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Puzzles for February, 2025
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (2)Editor (4)Jim Horne (11)Hide comments
Sat 2/1/2025
ACIDTRIPSASHA
PANORAMASUNTIL
APPLETARTSNARL
CRACKFEUDEGAD
HIREBANDITEGO
ESTAINTIAWOMAN
ANGSEMITONE
WAXINGSONOMA
MINIMOONNEE
ODDSANDENDSMBA
REVLOUPESLAOS
MOOSSTAGAURAS
OPIUMCLASSMATE
NELLAHITPIECES
SNAKYSEASTARS
Sun 2/2/2025 Two-For-One Special
MARTSAYPRADAHAWK
ARIASPREEDOGESAMIE
RACHEWEISZBUICKMANY
STOOLIEMRMAGOOCARED
MMMDVARCHUTERI
ALFASCOGSHADEESTAS
RELTROLLEDGEMDITCH
ETASOPTIMAESPYTOK
ATTICADISSCOOKS
METRONOMEHOMERUNBAO
ARENONEOFCANINEEMP
PAYGITANOSSTATENAME
JASONELECUSEDON
CIAEASTINABARTONI
LONGOSTACDRACKSLIN
ENSUETORMEANOUFLAG
AVIANTARPGUMMI
PEDROBANDSAWSAMEOLD
TREKPOKERTASTMASTER
OGREELISEERNIATINA
NESSGLOSSDOCASST
Mon 2/3/2025
CITESICKOSTDS
ALEXOGLEDCHIP
BLACKBOARDREDO
RISENRUMKENDO
ICEPOPSIDEWALK
DIRTBAGTOASTY
ETSRATONUS
CHALKEDUP
OLESOWLSTP
CROAKSWEBSTER
CUESTICKDEPOSE
OBOESRAEBUNTS
LIPOBOULDERERS
ASINALAMOTRUE
SMEEELIOTSSNS
Tue 2/4/2025
NOMADESTAOGRE
ICAREQUIPSEAR
QUITEQUIETMOMA
ALLRUINVERBS
BAMAANGELANGLE
REDONETOPTIER
NANJAKEADS
BACKFLIPS
TBSFUNKEWE
HOTSAKEIONIQS
EXITSEXISTMUTT
DEPOTNOTEIRA
USERVENMOVENOM
DINEEPEEERODE
ENDSGARRSAXES
Wed 2/5/2025
BOWSHOTBRASH
UNALIKETOUCHE
DEFENSEBASETAN
FEDDROPSDOWN
TALKUPOPALRNA
AREAMTSEC
LEFTBRAINVHS
CARRIESNOWEIGHT
YAKCHAILATTE
YETEMTPTA
APPSILLSLEEPS
SLUSHPILEUMP
CATTAILGAMEPAD
INTERNOPENERA
ITSMETENDRIL
Thu 2/6/2025
PAULINENAPSDEW
ALPACASOLUOEPA
RUSSETPOTATOMIX
SMITESPARRIOS
ENDWILMINGTON
DIETJUNODENADA
OFFSETROPES
OZARKSPADRES
ERODEUNEASE
EGOISMSITHDATA
KAMEHAMEHADRS
NESNORALLAMAS
RIDGULFOFMEXICO
PSIRATECATERER
MTNELSECOOLEST

Aidan Deshong: It's nice to be back on XWord Info, especially when it's Jacob's debut!

We were hunting down theme entries from April to September. Here are my favorites among the others we found that didn't make the cut:

  • SPRINGFIELD [Motown?]
  • BIRMINGHAM [Allocation?]
  • BEAVER [Orbiter?]
  • PEACHES [Galoot?]
  • HARRY TRUMAN [Modem?]
  • JARED POLIS [Cogent?]

…and, as Evan Birnholz pointed out, HEAD OF STATE would make a great revealer. FIRST PLACE would also be good.

Back soon…


Jacob Reed: I'm so excited to be making my NYT debut today, especially with a puzzle that was extremely fun to make with Aidan. I love puzzles, and first got excited about constructing when Caleb Madison started a crossword program at BuzzFeed. I hit him up (perhaps too aggressively?) on the company Slack, and he gave me some pointers and referred me to Patrick Berry's Crossword Constructor handbook. I read it cover to cover and then... did nothing for nine years. Well, that's not entirely true. I did put "submit a crossword puzzle to NYT" on my list of goals each year. Finally, in December 2023, while trying to cross one more thing off my resolution list, I found an online crossword community and, in two weeks, made about twenty not-ready-for-prime-time puzzles. This was actually my third acceptance by the NYT crossword wizards, but Thursdays are often my favorite puzzles to solve, so it's fitting that this'll be the first one to run.

