There is nothing more meaningful to me to experience someone sharing themselves vulnerably with an audience of strangers. This puzzle absolutely warmed my heart, and I loved what you wrote in the constructors notes. Thank you. Happy pride everyone!
@Miranda Yes, this went straight to my heart too! It’s unusual to have an emotional response to a crossword, so kudos to Kenneth and best wishes to him, his family and all his community! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
@Miranda there's nothing less meaningful if you ask me. Internet interaction is impersonal and honestly pretty selfish just trying to get attention and clicks and praise.
I can relate, because the Mrs. and I have a son and a daughter, and have been part of that conversation twice. (Only with our daughter, it was "Mom, Dad, I'm bi.") Son went first, and was relieved that not only was it no problem for us, but that we kind of knew by that point anyway. Several years later, daughter's job was made easier because she knew she wouldn't have anything to worry about when she came out. You don't stop loving your kids. This particular piece of information doesn't change how you feel about them at all. All you care about is that they are happy. And as of Aug. 22, when said daughter gets married, we'll have both a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law. Just not with the partners we originally expected. And life goes on. Because life is made up of all kinds of people. And people should be happy if it is at all possible, and live their best lives.
@Steve L, What you’ve said is all so true. You never stop loving your kids, and they never stop being your kids. Congratulations on the upcoming nuptials. And thanks for sharing here.
@Steve L I love the humanity of your post. It also makes me angry this is not how things always work out. Little saddens and ires me more then people giving hateful prejudice precedence over their kids.
@Steve L Congratulations and well done on the loving parent part. And congrats to Kenneth Cortes on a fine and fitting June 1 puzzle. Happy Pride!
@Steve L - Beautiful comment - thank you for sharing.
I like how the highlighted words – MOM, DAD, I’M, QUEER – are not hidden or masked within the answers they’re in. That is, the answer that MOM was in, wasn’t, say, MOMENTOUS. No, MOM means “mom” in MOMJEANS, DAD means “dad” in DADBOD, I’M means “I’m” in I’M THERE, and QUEER means “queer” in QUEER EYE. It makes the theme all the more powerful and moving. When you got my heart involved, as well as my brain, you made the experience memorable and special. Thank you so much for this, Kenneth!
Such a great way to kick off Pride Month! We heard those exact words from our daughter a few years ago and it's been great to see how liberating it has been for her to be her true self. My heart goes out to those with non-affirming parents. You are worthy of love and acceptance!
I hadn't really noticed the grayed squares until just now, as I was reviewing the puzzle. Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Oh, wow! Along with Pride Month, it ought to be considered Courage Month. Takes some guts in this environment.
I especially appreciate the image that the mom and dad in this story might be “uncool”, what with their mom jeans and dad bods, but still as cool as it gets when loving their child for who they are. Happy Pride to all.
Damn, that was amazing. My hat is off to you, Kenneth, for your pride, your bravery and your crossword skills. This is a puzzle that is certain to get talked about for a long time (yes, it is historic). You'll be a tough act to follow for whoever constructed the Tuesday this week. Which, damn you Kenneth, is me... :-)
@Rich What a lovely and gracious message. You had me laughing out loud (for real)! So looking forward to your puzzle tomorrow!!
@Rich That is truly funny! I promise you I'll like your puzzle whether I like it or not.
Congratulations, Kenneth! May you find acceptance from your family, love from someone special, and joy from composing and solving puzzles.
Love this puzzle and love that it was published! Thank you Kenneth for creating it and thank you NYT for choosing it as the opening puzzle for June.
Kenny, Kenny, Kenny!!! Your old middle school band director here. Nice job on the puzzle... feeling proud for you, my friend!
A Monday puzzle that's mildly challenging without going too far for the day, and with an actually interesting theme that's been perfectly incorporated into the grid? Nice! I was really impressed by how the theme made a coherent whole, and one meaningful to the constructor, too. Only last week I commented how early-week themes usually do nothing for me, as they tend to be largely random assortments of phrases only tangentially linked by some arbitrary revealer, which has nothing to do with what the themed entries actually mean, beyond some cringingly punny pseudo-connection. Well, not so today! Great stuff.
@Andrzej Nice. Very nice. But not so nice as to make me think you're playing another trick. Just the right amount of nice for me to believe you. 😀
Fabulous opening puzzle to celebrate June!
