Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

12:52

Sunday, October 4, 2026 — 🎶 Mercy Sakes Alive, Looks...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/10/05

Kathryn Bale's absolutely fabulous debut crossword is in honor of a holiday that we had no idea existed until tackling Kathryn's puzzle. In our defense, the holiday first came into existence in 2020, and its appearance in today's crossword appears to be the first time it's been mentioned anywhere in the NYTimes. What is that holiday, you ask? Check out today's episode and all will be revealed! Show note imagery: A pair of SPRINTCARS, based on a 410-cubic-inch, methanol-fueled engine, vroom! W...

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13:44

Saturday, October 2, 2026 — KAC Is Back with a Chef's...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/10/04

Kameron Austin Collins, aka KAC, specializes in tough Friday and Saturday crosswords. Today's is a perfect example, with cunning clueing everywhere you look in the grid. We can't say enough good things about it, but we gave it the ol' college try in today's episode, so ... enjoy! Show note imagery: DIANFOSSEY, a real primatologist's primatologist! We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on FaceBook, so ...

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13:46

Friday, October, 2, 2026 — Finally, Epictetus Gets...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/10/03

This was a perfectly crafted crossword to wrap up the work week — not too hard, not too easy, but juuuuust right. It included some awesome clues, for example: 57A, Figure with three faces, in Dante, SATAN (not, as Mike originally theorized, CERBEBUS); 44D, Beads for an athlete, SWEAT (cool! ... which is sort of the point); and 59A, They're stretched out before some workouts, MATSAnd there were others, which we explore at length in today's podcast. To top it all off we have a t...

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10:31

Thursday, October 1, 2026 — Do Not Rebel, But Rather,...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/10/02

Jill Singer's fourth NYTimes crossword was a great way to start October, with a legion of edutaining clues — and if that's not a real portmanteau, let's just call it slang and move on 😀. We certainly were educated and entertained by 9D, Great Basin tribe, PAIUTE; likewise by the very witty 48A, Is long ago?, EST; and, more edu- and less -taining, 9A, Some instructors, for short, PROFS. Show note imagery: The Queen of Salsa, CELIA Cruz (no relation to TED, AFAWK). And if you are unfamili...

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10:19

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 — A Crossword with a...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/10/01

Unsurprisingly, themed crosswords rise and fall on the strength of their themes. In this case the theme causes the crossword to rise, but there are a slew of other clues in the puzzle that make it soar. Besides the awesome ones covered in today's episode, there was a clue written for onomatopoeia-ists: 57A, Pie-in-the-face sound, SPLAT; another for the math majors in the crowd: 42D, Trig function that can output every real number, TAN; and a brilliant one for fans of all things Norse: 29D, Go...

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16:33

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 — Hanh Huynh Hits a...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/30

This was a fine Tuesday crossword by Hahn Huynh. The theme was novel, and the supporting cast of characters elsewhere in the grid were plentiful and suitably perplexing. We had to rule out several obscure answers before solving 1D, Address ending that's not .com, .org or .gov, EDU (not MIL nor BIZ, and definitely not INFO). It took us a HOTMINUTE to figure out 25A, Pretty long time, in an idiom, HOTMINUTE (😀). And we could see two ways to go with 57A, Pitcher's asset, ARM (the right way),

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9:40

Monday, September 28, 2026 — We'd Never Lead You Down...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/29

This, Helen Chen's second NYTimes Crossword, slung a lot of slang (which for the sake of argument let's pretend is grammatically correct 🙄), but it was all for a very good cause, as today's episode will reveal. In addition to the crossword, we have chosen our JAMCOTWA™️ (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award), and we've awarded it to a gifted constructor for a highly challenging piece of art. Deets inside. Show note imagery: A scrumpdillyicious Girl Scout SAMOA We love feedback! Send us

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17:21

Sunday, September 27, 2026 — A Crossword Engineered...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/28

Adam Wagner's 35th NYTimes crossword was a doozy that just might make you dizzy, so strap in before you try it! And once you have, come back right here to check out our analysis of this spectacular piece of work. We won't divulge the theme right here, but merely note that it was such an attention getter that a slew of other marvelous clues got lost in the glare. Among the many worthies were 26A, Turned into an internet gag, MEMED; 8D, Have a spring in one's step, PRANCE; and 64D, Univ. ...

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11:50

Saturday, September 26, 2026 — 🎶 🎸 Saturday Night's...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/27

Now this was a Saturday crossword, and there are two key tells that give it away. First, of course, the calendar never lies — it's Saturday. Secondly, the clues were deliciously devious, definitely pegging the difficulty meter in multiple areas. We have clue-by-clue coverage inside, so have a listen, and, if you like what you hear, please spread the word among your friends/family/colleagues/random strangers you meet in the streets 😀. Show note imagery: Frangipane, a delicious almond-flavored

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17:37

Friday, September 25, 2026 — Rafael Musa's Back with...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/26

We would venture to guess that today, Friday, is Rafael Musa's favorite day of the week. He certainly knows how to construct Friday-level crosswords, with just the right ratio of confoundment to merriment. Today's puzzle is a case in point. In addition to the crossword, we also have a delightful Fun Fact Friday🥳 segment for your listening pleasure. All that's available right now, and it's all yours in 3 easy steps: Download today's episodeTap/click/press playEnjoy!Show note imagery: Jor...

