Sat 3/1/2025
| S | A | L | T | F | R | E | E | | | | L | S | A | T |
| A | T | A | H | U | A | L | P | A | | | O | P | R | Y |
| S | T | R | E | E | T | F | A | I | R | | L | I | M | P |
| H | U | R | T | L | E | | | M | I | C | | N | A | E |
| A | N | Y | A | | S | E | T | | O | H | T | A | N | I |
| Y | E | S | | S | A | M | U | S | | I | R | W | I | N |
| | | P | O | T | B | R | O | W | N | I | E | S | |
| | R | U | L | E | O | F | T | H | U | M | B | | |
| B | A | C | O | N | S | T | R | I | P | S | | | |
| P | A | R | K | A | | S | O | U | R | S | | F | O | B |
| U | N | E | S | C | O | | E | E | L | | B | A | N | A |
| N | S | C | | T | R | I | | | P | A | R | R | E | D |
| C | H | O | I | | C | O | M | M | O | N | A | R | E | A |
| H | E | I | R | | | S | I | M | O | N | S | A | Y | S |
| Y | E | N | S | | | | G | A | L | O | S | H | E | S |
I made this puzzle in the summer of 2023 and I'm happy to finally see it out in the world.
This was originally slotted for a Friday, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was moved to a Saturday — because, of course, that means it's harder! Thanks to the editors for beefing up some of the clues (I especially liked their approach to 35-Down). I was glad that my clue for 1-Down survived, but, alas, my Latte Larry's reference for 3-Down didn't make the cut.
Hope you enjoyed the puzzle!
– puzzle by Ryan Judge
Sun 3/2/2025 Rainbow Connection
| B | U | G | | | T | H | A | T | S | | N | O | S | H | A | D | E | | S | H | O |
| A | S | A | | B | O | O | E | R | S | | O | P | I | A | T | E | S | | I | A | N |
| N | O | S | | A | R | T | S | A | N | D | L | E | T | T | E | R | S | | E | S | E |
| A | P | S | | T | I | P | I | N | | J | A | C | O | B | I | N | | | G | A | T |
| N | E | T | | H | E | O | R | S | H | E | | | N | A | N | | P | R | E | G | O |
| A | N | A | P | E | S | T | | M | A | D | E | M | E | N | | G | A | L | L | O | N |
| | T | A | D | | | S | I | R | | M | O | O | D | | D | I | S | | | |
| I | B | I | S | | G | R | A | T | E | | A | S | U | S | | A | N | T | S | | |
| R | O | O | T | | R | E | F | | M | A | N | E | T | | R | Y | E | I | P | A | |
| O | W | N | | | A | P | E | | | G | A | Y | | F | E | M | | N | A | N | A |
| N | S | F | W | | P | O | T | | M | E | T | S | | A | B | A | | E | C | I | G |
| Y | E | O | H | | P | S | Y | | A | L | E | | | C | O | T | | | E | M | O |
| R | O | Y | A | L | E | | G | R | I | D | S | | T | R | E | | S | T | A | N |
| | D | I | L | I | | M | A | I | M | | T | W | I | N | S | | E | E | L | Y |
| | | S | I | N | | O | M | N | I | | E | O | S | | | U | R | L | | |
| T | A | P | I | N | G | | T | E | E | T | H | E | R | | C | A | N | T | E | E | N |
| O | R | A | T | E | | P | O | M | | | A | D | D | F | U | E | L | | S | R | I |
| T | E | X | | | C | O | R | O | N | A | S | | P | L | A | N | E | | C | O | N |
| A | T | T | | I | N | S | I | D | E | T | H | E | L | I | N | E | S | | O | D | E |
| L | O | O | | D | E | S | S | E | R | T | | L | A | N | D | I | S | | P | E | R |
| S | O | N | | S | T | E | T | S | O | N | | M | Y | G | O | D | | | E | D | S |
This puzzle was inspired by my 1 and 3 year olds, who proudly refuse to be governed by the hegemonic lines and designs of the coloring book bourgeoisie. Even though the revealer is color INSIDE THE LINES, something about putting letters where they don't belong in a grid feels true to the way their crayon marks subversively streak across the pages (and walls) of my home.
My original idea was to have a central COLOR INSIDE THE LINES reveal with three hidden colors up top and three below. But this meant ditching INDIGO, and I feel like indigo gets a raw deal in the color world. So I kept it and went with the abridged reveal instead. Curious to hear if the constructors in the crowd would've done the same.
As for you solvers — I figured since this puzzle plays as a themeless once you figure out the trick, I should make sure the cluing shows you an especially good time. To that end, I unloaded an avalanche of wordplay on the editors in my original submission.
A decent chunk didn't make the cut — [Modern day padding for an offensive line?] for NO SHADE, [Cover for a cowboy's cowlick] for STETSON, the meta-crosswordese [E note?] for ADD FUEL. But I've begrudgingly come to accept that there are other ways to make a clue good besides puns — like the quote angles on IRONY/THAT'S or the trivia nuggets on ELM/DESSERT.
