Caitríona Shanahan

Loved it! Thank you. Knew it was a rebus as soon as I encountered VIVIEN LEIGH, but the double rebuses (rebi? reba?) in her name was a delight. Going to bed with the sound of seven dwarfs in my head. Happy sounds!

Oh Lord … Enjoyed the crossword, and completed it well under the average. It helps that I’m an Elec Eng who’s been lucky to have worked with colleagues across Europe. “Top o’ the morning” is an expression that has never passed my lips, nor those of my forebears. Don’t know the source, but Hollywood may have created it and just ran with it. It’s as if one suggested that all Americans greet people with a John Wayne “Don’t you worry little lady”. I give the constructor a pass (clever puzzle, no junk fills and he was trying to write a clue for IRISHISM). But I’m genuinely irked that the staff of the NYT continue to propagate this piece of nonsense. I expect better. How’re’uall

Maybe it’s just been a difficult week, but like others I felt there was a much higher share of general knowledge questions than usual in this puzzle. Yes, I was able to figure out the long crosses, and there were a few clever clues - but overall, I found it a joyless slog.

Breezy and fun, just what Christmas Eve calls for. Didn’t see the nuts until I read the article. How clever and elegant. Just like the ballet.

Dagnabbit, my car has tyres and a boot, but I automatically assumed we were discussing an American auto …. Spent far too long trying to figure out where the correction was necessary in the obviously incorrect BARBACOA before I backed off and guessed that Mr Gosling didn’t have a South African Mouseketeer cousin called Rian 🤦🏻‍♀️

Clever idea for the crossword, and it must have been difficult to build. Tricky, but very satisfying. Thanks much

I seem to be on the same wavelength as the constructor, as the puzzle revealed itself to me sequentially. I confess, one of the reasons I enjoy crosswords is the way it introduces me to new words. Usually those words are in the puzzle, but today they came from the clues: hypocorism and syzygy. Now I just need to work them into conversation!

Went dieting instead of FASTing (29 Down) which just led me down a frustrating detour. Saw the theme quickly, and I loved it “ANGEL ANGLE” is a cute phrase I hadn’t encountered before.

Mr Wagner, thank you! So clever, and yet so elegant. A charming puzzle. As soon as the solver revealed itself from the crossings, I understood what you had achieved, building with genuine phrases.

Found that an enjoyable solve, and was impressed with the ability to create a puzzle where every word with the hidden letter was a valid word! I feel the pain of those who inserted rebus answers, only to have them rebuffed. What a frustrating waste of time. However, the clue said the words were hidden, which warned me we were handling a different type of puzzle today.

Loved the trick to solving this problem! Especially enjoyed the Paul McCartney clue. I can vaguely remembre thinking how old 8x8 would be when I was about 8! As I close in on that particular birthday, I am waiting to achieve a maturity that my 8 year old self would have assumed for me!! An observation: I believe ALPO is a brand is owned by the Purina Corp. Don’t think you could classify them as rivals? I see the Inuits/Inuit debate elsewhere. As we have learned from Ukrainians in the last few years, language really does matter. As we’ve all managed to learn to call the capital of Ukraine Kyiv, I don’t think it’s that big a step to learn Inuk/Inuit as they have asked.

What a beautiful, clean fill. And such witty clue-ing. Thanks!

Really enjoyed this one - some very clever clueing on the Down side (TWISTERMAT, GEOCENTRIST, SYNONYM!!, MOSEY, CLUBFED). I was given a MATRYOSHKA with Gorbachev, Andropov, Brezhnev, Khrushchev, Stalin and a tiny Lenin years ago by a dear friend. But the South East corner required a leap of faith as it took me far too long to crack the clever clue and the end of the word is just the most fun sequence of letters! I don’t think there can be objections to the use of BEANO and EBT when the puzzle also includes LOO roll! Anyway, this is the New York T crossword, so I’m just grateful I don’t need detailed, station by station knowledge of the subway system. My only nit - by definition a BOLERO jacket is short and does NOT reach the waist! Off now for some Ravel with breakfast!

