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A short, fun and occasionally not unintentionally educational podcast in which two fans of the New York Times crossword describe their puzzle-solving travails.
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Talk Direction: The 1D (& Harry Styles) Podcast / SIGN OF THE TIMES / Ever Since New York / Sweet Creature / Kiwi / One Direction / Niall Horan / This Town / Harry Styles / Liam Payne / Zayn Malik / Louis Tomlinson / Just Hold On
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Talk Direction: The 1D (& Harry Styles) Podcast / SIGN OF THE TIMES / Ever Since New York / Sweet Creature / Kiwi / One Direction / Niall Horan / This Town / Harry Styles / Liam Payne / Zayn Malik / Louis ...
Caitlin and Lucia
We're Caitlin and Lucia, two gals who love music, feminism, and One Direction. Here on Talk Direction we discuss everything and anything 1D! This means that as Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik continue their paths as solo artists, we will be right there with them. We’ll be analyzing song lyrics for their deeper meanings, gushing about Harry's fashion evolution, and making predictions about future solo albums from the boys!
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Argos, you may recall, if you happen to be particularly long lived and/or well read, was a giant, Hera's servant, and a particularly good watcher, thanks to a surplus of eyes, at least 100. This crossword doesn't have quite that many, but as you'll hear in today's podcast, Alexandria Mason, the constructor of today's fine puzzle, managed to work in…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
An award winning Sunday crossword, with movies that -- even if you don't go to movies -- you will (almost) surely know. But you probably don't know them in their present form, and it is a delight to see in just how many ways a movie title can be punned / rebussed -- Jeffrey Lease seems to know all of them. More deets inside, so please ... subscribe…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A challenging Saturday crossword, Jean in particular had to take a stroll through her vast mind palace in order to get through today's puzzle, whereas Mike had to rely on what is, alas, not so much a mind palace as a mind broom closet in order to seize victory from the jaws of cruciverbial defeat. We liked this crossword a lot, and for that reason …
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A delightful Friday crossword by Malaika Handa, with some familiar clues, but not many, as befits a Friday. Some of our favorites include the most excellent 12A, Illegal product that's still made?, MOONSHINE (ha!); the mysterious 22D, Go into one's "phone voice", say, CODESWITCH (huh!); and the rarely seen (at least in crosswords!) 27D, Form of pro…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Once again the NYTimes crossword typesetters are pushing the envelope, today by working musical staffs into the clues. They did a great job (er, except on the iPhone, where the staffs appeared as black rectangles 😱), and all in a good cause, the theme. We don't want to give away too much -- check out today's episode for the full deets -- but we wil…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Wednesday, September 27, 2023 - NOAMCHOMSKY weighs in on "colorless green ideas" -- we kid you not!
16:54
It is reasonable to assume that any crossword that works NOAMCHOMSKY into the grid and the theme is going to be deep, and we're talking Mariana Trench complexity here, thanks to a splendid work by Scott Koenig. Deets inside, as well as some insightful listener mail about Lyme, CT and why you should visit -- so have a listen, and, as usual, let us k…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
For those of you who have been hoarding tech terms like they're going out of style (which being tech terms, they will), now's your chance to haul them out, and for a good cause: to solve a great puzzle by Shannon Rapp (her debut!) and Rebecca Goldstein (her 10th, or in binary, 1010!). A fine Tuesday, clearly worth 5 squares on the JAMCR scale. Cont…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
It's not clear if the phrase "Queen of Mondays" has ever been applied to Lynn Lempel, but having written 73 crosswords for the first day of the work week (out of a whopping 101 of hers that have been published in the NYTimes), it is an apt one. To see why the NYTimes has seen fit to publish so many of her crosswords, all you have to do is check out…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Sunday, September 24, 2023 - Joe Fagliano and Christina Iverson would like to tell you a story: once a pun a time ...
11:11
Today's crossword, by Joel Fagliano and Christina Iverson, is either, depending on your perspective, a magnificent collection of brilliant puns, or ... a magnificent collection of brilliant puns, there is no other way to interpret what is, as previously noted, a magnificent collection of brilliant puns. 🙄 Can you tell that we liked this crossword? …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A challenging Saturday crossword, at least for one of our dynamic duo, thanks in part to his confidence that McTwist was a delectable McDonald's treat. Ah, but today's crossword disabused him of that notion (eventually): to hear all the deets, and see what else is lurking in the grid, have a listen and, as always, let us know what you think! Contac…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Friday, September 22, 2023 - Let's get this straight ... there's a penguin in a bodice sipping a BUDICE?