Lastly, I always like to throw in one clue just to keep the fact-checkers on their toes. In this case it was [Band whose name is a rhyme scheme their lyrics never featured] for ABBA. It's a shame it got cut, I love the idea of forcing Brad Wilber and company to listen to ABBA's entire oeuvre to confirm it.
– puzzle by Adam Wagner
Mon 3/3/2025
| S | T | A | L | L | | G | P | A | S | | E | L | I | S |
| A | E | I | O | U | | E | U | R | O | | T | E | N | T |
| P | A | R | K | R | A | N | G | E | R | | R | A | M | I |
| | P | I | E | C | E | | | T | R | A | G | I | C |
| G | E | L | | R | E | V | E | R | S | E | D | U | N | K |
| O | V | A | L | | | A | Y | O | | S | E | E | D | S |
| D | E | N | I | S | E | | E | T | N | A | | | | |
| N | E | U | T | R | A | L | C | O | L | O | R | S | |
| | | | E | A | S | E | | D | E | V | O | U | R |
| A | F | T | E | R | | S | N | L | | | A | S | I | A |
| D | R | I | V | E | I | N | S | A | N | E | | A | T | M |
| R | A | D | I | O | S | | | S | A | V | E | R | | |
| O | N | I | T | | L | O | W | S | P | I | R | I | T | S |
| I | C | E | E | | A | C | A | I | | C | L | E | A | T |
| T | E | S | S | | S | T | Y | E | | T | E | S | T | Y |
Tue 3/4/2025
| P | O | M | P | O | M | S | | | | R | A | B | I | D |
| I | M | C | O | M | I | N | G | | | A | T | A | R | I |
| C | A | R | E | S | S | I | N | G | | S | O | L | A | R |
| K | N | I | T | | S | P | R | A | Y | P | A | I | N | T |
| S | I | B | | A | M | S | | L | O | S | S | | | |
| | | U | S | E | | A | L | S | | T | O | P | S |
| C | R | E | S | T | | | D | O | H | A | | P | O | E |
| P | O | L | A | R | O | I | D | P | I | C | T | U | R | E |
| A | I | L | | O | H | H | I | | | R | E | S | T | S |
| S | L | A | V | | Y | E | N | | P | E | N | | | |
| | | W | H | O | A | | U | H | S | | D | R | S |
| T | A | M | B | O | U | R | I | N | E | | B | R | A | T |
| O | N | E | U | P | | T | R | A | N | S | L | A | T | E |
| M | A | R | G | E | | | E | G | O | M | A | N | I | A |
| B | L | E | S | S | | | | I | M | S | H | O | O | K |
Wed 3/5/2025
| A | M | I | G | O | | I | D | K | | B | A | B | K | A |
| S | O | N | A | R | | N | E | O | | O | N | I | O | N |
| K | E | N | Y | A | | B | A | M | | A | D | D | I | N |
| | | B | L | O | O | D | B | A | T | H | | | |
| I | T | Z | A | | L | U | P | U | S | | O | G | R | E |
| M | O | O | R | | E | N | O | C | H | | W | H | O | M |
| A | T | M | | | | D | O | H | | | | O | O | O |
| G | A | B | E | | I | S | L | A | M | | P | S | S | T |
| E | L | I | S | S | A | | | | P | L | A | T | T | E |
| D | E | E | P | E | N | D | | W | H | I | S | K | E | D |
| C | O | R | E | | O | R | E | | S | T | I | R | |
| E | L | F | I | N | | G | A | G | | P | A | T | T | I |
| G | I | F | T | | C | R | I | E | R | | S | C | A | N |
| R | P | I | | H | A | U | N | T | E | D | | H | I | D |
| E | S | C | | M | A | N | S | I | O | N | | E | L | I |
| T | E | E | | O | N | S | | T | S | A | | N | S | A |
Thu 3/6/2025
| A | C | H | E | | D | U | B | S | | | T | G | E | L |
| B | L | U | R | | E | S | A | U | | R | E | U | S | E |
| B | O | R | N | | B | O | R | N | | E | D | I | C | T |
| A | P | T | E | S | T | | I | K | E | A | | T | A | G |
| | | S | H | O | P | | E | L | C | H | A | P | O |