I loved solving this puzzle so much, happy pride!! 🏳️🌈 Especially in these times where queer people are facing so many difficulties, seeing this revealer made me smile
Thank you, Kenneth Cortes! For putting yourself out there, for sharing so generously of yourself, and for constructing more than a crossword puzzle. . . . .
At first, I was amused by “MOM JEANS” and “DAD BODS” living side by side. Then I got the theme and, just like dad’s waistline, my heart grew a size or two. Thanks, Kenneth, for a puzzle that not only challenged my brain but also warmed my heart. That’s a pretty rare achievement. Happy Pride Month to you and everyone you know.
This puzzle makes this old gay guy smile. My husband and I are on our way to Provincetown to celebrate our 39th year together. Happy Pride indeed!🏳️🌈
@David, enjoy Ptown! If you're seafood lovers, be sure to try Mac's! Happy Anniversary! My husband and I just celebrated 40 years!
Congrats Kenneth! Happy pride to you.
Well done, Kenneth! I’ve never commented, and may not again, but I’m an avid solver. Your puzzle and the inclusiveness it brings brought me here to comment. Thanks for kicking off pride month in a clever and insightful way. I even got my wife (not a crosser) to pause and appreciate it. Well done, and thanks for representing us so well. Keep it up - we appreciate you!
Lovely. Our youngest prefers Gay to QUEER, I get lost in the convolutions of what is what. We knew, but waited for him to feel comfortable with himself, which he was at age 14. I think he felt a tad deflated at our complete acceptance of and pride in who he is. I did offer to throw him out into the snow and never darken our door again, but he said the moment had gone! Cute puzzle, straightforward Monday time. Our resident Shiba INU graciously accepts being in the crossword twice within a couple of weeks.
@Helen Wright You made me laugh :D
@Helen Wright Hope the Alpacas aren't jealous.
@Helen Wright It must be a strange sensation to come out, and realize that everyone around you already knew and had accepted that about you.
Terrific puzzle! Happy Pride month, all.
I have always been pleased that QUEER, once a pejorative used by the hateful, has been joyfully taken back by the gay community. If my grade school teachers were correct, the same was done for the word "yankee" during the American Revolution. So now it is time that we reclaim words like "woke" and "liberal". Those who despise the left have twisted them into derisive adjectives despite their textbook definitions. Maybe we need a Woke Pride parade.
@Don H The opposite of "woke" is "asleep." Maybe even "comatose." Or metaphorically, "willfully ignorant."
I rarely comment on Monday puzzles but this one definitely qualifies as my favourite Monday puzzle from this year. Happy pride month to everyone!
Well, excellent! And, Mom, Dad, Kenneth’s also quite clever! I’ll bet you already knew that.
Well, it definitely sets the tone for the month! Had a fun time!
Wonderful in every way. Congratulations, Kenneth, beautiful puzzle!
This puzzle put such a smile on my face. Happy Pride!
It seems fitting that AURA is smack in the center of the grid. And if this boomer understands correctly, doing something impressive earns your “aura points” in Gen Alpha lingo. So congratulations, Kenneth, on a big time score. (High score on the puzzle CLAPOMETER too).
Saw that message and I wondered if the constructor actually DID use a puzzle to come out to his parents. Kenneth, may you find the love of your life if you haven't already done so. And now you have come out to all of us who did your puzzle. HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!
My five favorite original clues from last week (in order of appearance): 1. A little sun? (5)(4) 2. Cue ... or queue (4) 3. Semi professional? (8) 4. Perpetual homebody? (5) 5. What may begin at the end (9) DWARF STAR LINE TEAMSTER SNAIL AFTERLIFE
My favorite encore clues from last week: [Kind of a drag?] (4) [Smoke, perhaps] (4) MAIN CURE
I almost didn’t read the comments for fear of being sucked into a wormhole of hate and ignorance. To say I was most pleasantly surprised would be an understatement! The love and support shown here is truly inspiring. Kenneth, congrats on not only knowing yourself, but loving yourself and being proud of who you are! I pray everyone, no matter their orientation, may be as fortunate!
Kenneth, I wish you all good things and that you always encounter acceptance. Should acceptance be sadly lacking, may you in the very least encounter respect. And so, may your lifetime and paths be filled with decent human beings who know to look at a person's character only and nothing else. Congratulations on a clever and humorous yet profoundly meaningful Monday puzzle.
