Laura Kay

I am newer to the world of crosswords (doing the NYT crosswords for about a year) and I rarely venture beyond Thursdays. But today was my favorite Thursday since I started. Rebuses tend to frustrate me, but this puzzle had the whimsy of a rebus while still sticking to "one box/one letter" rule that I still rely on for a clean solve. I wasn't particularly quick but I was absolutely tickled when I figured out the central "trick". So thanks Simeon Seigel and NYT for a great puzzle! Also thanks to Deb Amlen and the other writers of Wordplay. Once I discovered this column, I was absolutely hooked on crosswords. I hope in time to become a true cruciverbalist!

I figured out the trick! Very satisfying moment of revelation. Maybe I can do Thursday puzzles after all!

This puzzle was a delight. I have been solving the NYT crossword regularly for about a year now. I started out a firm rebus hater and now I'm a rebus tolerater. But this one I loved. It was fun and whimsical and very enjoyable. I think this might represent rebus turning point!

I loved this crossword! It was just really rich with a satisfying and lovely fill. And I appreciated the poetic and the ever-so-slightly mournful tone of the theme. Thanks for this one. I found it deeply satisfying to solve. (Oh and thanks for teaching me the word "snicklefritz"! It's a great word that I will be sure to start using!)

I loved this puzzle. I wasn't getting the theme and "asymmetry" was the last clue I filled in. And then when the animation came on, I just smiled. Well done! A great midweek puzzle. And what a sweet tribute to your wife. I look forward to tomorrow!

I really enjoyed today's puzzle. I love topical themes and the word ladder was fun. This put a smile on my face. So thanks!

As a hobbyist gardener, a fan of Victorian literature, and as one of four sisters (not to mention a brother), this puzzle hit a feel-good sweetspot for me. Thank you! This made me smile (from ear to ear?)!

I loved this puzzle. So festive and fun! Thanks for the Christmas treat!

I know it's already Friday but I wanted to say that I was completely charmed by this puzzle. One of my favorite Thursdays in a while. Thanks for making me smile!

I loved this one and post-solve animation made me smile.

I got the "im" part quickly but it took me reading Wordplay to understand the "on a roll". I quite literally laughed out loud. Thanks for a fun puzzle! And as always, thanks to the Wordplay column for helping me notice the brilliance of these puzzzles.

Just wanted to say that Ioved this one. So clever. Discovering this theme was a delight!

This was very clever! And fun to see my state represented on the puzzle's "map".

Just wanted to say bravo on this theme. It was so clever and the puzzle was great fun. A perfect Monday!

Well I commented yesterday so I'm commenting today too.....just to keep it fair. I enjoyed today's puzzle very much and caught on to the trick about midway through. (I also was happy to see that the rebus accepted "up/down" in the squares.) But this was another puzzle that made me smile. Keep them coming!