| N | A | T | U | R | E | | N | A | T | U | R | E | |
| P | O | L | O | S | | R | A | P | T | | T | S | P | S |
| S | T | Y | | H | A | S | S | L | E | S | | O | L | A |
| T | A | R | A | | D | O | S | A | | H | A | L | A | L |
| C | A | R | B | O | N | | C | A | R | B | O | N | |
| C | H | I | M | E | R | A | | E | V | E | R | | | |
| R | A | S | | S | E | L | L | | E | W | A | S | T | E |
| U | N | M | E | T | | D | O | W | N | | D | O | W | N |
| S | C | A | N | S | | A | G | O | G | | E | M | I | T |
| T | E | N | D | | | Y | O | K | E | | D | E | N | S |
Fri 3/7/2025
| S | H | O | W | D | O | W | N | S | | | B | L | O | C |
| M | O | V | I | E | M | A | G | I | C | | R | A | H | M |
| O | R | A | N | G | E | S | O | D | A | | A | S | I | S |
| K | A | L | E | | L | P | S | | R | A | F | T | S | |
| E | S | S | | K | E | Y | | N | O | W | I | S | E | R |
| | | B | I | T | | P | A | L | E | T | T | E | S |
| D | A | L | E | | W | A | N | E | | T | A | N | S |
| O | L | I | V | I | A | R | O | D | R | I | G | O | |
| A | N | O | N | | N | I | T | S | | A | N | E | W | |
| S | U | N | D | R | E | S | S | | R | I | G | | | |
| A | T | E | D | I | R | T | | M | O | D | | P | B | R |
| S | T | A | D | T | | P | E | T | | G | H | E | E |
| C | H | I | T | | I | R | O | N | T | H | R | O | N | E |
| H | O | M | E | | A | P | P | L | E | T | I | N | I | S |
| A | P | E | S | | | M | O | O | N | S | T | O | N | E |
Some thoughts on construction:
- The seed for this puzzle was the central answer, which I thought was going to be a debut. Alas, I got scooped four months ago.
- I submitted this on December 21, 2023 and it was accepted 71 days later on March 1, 2024. It ran just over a year after that on March 7, 2025.
- There are 72 clues in this puzzle. Thirty-two (44%) were kept identical. Thirteen (18%) were updated slightly. Twenty-seven (38%) are new from the NYT editors.
- My original clue for RAFTS was [They're used during pool play?] and my original clue for DONUT SHOP was [Store selling rings?]
- My clue for REESE referenced Witherspoon, and they changed it to reference Angel. That's a nice change! When I wrote this, Angel was still four months out from even being drafted. Now it's running and she's played a (really good!) full season with the WNBA, as well as a substantial amount of a season with Unrivaled. Ah, the passage of time.
– puzzle by Malaika Handa
Sat 3/8/2025
| A | D | D | E | D | B | O | N | U | S | | S | W | I | T |
| T | R | A | V | E | L | V | I | S | A | | N | E | N | E |
| T | I | M | E | P | I | E | C | E | S | | O | R | C | A |
| A | P | P | L | E | P | R | E | S | S | | W | E | L | D |
| | | | N | S | A | | | Y | E | S | S | I | R |
| C | L | U | E | D | | B | A | H | | S | T | O | N | E |
| L | I | P | A | | C | O | L | O | R | C | O | D | E | S |
| A | S | P | S | | O | U | T | T | A | | R | E | D | S |
| S | T | E | T | S | O | N | H | A | T | | M | A | T | E |
| S | E | R | T | A | | D | O | S | | M | S | D | O | S |
| I | N | D | O | O | R | | | H | A | I | | | | |
| C | H | E | W | | I | N | B | A | D | S | H | A | P | E |
| C | E | C | E | | G | O | O | D | O | L | E | B | O | Y |
| A | R | K | S | | U | T | N | E | R | E | A | D | E | R |
| R | E | S | T | | P | A | S | S | E | D | T | I | M | E |
Sun 3/9/2025 Extra! Extra!