I come from an improv background. In improv, you know a game (or the gimmick of a scene) is clear and fun when everyone on stage jumps in and wants to contribute. That's how Aidan's idea for this theme felt to me. It's a novel device that he should get full credit for. Once I saw [Hiking?] for KAMEHAMEHA, all I wanted to do was pitch alts. I'm thrilled he let me jump in the mix with him on this. Thanks also to John, Boaz, Spencer, Quiara, Kelsey, Evan, and many others who were helpful and supportive during my first few months on the crossword construction chat.

Here are a few... stretchier... themers that didn't make their way in:

  • MICKEY EARS [Flat tire?]
  • ZATARAINS [Lazing?]
  • LOGAN CIRCLE [Paring?]
Fri 2/7/2025
PREDICTABLE
CRIMENOVELIST
CHANCEENCOUNTER
POWDERCONEAXE
RINSEPEPSEBAY
LEASPALS
OFFICIALLEVITY
PROTECTFORESEE
SERENERICKSHAW
EMMATEAK
THUSWESTDEANS
HALMANUBURSAR
ONAREGULARBASIS
DINNERTHEATER
CAUSESARIOT
Sat 2/8/2025
ACHOOBAMAAPTS
BROWNNOSERNOBU
BALLOONHATTRIM
AMYMODELNITRO
GABSPEAPOD
SNITSALTTAB
BUONOCRASHTEST
CLAMPHANATLAS
CACAONIBSNELLA
CREEPSAFROS
PITIESAVON
MEDIAANGERPIT
OPENCHERRYSODA
MININOTETOSELF
ANTSNYSEUNMET
Sun 2/9/2025 What's It All About?
CLADDABSPYENTOMB
OAHUNOAHORESLEADER
SPECIALREQUESTATTILA
MEATSBLURMOETTOOT
OLDSAWSMANUALRECOUNT
YAKSDOMAINLOSS
ATMSGILATAMOTOE
SHOWREMORSEROADIES
PALEOGEODEBUNKMOO
STEEPLEALOOGOBIHIND
SPEECHRECOGNITION
TSKSSHOULDWEKETTLES
LEISTINGYODEERODE
CANTEENSPOTREMOVER
HERACELNCAADENT
CHAICHASERHIVE
CHAINREACTIONLETSEAT
HURLOATHGAELTILDE
ARMANIHIGHRESOLUTION
IRONEDANTEDAREETRE
RONDOSGODTBSSENT
Mon 2/10/2025
BALSASITHEGGS
ICEITTRUEBLAH
RAGGEDYANNBAMA
DISMAYNINADEW
AMERICANGIRL
MRSSIATOA
IOUNCISITSME
CABBAGEPATCHKID
ARMORDATAEND
AMTELSDIY
BARBIEANDKEN
OBIECRUTEASER
SONYHELLODOLLY
OVERONLYEMILE
MESSSASSDIMES
Tue 2/11/2025
BTSATLASDISCO
AHHPEACEONEAL
HEARTEYESOVATE
ANNALSTAMIL
MINTYSPECTERI
ALOEMOUTHORGAN
SENDHELPPOSTS
TWOPART
ASIAMICESOVER
MUSCLEHEADRENO
PISASISICARLO
ADAPTBALSAM
PARERHANDSBACK
AGAMEEXERTCEE
SEEYAREAMSEDY
Wed 2/12/2025
MICAPAWATIGOR
ANONABASENERO
DENYLEGITSIAM
DEFINITEARTICLE
DIDINARGOS
DECFIBANG
SPEAKSONESPIECE
PASSTRALAACHE
EPIRAHLLCKEN
CINDERELLASTORY
OPERAARIA
BOOMSEEPYIFSO
INCASELLEN
BEHINDAPAYWALL
BURNOUTBLEAKLY
PESTOSRIDGES
Thu 2/13/2025
EDITSACEDSWUM
DIDOKNOSEPENA
