This web browser is not supported. Use Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox for best results.

Thumbnails

Puzzles for December, 2015
with Editor comments

Tue 12/1/2015
CHOSEIMACAMPS
HAPPYMOTHBALI
ADEERBORAONYX
IONCEHADAGIRL
NUTIDSACTION
STOMPSCLEEKE
ORSHOULDISAY
ULNAUSBARTY
SHEONCEHADME
ROWCADOSSIFY
SHIVERASHMOO
NORWEGIANWOOD
ERSTACHEEAGLE
BIKESHAGAREEL
BOYSHOSEPENDS
Wed 12/2/2015
AJAMMOTHSOFIA
LUNAAVIAPOEMS
LIGHTYEARAHIGH
ICERAINPARSLO
SELESPOLESTAR
OBIKOLAMRHYDE
NANONETAIR
RADIATIONBELT
INTEVADIAL
GRANDENACLEXE
REDGIANTIDAHO
APEAREACROBAT
PESCISUPERNOVA
EATINTAILOVER
STEAKSWATREND
POW Thu 12/3/2015
STRAPORGYLUTZ
THEMEMEREAZIZ
ARIELEMILDITZ
RUNNINGIMPTY
COAXODETS
OPERASDAXIGHT
FITINLIAMRIA
FLAGSOIVFATHERS
ILLVESTROSSI
CAIIMANGUESTS
ERATOPLIE
CBVIIINGNEWS
JOSHINXSRADIO
ALOESCATIPASS
WENDEARSTEMPO
Fri 12/4/2015
FALLSPROLIFIC
ALIENDEODORANT
COMPUTERMONITOR
THOUGHTSMGS
SASSROESHA
MEXBUTPST
APPLIEDRESEARCH
CELESTIALEMPIRE
ICANSEEFORMILES
DAYTONTENNESSEE
SNOUSSGAD
NPRDIMMEGA
AIRONELINER
OPERATINGSYSTEM
RATSNESTSREESE
EXCESSESERRED
Sat 12/5/2015
RAMADASHOTPAR
ELICITJOETORRE
SANESTINNOTIME
UMATHURMANEVEN
MOREYAIREDANA
EDENRMNRUSTIC
SETMARYSBLEAT
PINOCCHIO
CONANDRAINFIB
AVESTAIRSROLO
PEPSPICEJELLO
ARTSRFKSTADIUM
BLUELINEUNEASE
LANCELOTMEAGER
EYETESTSTRESS
Sun 12/6/2015 WITH DRAWL
RAMCOMATRIPSSPHERE
IDOVEEROHAREHEAPED
FINJUSTONEMOWERTHING
FEAROFHYATTSSVENCOY
SUSHITOTADAGE
TENSILEUPONMONDO
CREATIVERIOTERSELTON
HERPIASPEAKTODELL
OTISPESTLESORDERLY
PRETTYSHOERGENOAN
SYSCOEMTROTNECCO
HOARSENIGHTMAYORS
DEPALMATOSHIBAEMUS
IVORIMPLORECATPSI
GILLSPRIAMREALESTATE
SLEETAULDALLYEAR
VSIGNPBSEXTRA
ERALUCKBAYERMINIMUM
DOUBLEYELLOWLIONSEMO
ALLIESMOOLAGAGANBC
MOTORSPOBOYSTAYTAO
Mon 12/7/2015
AVASTMEOWLEAD
CEDARAMMOAXLE
TROYAIKMANITLL
IDSIMEANIDEAL
VIETNAMGAUNT
HOMERSIMPSON
CESAREELSINC
ALOTILIADFOCI
REPADENCANES
ACHILLESHEEL
TORTEONRAMPS
ROMEOLINDAYEP
ARONPARISMETRO
SARIAVONIMHOT
ALECRANGCOSTS

In case anyone is curious about how crossword clues are fact-checked and edited, my assistant, Joel, taped us editing today's and tomorrow's puzzles, and he's transcribed a bit of our discussion each day. It illustrates our process as well as our back-and-forth, which sometimes goes off on tangents. We work together at a desk in my office. I'm on an iPad, surrounded by dictionaries and books. Joel sits next to me at the main computer. Below, we're working on the clue for 2-Down, VERDI. The constructor's given clue was "'Rigoletto' composer."