| I | D | A | | S | H | A | D | | L | G | B | T | | C | R | I | S | P | U | P |
| C | E | L | | C | O | S | A | | E | R | I | E | | H | O | T | L | I | N | E |
| O | V | E | R | E | A | S | Y | | T | I | T | A | N | I | C | S | I | N | K | S |
| N | I | X | O | N | R | E | S | I | G | N | S | | A | L | C | A | P | O | N | E |
| S | L | A | T | E | | S | H | O | O | S | | A | D | I | O | S | | T | O | T |
| | | | R | E | S | I | N | | | A | N | I | | | H | O | S | T | A |
| D | E | W | E | Y | D | E | F | E | A | T | S | T | R | U | M | A | N | | | |
| A | V | O | N | | G | E | T | | P | O | K | E | | N | A | M | I | B | I | A |
| B | I | R | D | I | E | S | | O | R | S | | S | T | I | L | E | T | T | O | S |
| S | E | N | O | R | | | U | P | I | C | E | | V | O | L | | | S | U | P |
| | | W | A | L | L | S | T | L | A | Y | S | A | N | E | G | G | | | |
| A | B | U | | | O | A | S | | S | N | E | A | D | | | A | R | O | M | A |
| C | A | S | S | A | N | D | R | A | | I | L | L | | F | I | R | E | H | A | T |
| E | S | C | A | P | E | E | | V | A | N | E | | I | O | N | | E | M | M | A |
| | | F | O | R | D | T | O | C | I | T | Y | D | R | O | P | D | E | A | D |
| O | L | M | E | C | | | W | I | T | | | A | E | T | N | A | | | | |
| W | O | E | | R | A | P | I | D | | P | O | R | C | H | | R | I | P | A | T |
| L | O | L | L | Y | G | A | G | | H | E | A | D | L | E | S | S | B | O | D | Y |
| I | N | T | O | P | L | E | S | S | B | A | R | | A | W | C | O | M | E | O | N |
| S | E | E | T | H | E | S | | E | C | C | E | | R | I | A | N | | M | B | A |
| H | Y | D | R | A | T | E | | C | U | E | D | | E | N | D | S | | S | O | N |
Mon 3/10/2025
| B | I | B | B | | R | A | C | E | S | | S | P | A | T |
| A | L | I | A | | V | I | O | L | A | | I | O | N | A |
| L | I | T | T | L | E | L | U | L | U | | D | R | A | B |
| M | E | T | E | O | R | | R | I | N | S | E | | | |
| D | E | M | O | | | T | E | A | M | C | O | C | O |
| | | A | P | P | T | | | S | E | A | M | U | S |
| F | U | N | N | Y | H | A | H | A | | W | R | A | T | H |
| O | H | O | | | D | R | E | S | S | | | H | U | E |
| C | U | R | D | S | | P | R | O | U | D | P | A | P | A |
| A | R | A | R | A | T | | | F | R | E | E | | | |
| L | A | D | Y | G | A | G | A | | | N | A | P | S | |
| | | D | A | R | E | D | | A | S | T | R | O | S |
| F | O | M | O | | D | O | U | B | L | E | B | A | C | K |
| E | X | E | C | | I | D | L | E | S | | O | D | A | Y |
| W | O | N | K | | S | E | T | T | O | | G | A | L | E |
Tue 3/11/2025
| L | P | G | A | | S | I | P | | S | M | O | K | E | D |
| O | R | E | S | | P | D | A | | H | O | P | E | S | O |
| V | O | T | E | S | Y | E | S | | A | V | I | A | T | E |
| E | A | T | A | T | | S | T | A | M | E | N | | | |
| S | M | H | | A | C | T | E | D | | T | E | A | C | H |
| | E | L | B | A | | U | H | U | H | | C | E | E |
| R | O | P | E | I | N | | R | O | S | E | B | U | D | S |
| A | S | O | F | N | O | W | | C | A | N | A | P | E | S |
| S | K | I | T | T | L | E | S | | B | E | M | U | S | E |
| T | A | N | | H | A | L | O | | L | E | A | N | | |
| A | R | T | I | E | | T | R | I | E | D | | C | A | M |
| | | O | B | E | Y | E | D | | L | O | T | S | A |
| O | N | E | W | A | Y | | N | I | C | E | P | U | T | T |
| P | A | L | A | C | E | | T | O | O | | E | R | I | E |
| S | T | I | N | K | S | | O | M | G | | D | E | N | S |
Wed 3/12/2025
| I | T | S | A | T | I | E | | A | S | P | E | C | T | S |
| C | H | O | L | E | R | A | | P | L | A | T | O | O | N |
| A | R | T | E | M | I | S | | S | U | S | A | N | N | A |
| L | E | T | | P | S | Y | | E | R | S | | D | E | R |
| L | E | O | N | E | | | | | | K | I | O | S | K |
| | | O | R | B | S | | N | O | E | L | | | |
| E | L | P | H | A | B | A | | B | E | Y | O | N | C | E |
| P | Y | R | O | | C | L | E | A | R | | S | O | A | R |
| S | C | O | W | L | | A | D | J | | P | E | T | C | O |
| O | R | S | | A | C | T | U | A | R | Y | | I | T | D |
| M | A | T | I | L | D | A | | M | E | L | A | N | I | E |
| | | T | A | R | | | | F | O | B | | | |
| S | A | W | A | W | O | M | A | N | I | N | H | A | L | F |
| A | W | O | L | | M | O | D | E | L | | O | H | I | O |
