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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 ...
Caitlin and Lucia
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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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This was a fine Saturday crossword - tough but fair, as Saturday crosswords were meant to be. Our favorite clue had to be 29A, Some dragonflies, DARNERS (really: apparently people used to believe that dragonflies could sew your lips shut!). We were entranced with 38A, Mediterranean plant named for its brightly colored flowers, SUNROSE. And finally …
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This was a Friday crossword, and even a casual glance through the clues and grid makes it clear that co-constructors Willa Angel Chen Miller and Erik Agard are dialing up the difficulty. Clues like 33D, This too shall pass, PHASE; 26D, What one might subscribe to, ISM, and 30D, Seeking comment, READYORNOT (brilliant!) make it perfectly clear that t…
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It seems appropriate that MENSA was in the grid (well, 4/5 of it, anyway - see the podcast for deets), because this crossword was genius. It had a stunning theme, which made the puzzle much tougher than one might expect for a Thursday. In short, think of this less as a "walk in the park" and more of a "sprint through Disneyworld". Show note imagery…
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We have it on good authority that yesterday was Wordle Day - ironic, because one of the answers in today's puzzle also solved today's wordle! That cannot possibly be a coincidence, in our humble opinion, because the odds are too low and Will Shortz is too smart. The rest of the crossword was a delight, as constructor Tom McCoy apparently does not k…
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This was a terrific Tuesday crossword by Enrique Henestroza Anguiano, featuring -- of course -- a terrific theme and a strong supporting cast of "other clues". As an example of the latter, we have 60A, Ocean, poetically, MAIN; 70A, They need a push to get started, PEDALS; and the indisputable 1D, Crossword construction, e.g., CRAFT. Wrapping it up,…
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We try and be as impartial as possible while discussing the crossword, but when our favorite vehicle -- the DeLorean, of course -- appears in the grid, we find it very difficult to stay neutral, so, we won't! Instead we will sing the praises of Eric Rolling's third NYTimes publication. Well, done, Eric! Show note imagery: TAMARA de Lempicka and fri…
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Sunday, May 4, 2025 - Ah, who can forget the uplifting strains of 🎶 tum, tum, .... tum, tum, tum, tuuuuuuuum, tum 🎶🚀 😀
15:48
Today's crossword must've surely been challenging to construct, but the end result is brilliant, thanks to constructor Brandon Koppy (under the keen supervision, no doubt, of editor Will Shortz). This puzzle was also very well timed, for reasons that will become clear as soon as you start listening (or have figured out the episode title, whichever …
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This was a very nice Saturday crossword by Michael Lieberman, his 29th for the NYTimes. It had a boatload of fine Saturday-level clues, perfectly positioned as far as difficulty is concerned: enough to make you sweat, but (if you've been solving these puzzles for a while) not enough to crush your spirit, either. There were no major Naticks* (except…
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Robyn Weintraub is well known for writing awesomely good clues, and that talent is definitely on display today: it is not for nothing that she is known (eh, at least to us), as the Queen of the Friday crossword. We have proof inside, so do have a listen. Besides the crossword, it's Friday, and we have a fabulous Fun Fact Friday segment for your edi…
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If the theme of today's crossword leaves your head spinning, there is a perfectly natural and non-medically-related explanation. We'd like to tell you what that is here, but true to our motto of "as few spoilers as possible, whenever we remember", we will defer that discussion for the moment. Instead, we will celebrate a few other clues of note, su…
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This was a crisply clued Wednesday crossword, with lots of novel takes and perplexing posers in the puzzle. Right away we have, at 1D, Blade sheathed in a saya, KATANA. We have a debut at 30A, Alternative to a blur or pixelation, CENSORBAR. And even 52D, "Hey, I've got a secret to tell you", PSST, felt fresh. A very nice bit of work by Adam Vincent…
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Today's crossword was a debut for Gene Louise De Vera, so a few lusty "huzzahs" would not be out of place. The grid had some interesting features: we liked the the juxtaposition of 39D, Children's author Asquith, ROS, and 40D, "Hel-l-lp!", SOS. We were pleased to see the presence of 19A, "The Gift of the Magi" writer, OHENRY, and had hoped to also …
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This was a gentle Monday crossword. Jean moved through it almost as fast as a MAKO (up to 46 mph, according to 29D). Mike took a tad longer, but was still able to MAKO good time 🙄. We have all the deets inside, so have a listen, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss another episode. Show note imagery: A few bars from EINE Kleine Nachtmusi…
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In crossword circles, a debut answer is one that has never appeared in the grid before -- and they tend to bet quite interesting. Today, for instance, we had 33A, Food-centric broadcasts originating in South Korea, MUKBANGS (sounds intriguing); 65D, Periods of abstinence from TV, news, social platforms, etc., MEDIAFASTS (sounds like a focused Dande…
