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Gary Larson and Amy Ensz weigh their options.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTUESDAY PUZZLE — In middle school, I had an English teacher who was exacting about our pronunciation of words. He became red-faced with exasperation whenever a friend of mine tried to say the word “horror” in class — she had a habit of collapsing the word into a single syllable, which the rest of us, for N.S.F.W. reasons, found deeply entertaining.An emphasis on clear pronunciation can be useful. It helps not to mince words while speaking publicly, for example, or when repeatedly begging an automated customer service line for a “REPRESENTATIVE!” But these prescriptive attitudes about language have no place in the New York Times Crossword, where puzzles’ themes regularly rely on alternate pronunciations or unexpected spellings.Expect to find such pronounced mischief in Gary Larson and Amy Ensz’s crossword, which features familiar pairings in verbal disguise. This is a Times debut for Ms. Ensz, and the eighth puzzle for Mr. Larson. Much like the pairs in their puzzle, they’ve accomplished something delightful together.Today’s ThemeThe pairs I alluded to are common expressions that solve question-marked clues at 17-, 26-, 45- and 61-Across. The question mark, for those unaware, indicates a witty twist on a clue.A [Sting operation at a senior center?] (17A) is a BOOMER BUST. Bizarre. But if we replace the -er with the slant homophone “or,” we get a phrase that’s more familiar: “boom or bust,” which refers to a situation whose outcome may be either prosperous or catastrophic. A [Mission for an F-16?] (26A) is a FIGHTER FLIGHT — alter it in the same way, and you’ll discover the human response to danger, FIGHT or FLIGHT.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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Daniel Bodily and Andrea Carla Michaels conspire to fool us.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesMONDAY PUZZLE — Crossword constructors often bemoan the unique challenge of crafting a Monday puzzle for The New York Times. (It’s surprisingly hard to make an easy grid.) Andrea Carla Michaels is something of a Monday maven, having constructed over 60 such puzzles. Combine her prowess with that of Daniel Bodily, who brings consistent whimsy to his themes — his most recent one for The Times consisted of literal interpretations of the M.C. Hammer song lyric “You can’t touch this” — and you’ve got a winning recipe for a crossword.Wyna Liu, a puzzle editor for The Times, said that today’s grid stood out to editors precisely because of its cohesion. “We love the way this puzzle comes together,” Ms. Liu said. She complimented its “vibrant assortment of theme answers” and described the discovery of its theme as a “delightful surprise.” This is the first collaboration between Mr. Bodily and Ms. Michaels, but I hope there’s more to come.Today’s ThemeThe constructors have given us all a wonderful, ahem, grift. They wanted us to fall for their cleverly written clues, and we did: hooks, lines and thinkers.OK, I’ve gotten that out of my system. Let’s take a look at our revealer clue: At 60-Across, a phrase that means [“Boy, is that loud!”] doubles as a hint to the ends of 17-, 25-, 38- and 49-Across. A [Decorator’s suggestion] (17A) might be to incorporate a COLOR SCHEME. And a popular [Gathering for superhero fans] (25A) is a COMIC-CON. What do the “ends” of these two clues, SCHEME and -CON, have in common? Each can be described using the mystery phrase at 60A: WHAT A RACKET!Two more synonyms for a RACKET can be found in a [Kickflip or heelflip] (38A), a.k.a. a SKATEBOARD TRICK, and the most common [Hazard near a hive] (49A) is a BEE STING.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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Trent H. Evans opens our solving weekend with a fresh and lively puzzle.Jump to: Tricky CluesFRIDAY PUZZLE — If you are not a constructor, you probably sit down to solve your crosswords without giving much thought to how difficult it is to fill a grid.That’s OK. Analyzing the puzzle and its construction is usually not part of the solving agenda. But it is something that constructors look at when they encounter other people’s puzzles.Without getting deep into the weeds, I’d like to point out a few things about today’s crossword, constructed by Trent H. Evans, that I believe merit a second look. Follow me past the jump below for a short discussion. If you don’t want spoilers, please skip to the Tricky Clues section.Spoiler Alert!