| P | L | O | Y | | S | P | O | O | L | | R | I | P | E |
Thu 3/13/2025
| C | E | D | E | | | A | G | E | | M | A | M | A | S |
| U | V | E | A | | A | N | O | N | | E | L | E | C | T |
| S | I | M | U | L | A | T | E | D | | M | E | D | I | A |
| P | L | O | | C | S | I | S | | M | O | P | E | D | S |
| D | M | E | D | | B | I | C | S | | H | A | S | H |
| W | O | O | S | | T | I | P | I | N | S | | | | |
| I | E | D | S | | B | O | O | R | | T | R | A | N | S |
| F | R | E | I | G | H | T | | C | A | P | I | T | O | L |
| I | S | L | E | S | | I | M | U | P | | S | O | F | A |
| | | | U | N | C | A | S | T | | E | M | I | T |
| O | T | O | H | | A | S | I | S | | I | R | I | S | |
| C | A | R | E | T | S | | S | T | A | R | | C | H | I |
| C | E | S | A | R | | D | O | U | B | L | E | D | I | P |
| A | B | O | V | E | | J | U | N | E | | K | O | N | A |
| M | O | N | E | Y | | S | I | T | | | E | G | G | S |
Fri 3/14/2025
| T | R | A | M | P | | | | S | M | A | S | H | U | P |
| H | O | N | O | R | | | S | P | I | T | T | A | K | E |
| E | A | T | M | E | | R | E | E | N | T | R | I | E | S |
| C | C | S | | S | I | E | G | E | D | | A | L | S | O |
| W | H | O | S | A | G | O | O | D | B | O | Y | | | |
| | N | I | L | E | S | | R | O | S | E | B | E | D |
| P | L | A | N | E | T | | S | U | G | A | R | R | A | Y |
| O | I | L | | | T | Y | I | N | G | | | U | S | E |
| S | C | O | R | C | H | E | R | | L | O | S | S | E | S |
| H | E | G | I | R | A | S | | D | I | N | A | H | | |
| | | P | U | T | M | E | I | N | C | O | A | C | H |
| I | S | T | O | | A | L | L | E | G | E | | S | O | O |
| S | K | I | P | C | L | A | S | S | | L | A | I | R | S |
| L | I | M | E | S | O | D | A | | | E | N | D | A | T |
| A | M | E | N | I | T | Y | | | | R | E | E | L | S |
Sat 3/15/2025
| L | A | W | S | O | N | | | | B | A | N | D | B | S |
| I | M | H | E | R | E | | | Z | A | M | B | I | A | N |
| O | N | Y | X | E | S | | S | O | N | I | C | A | R | E |
| N | E | W | T | S | | R | I | N | D | S | | P | D | A |
| S | O | S | | T | A | C | I | T | | P | E | E | K |
| A | I | R | | D | A | R | K | N | S | T | O | R | M | Y |
| B | A | R | R | Y | K | E | O | G | H | A | N | | | |
| E | C | Y | C | L | E | D | | B | I | R | D | M | A | N |
| | | C | A | S | I | N | O | R | E | S | O | R | T |
| B | A | N | A | N | A | S | E | A | T | S | | S | M | H |
| U | S | E | R | | P | E | A | R | S | | S | H | Y | |
| T | I | A | | S | H | A | R | D | | P | O | P | U | P |
| D | A | T | A | L | O | S | S | | T | O | R | I | N | O |
| A | G | E | M | A | T | E | | | H | O | T | T | I | P |
| D | O | N | T | G | O | | | | C | H | A | S | T | E |
Sun 3/16/2025 Have It Both Ways
| B | L | U | E | D | | | A | P | B | S | | | S | C | O | M | P | A | N | Y |
| R | O | N | D | E | L | | A | G | E | E | | S | T | U | D | I | O | F | E | E |
| A | R | S | E | N | I | O | H | A | L | L | | F | R | E | E | Z | E | O | U | T |
| I | C | E | M | I | L | K | S | | G | E | N | O | A | | | | | R | E | I |
| D | A | T | A | M | | D | A | N | I | C | A | | P | H | A | N | G | E | R | S |
| | | | | | | T | O | U | T | E | D | | A | L | I | A | | | |
| O | R | A | N | G | E | P | | G | M | S | | E | L | I | O | T | N | E | S | S |
| R | E | T | A | I | L | E | R | S | | | S | N | I | F | F | | D | A | N | E |
| G | Y | M | B | O | R | E | E | | P | L | A | Y | S | A | T | | A | T | O | N |
| | | | T | O | L | D | | R | E | F | I | T | | | G | L | O | W | S |
| B | E | A | U | T | Y | S | | T | E | N | E | T | | F | C | O | F | F | E | E |
| A | M | I | N | O | | | B | E | E | T | S | | H | A | L | O | | | | |
| D | I | S | H | | D | O | E | S | N | O | T | | A | C | I | D | T | A | B | S |
| A | L | L | A | | U | R | A | L | S | | | A | D | E | N | O | I | D | A | L |
| T | E | E | N | D | R | A | M | A | | S | U | N | | D | T | H | E | D | A | Y |
| | | D | E | A | N | | S | I | E | N | N | A | | | | | | | |
| P | A | S | S | I | N | G | N | | D | E | T | E | C | T | | C | A | M | P | F |
| A | C | E | | | | | O | S | A | K | A | | C | A | L | A | M | A | R | I |
| P | E | A | C | H | P | I | T | S | | S | P | E | E | D | S | K | A | T | E | R |