GROWINGOLDIRIS
EELHELPUPNEXT
PAVESCADS
CAPITATHEIRONY
LUREDARILYDIA
ARILATINOSETD
MAZDAWASHGARI
PLEADEALSLYDOG
MYLARSTEM
NEOPETCOOSSPF
ANNASCRAPMETAL
BYESIHOPIMAGE
SAYSTIPSZONED
Fri 2/14/2025
ANTIJUSTAPNEA
GOODKARMALLOYD
IMDOINGOKFUSES
LEASTEKEDMETE
ESTTIDYSUMREN
SEVENTHEKISS
INCASHDENTE
CATCHFEELINGS
SARAHTALMUD
ONELOVEAMOUR
SOYWARRIORGOL
WOOSCLOTAGAME
EDUCEINATRANCE
ELIOTFALSEIDOL
TENTSENYALAMA
Sat 2/15/2025
DAMASKNOSPIN
IBEGYOUONEIDA
VITAMINCBLAZER
IDRISDOILYZAC
NEONBENNYCAMO
ESSCERTSTAPES
DONTRUBITIN
NONCHALANCE
BETTHERANCH
THREESITATACT
RUDDQUAILPURE
ETCDUNNOSAGES
MARNIESNAPSHOT
ONEONESCUTTLE
RIDDENERASED
Sun 2/16/2025 Square to Begin
SPREECOGLABELPADMA
AIARTHOIPOLLOIAHEAD
SQUEALOFFORTUNECOEDS
SUNSACWISESKYPE
YECHTUBASHOMESFBI
SHUTTLESPROWARTRAP
GREATSQUALLOFCHINA
TWEESOURCESLEEKS
ARALSEARISESBRAID
HOLYSQUATTERMOONROCK
APRURNSOURSROO
SEUSSIANPLEDGESQUEAK
SEEPSBUILDDIABOLO
MAMMAAIRNESSTOSS
SQUIRRELLEDCAPITAL
RUSSVIAGRAREVERTED
PATPENNEDECONSRIS
TASERPRAYROCONE
TICKSSQUAWKAFINELINE
ACHOOHUMBLEPIELACED
USERSHOPESPBSSOARS
Mon 2/17/2025
MASDELIASCOT
ORESEVENCHANA
SCRAPBOOKCANES
THEWORKSMELD
LINUAEPOPEYES
YEARNSMARTBAO
ICUECOPASS
UNDERPRESSURE
EGOSARIEAR
GLOSNOTSVESPA
GIDDYUPTAIOAR
LARSRESOLUTE
IDINAYEAHRIGHT
RANCHABLEUHOH
EDGESMASSTSA
Tue 2/18/2025
ROHACEDCRISIS
AREACODEHECKNO
ICANTBELIEVEYOU
LADYSNIDESSNS
DABOKOK
SPAMANPACES
KINWHODOESTHAT
ITCHEVENTEURO
THEAUDACITYREP
SYRIATAECDS
RESTTBH
SHOTCOINSURSA
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOW
AMPSUPUNICYCLE
NESSIESOLDKOS
Wed 2/19/2025
FIRSTSICEMIFS
ALIASETUDEVIE
BLOCKBUSTERABA
STIRINGENUE
NSCSTAGEEMILE
BLANKETAPPROVAL
CANOESIA
BORDERTERRIER
REAANVIL
BATTINGPRACTICE
ONAIRASONELAG
SKYMALLUNIT
SATQUILTINGBEE
ERAINNIETIETO
SAYSAGESOFTEN
Thu 2/20/2025
FADEDRSVPSNAP
OCULIETALTAXI
NODESCINEMATIC
TWENTYONEACROSS
AIARTSAT
BASNODHUTONE
OLMECDIORACES
FOURTEENLETTERS
FORATAKIHEAVE
OFFDSLDUENES
AMYMAMMA
WEDNESDAYPUZZLE
ARUNDHATISTEAD
CITEOVENEERIE
ONYXPEONSCORN

I first attempted crossword construction 15 years ago after watching the Wordplay documentary. It was way too difficult for me then, so I moved on to other hobbies. I became a regular solver, though, and crosswords have consistently influenced my life since. (For example, I now work as an artist, and my map art often gets compared to puzzles.)