Will: Verdi. Hmm. [Reaches for the Oxford Dictionary of Opera]

Joel: How many people do you think own the Oxford Dictionary of Opera?

Will: Not many, not many. You know, I was thinking the other day ... I have not updated my reference library in a while. I think it's because ... I don't feel I need to. Just about everything is online. I wonder if most of these books are even being produced anymore. If I go to the bookstore and look in the reference section ...

Joel: [pointing to another book on the shelf] Well, you're not going to find Milton Cross's "Complete Stories of the Great Operas," probably.

Will: That's out of print. Great reference, though.

Joel: When was this made … oh, two dollars, good for you. Oh, 1952. It smells like an old book.

Will: It's still worth having, because I feel, first of all, I can trust it. And, second, I know my books so well that sometimes I can look things up faster in books than I can online.

[pause]

Will: [Thinking back to the constructor's clue for 1-Down, "When Carmen dies, in 'Carmen,'" for the answer ACT IV] Is there any operatic character who dies in Act IV in a Verdi opera?

Joel: Phew, jeez, what a question. What a question to make me go and research …

Will: [newscaster voice] Over to you, Joel!

Joel: Okay, Verdi operas ... [sound of typing]

Will: Let's see … how many acts are there in "Rigoletto"?

Joel: Well, Verdi did do "Otello," and definitely a bunch of people die in "Otello," so ...

Will: "Rigoletto" has only three acts, so that's not going to work.

Joel: So when do, like, Desdemona or Iago, when do they die? [muttering] Act IV, Act IV …

Will: Ah! "Otello" has four acts.

Joel: Yeah, Desdemona dies. And then everybody dies in the last act as per Shakespeare's every other play.

Will: Hmm.

Joel: So we can say "When Desdemona dies, in 'Otello,'" and then we can say "'Otello' composer" for VERDI.

Will: Yeah. Actually, I like your first idea for ACT IV, or the first thing you said: "When everyone dies, in 'Otello.'"

Joel: [laughs] Well, I don't know if that's true, if everybody dies.

Will: Well, obviously not everyone.

Joel: It looks like in the opera, Otello is about to commit suicide and then they do a fade-to-black thing.

Will: [quoting the book] "Otello stabs himself, kissing Desdemona as he dies." Huh. How about "When Otello dies, in 'Otello'"?

Joel: Yeah, that's snappier.

Will: [laughs] Yeah, it's got that echo. Nancy [Schuster] will love us for back-to-back opera clues.

Tue 12/8/2015
RABBIEDAMPENN
PALEDLIRAALOE
MAUVEFAIRYDUST
EYEDATMDEW
GPSFAMILYCREST
ROTIROCRAO
ALAXENONBROS
FATHERKNOWSBEST
TREESCOREDAR
STLUNIXSKA
FALSEARRESTHAY
ARIABETAXI
BREAKFASTPORED
LOGSEMIREXTRA
EWESESPYSOSAD

[Continuing from yesterday] My assistant, Joel, taped us editing yesterday's and today's puzzle, and he transcribed a bit of our discussion each day. It illustrates our process as well as our back-and-forth, which sometimes goes off on tangents. Below, we're working on the clue for 61-Across, BREAKFAST. The constructor's clue was "Morning meal ... or what this puzzle's theme entries do?"

Will: Hmm, well, that's awfully easy. Shouldn't we hide the revealer a little bit?

Joel: Right.

Joel: "IHOP speciality."

Will: "24-hour McDonald's offering, now."

Joel: That's kinda fun.

Will: Yeah. That's like an ad for McDonald's, though.

Joel: Well, I think they're doing okay.

Will: [laughs] You don't think they need us? Their stock price won't go up because of us?

[long pause]

Will: Morning ritual?

Joel: Ritual … hmm.

Will: Comb your hair, shower, breakfast.

Joel: I was looking up quotes about breakfast. Steven Wright: "I went to a restaurant that served 'Breakfast At Any Time.' So I ordered French toast during the Renaissance." [laughs]. All right, I thought there might be some quotes about breakfast, but, wasn't meant to be.

Will: Morning tradition? Morning staple?

Joel: Breakfast, breakfast, breakfast. Well … waffles, cereal, oatmeal, pancakes ...

Will: "Oatmeal or waffles, e.g." You think those equal breakfast?