18:04
An excellent Friday crossword - not particularly difficult, but filled with some delightful clues. For example, 38A, Country described in "One can't impose unity out of the blue on a country that has 265 different kinds of cheese", France (delicious!); or 10D, Givers of priceless gifts, ORGANDONORS (in retrospect, of course!); and 41A, Bear necessi…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Just when you think that the lode of clever themes has been exhausted, someone strikes pay dirt, and today we have Dan Cabrera to thank and congratulate for his new find, a delightful theme that really soars -- thanks to a flock of fabulous themed clues and answers. Deets inside, so have a listen, and, as usual, let us know what you think! Contact …
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Jean and Mike, solving separately as usual, had distinctly different impressions of today's crossword. Jean found it to be a bit of a slog, whereas Mike -- thanks to, well, let's face it, a large but largely undeserved dollop of good luck -- was able to make it through the grid in a goodly time. Deets inside, so have a listen, and as always, let us…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Tuesday, September 19, 2023 - SESQUIPEDALIAN - runner up in the "Most Difficult Word to Slip into a Conversation" contest 😀
19:00
A crunchier than usual Tuesday crossword, both of your cohosts had to dig deeply for the win, with Jean struggling at the top, while Mike's bane was in the southern hemisphere of the grid. But it was a fabulous puzzle, and we have Gia Bosko to thank for that, so ... thank you, Gia! In other news, it's Triplet Tuesday, and Jean's on the hot-seat. To…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
There was lot of color in today's grid, thanks to a colorful theme -- and we mean that literally. Beyond our cutting edge analysis, in today's episode we have a heartfelt apology to the good people of Fond du Lac, as well as the origin story of the PARSNIP! Deets within! Remember that doing the NYTimes Crossword is a great way to preserve those har…
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For those of you who grew up in the era of the Beatles, Electric Light Orchestra, Cat Stevens, and the like, you're going to love this crossword; for everyone else, you're really going to need those crosses, and a quick perusal of the Top 100 hits of the 70s through 90s might also be advisable. Deets inside, so please subscribe / download / listen …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Saturday, September 16, 2023 - BALDCAP, de rigeur for the follicly well-endowed Mr. Clean impersonators
23:40
A decidedly crunchy Saturday crossword, with a grid-full of great clues, including 39A, Good thing to stretch out before doing yoga, MAT (nice one!); 28A, Remover of dirt ... or spreader of dirt, RAG (even nicer one!); and 5D, One sans plus-ones, STAGS (oh deer, er, dear, that was brilliant!). In other news, we have a superb Oh That's How You Prono…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A nice Friday crossword, which at least one of our cohosts found considerably easier than Thursdays, in spite of multiple daunting, grid-spanning clues. Those clues contributed to the dearth of black squares in the grid - it was pretty much a sea of white, with just 35 black squares (out of a possible, in theory, 225, although it's doubtful that th…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Thursday, September 13, 2023 - Thar's buried treasure in that there grid, and X marks the spot 😀
16:20
A delightful Thursday crossword by Vasu Seralathan, with an eXtraordinary theme, and a surrounding cast of clues that is a joy to behold. Don't believe it? Check out today's episode, and if you are not absolutely convinced that this was a JAMCOTWA (Jean And Mike Crossword Of The Week Award)-worthy crossword, then your money will be cheerfully refun…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Wednesday, September 13, 2023 - Today's crossword was, in NATO alphabet parlance, Golf Romeo Echo Alpha Tango!