| A | L | L | B | E | T | T | E | R | | T | E | N | S | | D | E | N | I | S | E |
| W | A | S | D | E | A | D | S | | | O | D | D | S | | | S | A | N | S | S |
Mon 3/17/2025
| D | A | B | S | | H | U | G | O | | T | A | R | S | I |
| O | M | N | I | | A | S | A | P | | W | R | A | P | S |
| J | E | A | N | S | M | A | R | T | | A | R | B | O | L |
| A | N | I | S | E | | | B | I | T | | O | B | O | E |
| | | | T | A | Y | L | O | R | S | W | I | F | T |
| I | S | M | S | | W | I | E | N | I | E | | | | |
| T | H | O | U | S | A | N | D | S | | A | G | R | E | E |
| C | E | C | I | L | Y | | | | S | T | R | O | N | G |
| H | A | S | T | A | | B | I | T | E | S | I | N | T | O |
| | | | K | E | R | N | E | L | | M | I | S | S |
| B | L | A | K | E | L | I | V | E | L | Y | | | | |
| E | A | R | N | | S | N | O | | | U | L | T | R | A |
| G | R | E | E | T | | G | I | R | L | P | O | W | E | R |
| O | V | A | L | S | | O | C | H | O | | D | I | N | E |
| T | A | S | T | E | | N | E | O | N | | E | N | D | S |
Tue 3/18/2025
| R | O | L | E | | C | H | A | I | | T | R | A | M | | |
| A | R | E | S | | E | A | R | N | | R | E | B | A | R | |
| D | I | S | C | O | D | U | C | K | | U | N | U | S | E | D |
| I | O | S | | P | E | L | T | | A | L | E | | T | E | E |
| S | L | E | E | T | | S | I | L | L | Y | G | O | O | S | E |
| H | E | R | N | I | A | | C | A | T | | E | N | D | E | D |
| | | D | O | R | M | | S | O | S | | L | O | S | S |
| | F | U | N | K | Y | C | H | I | C | K | E | N | | |
| S | P | U | R | | S | H | O | | D | A | N | A | | | |
| A | R | L | E | S | | E | O | N | | M | O | V | E | R | S |
| W | I | L | D | T | U | R | K | E | Y | | T | E | N | E | T |
| E | M | O | | A | R | O | | P | A | S | T | | C | F | O |
| D | E | F | A | N | G | | P | A | R | T | Y | F | O | U | L |
| S | I | N | C | E | | A | L | D | A | | E | D | G | E |
| | T | I | E | D | | L | I | S | T | | B | E | E | N |
Wed 3/19/2025
| A | F | L | A | C | | O | W | L | S | | | S | H | E |
| T | R | O | L | L | | S | H | I | N | | O | T | I | S |
| R | E | S | E | A | | H | A | D | A | B | L | A | S | T |
| I | T | T | | S | C | A | R | | P | E | E | R | S | |
| A | S | S | I | S | T | | F | B | I | L | A | B | | |
| | | D | A | R | N | | I | N | T | R | U | D | E |
| O | H | M | E | | L | E | A | K | | S | Y | R | I | A |
| L | E | A | S | T | | I | S | I | T | | | S | E | T |
| A | R | K | | I | N | L | I | N | E | | A | T | M | S |
| F | R | E | S | N | O | | A | I | R | E | D | | | |
| | I | T | E | M | S | | | S | N | A | K | E | S |
| S | T | R | A | I | N | | B | E | D | S | L | A | T |
| S | U | P | E | R | N | O | V | A | | S | T | A | G | E |
| P | L | O | P | | E | R | A | S | | I | R | U | L | E |
| Y | U | P | | | E | T | C | H | | T | A | S | E | R |
EVAN: I'm thrilled to have my debut puzzle published in The New York Times! I'm not your typical constructor. I've solved fewer puzzles than I've now published. This wouldn't have been possible without my co-author Jeffrey, whose passion for crosswords made the whole process super fun. His infectious enthusiasm turned what started as a casual interest into an unforgettable experience.
Jeffrey and I are two intramural demons from Western University, leading our Ultimate Frisbee dynasty to a perfect record and hoping to earn our first purple shirt in water polo this season. Thank you, Jeffrey, for guiding me through every step of this journey.
JEFFREY: What a pleasure to be alongside Evan for his NYT debut! This is the third puzzle we constructed together, and by far my favorite. Brainstorming this idea was a lot of fun because it combines my love of space and my love of wordplay. It's also fun that we were even able to use diagonal symmetry for this grid! (And, fun fact, it makes Evan the second constructor ever to debut with diagonal symmetry!)
It's amazing how quickly Evan learned along the way. His creativity and persistence make him a great constructor, but also feature prominently in other areas of his life. I think I've successfully hooked Evan on crossword construction, so don't be surprised if you see us back in the NYT together soon! Congrats again Evan on a well-deserved debut!
