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Don Gagliardo author page

12 puzzles by Don Gagliardo
with Editor comments

TotalDebutLatestCollabs
1211/13/20129/19/201712
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3151200
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131.585654%
Don Gagliardo
Puzzles constructed by Don Gagliardo by year
Tue 9/19/2017
ADDSOMITHOPED
PROWFOREANODE
ALGAFROSGORSE
CAMPAIGNSIGNS
HUENCAANIECES
ERAGENGHISKHAN
SATIEEONNERO
DRIBSKEE
VOTEMAARESTS
WRONGANSWEROAT
SONTAGHILOAKA
SILENTPARTNER
SPIKEERINHDTV
OSLINLENDISEE
PASTALEGSSONS
Thu 10/13/2016
REPORTSRWANDAN
ATHEARTARGONNE
WHOOPIEGARBAGE
BINSPFSTOOTED
ACEDEARTHDELI
RAMISNATDYSON
SLEEPYSOHOTUG
MADEPALE
OCSTSARGOLEMS
RAILSCOPREMAP
IRMASHOUTMETE
GAMBLEFREERIC
AVERAGEINSTANT
MARACASSTANLEE
INSTYLETHUNDER
Mon 8/8/2016
MIAMIAPPSEGGS
URBANDARNTREE
GRANDHOTELVENN
DISNEYHOARD
LASAGNASUITES
ACUTEIGNOBLE
REPENTIANASHY
VIETITANICCOE
ATRALENCABALA
STREETSLOPES
OTITISTALLEST
DAZEDVIOLAS
OREMBIGPICTURE
ROMPBLOBAESOP
STETCARYBRATS
Tue 3/22/2016
BOMBATALLATMS
ODIEDETOOCOOK
BOCADEFOGHOJO
ONADIETSISENOR
TRIBECA
KOALAMENPIQUE
AMIESENSEDULL
TARGETDASANI
ORSTOVWAXYAZ
HOMEGAMES
SPCAPSATSAMFM
LEASTPIKFLORA
ALPHABETIZATION
SLEEPERNOWORSE
HARDEESSONNETS
POW Sun 12/27/2015 BINARY CODE
SIPONABASESTEAMO
UNLOADNATASHAAVIANS
SHOPPINGCENTERGARRET
SAWAGELONGRUTSFRAY
ELMIRONRHYMECAIRN
DEADENDSDIALSPAREME
SNORTSINTLELATED
MAONCAAFINALSCOT
BLOTFOESCBSAURORA
LEEOSLOAAASTPAULS
ICANWINDOWFRAMESPEE
SODAPOPCHEMUSHLAD
LOOTERBOGALOTEVEN
ELFONIONRINGSGIL
FARINAENTSCANALS
ADDLINGBAASJAZZDUET
BOOLAODETSRUDEDVR
BLURPTASEVERESTDEY
ALBINOMINNESOTATWINS
SALSASEDASNERTOOTAT
REESEEVENTSPOEMS
Sun 8/16/2015 AS IT WERE
AFFIANCEDBRELGUAM
RAINDANCEATRIALANZA
MINKSTOLESEATTLESLEW
STEPTAPASSTRANGERS
ATHEISTICLASORDA
LANDHORELHEETRI
IVEOUTTAKENBYELDER
POWERSAWWIENIESLONE
ONYXERNEDRATTEDGSA
OPSOBLADIINCOLOR
HAROLDALPINESTONERS
AWKWARDPEGGEDNOG
LAMTOOTALLGARPFLEA
OREOPROTEINMARKFELT
SETHSSKEPTICYENFAT
PTSYEATOSSUBTLY
GALILEOYARDWASTE
HOMECOURTSOFASALAS
BREAKGROUNDINTHEPAST
AMASSOSTEOSERENADER
RENEESAIHEARTLESS
Sun 4/19/2015 DOUBLE DOWN
CHEAPMKTCHINTHIGH
EATSALONEWHAMOHOSEA
DIRTYINENHEARTARMING
EGERFREERANGEROOSTS
ASTOTETEALBEE
URIHEELSAYIDORIFT
SOMMERAJAMNYUKENDO
ATPAREBONIESARCSIN
GOODATUREDFINALOTICE
ERRORALSSNIPBUN
STRAYEDPRESSUP
QUMKOANSAPORALF
LAUNCHARTYEVENINGTAR
ALONSORESEEDSBEIGE
ROTITITIESSARATOUT
DEANBAABAATREENES
GORENASWEEARL
MIKADOTACOSALADATRA
STATIONAGONPAPERRAIL
ROYALIRONSOVERACTED
PROBETANSEARGHANA
Wed 9/17/2014
TERIREDOSESTP
BEEFIMEASYWEE
IRISHCOFFEEENT
RIGEEROBEENE
DENSEYESMASTER
UPNHELOTS
ECCEORDEALASH
LAOSHOSEDPLEA
MMMSELLTOOKED
BEETLEWAG
PROSEPOEMFORAY
RIFLELOSTATE
EDAPOLLINATION
EGGELOISEISNT
NEEDELETEPEEL
Thu 2/20/2014
CHIPSTOCKPILE
LENOLADLEADOS
AARPAROARDORM
PREDATORYARNIE
ICESCOSET
CARVERWORKBIN
AGUAGAUZEUNE
ROBWOODROWYAW
ORIADIETSINE
MANWINDCUTTER
SLANGRONA
TATASORIGINALS
ONESEVADECROP
OKIETETONECRU
LANDCRAFTSHED
Tue 11/26/2013
EDICTARCSABAB
DANNOHUITLENA
GRANOLABARIATE
ALPTABLOIDBUZZ
RATIONESPRIT
DODOOSIER
CASESAMUELFLU
ESCALATORCLAUSE
LAOITSAGOPLED
SPOCKETRE
BLENDSOAXACA
YOYODIETINGDOS
ENDSTRADEMARKS
OTOEEMILATEIN
WOODSANENAPES