@sotto voce, Happy Birthday today! 🎉🍾🥂🎂🎁🎈 I read your wonderful message late yesterday and wanted to respond on your actual birthday. Hope you had a wonderful day today! We love you too! ❤️😊
Congrats and excellent puzzle, Kenneth!
I don’t normally do the normal crossword as I get frustrated with myself and don’t need another reason to feel bad about myself 😅 in saying that, I was moved to have a go today given the teaser. As someone in the queer community, this warmed my heart. I was lucky enough to have two very supportive parents when I came out. My 80yo Mum still wears her “Free Mum Hugs” rainbow pin and is fiercely protective of the community. I hope the crossword constructor is happy, as we all wish to be.
Great puzzle, Kenneth and congratulations on that reveal!
My nominee for Best Monday Puzzle Ever, thank you Kenneth!
This is an extraordinary puzzle, a themer that brings with it a celebration of acceptance. Well done, Kenneth Cortes. From courage comes pride.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
@Gee Pea The Church of Mary in the Hollow of the White Hazel near the Fierce Whirlpool and the Church of Tyslilio by the Red Cave.
I'm pretty certain that my teenage daughter is realizing her attraction to females. The comments in this forum warm my heart to know that her choice will not be met with the same vitriol that many of the older commenters had to face. Thank you all. Cheers.
Daww! Sweetest crossword ever. Congrats Kenneth, and happy pride month to all!
A truly special Monday, congratulations Kenneth - I got the revealer halfway through the solve and worked out what was going on, but I thought “surely not, this is too good to be true”… WordPlay confirms for me that it is true. A remarkable crossword and moment, thank you Kenneth and NYT for happy gifts like this in a world that is increasingly in need of them.
This was hilarious. Well done, Kenneth!
This made me smile. Congrats Kenneth!
To be blown away by a Monday puzzle is not something I was expecting. I usually do them just because they exist. But this one, wow, just wow. Not only an incredible theme with a revealer that brought tears to my eyes when I recognized the gravitas of it, but fill that's unusually sparkling for an early week puzzle. Absolutely brilliant. Having done these puzzles for 60 years, I don't remember a lot of them. In fact, I can only think of one, the CLINTON/BOB DOLE WINS that made it into my "Most Memorable" list. This is now the second. Kenneth, wishing you all the best, and Happy Pride Month. And thanks to the NYT for publishing it.
The New York Times Diverse Crossword Constructor Fellowship provides mentorship and support for constructors whose backgrounds and perspectives could be better reflected in our puzzles. We want our puzzles to reflect the experiences of as many people as possible, which means publishing work that displays a wide range of cultural reference points, language usage and communities. The fellowship is for constructors who have not yet been published by The New York Times. Applications for this year's fellowship open June 15. The class will begin in September. More information is available at the link below. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/crosswords/do-you-want-to-learn-how-to-make-a-crossword.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/17/crosswords/do-you-want-to-learn-how-to-make-a-crossword.html</a>
Lovely puzzle - thank you!!! As a kiwi I must get a wee mention in that the longest place in the world is actually right here in Aotearoa: The world-record holder officially recognized by Guinness World Records is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (85 letters). Located on the North Island of New Zealand near Pōrangahau, it translates to English as "the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed and swallowed mountains, played his flute to his loved one"
@Billie Cool. Any special significance of the big knees?
@Billie There's a lake in Massachusetts with the Algonquin name of Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. The jokey translation is, "You fish on your side, I'll fish on my side, and nobody fishes in the middle." The locals call it Lake Webster.
As a dad, I feel obligated to respond with "Hi Queer, I'm dad!"
As someone who has descendants who have gone through periods of uncertainty regarding the persons and genders they are attracted to, my major concern is how happy and safe they are in their relationships. As long as those conditions are met, the rest is none of my business. My wife and I love our daughters and granddaughters, and my hope is that they will be with people who will love them and treat them with the respect and love they deserve. Living where I do, I am no stranger to Pride Month and its activities, I sincerely wish that there was no need to spotlight it or to celebrate any other f(r)action of the inhabitants of the country or the world because the rest of us have learned acceptance and tolerance; and not to be dismissive or afraid of folks who don't act or look like we do. Congratulations on the reveals, both in your puzzle and in your life, and thank you for a nice start to Pride Month.
This felt like being a part of a stranger’s life moment in the best (and most grammar nerdy) way possible! Wishing you a grid full of happiness Kenneth!