Games

Matthew Faiella makes his New York Times Crossword debut. I sincerely hope he comes back.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTHURSDAY PUZZLE — Let’s welcome Matthew Faiella, the constructor of today’s puzzle, who has impressed me with the intricacy of his first crossword in The New York Times.Some people who try crossword construction find it tough to put together a cohesive, entertaining theme. There’s always one entry that just doesn’t work, or one that works but doesn’t have the right letter count to match a would-be symmetrical partner. It can be incredibly frustrating. A lot of people give up and, in some ways, I don’t blame them.Among the people who don’t give up, there is a subset of constructors who can turn grids into art. I don’t necessarily mean people who make pictures out of the black squares, although those puzzles are fun, too. I’m thinking about the people who can build a grid that not only is delightful to solve but also reveals its secrets little by little until you finish and realize that you’re smiling.That’s the kind of puzzle that Mr. Faiella has made, and I hope we see another from him soon. No pressure, Mr. Faiella.Today’s ThemeThe first thing you should know is that the word BACK is “written” inside three black squares of this puzzle. You don’t have to write the words and you can’t see them, of course, but you need to keep track of them to make sense of the theme.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

Todd Gross reviews the state of things.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesWEDNESDAY PUZZLE — When Todd Gross constructed today’s puzzle, he was unaware that it would be published the day I formally decided to switch to decaf. I know that it’s cliché to blame anything on either coffee or on the lack thereof, but I really could have used the strong stuff ahead of solving this labyrinthine grid.None of this is intended as a criticism of Mr. Gross — who, incidentally, plays something of a critic in his own puzzle — as I genuinely enjoyed myself once I got going. I’d love to hear how you all fared, too. Give me your takes, caffeinated or otherwise, in the comments.Today’s ThemeI love a theme that begins at 1-Across. It just thrills me to hit that obstacle right away. In this case, 1A reads [RATING: ★ A big ditch in a big desert. Big deal]. Something’s getting panned, but what could it be? The star ratings continue at 24-, 35-, 51- and 67-Across, with increasingly positive impressions in each entry.35A receives three stars with [RATING: ★★★ Graceland and the Great Smoky Mountains. I volunteer to visit again!], while at 67A top marks are awarded: [RATING: ★★★★★★★★★★★★★ Peaches, peanuts and pecan pie. You’ll always be on my mind!].Americans may have had an easier time than others detecting that these ratings are for U.S. states. Peaches, peanuts and pecan pie, for instance, are emblems of GEORGIA (67A). That “ditch in a big desert” is ARIZONA (1A). Graceland and the Great Smoky Mountains are in TENNESSEE (35A). These ratings weren’t delivered at random, though. We learn at 66A that the sources of these STARS (31D) were STATE FLAGS (8A/66A). ARIZONA’s state flag features only one star, while GEORGIA’s has 13. I have, incredibly, been to none of the states named in this puzzle, so now I have a nice road (or several-flight) trip to plan for the future.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

You heard it here first: Avery Gee Katz and Aaron Gee make their collaboration debut.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTUESDAY PUZZLE — Calling all gossips: They’re talking about you in the crossword of the day. And by “they,” I mean its constructors, Avery Gee Katz and Aaron Gee. This buzzy puzzle is the siblings’ first collaboration for The New York Times — Ms. Katz made her solo debut earlier this year — and it’s a pure delight to solve. If you would rather not take my word for it, though, you can hear it directly from the theme’s key source at 56A.Today’s ThemeThe source [From which to hear the real story, as suggested by the starts of 20-, 26- and 51-Across] is the HORSE’S MOUTH. At the beginnings of the cited entries, we have phonetic plays on the sounds made by a HORSE’S MOUTH:20A. Father KNICKERBOCKER, a [personification of New York City in old cartoons]26A. [Vocal skeptics], often referred to as NAYSAYERS51A. WINNIE THE POOH, the [Bear who sings “I’m so rumbly in my tumbly”]As horse sounds, these are generally written as nicker, neigh and whinny. I interpreted the location of each of these sounds — at the “mouths” of their respective entries — as another layer of humor.Tricky Clues5A. The use of vernacular in a clue is no accident. It’s an indication of how formal or colloquial the entry will be. [Li’l fella] is playful and casual, so it solves to a similarly playful term for a child — KIDDO.25A. My solution for [Smooth sailing, so to speak] was just one letter off, but it was only after solving the rest of the puzzle that I discovered the error. The answer is EASE, and I had “easy.” In my defense, I tend to use the phrase “smooth sailing” as an adjective — everything was decidedly not smooth sailing in this case.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