– puzzle by Evan Park and Jeffrey Martinovic
Thu 3/20/2025
| N | I | P | S | | | N | A | I | F | | B | A | L | E |
| T | H | A | W | | | O | H | N | O | | A | W | O | L |
| H | O | R | A | | J | O | A | N | C | U | S | A | C | K |
| S | P | A | T | T | E | R | | S | U | B | A | R | U | S |
| | M | C | A | T | | | | S | E | L | E | S | |
| T | H | E | H | U | L | K | | S | O | R | T | | | |
| A | I | D | E | | I | O | D | I | N | E | | L | S | D |
| K | N | I | S | H | | R | I | D | | D | R | A | P | E |
| E | T | C | | O | C | A | S | E | K | | E | T | O | N |
| | | M | O | R | N | | S | I | N | C | I | T | Y |
| K | Y | O | T | O | | | | T | E | E | N | | |
| S | E | E | S | A | W | S | | A | T | T | I | R | E | D |
| E | L | A | S | T | I | C | I | T | Y | | P | O | R | E |
| A | C | R | E | | N | A | P | A | | | T | O | I | L |
| S | E | N | D | | G | R | A | D | | | S | T | E | T |
Fri 3/21/2025
| R | A | R | I | T | Y | | | S | T | A | G | E | D |
| C | U | R | E | D | H | A | M | | O | R | I | O | L | E |
| A | N | T | E | L | O | P | E | | R | U | S | T | L | E |
| R | A | I | D | E | R | | D | I | E | S | | T | I | P |
| E | T | S | Y | | | F | I | R | S | T | B | A | S | E |
| D | A | T | | A | T | L | A | S | | | E | C | O | N |
| B | I | G | L | E | A | D | | E | R | R | A | N | D |
| | C | H | E | A | P | A | S | D | I | R | T | | |
| A | T | L | A | S | T | | R | E | E | N | A | C | T | |
| D | O | I | N | | | S | L | A | N | G | | H | I | D |
| M | O | C | A | P | S | U | I | T | | | P | E | R | U |
| I | C | E | | R | A | I | N | | S | H | A | M | A | N |
| T | U | N | E | I | N | | G | A | T | O | R | A | D | E |
| I | T | S | A | M | E | | S | P | A | R | K | L | E | S |
| T | E | E | T | E | R | | | A | N | N | A | L | S | |
Boaz : Thrilled to be back with a second Friday! Jacob's a wonderful constructor, and it was great cluing my grid with him. We're currently working on a book of classic movie & TV themed crosswords to be published on Amazon this summer.
Our puzzle was submitted intending to run as a Saturday, and so had a lot of tricky clues that were changed to retool it into a Friday. Here are some of my favourites that we cooked up:
- [Sow with salt?] for CURED HAM
- [It's much more than a nose] for BIG LEAD
- [Stage a strike, say?] for REENACT
- [Area called by code 51?] for PERU
Hope to be back with another themeless soon! I currently also have a themed puzzle in the queue that I'm excited to see the reaction to. Soli Deo Gloria.
– puzzle by Boaz Moser and Jacob Reed
Sat 3/22/2025
| D | A | D | A | | G | A | W | K | | C | H | O | S | E |
| E | T | O | N | | T | W | I | N | | D | E | N | T | S |
| C | O | N | T | R | O | L | L | E | D | C | H | A | O | S |
| O | N | T | O | E | | | D | E | V | A | | P | O | I |
| | M | I | N | D | M | E | L | D | S | | O | D | E |
| L | E | O | N | O | R | A | | | R | E | P | S | | |
| A | A | V | E | | A | D | D | R | E | S | S | I | N | G |
| I | C | E | T | | G | R | O | A | N | | I | T | O | O |
| T | H | A | T | D | O | E | S | I | T | | L | I | V | E |
| | M | E | A | N | | | S | A | M | O | V | A | R |
| K | S | U | | I | C | E | P | A | L | A | C | E | | |
| I | M | S | | S | O | D | A | | | Z | Y | N | G | A |
| T | I | C | K | I | N | G | T | I | M | E | B | O | M | B |
| E | L | L | I | E | | E | C | R | U | | I | T | A | L |
| S | E | E | D | S | | S | H | A | M | | N | E | N | E |
Sun 3/23/2025 Where'd You Go?
