Boy, oh, boy: Christina Iverson’s latest crossword is a fun one.
Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues
MONDAY PUZZLE — Solving a crossword constructed by a New York Times puzzle editor is a funny exercise in restraint. You have to pretend as though the puzzle’s constructor — Christina Iverson, in this case — isn’t just steps away from you and available (theoretically) to answer questions about her puzzle.
Even without her help, though, I found this puzzle to be eminently doable. It’s a beginner-friendly grid with lots of ways in. I didn’t know either of the 15-letter spanners at 17A and 59A, but I managed to crack them, using crossings and a little deductive reasoning.
Today’s Theme
In her constructor notes for the puzzle, Ms. Iverson said that today’s theme came to her while playing a game with her kids, who are 4 and 7. I’d say it shows: The joke is pretty silly, but it’s also adorable.
When clicked on, themed entries are highlighted in yellow for digital solvers, so they’re relatively easy to spot. The first, at 17A, is a [Dessert cocktail with crème de cacao] — that’s a BRANDY ALEXANDER (news to me). At 34A, the [Classic board game with the Peppermint Forest and Lollipop Lane] is CANDY LAND. And the [Move from an acrobat or breakdancer] at 42A is a HANDSTAND.
These entries certainly have a rhyming quality to them. What ties them all together, however, is a [Boy’s name … or how you might describe 17-, 34-, 42- or 59-Across?]: ANDY. These entries are AND-Y because AND appears multiple times in each one. If I could, I’d be shaking my head in dismay and nodding with delight at the same time.
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Source: Elections - nytimes.com