Enjoyed it muchly. Not American, but was able to deduce the brands. That being said “UNITED WE STAND” is global and funny. 6A/D was worked out by running the alphabet, but felt the crossword was fair. Loved the conjoint at 77A/D of CLEMSON/CLEMENS. In honour of which … <a href="https://youtu.be/iMq5XRGWh_E?is=HhhXSrx8loLVBL5U" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/iMq5XRGWh_E?is=HhhXSrx8loLVBL5U</a>

I loved this! Thank you. It felt fresh and fun. Really enjoyed the word play of 14A, 16A, 44A, 59A, 11D, and 14D. Not to mention the grab bag of fun facts. And the theme was clever, and masterfully constructed.

Flitting in to add my congratulations to the constructor. Puns that made me laugh, clues that got me to go “a-HA”, and unusual word combos/choices (PAGAN not Roman, FALLEN, EDIFY). Best of all, no junk fill. Probably the tastiest puzzle of the year!

Enjoyed that! And thank you much for acknowledging the second mononymous Irish singer, BONO. When I first encountered the across clue I automatically entered ENYA, as one does, sending a mental hug to one of my fave nieces. When I encountered for the second time, I had a ??!!?? moment, and tried to remember if it had been a clue for the Midi, or the new Bonus crossword, both of which I’d just completed. Not sure if the ESPN clue was deliberate, U2 is my all time fave rock band, in no small part because of Bono’s voice and lyrics. Hope to see him used more as an answer to this particular clue! BTW, I had my suspicions, but YOUTUBE confirmed my rebus theory.

Really fun, clean fill. I’m not up on all the various video game systems, but SNES is a real thing and I was able to get it from the crosses. Enjoyed the GGAAMMEE built into the puzzle, but really appreciated a well built grid. Thank you!

Enjoyed it enormously - there is such a charge when I spot what a grid spanning answer it. Personal fave was a FAIRYTALEENDING Tried the new domino game. Meh - all those years of matching end pieces with family and friends means this doesn’t work for me. It’s a maths based problem packaged in a familiar form. I love me maths based games (when is the NYT gonna give us Killer Sudoku??) but these just doesn’t work for me.

First of all, thanks much for a crossword for us crazy kids that were teens in the 70s: M*A*S*H*, Kate & Allie, Clan of the Cave Bear … good times! (well, actually not on a global level but we got through them, so here’s hoping) Was taken aback that John Glenn didn’t fit, and knew the man from Selma was John something, so understood what 35a was looking for but it wasn’t until I hit Algeria that I understood the gentle but clever spin for the day. Thanks for a gentle start to the day

Loved it! Finally caught on when I realised I might be WINED or DINED. The ingenuity and patience of Mr Boroughs is to be admired!

Tough but fair. The description of the best teachers and puzzles. Thanks to David and Laura. I read their column after solving, and it was fun to read how they came to the solutions. I wouldn’t like to reveal my process to anyone.

Sparkling new fill! Thank you for helping to update my vocab. It did feel a little easy for a Friday, but I’ll take fresh over haut anytime!

Clever, clever! I loved it!

That was fun! And very clever. In my haste, I erred with LAC-Y, and had to resort to the answer key. Willy nilly silly.

I did like the “Like does” clue, and loved the moment that the correct pronunciation of the clue hit me!

Oh Wow! After reading the comments, I realised that I should have seen something happen when I solved the puzzle. I’m using iOS, so held little hope, but I enabled the “Play Music when Finished” option. Closed, re-opened and hallelujah, ain’t that pretty! Thanks for a lovely and lively start to my Sunday.

Very charming, well designed and executed Wednesday puzzle. I’m just here in grouch mode to complain about the mini. What in the blue blazes was up/down with that? As ludicrous as the main crossword was glorious

Spotted the trick in a number of entries (54 and 94 across). For 51 across, I initially used the T not the U! Still needed the column to understand what was happening. Somehow, somewhere I knew the phrase “GRODY to the max”?!!? Thank you

It was probably a bit of an easy Saturday, as at no stage did I doubt my sanity or intelligence… it made me very happy, but I know that normal service will resume next Saturday. I do realise it’s a bit ridiculous to carp about a crossword I enjoyed, but how is TREED out on a limb? To me, a treed area is a wood, or part of a forest.