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10:50

Thursday, September 24, 2026 — Another CFTA...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/25

The NYTimes crossword has its standards (as in an expectation of excellence: no dreck allowed) and its standards (rules/conventions that must be followed). We are pleased to announce that its standards (former) remain as high as ever, and that its standards (latter) have been temporarily set aside, resulting in the glorious puzzle that it is our privilege to discuss today. Years from now, we predict that people will be able to recall the exact couch/sofa/recliner/chair they were si...

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11:48

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 — An OBOE's a...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/24

There were several quite intriguing clues in today's grid. Your cohosts found 62A, Instrument also called the "sprightly companion", OBOE, to be the intriguiest* of the lot. Mike's curiosity was piqued by 33D, Jay's reticent partner of filmdom, SILENTBOB, while Jean was at least mildly surprised by 3D, "Star Wars" series starring Diego Luna, ANDOR. Both found 4D, Music genre named for its voluminous dos, HAIRMETAL, to be Wednesday-worthy cluing. Indeed, the entire crossword was of a hig...

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5:04

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 — A WONDERful Tuesday...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/23

The name "Erik Agard" has been known to cause crossword solvers to quake in their boots, because the esteemed gentlemen has crafted some very challenging puzzles in his time. Since today's was a Tuesday crossword, however, Erik did manage to dial it down appropriately, and turn in this fine homage to one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. No revealers here, but we will say that the artist in question has won 25 Grammy awards (more than any other male solo artist), and has sold ove...

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5:20

Monday, September 21, 2026 — 🎶 🫖 Tea, For Two, and...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/22

Today's crossword was a great start to our puzzle-solving week. The theme was très amusant, as the French like to say, definitely worth the price of admission. The clues were designed for novice crossword solvers, but still had a certain joie de vivre (as the French also like to say) about them — we're looking at you, 31A, Hair parter, COMB; 27D, Paves the way?, TARS; and speaking of French, 58D, French possessive, SES. C'est bon! Show note imagery: The gloriously beautiful Emerald Isle, EIRE...

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14:29

Sunday, September 20, 2026 —Tracy Gray Shows Off Her...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/21

Tracy Gray has had 38 crosswords published in the NYTimes, including 13 Sundays. We'd call today's work a typical TG puzzle, except for the fact that there is no such thing: her creations are all unique. The only thing that they have in common is a bevy of novel clues, and a theme that you probably didn't see coming. We discuss the latter, at length, in today's episode. Just to give you a taste of the former, we present for your consideration 100A, Part of SCOTUS, THE (a fabulous way to clue ...

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9:57

Saturday, September 19, 2026 — Playing a Ukitar's...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/20

This was a lively Saturday crossword, thanks in part to Hannah Slovut's talent at working exciting new answers into the grid: there were a total of 10 debuts, not too shabby at all. Even the non-debut answers were exciting. There were at least 4 that neither cohost had ever heard of before, for which we are quite grateful. There's more inside, so have a listen, and please don't forget to leave us a 5-star review wherever you get your podcasts. Show note imgagery: Ventriloquist Shirley Dinsdal...

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15:50

Friday, September 18, 2026 — A Splendiferous Way to...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/19

Ryan Mathiason's third NYTimes crossword, and his first Friday, was an elegant piece of cruciverbial magic. We like clues that educate —13A, Modern tech aid whose design was inspired by a Go board, QRCODE; clues that make us think — 31D, Act like yourself, perhaps?, DOACAMEO, and especially clues that allow us revel in the joys of English — 40A, Two in a row?, FOES. There were, manifestly, many such clues in today's puzzle. For that reason we are proud to give Ryan's oeuvre a full 5 squares o...

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14:02

Thursday, September 17, 2026 — 🎉 Woo-hoo, 250,000...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/18

According to BuzzSprout, our podcast has had over 250,000 downloads, and so, to celebrate, we're ... going to do another podcast 😀 Your cohosts had slightly different impressions of today's crossword. Jean, who used her wits to power through the top of the crossword despite the total absence of down clues in the region, found it to be a major challenge. Mike, who completely ignored the top of the crossword until the rest of the grid was filled out, found it ... considerably easier. For ...

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10:35

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — Bonjour, BASENJI!

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/17

Today's crossword was an homage to a state that seems to be bursting at the seams with National Parks, and that state would be ... [REDACTED BY ORDER OF THE SPS (SPOILER PREVENTION SOCIETY)]. In addition to the theme, we found much joy in today's grid. We covered the highlights in today's episode, but we also were quite fond of 21A, Big bang cause, TNT; 55A, Canine guard?, RETAINER; and 65D, In medias _______, RES. Show note imagery: a BASENJI, the Cutest Dog Ever™️ We love feedba...

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11:14

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 — All Cohosts Present and...

Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword ·

2026/09/16

There was cause for much celebration at JAMDTNYTC HQ, as the J of the aforementioned podcast made her triumphant return to the studio. She chose an auspicious day to do so, because the crossword was awash with theme clues, which she spotted with unnerving accuracy. We also have a Triplet Tuesday™️ segment for your enjoyment. Show note imagery: Ah, yes, we remember the dreaded EDITWARS of aught-six, We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a ...

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