James McCarron author page
2 puzzles by James McCarron
with Constructor comments
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Happy to be making my New York Times debut!
I first became interested in crossword construction around 3 years ago, after my girlfriend made me a puzzle on one of our early dates. We initially bonded over a shared obsession with the daily NYT crossword and would race to see who could solve it faster. She beat me (almost!) every time.
Friday themeless puzzles have always been my favourites to solve, so they quickly became my favourites to create. This grid started with the slanted stack in the middle, specifically with the entry RACE CAR DRIVER. As a big Formula 1 fan, it's nice to debut this phrase in the Times. I'm also fond of BALLOON ANIMAL as another marquee middle entry. I don't know how to make one, but I assume it's harder than it looks. Like race car driving.
I have a couple more puzzles in the queue to be published (one with my aforementioned girlfriend), so I am excited to share those as well in the near future.
Hope you enjoy the puzzle!