Joel: Let's keep thinking. Breakfast … [pause] It's sometimes skipped in the morning?

Will: Rope.

Joel: Yeah, I don't know what the hell else that could be.

Will: I really don't mind "IHOP specialty," except it feels so commercial, especially because it's a theme answer. The whole puzzle hinges on this.

Joel: Hmm. This bothers you more than it bothers me. Because in my minis all the time, there's just brands left and right. I never feel like I'm selling out to them or doing them a favor or anything. It's just something me and the solver share in common. We both know what this thing is, so it's like a touchstone.

Will: There's a lot of brand names in the main crossword, too. I just try not to put too much attention on them. They should be incidental. And here, since it involves the key answer in the puzzle, it's sort of like throwing IHOP in your face.

Joel: That's why you don't like the McDonald's thing either?

Will: Yeah, even more so, 'cause that's new, so it's even more of an advertisement. "Hey guys, McDonald's has this new thing ..."

Joel: "After this commercial break, you can continue solving …"

Will: At least with IHOP, breakfast there is part of our long-standing culture.

Joel: Could say … "Coffee go-with"?

Will: "It follows a shower"?

Joel: It might not. I usually eat something before I shower.

Will: How's this for an ad … "Free Hampton Inn offering"! [laughs]

Joel: That's not a terrible idea, actually. We could do something like "Motel freebie."

Will: Uh-huh. "Motel freebie, nowadays." "Freebie" is weird, though. Freebie's like a mint on your pillow.

Joel: … "amenity"?

Will: That's better. O.K. … "Modern motel amenity." [scribbles it down]

Will: You know, when I started at the Times in '93, and I introduced commercial names into the puzzle, a lot of people really hated that. There were complaints for a couple of years, especially from older solvers. But I knew people would eventually come around. Either that ... or they'd die! Now maybe I'm on the conservative end of things.

Joel: Maybe it's just that brands are part of my … they're just everywhere, and they connect with people on Twitter and stuff. So I don't really think twice when I see one in the puzzle.

Will: Yeah, times have changed.