Patrick Gramza and John Kugelman make their collaboration debut.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesMONDAY PUZZLE — The Wordplay column exists chiefly to serve the solver community, and as one of its authors I try my best to remain magnanimous. But I do have a selfish streak, and it comes out whenever I am fixated on a word or phrase in the puzzle. Today’s crossword, for instance — constructed by Patrick Gramza and John Kugelman — plays on a once-popular expression that seems to have faded from use; I had to will myself not to make a personal research project of its disappearance.I know that not everybody cares to hear the back story of a single idiom, but I can’t help telling it anyway. And if I get carried away waxing about the etymology of an entry, it’s only because I believe that half the thrill of doing a crossword is discovering new words, or revisiting old ones with fresh eyes. Shall we take a look at this one together?Today’s ThemeIf I ask you to name a [Trio of average guys] (62A), who comes to mind? Larry, Curly and Moe? The Three Amigos? Neither of these would be wrong, necessarily, but today’s puzzle seeks a figurative group — TOM, DICK AND HARRY. These men, according to the revealer, can be found “at the ends of 16-, 25- and 48-Across.”Each of today’s themed entries ends in the last name of a famous Tom, Dick or Harry. At 16A, the [Island-hopping vacation that might start and end in Miami] is a CARIBBEAN CRUISE, alluding to one Tom Cruise. 25A’s [Huffer and puffer in a classic fairy tale] is the BIG BAD WOLF, which this longtime “Law and Order” fan recognized right away as a reference to Dick Wolf. (I even own a baseball cap modeled after the series’s iconic title card.) We’ve got just one name left for [Raps off the cuff] at 48A: A notable Harry can be found at the end of FREESTYLES.Tricky Clues20A. I have always found it strange that Michelob ULTRA is the name of a [light beer]. Shouldn’t a word like ULTRA refer to a stronger drink? Something described as ultrarare, for example, would be rarer than rare. Could the misleading name be evidence of some shadowy Miche-lobby?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

Evans Clinchy opens our solving weekend.Jump to: Tricky CluesFRIDAY PUZZLE — This is Evans Clinchy’s seventh puzzle in The New York Times, and today’s crossword is in what seems to be his sweet spot: All of his contributions have been Friday or Saturday grids.Maybe Mr. Clinchy sticks to the hardest days of the week because he enjoys that tough puzzle cage fight between constructor and solver. I know that I went a couple of rounds with his clues, but ultimately found his crossword very satisfying to solve.Tricky Clues14A. In today’s puzzle, the “bread” in [French bread] is slang for money, so the answer is EURO.23A. The [Big brothers?] are ABBOTS, who lead the other monks in monasteries.31A. If you are passing through a RIDGE, you are taking [… the high road?].43A. I was hoping that [Bump above a belt] wasn’t a reference to beer bellies, and I was not disappointed. It’s a much smaller bump: The answer is OUTIE.3D. The “flight” in [Pricey flight options, perhaps] is not about riding on an airplane. It’s a selection of CRAFT BEERS served in small glasses at a tasting.4D. You can’t have tomfoolery without TOMFOOLS, or [Doofuses].11D. When people take a daily [Constitutional], they are taking a WALK.40D. Someone who is [… on a roll] might be a person who is doing well. In this puzzle, Mr. Clinchy is referring to people who are on a list of registered voters, also known as a VOTER roll.Constructor NotesMy original clue for 15-Across was, [He wrote in his 2023 memoir, “The movement for trans liberation affects us all”].Poignant words, especially at times like these.Join Our Other Game DiscussionsWant to be part of the conversation about New York Times Games, or maybe get some help with a particularly thorny puzzle? Here are the:Spelling Bee ForumWordle ReviewConnections CompanionImprove Your Crossword SolvingWork your way through our guide, “How to Solve the New York Times Crossword.” It contains an explanation of most of the types of clues you will see in the puzzles and a practice Mini at the end of each section.Want to Submit Crosswords to The New York Times?The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system, and you can submit your puzzles online.For tips on how to get started, read our series “How to Make a Crossword Puzzle.”The Tipping PointAlmost finished solving but need a bit more help? We’ve got you covered.Spoiler alert: Subscribers can take a peek at the answer key.Trying to get back to the main Gameplay page? You can find it here. More