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Today's crossword was a "relatively" straightforward Saturday crossword. Saturdays are always tough, and this was by no means a walk in the park, but neither was it a rope-free climb of El Capitan. There were a few surprising clues in the grid -- most notably 27A, "That's so relatable," in modern slang, MOOD -- a very modern clue for an ancient ans…
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This was a nice Friday crossword by Adrian Johnson, a bit of a palette cleanser after yesterday's definitely crunchier-than-usual epic. We found some great clues in the puzzle, such as 34A, Passage in a mystery novel?, HIDDENSTAIRCASE (😀); 12D, Light touch from a decorator?, ACCENTLAMP (brilliant, especially when it's turned on 😎); and the very bes…
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This was a debut crossword by Kathleen Duncan -- congrats!! -- and it was a doozy. Jean managed to get through it in fairly good time, but Mike ran into the proverbial lexicographic abyss in the southwest corner, and managed to escape just in the NICK of time. To hear more about his harrowing escape, and Jean's easy sashay through the very same puz…
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One of the most enjoyable moments in NYTimes-crossword-solving, is when one is completely floored by an answer, only to discover, with a bit of research, that it is apparently the 5th most popular word of the year, and that you are the only person in a 10 mile radius who has not heard of it. We had such an experience in today's puzzle -- a fine eff…
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We had a fine Tuesday crossword by a frequent contributor to the NYTimes, Alex Eaton-Salners. There are many perfectly good reasons why AE-S has had 73 puzzles published in the pantheon of crosswords, and they are all on display in today's work. So check it out, and, as always, let us know what you think. In other news, we have our latest Triplet T…
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This was Thomas van Geel's second NYTimes crossword, and it is an awesome example of an LOL theme. Have a listen, and you'll see what we mean. A reminder, this is your last day to enter last week's Triplet Tuesday Contest, and potentially win some magnificent swag. Just check out last Tuesday's episode, and then send your entry our way. Show note i…
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Today's crossword was somewhat of a gently sloping foothill for Jean, and an Everest atop an Everest for Mike. The former made it through the crossword in a longer-than-usual-but-still-reasonable time frame, whereas for the latter it seemed that several civilizations rose, prospered, and fell, before he finally got the happy music. We've covered th…
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Friday, April 18, 2025 - BARBIECORE? That's nothing compared to ... wait for it ... crosswordcore™️!!!!
14:29
We are delighted to announce the purely coincidental arrival, on the same day that this fabulous crossword brought us BARBIECORE, of crosswordcore™ -- the rules of which are quite straightforward, and we are very pleased to be able to set forth, for the first time AFAWCT, right here: Rule 1: wear and/or decorate with any color you want, as long as …
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Thursday, April 17, 2025 - Let's see, there are FARRIERS and FURRIERS, but no FIRRIERS or FORRIERS ... that seems very UNFAIRIERS 🙄
17:36
Our cohosts took highly divergent paths towards victory on this crossword - Jean took the high road, and had a lovely time; Mike took the low road, and for his pains got repeatedly stuck in the mire. Still, there was a lot to admire in today's grid, and to find out what that was, check out today's episode. Show note imagery: The JETSONS! We love fe…
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This was a slightly crunchier than usual Wednesday*, for one very good reason. We're not going to tell you that reason just yet, but we cerealously believe you'll like it once you hear it 😀😉🙄. Besides the terrific theme, we had numerous intriguing and occasionally perplexing clues, such as 18A, Flying Cloud and Royale, for two, REOS; 60A, "Nelson's…
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Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - It's a two-fer! An abfab crossword, *and* an abfab Triplet Tuesday Contest, huzzah!! 🎉
18:04
In today's episode, we have a two-fer. First, an awesome crossword, a debut by Per Bykodorov that is just brimming with microtome-sharp clues, and an LOL theme. But wait, there's more 😀 We have our latest Triplet Tuesday Contest, your chance to go (asynchronously) head-to-head against Jean to see who can grab the TTC ring. The rules are straightfor…
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This was a very nice Monday crossword, and an NYTimes debut for both of its authors, Stacy Cooper and Ken Cohen. There were, of course, a variety of clues, some fun -- 51A, Roller coaster exclamation, WHEE 😀; some enlightening -- 65A, Elite group whose members include Steve Martin and Geena Davis, MENSA; and some particularly timely -- 30D, Org. th…
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This was a sweet Sunday crossword, with an unusual theme, unusual grid size (!), but the usual great clues that we expect from a Sunday NYTimes crossword. We've covered the biggies in today's episode, but we'd also like to note the "little" people, er, answers, without which this grid would be comically empty. For example, 32D, Prefix with bel, DEC…
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Saturday, April 12, 2025 - Time for some COMICRELIEF, and, good news! It's in the grid, and in the episode.