POW Wed 12/9/2015
WHIZGNAWALEC
EASEREDOABATE
EHUDBARAKSEDAN
PAPOVUMUPTILT
PILEDTIEDIE
CHOCOLATEECLAIR
NOSERASTA
NEEDSJAMSPEAR
ALIASEXPO
BIRMINGHAMBLITZ
ENODTSROUST
AFLCIOVASTVEE
MULANLIGHTNING
USINGOBOEASIA
PENSBENDMADD
Thu 12/10/2015
PUPSMESSCHAP
DINAHELLAHYPE
AXISOFEVILAGES
NETHOTICARTIST
CLEANSSEMITE
ESSISMDINNES
AEIOUGRILL
STUMBLINGBLOCKS
MELBAARIEL
UTTNSTRCAPDA
RAKEINEDDIES
GLASSSLIPPIEPA
OAHUANNESEXTON
ODORMOJOCIARA
FETEEWANTEST
Fri 12/11/2015
SPAMFILTERSCTV
OILRESERVELYRE
GREENSFEESIBAR
OARSTARTCENT
OTTAMATITERSE
DESPAIRFOODWEB
HARMYUPACR
ATTICASPARTA
CUREGGSTLO
TRIPLEAHEELPAD
INALLSCARSARI
VILATHINPROM
INRISEEKASYLUM
STUNPARAPHRASE
MONTSTARRYEYED
Sat 12/12/2015
PRISMJUNGLEGYM
MORAYOPERATIVE
SMITHLEVERAGES
ESAUINENGLISH
JOHNMCENROE
ARPPUPBRAHMS
WOOSPIRALPOSH
IMUSSTENOERMA
NENEOTITISSAG
GODEAFISTEGG
SCAMPERAWAY
SLUMPOVERATOZ
LIKEICARENAMIB
OPENCOILSDRANO
POSTSALESSINEW
Sun 12/13/2015 BANDS TOGETHER
AMPLELAPDOGADAGIOS
CAROLONHIREELEGANCE
CHICAGOTRAINNEATIDEA
REMAILALGEBRASTILT
ARRNARCSROOSTFLA
ONEDIRECTIONTRAFFIC
CASEEDYYUCKOGEE
OLEINOASTUTTERROT
YESNODOUBTLEAHRELO
DELTAEAGLESWINGS
AMISTADSELIGSIESTAS
BOSTONCREAMSCENE
CLAYAUSTPOISONFREE
STALWARTBONNYIELD
CUPSZOOMEAUNASA
FUNSMASHINGPUMPKINS
ASEPEETATAPASOHO
LOWESERITREASIGNAL
APTITUDERUSHTHEDOORS
NEONATESITSAGOROUTE
ANNEXEDPHONICOFTEN
Mon 12/14/2015
SHAHASKSSCRUM
MONOMWAHPOESY
OBAMACAREANDES
GOLEMGMENFORT
REAGANOMICS
ITSONMESTART
MEOWORCARMORS
ARFBUSHISMBEE
MITTENENOPEPE
BRATTFUELROD
HOOVERVILLE
PAILDIEDHAMAS
FILLSPRESIDENT
FLEETOGLETATA
TEDDYNESTONEG
Tue 12/15/2015
APPCOPSAYSME
HERAHABCLAMOR
SKINOGORAZORS
ONCDEBSENORA
DECOYSSEESTIT
OTELLOURNCHEZ
TESAGAPEGOO
HASINRANINPUT
OCDINALLESA
IFFYLSDADORED
NEWWEEDCANADA
ADAHANOILOTT
JOLSONWWIIOOF
AREOLENOTVRBI
MASTEDNEESEX
Wed 12/16/2015
WIIESMECUSSAT
OPTNAILASHORE
WOODDUCKBEAVER
LOOTAIRLINE
BODYWEIGHTLEAS
ENYAROOSLOTSA
NEOENTOOAT
EDUDEADENDFFF
JDSFATEILL
ALLEYBASHTREE
VOITLETTERHEAD
EYEBALLMEET
NONONOSEAHORSE
GLOATSALKAAIM
EARTHALOEBPXS
POW Thu 12/17/2015
TWANGYABROGATE
SECURENONRIGID
PRIDEANDPREJUDD
EDENOYSGOADS
AASFOE
CANDDBERGENMAW
ARBORSURNCODE
LUAUASSOCAXLE
IBETLAHESPIED
FARBODDRIPPERS
AIMONE
STINKPDAEACH
LONGISLANDDDTEA
INCENSEDTSURIS
TSARINASSTELLA
Fri 12/18/2015
PANOPTICONAGRA
ALOHASTATETOED
PIMACOTTONMITE
ABORTCEESNAP
DAREIRASNOTIT
OBENHLENOLA
CAMSNOLOVELOST
ROREMKIROV
WONDERBRASWEST
ONIONEYERNA
LECIDCASSADES
FOESPARLIRAS
INGAUNLADYLIKE
STUBNOISELEVEL
HAYSSETHMEYERS
Sat 12/19/2015
ACCRANETSSCAT
YAHOOEVELPOPI
KROLLMILACLOG
RIPEBELLYLAUGH
OBSDISEASEMET
YOUGOGIRLGIBES
DUPONTSLLANOS
LEOILS
GOLDENMOPTOPS
EAZYEARENAROCK
XYZARBOREDHWY
WIFFLEBALLPLOW
ICEEPEDICLARA
FOSSORENFILLY
ENTSTSOSLEADS
Sun 12/20/2015 REBRANDING
TOASTAWAREAPPSSTAN