13:10
A highly amusing crossword by Guilherme Gilioli, with a paradoxical theme , as well as a plethora of "huh, never heard of that" moments, most notably ... nope! we are not going to spoil the podcast by spilling the beans here. To find out what those moments were, join us in the journey through the grid by having a listen to today's episode. Contact …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Ella Dershowitz has a reputation for crafting awesome crosswords, and she does nothing to sully that in today's puzzle, with a fine set of clues that run from funny to punny to ... some other word that ends in unny (ahem). 🙄 We were particularly fond of 11D, Patti, in the American Theater Hall of Fame, LUPONE (well known to Jean, not so much, or to…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A fun Monday crossword, with, as usual, an unusual theme that hits the sweet spot, both accessible and amusing. We have all the deets inside, including an important PSA if you're considering ACL surgery 🙄, so please, subscribe / download / listen up / enjoy / and don't forget to give us a 5-star review wherever you're listening to this podcast! Con…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A twisty sort of Sunday crossword, mainly because of the theme but enhanced by some rather diabolical (as always, in a good way) sort of clues, including 62A, A head, PER; 118A, Brown, for one, IVY ; and 47D, Goal that sends a game into overtime, EVENER. There was also a bevy of pop culture references that are definitely worth checking out, includi…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Saturday, September 9, 2023 - Whim whams, whim whams, whim whams, we could say that all day 😀
9:38
A very sharp Saturday crossword, with sparkling clues / answers, and some LOL moments, including 38D, Whim whams, NERVES (that's a new one!); 12D, "So many _______, so little know" (proverb), ASSUME (see previous clue's comment); and 48D, Monthly releases?, OVA (nice!). We liked this crosswords a lot, hats off to Robert S. Gard for such a fabulous …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A tough Friday crossword -- as Friday crosswords are wont to be -- with clues like 24A, "Skip it!", ROPE (heh, heh); 20D, "Nice to see ya today!", MORNIN (yikes!); and 61A, X, as in Ximenes? (quick, fetch the fainting couch!). There were also (for Mike, at least), some major spelling challenges, most notably 16A, Pasta whose names derives from the …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Thursday, September 7, 2023 - For the record, and like today's crossword, this podcast was *not* AIGENERATED 🤖
15:03
Today's crossword was rebus-free but humor-rich, with a wry undercurrent based on the world's current obsession with all things AI. We believe that this crossword was written by a human being, one Ryan Patrick Smith, and not an AI bot claiming to be Ryan Patrick Smith ... unless ... are all those claims of the former in the grid an example of "me t…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Wednesday, September 6, 2023 - BAGEL, a delicious breadstuff and an aptly-named tennis score
16:48
A nice Wednesday crossword by Blake Slonecker, with a surprising number of answers that just raised more questions (all of which we cover, of course, in the podcast). There were a few great clues that didn't quite make into that episode, though, including 60A, In the public eye, SEEN (duh!); the droll 28D, Lights up?, IRRADIATES; and 37D, Dirt-digg…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A noble Tuesday crossword, one that reminds us (multiple times) of the virtues of having a BFF. The grid was teeming with good clues, including 11D, End piece?, CODA (heh, heh); 40D, Ficus that produces sweets favored by a 44-across, FIGTREE (we just like the word ficus!); and 32D, "Ooh, tell us everything!", DOSAY (we can hear the poshness in the …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Any crossword that works BLOOP, DUPE and PEEKABOO into the grid (4A, Baseball hit just over the infield; 46A, Pull a fast one on; and 37D, Game for an infant, respectively) has our sincere respect and admiration -- and even more because of a theme that is clearly in the ascendant, which will make more sense once you've heard the podcast or solved t…
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For those of you who spend waaaay too much time in front of a computer screen, you should have a leg up as you solve this crossword (especially if you're doing so in a hammock 🙄). Beyond the 21st century theme, there were some great clues, such as 118A, A little help around the holidays, ELF (heh, heh); 50A, It ain't just a river in Egypt!, DENIAL …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A nice Saturday crossword by Rebecca Goldstein, with some curious clues such as 30A, Call from a server, maybe, ADIN (we're still trying to work that one out!!); the magnificent 44A, Oxford English Dictionary's Word of the Year in 2022, describing an unapologetically self-indulgent state, GOBLINMODE (delightful!); and the devious 28D, "Just the che…
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This crossword, ITSABEAUT, and we're not just saying that because that happens to be the answer to 11D, "Would you look at that!". The grid is just effervescent, and includes an amazing 10 debuts (including ITSABEAUT). It also includes what has become, within 30 seconds of starting to listen to it, Mike's favorite group, OKGO (4D, Indie group band …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A relatively straightforward Thursday crossword -- no rebuses (rebusae?), answers that circled back on one another, or bow-ties -- but the theme was a great one nonetheless, as it ... nope, no spoilers! If you want to know more (and we hope you do!), you'll need to subscribe / download / listen up and (we hope!) enjoy. Contact Info: We love listene…
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When we say that this was a novel crossword, we are not telling stories ... but Alex Eaton-Salners, the author of today's crossword is, in a dazzling cruciverbalistic tour de force. You can see the entire story, er, crossword, right here, and you can hear our take on it by downloading right ⬇️ or ⬆️ or ⬅️ or ➡️ 😀 Contact Info: We love listener mail…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
The best crosswords entertain and educate, and this puzzle manages to do both, in spades. To find out what the (to continue the card metaphor) deal is, please subscribe / download / listen / enjoy and prepare to be educated! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to dr…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
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Monday, August 28, 2023 - WAHOO, GOSH and TOOT - 3 words in today's grid or a famed legal firm? You be the judge!