| P | E | R | T | H | | A | I | D | A | | A | D | D | | S | C | A | L | D | S |
| O | P | E | R | A | | S | M | E | L | L | I | E | R | | T | A | K | E | I | T |
| R | E | S | I | S | T | T | H | E | M | E | R | G | E | | A | R | C | A | D | E |
| T | E | E | | S | H | O | O | T | A | T | | E | A | R | N | S | | V | A | N |
| S | T | A | L | E | R | | | | T | E | R | R | A | | | F | E | S | T |
| | | M | E | N | S | O | L | V | E | D | M | Y | S | T | E | R | I | E | S |
| E | S | A | I | | | | T | I | E | R | S | | | T | A | L | E | N | T | |
| M | E | N | D | E | R | L | I | N | E | S | | G | O | A | L | I | E | | | |
| O | A | T | | L | E | A | S | T | | | D | O | D | | C | O | W | B | O | Y |
| T | I | D | I | E | S | | | S | E | A | G | O | D | | T | I | A | R | A |
| O | T | T | O | | F | I | N | E | S | T | H | O | M | E | R | | F | R | A | Y |
| P | L | A | N | E | | K | E | N | N | E | L | | | C | O | S | I | G | N | |
| S | E | X | I | L | E | | A | B | S | | | S | P | O | O | L | | A | G | E |
| | | C | A | N | A | R | Y | | V | O | T | E | R | F | R | A | M | E | D |
| P | O | E | T | I | C | | | O | O | Z | E | S | | | | L | E | S | T |
| N | A | I | L | E | D | T | H | E | D | I | S | M | O | M | E | N | T | | | |
| O | N | L | Y | | | O | A | R | E | D | | | | O | T | O | O | L | E | |
| M | O | W | | F | A | R | R | O | | I | N | V | E | R | T | S | | A | M | P |
| A | P | E | R | O | L | | I | T | S | N | O | T | Y | O | U | I | T | S | M | E |
| A | L | L | E | G | E | | B | I | G | G | R | E | E | N | | E | A | S | Y | A |
| M | Y | L | O | S | S | | O | C | T | | A | N | D | S | | R | O | O | S | T |
Mon 3/24/2025
| H | E | A | P | | C | C | S | | | A | R | G | O | S |
| U | R | S | A | | R | O | L | D | | B | E | A | D | S |
| B | R | I | T | | O | H | I | O | | R | A | M | E | N |
| B | A | T | H | R | O | O | M | S | C | A | L | E | | |
| U | N | I | S | O | N | | Y | E | A | H | | R | E | M |
| B | T | S | | J | E | T | | | M | A | I | T | A | I |
| | | M | O | R | A | L | C | O | M | P | A | S | S |
| E | T | T | A | | | L | E | O | | | A | G | E | S |
| L | I | V | I | N | G | L | E | G | E | N | D | | | |
| M | E | D | L | E | Y | | | S | R | I | | P | G | A |
| O | R | R | | T | R | A | M | | I | G | L | O | O | S |
| | A | L | L | O | V | E | R | T | H | E | M | A | P |
| C | A | M | E | O | | I | G | O | R | | G | A | L | E |
| E | V | A | N | S | | D | A | T | E | | O | D | I | N |
| L | A | S | T | S | | | N | S | A | | S | E | E | S |
Tue 3/25/2025
| T | R | O | O | P | S | | R | S | V | P | | F | T | S |
| S | O | M | B | E | R | | I | T | O | O | | R | E | P |
| P | L | A | S | T | I | C | F | I | L | M | | I | R | A |
| S | O | R | E | S | | A | L | M | A | | O | A | R | S |
| | | S | P | A | C | E | P | R | O | G | R | A | M |
| S | A | D | S | A | C | K | | Y | E | L | L | S | | |
| I | R | E | | S | I | L | L | | | D | E | C | K | S |
| G | A | P | S | | D | E | A | L | T | | S | L | O | P |
| N | B | A | T | V | | | B | A | R | B | | U | K | E |
| | R | I | C | O | H | | S | O | A | P | B | O | X |
| W | A | T | E | R | F | E | A | T | U | R | E | | | |
| A | R | M | S | | N | A | P | E | | M | A | L | T | A |
| G | E | E | | W | O | R | L | D | S | E | R | I | E | S |
| O | W | N | | E | T | T | U | | U | N | C | A | S | T |
| N | E | T | | T | E | S | S | | P | U | E | R | T | O |
Wed 3/26/2025
| C | A | S | S | | G | U | L | P | S | | S | H | O | U | T |
| L | M | A | O | | I | D | E | A | L | | P | O | E | T | S |
| I | O | T | A | | N | O | T | M | Y | | R | O | D | E | O |
| C | R | I | M | E | | N | A | P | | B | I | C | | | |
| H | A | V | I | N | G | | T | H | O | U | G | H | T | S | |
| E | L | A | | D | I | V | | L | L | C | S | | W | A | N |
| | | J | O | N | E | S | E | D | | | B | O | N | E |
| C | O | V | E | R | A | L | L | T | H | E | B | A | S | E | S |
| U | N | I | T | | | V | I | S | A | G | E | S | | | |
| B | E | D | | J | P | E | G | | T | A | R | | P | B | R |
| G | I | V | E | S | T | H | E | | D | E | G | R | E | E |
| | | I | R | A | | T | L | C | | T | O | T | E | M |
| W | R | I | T | E | | A | B | O | U | T | | T | E | R | I |
| A | B | R | A | M | | H | I | P | T | O | | Y | A | M | S |
| S | I | L | L | Y | | S | T | E | E | P | | A | M | E | S |