Crossword Puzzles

Sam Ezersky raises the temperature in his grid.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTHURSDAY PUZZLE — Sam Ezersky has a reputation for constructing some of the trickiest New York Times Crosswords, but sometimes he can be a softy. Today’s puzzle, for example, is fairly gentle by Thursday trickiness standards.That may disappoint some of the hard-core solverati, but for people who have been reluctant to push past Wednesday solving, this 16×15 grid is a compelling way to get started. It’s not an easy puzzle by any means, but it is a lot of fun.Mr. Ezersky is also a digital puzzle editor and the man behind Spelling Bee (please send all strongly worded correspondence to buzzwords@nytimes.com). This puzzle is his 53rd in The New York Times.Today’s ThemeMr. Ezersky offers a theme set in which the four italicized clues hint at the places where one could find “mercury.” Are we supposed to be thinking solely of the element or the planet? Of course not; this is a Thursday puzzle. There are more mercuries than that. You just have to use your imagination.The theme clue at 17A reads “Mercury is in this,” and the answer is GLASS THERMOMETER. This was a no-brainer for me, which I’m frankly surprised still works at full capacity, considering that my mother allowed my sister and me to play with the silvery stuff every time a thermometer broke.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?  More

John-Clark Levin expands his repertoire.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesWEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Last week, New York City saw its first significant snowfall in nearly two years, breaking a streak of 701 days without accumulation. The flakes, at last, didn’t flake.It just so happens that both wintry weather and a kind of accumulation lie at the heart of today’s puzzle, which was constructed by John-Clark Levin. Coincidence? Almost certainly. Let’s just hope that you don’t break your crossword streak — however long or short it may be — trying to solve it.Today’s ThemeWhen temperatures dip below freezing, you may want to don a thermal layer under your clothes before setting foot outside. The term for this “Winter underwear” (35A) is our revealer, and describes what “appear(s) four times in this puzzle.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber?  More