Joe Deeney shows us where we’re going (to.)Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTHURSDAY PUZZLE — That Joe Deeney is a trickster. In today’s puzzle, which he constructed, the answers you are expecting may not lie where you expect them.This will come as no surprise to experienced solvers, as today is Thursday, the day of crossword twists and turns. Particularly turns. Don’t ignore the turns.Today’s ThemeThere are four pairs of shaded squares in Mr. Deeney’s grid. Those are there to yoink you off your intended path, mess with you a bit and then drop you back onto it. Good stuff, and at least it’s not a rebus.The letters that belong inside the pairs of shaded squares are T and O. Each TO pair is part of a distinct entry but is also instrumental to solving a theme entry that lies nearby. That means you will have to briefly diverge from your path to find the answer.The TOs are directional as well. There’s an “up TO,” a “left TO,” a “right TO” and a “down TO.” Our job is to understand where the TO sits in conjunction with the theme answer and then use that knowledge to complete the long entry.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

Has Adam Aaronson gone a bridge too far?Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesWEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Every word in a crossword clue offers crucial context toward a solution — and that’s exactly what may have made the themed clues in today’s crossword, constructed by Adam Aaronson, so frustrating. At 39A, for instance, the clue asks for a seven-letter [African country]. This leaves the solver to scan an entire continent, nine countries of which fit the clue’s parameters. And, at 53A, any birder can tell you that the category of [Bird with a distinctive call] includes most birds — so we can only assume that the clue wants us to choose one of roughly 11,000 species at random.Of course, the broad strokes are intentional. Mr. Aaronson is no cuckoo constructor, this being his 13th puzzle for The New York Times, and his theme reveals a brilliant method to what might otherwise seem like madness. Let’s dive into the details.Today’s ThemeAt 63A, a phrase meaning [General idea] gives us a hint to the relationship between themed clues and their entries at 14-, 29-, 39-, 41- and 53-Across. That phrase is LONG AND SHORT OF IT.14A, for instance, wants a [Silvery element]. There are a few of those on the periodic table, but PLATINUM happens to give us two of them — one long and one short. (The shorter entry is highlighted with gray squares.) Similarly, plenty of groups might satisfy [Band in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame] — but BLACK SABBATH (29A) gives us the LONG AND SHORT OF IT in one.I’ll let you enjoy the rest of these artful executions by Mr. Aaronson on your own. And if you feel so inclined, please do share your favorite [Bird with a distinctive call] in the comments. I’ve developed a keen interest in birds, which is completely original and unlike the experience of anyone else my age.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

Evan Kalish displays his raw talent.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesTUESDAY PUZZLE — Waiter, there’s a SPIRAL (43A) in my crossword! In fact, there are four of them. But no need to send it back — I’ve just devoured the whole thing, spirals and all.My compliments to Evan Kalish, the puzzle’s constructor, for serving up a grid that I only wish I could have savored for longer. I was left in quite a state, you might say, after solving it. And now that I’ve nudge-nudged you ad nauseam, let’s dig in, shall we?Today’s ThemeAt first I thought that these spirals must be cinnamon buns, or some kind of funnel cake. Possibly a traditional spanakopita. But the revealer at 36-Across described these whorls as [Popular sushi options], which led me to CALIFORNIA ROLLS.In this puzzle, “California” takes on a more direct meaning: A closer look at each spiral reveals the name of a different Californian city. We have SAN DIEGO, CUPERTINO, LONG BEACH and PASADENA.I had trouble identifying the city names until I located the beginning of each spiral, so I suggest that solvers do the same: They’re at 16A in the top left, 11D in the top right, the L in 47A/37D in the lower left quadrant and the P in 55A/50D in the lower 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