14:33
This was a very nice (i.e., quite tricky) Saturday crossword. Fortunately (for Mike), there were not a lot of pop culture references, and fortunately (for Jean), she knows things™️. This marks the third NYTimes crossword penned by Jesse Cohn, and we eagerly await his fourth. Besides this crossword, we also have our JAMCOTWA - Jean and Mike Crosswor…
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Friday, April 11, 2025 - Think your LensCrafters bill is high? Be glad you're not a SEASCALLOP 😀 🕶️
14:52
Today's crossword had OCEANS of great clues. To pick just three, we had 1A, Some pops, COCACOLAS (Mike's favorite beverage!); 12D, Fabulizes, SPINSAYARN (the answer was fine: the clue, divine); and 34A, Vulgarian, BOOR (Vulgarian sounds Shakespearean, but, alas and alack, the bard never penned it). Show note imagery: A few of a SEASCALLOP's many ey…
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Thursday, April 10, 2025 - Hmmm... a Saturday crossword seems to have strayed into Thursday territory 😱
16:15
Both cohosts found this to be an exceptionally tough Thursday crossword -- but they are not complaining, as many of the clues were home runs, and the theme was a grand slam. Somehow, Adam Wagner -- the author of today's oeuvre (ably abetted by Will Shortz) -- always manages to produce great works. Deets inside, so have a listen, and let us know wha…
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This was an exceptionally memorable Wednesday crossword. The theme was inspired, but the rest of the puzzle was just chockfull of equally brilliant entries. We have all the deets inside, so we earnestly invite you to download, listen up, and ... enjoy! Show note imagery: RIP, TAN M&Ms We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listen…
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Today's crossword was fun (absolutely!), fast (YMMV), and this episode has exactly the same characteristics! So have a listen, and remember, we're having our next Triplet Tuesday Contest next week, so listen to today's segment to get the format, start practicing, and start honing your acceptance speech (you know, just in case ...) Show note imagery…
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One of the best parts of doing the NYTimes Crossword is the thrill of learning something new. For example, today our hosts learned that ASH Ketchum is no longer the star of the Pokémon anime series, and sorely missed (at least in some quarters). We have all the deets inside, as well as numerous amusing Easter eggs, so have a listen, and as always, …
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Kareem Ayas has put together an ingenious Sunday crossword, with a lot of layers - wheels within wheels, you might say, and as soon as you see the grid you'll understand exactly why that would be so apropos. We cover a lot of territory today, so grab your favorite beverage, hit play, and prepare to a) sip, and b) enjoy! Show note links: NILE green …
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Saturdays are supposed to be the toughest crosswords of the week, and Rafael Musa definitely got the memo: the amount of misdirection in today's puzzle would have David Copperfield nodding approvingly. We've covered most of Mr. Musa's masterpieces in today's episode, but a few others worthy of note are the fabulous 8D, Gag order?, TMI (hah!); 35A, …
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There were a lot of long answers in this crossword, but fortunately they were also very common phrases. Otherwise, this would've been a Saturday or perhaps an Impossiday™️ crossword. As it stands, this puzzle was a terrific Friday, and the reason why is no mystery: Karen Steinberg wrote it and Will Shortz edited it. Show note imagery: JETHRO Tull (…
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Today's crossword was by Hanh Huynh. His Thursday crossword themes have always been brilliant, and we are pleased to announce that with today's puzzle his streak remains intact: may it live long and prosper! Show note imagery: BARQS Rootbeer We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! Drop us a line, crosswordpodcast@ic…
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Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - CIAO - the *perfect* word when you've forgotten if you're coming or going 😀 😀
12:09
This was a highly pleasing mid-week crossword by Daniel Bodily. There were some NEAT clues (including 15A, "Sweet!", NEAT); clues with a lot of HEART (25A, Trick-taking card game, HEARTS); and clues that we got right away (51D, "Pronto!", STAT 😀). All told, a fine puzzle, and it is therefore with great pleasure that we award it a full 5 squares, on…
