Hanh Huynh’s puzzle gives main-character energy.
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THURSDAY PUZZLE — I like Hanh Huynh’s crosswords. Today’s puzzle is his fifth in The New York Times, and all you have to do is go back to his past grids to see how much he enjoys playing with words.
His debut puzzle, from 2023, is my favorite, but I think you’ll like this one, too.
Today’s Theme
Mr. Huynh’s crossword is a rebus puzzle, and solvers can enter either an asterisk (*) or the word STAR in the appropriate theme squares in order for them to be marked correct. If you are just joining us and solve online, here is how to enter more than one letter in a square.
“But, Deb,” I hear you asking, “how can it be a rebus if we can just put a single character, the asterisk, in a square?” Excellent question. There are two kinds of rebuses: those where symbols (such as the asterisk) stand in for words, and crossword rebuses, where more than one letter is packed into a single square. Mr. Huynh’s puzzle does both, but the answers are read differently.
There are six squares in which an * or a STAR is to be entered. (Three of them are in the central Down entry alone.) The Across answers are read using the rebus STAR, as in THE (STAR)RY NIGHT at 17A. The Down answers are read using the asterisk, as in Q*BERT (the entry that crosses 17A) at 13D.
While you’re solving, take a moment to appreciate that central Down entry, M*A*S*H, and how Mr. Huynh was able to cross three rebuses within it. I marveled at it.
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Source: Elections - nytimes.com
