DJW

@Heidi You want to keep it a Secret?

@Allegra McFarland And you found it. Brava. What a kind and lovely comment.

@Elyse That’s my story, too! Did the surgery-day puzzle the night before and was ready to get back at it on Wednesday. I’m hoping to beat my longest streak in a couple of months. Hope you’re feeling as good as I am in recovery! And I can relate to the brain thing. A bit muddy. Stay well.

@Steve L Look at his post.

@Steve L My solve was much like yours. I share your “when, not if” level of experience. But today was the day I would *finally* match my old streak (1283), and I was starting to panic. I was preparing myself to accept that I would spend the whole day on it if it came to that. Fixing Gust finally broke it open. Tomorrow I’ll have a new best! Awesome workout!

@The X-Phile I think drinking a “martini” made with vodka is punishment enough! 😖

@Allen Are you overlooking the “mm-hmm” that starts the clue? I think that’s where the “yeah” comes from. And I guess “verge in” means “come closer”?

@john ezra Don’t forget “Camelot”—“Tra la, it’s May!” My streak hit 1300 today! I almost forgot to look.

@Grant Well, that should have been Jestern. And now I can’t submit is correction because I submitted a comment “recently.” Where is that edit feature?

@Francis I’m thinking “wasted two terms is part of the joke?

@SP I didn’t remember the Seuss reference. But a certain contemporary mystery novelist refers to her first two husbands that way. I couldn’t figure out how to fit her name in there. Crosses saved me.

@Cindy I was thrilled to see Hrishi Hirway in the column, too. Love Home Cooking! Have you listened to the West Wing podcast he co-hosts? His way with puns makes him a good fit for this crowd.

@pmom All of them!

@Sue Stolbach: Oh, boy, can I relate to that! I broke a 1200+ streak a while back when I forgot to go back and fix a typo on a Monday. I tried to take the advice of others to let the streaks go…but within a month I was back to counting days. And now, after puzzling through two major surgeries and a trip to Paris, I’m within twenty days of breaking my old record. Wish me luck! The “Monday” part of it was the worst, wasn’t it?

@David Connell There’s a Newark in upstate New York, too. Pronounced something like “Nourk.”

@Grant How about lJestern”?

@Francis A thousand thanks for that link! My afternoon is gone, but I had a blast watching abridged Shakespeare. So much fun!

@Helen Wright Because I had I CAN do it at 41 across, I was looking at P_OP for that entry. I confess I clutched my imaginary pearls. Glad I figured it out.

@Mean Old Lady Jo March didn’t work, so I moved on. But…Amy is the youngest sister, not Beth. Doesn’t seem like it, though, does it?

@Charles Peterson Bothers me too! How do you feel about “trooper” for “trouper”?