11:11
A nice Monday crossword (a debut for Brian Callahan 🎉), with an UNforgettable theme, if you know what we mean -- and you will know once you've listened to today's podcast, so please hit those subscribe, download, and play buttons ASAP (10A, "Hop to it!"). Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
If you like alliterations, you'll love today's crossword, as the grid is crawling with them. as well as some other fabulous answers. Who can resist the absolutely magnificent 104D, Singer Jon with the 1992 hit, "Just Another Day", SECADA (seriously, if you haven't heard this song, you need to drop everything you're doing right now and listen!). And…
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A supremely challenging Saturday crossword, but Jean once again demonstrated why she deserves the monicker "Queen of Crosswords", sailing through it without a care in the world. Mike's trip was a little bumpier ... less "sailing" and more "going over Niagara Falls in a barrel". A few samples: 11A, This might change your mind, LSD (uh-huh); 37D, See…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
It is not clear if there is an English word that describes "a collection of stunningly good clues", but if there isn't, we would like to recommend the "Musa", after the author of today's crossword, Rafael Musa, as that's definitely what we have here. Deets inside, so please subscribe, download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Contact Info: We love listen…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A joyously unique Thursday crossword, with an absolutely ingenious theme that has to be seen to be believed. Fortunately, you can do so right here, and of course read all about it right here! Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel free to drop by there and strike up a conve…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A delicious Wednesday crossword by Michael Lieberman, with a cool theme, clever clues (like 45A, End of a two-player Harlem Globetrotters play, OOP ; and 49D, Source of a scandalous comment, HOTMIC), and the irresistible opportunity to pose the question, if trucks bearing SALTINES and OREOS collided at a high rate of speed, would you end up with SQ…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A splendid Tuesday crossword, a debut for Jay Silverman, and if you find yourself breaking out in song while doing this crossword, you will be forgiven (um, unless you're a very bad singer 😀). In addition to the clues that we cover in the podcast, we'd like to give a shoutout to 29D, "Oh, dang!", AWSNAP (a debut!), and the very popular "Being _____…
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Hold the (homo)phone!, it's another delightful Monday crossword by Jennifer Nutt (her 9th, in fact). There were some revelations in the grid, such as 2D, "Bear" in a eucalyptus forest, KOALA; 33D, It broke up on December 26, 1991, USSR; and Mike's favorite, 8D, Fur tycoon John Jacob, ASTOR (yay!). Deets inside, so download, listen up, and ... let u…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A great start to our crossword solving week, courtesy of Michael Schlossberg, who seems to be pathologically unable to construct anything less than a stellar crossword -- and we offer as evidence, exhibit A, in fact, today's puzzle. Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@icloud.com. Also, we're on FaceBook, so feel fr…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A nice Saturday crossword, and a debut by David P. Williams, so kudos not only for getting published, but for constructing such an excellent puzzle, with such tremendously enjoyable phrases as the aforementioned GILDTHELILY, MOLLYCODDLE, and one of our favorite words, PROSAIC. Today's WYMSA (Words You Might See Again) entry is 33A, Asian appetizer,…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
Kameron Austin Collins is another reliably fabulous cruciverbalist, who specializes in Saturday puzzles but occasionally produces a Friday (such as the fine one we dive into in here). In other news, it's Fun Fact Friday ™️, and today's star is none other than the lady we met for the first time in. yesterday's grid, Effa Manley. Contact Info: We lov…
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
They say that practice makes perfect, and this crossword is a perfect example, It's by Erik Agard (his 77th for the NYTimes), and is a master class in great cluing. For example, we were very chuffed to see ... 48A, Chuffed, GLAD; we were also thrilled to see an answer from yesterday make a reappearance, but in an entirely different clue: 59A, Part …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
In honor of Indian Independence Day, we have this visually stunning crossword (click on the link to see what we mean). It doesn't look quite like the original, but considering the medium is crossword squares, it's pretty good. Deets inside, and, a first, we have some episode artwork! Remember, the NYTimes crossword is a great way to stay sharp and …
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Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword
A trendy, Tuesday crossword by Malaika Handa, with a smattering of rarer clues, such as 18D, Gun control activist David, HOGG; 11D, Payment after a split between unmarried partners, PALIMONY (amusing word for a decidedly unamusing subject); and 12D, Italian sparkling wine, PROSECCO (not to be confused, as Mike was wont to do, with PROSCIUTTO). It's…
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Today's crossword is a real deal - two puzzles for the price of one, and the second involves math (or at least arithmetic). Fear not, though, a calculator is not required, but a willingness to have fun is -- and if you're listening to this podcast, fun is guaranteed. In other news, we have more on MOCHAS thanks to listener mail, and a reminder that…
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