![]() ![]() This is the type of envelope-pushing I love to see in Thursday puzzles. Given the fact that constructors come up with identical ideas independently all the time - just like scientists - I shook off my hesitations. Should Paolo's prior art take away from Andrew's debut? Paolo's isn't easy to find, the themers not even showing up on Matt Ginsberg's extensive database, and it ran in a different publication with a different target audience. So many of the themers have so few options, that if you asked 100 experienced constructors to work up this concept, I bet that out of the 10 who didn't stab their eyes out, 8 or 9 would arrive at something approaching this northwest corner. However, this is almost surely a product of constraints. My frustratingly obsessive brain held me back from giving this an auto-POW!, as it raised a yellow flag, immediately recalling Paolo's Fireball. Such smooth results - with so few black squares in that area, allowing for not just BOLO TIE but also BRUNEI. With PRIDE MONTH lacing through CROWD NOISE and MICROWATT, I'd expect globs of crossword epoxy holding it all together. ![]() I especially appreciated the gridwork in the BOLO TIE region, where so many themers interacted. It's not simply four Acrosses, but nine crossing Downs - triplets crammed together! There are so few possibilities containing LION, it's miraculous that any arrangement of SCALLION, PAVILION, A MILLION BUCKS worked. Consider how many themers Andrew had to work with. It's disappointing to know I wasn't the first to this idea! It also seems highly fitting that the theme for both puzzles is GROUPTHINK (and an honor to be in any kind of group with a legend like Paolo). PS: I also want to shout out this similar Fireball puzzle by Paolo Pasco, which I learned about in the lead-up to publication. ![]() ![]() It is a daily puzzle and today like every other day, we published all the solutions of the puzzle for your convenience. It publishes for over 100 years in the NYT Magazine. Meanwhile, I wish I could've avoided PENAL COLONY, MICROWATT, and ANIM.Ī big thank you to Sarah, Mike, and Avery for their great guidance on early versions of this puzzle. x for one Crossword Clue NYT.The NY Times Crossword Puzzle is a classic US puzzle game. The PRIDE MONTH of LIONs is my favorite theme answer and I had fun bringing in some longer rebus entries like CROWD NOISE and DOMINANT HAND. For the revealer, I also considered HERD MENTALITY and the pop band ANIMAL COLLECTIVE. I considered an ESCAPE POD of SEALs for some versions, but ultimately CROW, LION, and ANT proved the easiest to work with. My main construction challenge was to squeeze in three sets of animals that have relatively recognizable group names. This idea was inspired by this cool 2015 puzzle by Jacob Stulberg. Top posts august 1st 2020 Top posts of august, 2020 Top posts 2020. Outside of crosswords, my passions include board games, basketball, and public staircases. A place for crossword solvers and constructors to share, create, and discuss American (NYT-style) crossword puzzles. 19691977) as he passes the torch to Eugene T. For cryptic crosswords, check out r/crosswords.So excited to make my NYT debut! I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and recently moved to Oakland, CA, where I work in healthcare analytics. History of the NYT crossword Parting column from Will Weng (ed. A place for crossword solvers and constructors to share, create, and discuss American (NYT-style) crossword puzzles. ![]()
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