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Today's crossword was the perfect April 1st crossword -- as a Tuesday, it was not too difficult, but it was very meta, and very relatable, making for a great solve. We have Sande Milton (supervised, of course, by Will Shortz) to thank for this, his third crossword for the NYTimes. Beyond the crossword, we have our heavily trademarked and patented T…
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OK, perhaps "obsessed" is a little over the top, because technically ZEST itself only showed up once, as per custom; but the clues and answers were still quite snappy. Our particular favorite? 46D, Producers of six-packs, SITUPS (nice!). We were also delighted to see 15A, King of the gods, in Egyptian myth, AMON. And while AMON may not translate as…
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Simeon Seigel tends to write crosswords just like this one - filled with clever and novel clues. We present, as exhibit A, ... 105A, Its southernmost point, Pamana Island, is more than 750 miles below the Equator, ASIA (amazing!) 106A, Group in "a pension fund", AEIOU (outstanding!) 40A, Returns a call, in a way, ECHOES (wow, wow, wo, wo, w, w, ...…
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We have returned after a brief, unplanned hiatus, and welcoming us back were Christina Iverson and Jacob McDermott, who have prepared a delightful, and notably not-soul-crushingly-difficult Saturday crossword for us to inspect, dissect and discuss. Deets inside, so have a listen, and, as always, please tell others about us on social media. Show not…
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We'd give this crossword an APLUS, for no other reason than that it gave us an APLUS, as in 54D, Highest grade. But lest we be accused of grade inflation, we would like to submit as evidence 29A, "Old Man ___ at Cloud" (bit from "The Simpsons" that became an internet meme), YELLS (Will must really like The Simpsons 😀); 35D, X-ray ___ (novelty goggl…
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This was a nice debut by Victor Schmitt, yet another "cute n' clever" theme that definitely lives up to its name. (We note parenthetically that "Cute n' Clever" would be an awesome name for a pet store for Mensa cats, and if one ever comes into being, we hope to add it as an advertiser immediately 😀). Apart from the clues mentioned in today's episo…
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Jean made short work of today's crossword, armed as she was with a PANOPLY of answers, whereas Mike, for whom PANOPLY was the only gimme in the grid, had to toil a wee bit longer -- and by a "wee bit", we really mean weeeeeeeeeeeee bit -- before he managed to get to the happy music. Show note imagery: TERRA Nova National Park, in Newfoundland, Cana…
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Saturday, March 22, 2025 - In the grid, and in the nightmares of spelling bee-ers everywhere, PSILOCYBIN!
16:15
This was an excellent Saturday crossword -- with clue difficulty mostly ranging from scarily difficult to "you must be joking, Ms. Hoody". These sorts of puzzles make for a deeply satisfying solve (if you can), and no loss of face (if you cannot). Also, any crossword that manages to quietly work ICEPALACE, ICET, and SAMOVAR into the same grid clear…
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This was a good, challenging, but ultimately doable -- provided you've had lots and lots of practice! -- Friday crossword. The clues were quite fresh, and apart from those mentioned on the podcast, we'd like to highlight 24D, Sports great who said "If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be", BERRA (😀); 40A, "Hot-diggity" or "Cool it", SLANG (of cou…
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The title probably could do with a few more "wows", as today's crossword by Daniel Grinberg clearly deserves to be in the pantheon of crossword masterpieces. Indeed, both cohosts feel that they will never forget where they were at the moment that they solved this crossword (Jean, couch; Mike, chair). For deets on why we are tossing so many laurels …
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This crossword was brilliant -- primarily because of the astronomical phenomenon that formed the heart of today's theme, visually dominated the grid, and was echoed in several other clues. For instance: 28D, Astrophysicist ___ deGrasse Tyson, NEIL; 17A, Thoroughly enjoyed oneself, HADABLAST; and one of Mike's favorite movies, 46D, 2019 sci-fi film …
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It was with great satisfaction that we welcome back to the grid Alan ALDA, who has not made too many appearances as of late, always glad to see a great ... whatever Alan ALDA is ... back in the saddle, so to speak. We also were glad to see SNL make an appearance, although since they were just mentioned yesterday, their appearance today is not nearl…
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