Spoilers No Spoilers GIFfrom Spoilers GIFs tenor.comThe thing I enjoy most about themeless crosswords is that, well, there is no theme. I love a good theme, mind you. It’s just that seating the theme in the grid entails placing a whole lot of black squares around them, which cuts up the spaces where long, exciting entries might go.Most constructors enjoy the extra space allowed in themeless grids, and there are a few ways in which they make their puzzles shine:They edit their word lists by adding fresh and unique words and phrases to excite their audiences. Junky entries in the lists are pruned judiciously.They try to find at least one top-of-the-line seed entry to be the first fill in the puzzle (and the seed often anchors the grid). I believe Mr. Evans’s seed was probably 35A, A LITTLE HELP HERE, which also makes a debut. That’s an entry that will put a smile on most people’s faces, because it’s colloquial and unusual to see in a crossword.They build lively stacks. A stack is a series of crossword entries that sit either on top of one another (like 1A, 15A and 17A) or beside one another (like 12D and 13D). If all of the entries sparkle, that usually ensures that at least that quadrant of the grid will be enjoyable for the solver. A stack that includes winners such as the Northwest’s TRUST FALL, SOCIAL CUE and ALL ABOARD is going to entice solvers to continue. The trick — and this is partly how I judge whether a stack is successful — is to make sure that the crossings in the stack are also interesting and not obscure words or abbreviations. In my opinion, all nine entries that cross 1A, 15A and 17A are good.So after you’ve solved, go back and take a closer look at Mr. Evans’s work. If you are noodling around with crossword grids and aspire to become a themeless constructor, this is a good example of the kind of submissions that are accepted by the puzzle editors. It’s more work than one might think, but the end result is worth it.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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Adam Vincent leans into the patriotic.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTHURSDAY PUZZLE — Oh, hi. You must be here because you solved or tried to solve Adam Vincent’s very clever puzzle and are wondering what just happened to you. Please have a seat, the theme explainer will be right with you.First, on behalf of the Wordplay team, I would like to wish our readers a happy Independence Day. That wish is related to the theme of today’s crossword, and is a hint but not a spoiler.I’d have to go into a lot more detail to spoil the multilayered theme in this puzzle. Mr. Vincent’s grid put up a mighty fight, but I did eventually crack it, by which time I had worked up a sweat, plowed through my supply of anxiety chocolate and slapped my forehead silly.On the other hand, conquering it gave me a tremendous boost: There is evidence that the “aha!” moment we chase when solving is connected to the release of dopamine — the feel-good chemical — in the brain.So if you tried to solve this puzzle and quit, give it another chance. Try talking to yourself. I mean it — say the entries out loud as you enter them. It may help. And scientists say it may make you feel great.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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Juliana Tringali Golden looks ahead.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesWEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Readers, I apologize. I know it may seem as if I’m beating a dead horse (or feeding a fed horse, to some) by assuring you that recurring entries and themes in consecutive crossword puzzles are just coincidence. But I do it only because things like this keep happening: The theme of today’s crossword, constructed by Juliana Tringali Golden, bears an eerie resemblance to the one in yesterday’s puzzle, by Josh Goodman. What’s more, the constructors happen to share first- and last-name initials.Levelheaded as I am, I could understand why one might treat such convergences as some kind of otherworldly sign — to say nothing of the eight “signs” we found in yesterday’s grid. But I’m no psychic. I’ll let you divine the deeper meaning of Ms. Golden’s puzzle, if it exists.Today’s ThemeDid you guess today’s theme from my column’s introduction? If not, any of the divining objects featured in the entries might help. Ms. Golden’s puzzle features four modes of divination, wittily hinted at using common terms.So an [Observation deck?] (17A) consists of TAROT CARDS, and a CRYSTAL BALL is a [Glass eye?] (33A). I CHING COINS are tossed to yield spiritual insights, hence their description as [Metal detectors?] (41A). And if you can’t conjure up the final themed entry on your own, feel free to reveal it below.61A. [Predictive text?]OUIJA BOARDWe 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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Josh Goodman sees things clearly.