New York Times, Monday, September 16, 2019

AMANDA: What an absolute thrill to be making my NYT crossword debut! I'll let the entries of PRIDE MONTH, GAYER, AIDA, and MORENO serve as a formal introduction. That pretty much tells you most of what you need to know about me. (Ok, ok: I'm a concert pianist turned therapist turned musical theater pianist/composer. As one is.)

It's been such a fun experience to discover and break into the crossworld where my puns are embraced rather than identified as the formal cause of me swiftly seeing myself out of a room. Getting to make these puzzles, especially with Ross, has been such a huge source of joy for me and I hope you find some joy yourself in the solve! If you want to say hi and nerd out, you can find me on all the usual platforms where my handle is just my name because I've used up all of my creativity in other outlets.

ROSS: Amanda writes all the best clues in this and every puzzle we make together. Bow down.

Also, if you identify as non-male and/or LGBTQ+ and/or POC and you want to get into crossword constructing, I'd be thrilled to offer whatever assistance I can to help you get your puzzles published. Contact me via Instagram (@rosstrudeau) or Twitter (@trudeauross).

I love Ross's drive to help underrepresented demographics get into crossword construction. How apt to have UBERMENSCH in the grid!

JUST FOR THE RECORD, Amanda's debut is a solid example of a "how are these seemingly disparate things related?" theme. GUINNESS records, STUDIO records, and records kept by a STENOGRAPHER — different enough that the revealer gave me a decent a-ha moment.

Some might wonder if GUINNESS OFFICIAL is a real thing, but it most definitely is. I admit I watch too many "Dude Perfect" videos — their raw enthusiasm is irresistible. Some of my favorite episodes are those where they break ridiculous "world records," always needing a GUINNESS OFFICIAL to be present.

I wasn't so sure about a STUDIO SINGER. I've heard of studio musicians — I never got good enough to be one, sadly — but there's such a thing as a STUDIO SINGER? According to the Goog, yep! It's unfortunately not as catchy a phrase as "studio musician" or "backup singer."

STENOGRAPHER works for the third type of record, although it's not an entry anyone would write home about.

As much as I like UBERMENSCH, it'll be a tough word for some novice solvers. If all the crossings had been no-brainers, I wouldn't have mentioned it, but TCM (Turner Classic Movies) could be a killer. Along with another hard piece of vocab in CARPACCIO, I'd have asked for the difficulty dial to be turned down from eleven to ten. Something like PRIDE MONTH feels much more accessible to a wider audience, while still being a great entry.

All in all, a well-made debut puzzle, the overall smoothness demonstrating careful craftsmanship. If the themers had been punchier and the grid more Monday-friendly, I'd have given it some POW! consideration.