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@JBW Yes!! WOWED crossing VOWEL. Terrific feat, and so fun to solve! Hope there are MORE TO COME LATER like it soon!
Saturday, we had a puzzle by Byron Walden. Sunday, we now have a puzzle by Sam Ezersky. Both are prolific (and terrific) constructors, and these last two puzzles of course have different vibes... FWIW: If you are game, you can go through the "wayback machine" (i.e., nyt crossword archives) and find two puzzles they've done together, in collaboration. (Neato, right?) Anyway, those puzzles were (not shocking, but kind of fun to note) for a Saturday, 2/3/2018, and a Sunday, 7/15/2018. As always, don't use the link below if you intend to do either puzzle on your own, since xwordinfo will display the completed grids... <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Author/Sam_Ezersky_and_Byron_Walden" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Author/Sam_Ezersky_and_Byron_Walden</a>
@Isabeau Ha, ha! As a fellow crocheter (aka "hooker"), I agree, 100%! [Spin a yarn, perhaps?] was a funny clue, but it didn't really seem to work. Us hookers are arguably easy going folk, though, so yes -- it's only a *good-natured grumble* for sure.
Hey, the mini had a mini-theme! (I love that!! Fun!) But, would the clue for 5 Across, [U.S. state capital that rhymes with 9-Across (not 7-Across!)], instead be better with [... rhymes with 1-Down ...]? (Am I just being too picky about what "rhymes" means? Or am I missing something? Nice, either way, Sam!)
As others have mentioned, this reminded me of a Robyn Weintraub puzzle, too! Very fun, and I hope we see more Fridays coming from Dena R. Verkuil soon. Someone included a link to a BBC interview with Weintraub, which is worth listening to. Dena mentions (in Constructor Notes) her first NYT acceptance was a Monday. Two previous Monday have been published, and if you want to do them in NYT archives: 11/25/2024, and 6/30/2025. spoiler alert: puzzles WITH SOLUTIONS are also on xwordinfo, of course <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Author/Dena_R._Verkuil" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Author/Dena_R._Verkuil</a>
Congrats on the debut to Joel Woodford! Mr. Woodford asks in the constructor notes if anyone has ideas on any "near synonym" spoonerism(s). So, does anyone have any? Here's mine: My bossy dog inspired something with paw/law, leading to "petting law, letting paw", which then has more of a comic legalization-of-PDA tone.
Nice puzzle!!! Guessed the pattern (but not the reveal) early. So fun to fill so many long entrees rapidly. Loved the mini's "mini-theme" (by Joel Fagliano), too! If you don't usually do the mini, it's worth it today. :-)
@JayTee My original point (originally trying to minimize spoilers) was that DEERE (1-Down) [apparently] rhymes with PIERRE. (Meanwhile PIERRE and PEER seem better-described as homonyms, not as "rhymes".) I did get the overall point, I think -- and I'm probably just being picky -- but it was interesting since DEERE actually was a rhyme and was also available in that grid?
@Nancy Are you familiar with "Phineas and Ferb"? (I think Phineas was inspired by Phileas Fogg, thus now incorrectly re-mapping the original name for a lot of us, I'd guess!) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkQrKxTFARM" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkQrKxTFARM</a>
@Rich in Atlanta, I actually love themes like that! But these days, I think it's too "old school" for nyt?? Rich Norris is a classic/excellent constructor. Mostly for themeless, but with a few themes of that ilk, e.g., ...a Wednesday with ["Never!"] as the (same) clue for 5 theme entries which include: ------AYE- (10) -ATC----- (9) -O-O--O------ (13) ---AYJ--- (9) --API----- (10) Leaving that as a personal challenge to fill those, if you want (anyone). You can check how you did here: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/29/1996" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/29/1996</a> <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/29/1996" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/29/1996</a>
@Dave S I know!! Right?!! (This isn't 2001, folks... Maybe get AI to help vibe code that basic functionality, nyt?)
@Steph "A pathetic" nod to your dad joke there...
Yep! Both are used. See ngram viewer, e.g., <a href="https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=doxed" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=doxed</a>%2Cdoxxed&year_start=2000&year_end=2022 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doxing</a>
@Barry Ancona and @ Sue, Randomish comments - but yes! Shout out to Saturday, April 26, 2014, which is one of those 3 puzzles. (Trivia: it's the only nyt puzzle to reference both those [Joe-Joe's cousin] cookies - I mean, in case you're in the mood for a fun mid-week Saturday puzzle challenge, from over a decade ago...)
@Rich in Atlanta, post tomorrow WITHOUT SPOILERS (such as the xwordinfo page)! ;-)
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