JohnWM 🙋🏼♀️ hand up for team down here!! 🤩 Loved this one!
@JohnWM team down, and had this posted earlier I think you'd have a lot more likes.
I loved this one. I am always team rebus. I love the extra challenge of this type of solve. I had one half of the rebus on three of them, some across and some down. I knew from the title that the rebus answers were going to be state abbreviations. The revealer of WESTERN UNION and the final rebus cross of ITS ON ME/NO RETURNS was my aha moment 💡 I immediately went back to the other three and figured out what there cross could be and was able to get all of my rebus crosses in. My last entry was a flyspeck changing a fat finger b to an R for SERUM. I thought I had entered SERUM initially, so it didn’t take long when I saw a b there. I solve on my phone, so I frequently have to fix answers like this. Thank you, Amie. More like this one, please!!
@Jacqui J Happy to read a comment from someone else who also really enjoyed the rebus part today! Such a bummer to have had a blast then come to the comments and see so much hostility.
The best part of not maintaining a streak is that I can easily walk away from nonsense puzzles like this.
What an awful puzzle today was. Nothing fun about it just a slog
After getting the 23A x 3D cross, I was disappointed that the other three state pairs did not border each other. But I did not feel reMorse over it.
@Barry Ancona Same here, though that might have been a tall order.
@Barry Ancona I thought of that at the time, too! If you don't mind, I think I'll feel very good about myself for a moment.
@Barry Ancona I gave AK/HI a pass based on how the insets often appear on a US (only) map. And I was so into the concept that I somehow forgot about that skinny part of Idaho separating MT/WA 😂. So it wasn’t until I got to NM/OR that I felt that disappointment.
@Barry Ancona I spent some time trying to get "morse" into 117A. And I thought the clue for DAH was a missed opportunity.
MA/NY nos to what to me seemed like a classic Sunday rebus puzzle. It would have been right at home in the 1990s. E.g., See 10/31/1999 “Twin States” Sunday puzzle by Frank Longo (who is responsible for starting the Spelling Bee). Indeed, the bottom of the puzzle seemed to be a paean to the 1990s, from CASSETTE TAPES to TV ROOM to a 1990s sitcom (ON OUR OWN) to QVC to WESTERN UNION (money orders!) to CONAN O’Brien to “ACHY Breaky Heart” to . . . well, perhaps not ARO ACE. I hold dear the tradition of the Sunday NYT puzzle, which has been a constant throughout my adult life, as close to a religious ritual as I’ve ever had. Thank you, Amie, for a delightful addition to that tradition.
@Puzzlemucker Thanks for the puzzle recommendation (though I’ll now be pre-warned and on the lookout for more swing states). I’m currently working through 2006 Sundays. Yesterday’s solve (July2) felt bittersweet when ROSE GARDEN was clued as “Much-photographed White House area” and RFK was clued as “U.S. atty. gen. in 1962”.
@Puzzlemucker, Nice catch on the 90s theme! To continue the metaphor of xword-as-church, this puzzle and its commenters (the top ones surprisingly negative) reveals what may turn into the Great Schism where the Rebusites create their own sect…
@Puzzlemucker For those who aren't aware, or for those who care, Frank Longo still does the Spelling Bee in the magazine print version, though each answer must be at least five letters. Sadly, the NYT did away with subscribers being able to print out the variety puzzles. I still get Sunday delivery, but used to love to print out the puzzle page because delivery here is later than it used to be when I lived on the east coast. But even that has recently changed: a weekly puzzle on that page that was always done by Patrick Berry is now by Erik Berlin, and they're no longer enjoyable. In this case, plus ça change IS NOT la même chose.
