James

Dear Editor, I slogged through it, but way too many obscure clues and answers that needed Google search. Obscure isn’t challenging, it’s tiring. Again, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Thoroughly unenjoyable. Saturdays are supposed to be challenging, but this was ridiculous. Gave up half-way through. Just because you can publish something like this, doesn’t mean you should.

Dear Editor, Yet another case of the creator and/or clue writer(s) trying harder to impress themselves instead of trying to impress the puzzle’s solver. While it’s interesting that the two braided words end up making other unbraided words, the unbraided words had nothing to do with the clues. So it’s more gimmick than puzzle, and every time you publish a gimmick you’re actually eroding the NYT Crossword brand. Again, just because it can be done, doesn’t mean it should be done. @Senior Editors, are you paying attention to what’s going on here?

I figured out the theme surprisingly quickly, and I thought ooh, maybe we were getting a break. But the rest of the too clever clueing made it not a fun solve for me, in the end I gave up. I wish the Times would stop publishing puzzles like this.

I liked the long clues, very clever, but some of the other clues were questionable.

I thought this was an unnecessarily tough puzzle, proving the old adage “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should”.

Dear Editor, this is the third Saturday in a row with an awful and boring slog of a puzzle. So, for the third week in a row I feel the need to remind you that if you have to Google for answers it’s not a challenge. Please give us NY Times Crossword worthy clueing and answers. Thanks.

The clueing on this was bad, just gave up in the end. Disappointing Sunday puzzle.

Had to look up too many clues, not enjoyable for me. Gave up in the end.

Dear editor, a thoroughly unenjoyable puzzle with clues designed to impress the clue writer. I’m seeing a trend towards that here lately. Can we please get back to standard NYT clueing?

Had to lookup too many clues.

Really enjoyable, loved the theme! Great job!

Did not enjoy this one. Something has changed in the clueing, they’re too “clever”… but that doesn’t make it a challenge…

I thought the clueing was a bit tough for a Wednesday puzzle. Not really an enjoyable puzzle for me.

As with other commenters, I spent extra time working the puzzle thinking there were rebuses… a good puzzle, but annoyed I solved it in 26 minutes longer than my average because I thought rebuses were involved..

Dear Editor, thank you for a standard Saturday puzzle. I’ve been critical of your recent Saturday offerings, but this one had some really good challenging clues. Keep it up!

I’m perfectly ok with out-of-bounds puzzles, they’re clever, and I enjoy the challenge. However, there was no title in the app that could’ve helped solvers be on the lookout, so at first it was a slog, and then having to remember what letters were outside the grid was a bit tedious. A great puzzle, but not an app friendly one.

Dear Editor, Clueing is everything, and this one was clued poorly. The Times used to be better and more challenging than this. This is the 4th time I’ve commented in as many weeks, and it seems that the direction for harder days is heading more towards the clue creator wanting to impress the clue creator more than wanting to impress the solver. There’s a famous quip that “Wagner’s music is better than it sounds”. The clueing on these hard crosswords is heading towards that concept…

“Constructor Notes: I asked a fellow constructor for her thoughts on this puzzle before I submitted it, and she was “like 100 percent sure” it would be rejected.” I agree with the constructor’s friend, this one should have been rejected.

Not enjoying these obscurely clued puzzles. This one was maybe a Saturday worthy one…

Thursday is my favorite day because the puzzles are creative and challenge you to think outside the box. But recent Thursday puzzles have been disappointing to me, and today’s continues that downward trend for me. After “trading names” in the Across clues the resulting Down answers aren’t even real words any more. Can we please get back to standard Thursday creative and challenging fare?

I really enjoy the challenge of a Saturday puzzle: everyday words with much harder clues. This one was a little too out-there for me on both the answers and clue writing, which made it a slog for me. I gave up 3/4 of the way through.

Try everything once and do the fun things twice. Respectfully, this puzzle and the clueing are not something I’d like to try again.

Had to look up too many clues. Saturday puzzles are typically normal words with harder clueing, and again, the clueing here just pushed a little too much for the words. Not a fun or challenging solve.