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTUESDAY PUZZLE — In the past, whenever I was indecisive or needed sage advice, I often turned to the Magic 8 Ball — a weighted, black plastic toy designed to look like an oversize billiard ball and filled with a viscous blue fluid. Inside the ball bobbed a 20-sided die that gave affirmative, negative or noncommittal answers to yes-or-no questions: Does my crush like me as much as I like him? “Very doubtful.” Will I become rich and famous someday? “Cannot predict now.” In hindsight, was my trust in the Magic 8 Ball as a child a precursor to my interest in astrology and tarot as an adult? “Without a doubt.”Now that we have search engines, group chats and astrology apps to provide counsel, the Magic 8 Ball may be relegated to its original use as a paperweight. But if you happen to have one lying around at home, it may help you identify the themed phrase in Josh Goodman’s crossword. Regardless of when the trick floats to the surface for you, I’d say “it is certain” you’ll enjoy the solve.Today’s ThemeStrings of circled letters seem to be either emanating from the grid’s center or angling toward it. Mr. Goodman lights the way for us with his revealer clue at 38-Across: [What all signs point to in this puzzle].The eight “signs” in question appear in circled letters, which must be read from the outside to the inside of the puzzle: CALL, EXIT, PEACE, PLUS, DOLLAR, STAR, NEON and STOP. Taken together, they illustrate the hidden expression: All signs points to YES (38A).I couldn’t determine the exact origins of the phrase “All signs point to yes,” but its popularity since the 1990s seems correlated with that of the Magic 8 Ball. The device was first patented in 1944, as a cylindrical “liquid-filled dice agitator,” before it took on its familiar name and black-and-white form. Then, shortly after it appeared on a 1992 episode of “The Simpsons,” sales of the Magic 8 Ball boomed. In fact, a New York Times report on its comeback used today’s themed phrase: “Can a middle-aged toy find happiness in the hard-bitten 90’s? ‘Signs point to yes.’”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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Margi Stevenson makes her New York Times debut.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesMONDAY PUZZLE — Solving a crossword on your phone may lack the nostalgic appeal of the pen-and-paper method, but I consider it the more whimsical option. Digital solving allows you to guess with abandon and then delete and correct your mistakes without consequence. And, so long as you aren’t trying to break any speed records, it’s a fun way to improve your skills as a solver: You’ll find that fewer and fewer guesses need correction over time.Today’s crossword, constructed by Margi Stevenson in her New York Times debut, showed me that I still had plenty of room for improvement. I had to fix nearly half of my Across entries (half!) once the crossings revealed them to be wrong. I chalk this up in part to the talents of the constructor: It takes a tightly crafted puzzle to leave so much room for error. But I’m also eager to compare notes with my fellow puzzle fiends, so let me know in the comments how you fared.Today’s ThemeI love the way that a clever crossword theme can breathe new life into an otherwise commonplace coincidence of the English language, letting us enjoy its wordplay anew. Ms. Stevenson has done just that with an ordinary series of homophones.To [Author on behalf of someone else] (15A) is to GHOSTWRITE. A [Bat mitzvah] (21A) is an example of a RELIGIOUS RITE. [One half of a noted aviation team] (45A) is ORVILLE WRIGHT. The rhyme of these entries is clear — but what’s the reason?We discover it at 55-Across: [Straight to the point … or, homophonically, what this answer is relative to this puzzle?] is FORTHRIGHT. Why? Because this entry is the fourth instance of the sound “right.”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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

Enrique Henestroza Anguiano offers a challenging Friday puzzle.Jump to: Tricky CluesNote to readers: In the past, Wordplay indicated crossword clues with quotation marks. In crossword construction and editing, though, clues are typically indicated by brackets, a practice Wordplay is now following.FRIDAY PUZZLE — I’m only human, despite what the puzzle editors might have told you. That means I find some crosswords tough, too, even though I’ve been a daily solver for years.And I love it when that happens. Yes, I get frustrated and wish it were easier, but my overriding feeling is one of excitement because I know I’m about to learn some new things. That feeling is what keeps me solving until the very end. Well, that and the fact that it’s in my job description.This is Enrique Henestroza Anguiano’s eighth puzzle in The New York Times, and it gave me a pleasing run for my money. Mr. Anguiano’s grid is packed with lively entries, nine of which make their debuts, some of which I had to look up, such as 17A and 26A. In my opinion, the clues are just right in terms of Friday difficulty, in my opinion, and there is enough wordplay in them to keep even a struggling solver happy: Even if I don’t know the answer right away, I can admire a well-written misdirection.Your thoughts?Tricky Clues10A. I wasn’t sure at first how IN IT was an answer for [Still alive]. But upon further rumination (the non-cud kind), I think it has to do with remaining in the game, so to speak. If you’re IN IT, you’re still alive.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? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More