Last year, I decided to take another shot at construction. I started paying close attention to spoken words and phrases to find a suitable theme. This idea came to me after hearing the phrase "one-off" in a podcast. The dual meaning of the phrase (one off) seemed like a fun mathematical twist for some self-referential clues. Once I had the idea, I found helpful online resources for new constructors, including blogs, forums (fora?), and software (like Ingrid, which I used to create this puzzle).

I'm very proud to have it as my debut!

Fri 2/21/2025
BARHOPPINGAZOV
OREOCOOKIENENE
TIMETOKILLTREX
SAYAPEDPALOMA
AVERFACETAT
PWNEDMACARONI
MIENSNIKKIHBO
ANTEDENISMEAN
NAMVOICEWARNS
SCAVENGEBIPOD
CORINTHDENS
ALTOIDSWAKRAP
PAILOUTERSPACE
EDNAINEEDAHINT
DAISTOMBSTONES
Sat 2/22/2025
TSKBACHOHDAMN
IHATEYOUPEORIA
MATHTEAMTARTLY
ELSESLAPSTICK
STUNSNLSCADS
EBBCUPRUE
GREENANACONDA
LOVELANGUAGES
GALENTINESDAY
ADDSROESL
MYBADANGLOCS
GENIUSBARAPOP
EARTAGAMICLEAR
EGGINGLAPDANCE
LASSESLYESSHE
Sun 2/23/2025 In the Rearview
ECLATAPPLESPYSCRUM
SHEBAQUEERBAITORATE
QUICKTURNAROUNDBITTE
MADEWARACEPESTER
HISWHEREDIDIPARK
MAIDENRAIDMATIRA
ATRIAWINGITHASPLOT
LOOKTHEOTHERWAYCASTS
ANNEARTSAHIAIR
REISSUESFEDERALGRANT
IREONOMONEYCANRIO
ASSBACKWARDSITSAFACT
MPHISMLOINIBET
SKEWSIMHAPPYTOOBLIGE
PALSTSPTOUCANRECUR
UTEGELONESMEDAYS
REVERSECOURSECOW
IBEXESATLTOPCHEF
OUNCESCOTCHTAPEROLLS
USTEDHAWAIIANSESSAY
SHYLYHONSPOKEWEANS
Mon 2/24/2025
MORSELEGGHUES
IWANNAPERETTA
DEFOGSETARACY
WASHESDISHES
BTSROERENATM
FIELDEXPERIENCE
FRAYEDRASTA
SEMIPALTAME
NOSEDCMINUS
TAUGHTTOTHETEST
ALPMAERUTWEE
SETSSTRAIGHT
TRUEUPSGROWON
ETRETATEEYORE
SSNSENODESERT
Tue 2/25/2025
STARRABIDSHOP
LOBEELUDEAQUA
AREAALOOFISIT
BILLYCRYSTAL
METESELL
MADAMDRUNKDIAL
IRONEDASAPTA
NUNNUTCASETIS
ABEROEANYONE
JAZZHANDSDONOR
NOOBAGOG
NOTONMYWATCH
DUSKONEUPMAHI
VAPENINESAMEN
DEADITALYTEXT
Wed 2/26/2025
DIDJATRODIMS
EMOISERAWRAP
MINORTHIRDHAJI
ONTINDAYTON
HAIROYSTERS
MOSPTBLAH
EMINEMAIELIS
WARELEEFINE
SNESELFFECT
IDSIGUANAS
OUTLINEAR
STEVEOFGSCOMA
CINESEERUKER
ACEREPEEMERIT
RATEASEPARS
Thu 2/27/2025
DREGSTABSIRIS
MOMOAATITCENA
SOOTYBLUEJEANS
OSHEAMESSES
TROUSERSTHOR
WOOOWNBATON
IMPATERAW
GASPOCKETSMOP
TELLOFIDO
VERDERATCOD
SEESJODHPURS
SCENESOASIS
CORDUROYSRYDER
AREATACTSCALY
REDDARESTHYME
Fri 2/28/2025
PUBLICPOOLIPOS
ANYONEELSERAKE
EASYDOESITAJAX
AGEDKORSNAYS
NIABEANIESMIC
LAMBSALVAGE
MACAROONTIEDIN
ICANTOAFCRAVE
STREEPVOTESYES
OUTDREWLIRA
PAISTROLLSSNL
ARTSSARIACAI
SILOPITCHCLOCK
TEESATHLEISURE
ESSOSHOESTORES
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