OASISMAJORRIOTAHSO
THINKDIFFERENTLYLEAH
OUSTASTOWICKSUNNI
EARTHYESWEHAVETHAT
ALEXEISTAGAXELS
PEITVMASTARJONES
EATFRESHLYLIEGESJLO
JOSTLESABERSTEAT
BACONVATSRESORTTO
EVERYBODYLIKESSARALEE
BOLDMOVEPLAYIVINS
OWLSWIENIEENCAGE
PSIPENMENADABWILLDO
BODESWELLMCANIOU
DOUBTAIDESATFOR
LETGOOFMYEGGOCHLOE
ELEGYLEEDOHHIALAS
GULLDOYOUHAVEANYMILK
AXLEDREWELECTAANDE
LEOSTARSMARKSKNEAD
Mon 12/21/2015
UPDOSATEAMTHO
SLEPTMENLOWEB
CONTRAPTIONOYS
EELSDEADEYE
DOODADLOGOS
RUNMASSDINGUS
ACESTERESA
WHATCHAMACALLIT
ARABICDOSE
WIDGETSEAMNES
INREDGADGET
STUDIOSAUDI
HIMTHINGAMAJIG
EMUONRYEANODE
SEPROSESNAGAT
Tue 12/22/2015
ARDENTBLAHNILE
LIELOWROPEITEM
PAJAMAPARTYCHAT
SLAPSEWNCHIPS
SUNGLASSLENS
DIGESTWHISKEY
ETUDESINAIICE
PSISINGULARCOT
TUTDOONEOMANI
SPARSERAMENDS
TROUSERPRESS
HOHUMHOESSHOE
EYESSCISSORKICK
LOREPANSPOINTE
DUOSALOESETTOS
Wed 12/23/2015
OTISSCUDECTO
GODOTLONIPLUS
ROOMYORCAHATH
ELLERYNOBLESSE
REAMOLYMPIA
PUSSYGALORE
BEGAMIIRENE
ACHRISTMASCAROL
ASSAMEATIRK
THEVERYIDEA
MASSIVEPELE
SKINTONESEAMEN
NILELEGOFRODO
BRASVEGATINYT
CASTEROSEASE
Thu 12/24/2015
TOPCOPSGREEK
ONEACRECRISTO
SHORTIESAPPHO
HIPPOCRATES
ERLEISLAMALI
SEETHECREWCUT
ISLAOHIO
ARISTOPHANES
EVENSPAR
CONCOCTMMMBOP
OWECATESTARE
DEMOSTHENES
PINDARSEATTLE
ALBANYEARNEST
PLAYSSKIAREA
Fri 12/25/2015
BOARDSAIMSNIP
ALHIRTRCAMOTH
SEAMONSTERALSO
KGBSPIESXROAN
CTATOKE
OHMSHALFCOCKED
WEIOPERACAPE
LASCALAENTRAPS
REHEARSEDSEE
ENDOFSTORYMSRP
POURMIC
SECTAADAGENCY
OVALTELENOVELA
NITEALIERASER
SLEDDISSENTON
Sat 12/26/2015
ABRAMTROJANWAR
FAUNALIFECOACH
FTDIXCENTERICE
ATOMICMOLDTUT
ILLUMINATINATO
REFSGENEREBAR
PAWNGEMINI
SKATERSZAPOTEC
PATHOSDOMO
ETHANSINEWISH
CALIRIVERDANCE
IKEEEROSOVERY
FATALBERTLEVIN
INESSENCETAEBO
CASUALSEXSTREW
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
Mon 12/28/2015
SINSWALLETTAP
OBOEICEAXEERR
SEALTEAMSIXLGA
OTHERMESGLUT
SILVERTEASET
IRABEELET
LANAATOMSLATE
SINBADTHESAILOR
ALARMESAICENT
BOOTLCSEE
SPEAKTOOSOON
COLDELOGORGE
OILSTEMTOSTERN
USETROPICCLAD
TEESASHESHOMS
POW Tue 12/29/2015
HUBSTARSCOMBO
ABAOWLETICEES
NORNOTBADATALL
GARBMEADEOTTO
STELLARTSP
LOANKEEPITUP
CAROMSWIRLRNA
HBOMBPARAMATI
ELLANIMESIMON
WELLDONECHAP
OATWAYTOGO
CRAWSWARMALAN
YOUREONFIREITT
STREWBATONNEA
TEASEARENTESP
Wed 12/30/2015
PROBMANTACHEZ
JIMIIBEAMABLE
SAGONERVENOSE
PAULDIRAC
VCHIPSICEBOX
PRECISEPCCLONE
SEAAIRBOATBAD
ALANGREENSPAN
AMTSNEATOENDS
MEHTADTSENDOR
FRYERSPRAWNS
GREASYNEALE
MALIVIOLATART
APOXORDERYVES
NEWYEARSEVE
Thu 12/31/2015
SNLSTIRGRAMPA
MOOHIDERELIES
UNCLEBENADEXEC
GOOGLEDOCSELI
BLTOPUSDEI
GRETAAAHSOD
NAYCARGOSHORTS
AGEDTEASETIRE
WAGONMASTERNUN
LIERPSASKED
PLATEAUPIN
ESSEGOMANIACS
PASSGOMONOPOLY
STEVENETTUKEN
ISSUESNESTIFC
XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
116 ms