An etymologically related theme like today's, is always welcome. The resulting theme answers here are a lot of fun, too. Among the nontheme entries I particularly liked SCOOBY-DOO, TOO TOO, OAXACA, and IT'S A GO.

Tue 8/20/2013
INTOROSAPASTA
NORIOBISARNEL
FIELDWORKTRINI
ADAUSEFSTOPS
METOOHOLYWEEK
YAYSTHERODDUI
KASEMUNAPT
LABORMARKET
STARSICEES
NOBSONNETTERM
LUCKYDOGASTER
SOUSEDRATUGH
PLANTDOUBLEDAY
BETTEEVILMELD
ASSAMDONEISEE

(In response to Jeff's comments): What percentage of solvers are tackling a Tuesday puzzle for the first time? It must be a fraction of a fraction of 1%. While I do keep beginners in mind, I'm most mindful of the fact that the vast majority of Times solvers are regulars. That's who I'm trying to entertain.

The real question regarding the KUNTA/ASSAM crossing is...is it fair? For a Times audience, I think yes. Kunta Kinte was the lead character in the most popular TV miniseries of all time — he's a cultural icon — and Assam is a celebrated state of India, with a rich history, famous for its tea and silk. These are things Times readers should know, in my opinion. And if they don't, they have failed the test. I'm not editing crosswords for supermarket tabloid readers. I'm editing for a sophisticated, educated Times audience.

My goal is not to guarantee readers error-free solutions. The Times crossword is supposed to be a challenge. That's part of what makes it interesting. I don't think watering down Tuesday's grid with more of the standard 3-, 4- and 5-letter words — with the loss of ABS SYSTEM, LAB COATS, PATTY DUKE, etc. — would have been an improvement. Easier, maybe. But better? No. Well, (as Jeff says), there's no right or wrong opinion.

Tue 11/13/2012
MELDSJAYSLAMP
UMIAKALECERAS
SCARYMETAPHORS
KENNYGIMEANIT
YEAVACSPERON
MOLOKAIFAD
IMBADSYRRASTA
DRUNKIFAINKED
LOTSAGABSAYSO
ECTUNLINKS
TILESLARYYEP
HONOREDAMPERE
OBSESSIONOASIS
EEKSUNDOVNECK
DRYSPOETESSAY
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