Ah, i miss cassettes. I loved when people made me mixtapes, they were the best!! I still have them but I don't know why since I have nothing to play them on... but just seeing them brings back happy memories. I was devastated when I had to get a new car with only a CD player. Now all my CDs are useless too. I saw a thing on Facebook today about why GenX is so angry all the time, which I'm not, but it was kinda funny -- about having to replace albums with cassettes, then CDs, then mp3s, and now subscriptions. Ha! I pretty much stopped after CDs and just listen to the radio. As for the puzzle, I seem to be the minority, but I liked it. I don't think I've met a rebus puzzle that I haven't liked. I like the extra challenge and I love figuring out which squares and so on. Makes me feel so proud when I realize it's a rebus and I can figure out how it works. I love that feeling!! Huzzah!! I might be too simple to be picky, but even ones that are a bit more meh, I find so much comfort in them. There's always a right answer. It's always possible to figure it out. I don't always succeed, but I know there's a right answer. Would that life were so fair and figure-outabul. I especially enjoyed I'MNOTAKIDANYMORE, ENOUGHISENOUGH, YADAYADA (only wish there was room for a third YADA), and YOUTALKINTOME. Also the mention of The amazing goat, SIMONE. The I'm fine dog meme yesterday, and today we have LOLCAT, who I am far less familiar with than the former. I thought it was fun!! ☺️
@HeathieJ I went through the same process with movies… first VHS, then laser discs, then DVDs, and now I just stream. Still have a lot of the physical stuff taking up shelf space, though, because I just can’t let it go. I also share your rebus sentiments. There’s just something about that moment when the key turns and what seemed murky and impossible just moments ago becomes suddenly clear. It’s like in Pulp Fiction, when they open the briefcase and experience the brilliant, wondrous glow. (And yes, I have that movie on laser disc. DVD too, maybe.) I feel bad for people who don’t enjoy this type of puzzle. It’s their prerogative, of course, but I can’t help but feel they’re missing out.
@HeathieJ Well you've given me another earworm: Mixtape, from Avenue Q. I was teenage budding audiophile. My sister had an 8-track player and I *hated* the random click of the track changing in the middle of a song. I spent what my folks thought was an obscene amount of money on a component system--receiver, turntable, cassette deck and speakers. I taped all my albums and played the cassettes so that the vinyl would be pristine. I had them numbered and I kept a filebox of info on them, which got converted to a spreadsheet a decade later. I ended up buying a lot of the albums on CD, and I still have them all, and I still have that turntable. I converted a ton of the music to mp3. LPs are mostly in storage, cassettes and CDs on shelves and in drawers. And virtually all of my music these days is streaming or radio. :\ I know @Steve L is right and I should be getting rid of it all, but I want it to go to family and friends. And I want visitation rights. ;)
I love rebus puzzles. The icing on the cake is all the pedants and egotists who write dissertations on how horrible rebuses are. Not ALL rebuses, of course, just this particular rebus because of the following methodically laid out reasons. But the rest of us see the reality, which is that their bruised little egos just can’t accept being challenged. BTW the theme was Western Union. It doesn’t matter that the states don’t abut. Cry about it.
@alan as someone who has come to terms with rebus puzzles, your comment here is so disrespectful. I will tolerate rebuses as long as they make sense for both crossings, but bi-directional rebuses simply defeat the main conceit of a CROSS word puzzle. If the letters inside the rebus don’t have to match both words, then the constructor doesn’t even need to try with where the two words/phrases line up. It’s not only lazy to do, it’s also disingenuous to the whole point of crosswords. So, no, it’s not “bruised little egos”, it’s genuine and valid frustration that the constructor and publisher have put out a puzzle that doesn’t even follow its own main mechanic. Also, in the future, be more respectful of those who are still learning or who have different opinions about these games. These comment sections are supposed to be respectful and supportive. Belittling people who are venting and/or inexperienced with this frustrating advanced aspect of the game is both a terrible way to treat people and a showcase of your own inflated ego. Please do better when interacting with fellow players.
Loved it. The puzzle is well constructed and has challenging clues with good crosses for all proper nouns. The rebus and theme is a cherry on top. I don't understand people who complain about clever puzzles like this but then are fine with 4 proper nouns crossed with no way to fill the squares. In puzzle's like today's, it's all about logic and induction, exactly what a crossword should be. If you don't like rebus, you don't yet really understand crosswords. The moment of understanding the theme after working towards the puzzle and then seeing everything fall into place is what it's all about. I, for one, would be very sad if the NYT stopped publishing rebus puzzle. I think that they're the best the game has to offer.
@Jordan I would add that not knowing when they will appear is part of what makes them the best. And I understand why some people disagree.