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J. A. S. A. crosswords

19 puzzles by the Jewish Association Serving the Aging Crossword Class

Caleb Madison
Caleb Madison
Ian Livengood
Ian Livengood
Natan Last
Natan Last
Finn Vigeland
Finn Vigeland
Andy Kravis
Andy Kravis

Caleb Madison, Ian Livengood, Natan Last, Finn Vigeland, and Andy Kravis have taught a class on crossword construction, and now 19 of their puzzles have been published in the NYT.

Located at John Jay College in New York City, "Sundays at JASA" is a one-of-a-kind, college-level continuing education program for adults 55+. Each semester offers a wide range of courses, lectures, and seminars focused on the arts and humanities. One of those courses is "Get a Clue! A Comprehensive Course on Crossword Construction." This course outlines the basic principles of crossword puzzle construction. It begins with basic crossword history and then focuses on how to come up with a theme, a useable grid, and create the fill. At the end of the semester, the group comes up with one final puzzle to submit to The New York Times.

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Thu 1/14/2010
THATSHOTODETS
SIDEWITHITALIA
ADDRESSEDTOKILL
REAMMESOZEE
SPACEBALLADS
BMIEMUGEO
RADIOBRAVOFADS
UCONNIBOEATIT
TELLTOADYSTORY
EREKTSMEX
BESTINSHADOW
YMASOIEANTI
COMMERCIALBREAK
ARBORSSTARDATE
RYANSTEXASTEA
Caleb Madison started at the helm. The class debut featured phrases with AD added, plus COMMERCIAL BREAK as a revealer.
Tue 8/24/2010
FENCENAPSIMUP
ENORMALOTCUBA
ZOWIEVERYKHAN
MRNICEGUYANA
HIPPIESISMGM
ARRTOATANEMIA
SMOKINGBANANA
PACEHOPIDIG
ONEMANBANDANA
PELOSIESAULOB
ACHSSNBASINS
JOANOFARCANA
ACREIGORCLEAR
MAUSTAMEEVADE
ARMSSTEWDETOX
Another theme using added letters, this time ANA.
Sun 4/24/2011 USE IT OR LOSE IT
DEBUGOARSMISHAMDSE
ALIMACGRAWANNASTIKI
BIGAPPLECIRCUITSFEES
ADOERECSHARPAMUSE
TETESLOSEONESMOJITO
GAZEBOSROTIRES
POLITEDANCERSAHLARI
ARESBURHAEPEERESS
RASSRASORATELYE
SCHOLARPULPITFICTION
ELATEDNADEARAMBO
CENTEROFGRAVYLAUGHIN
OPELEICALAKEETC
ORBITALARCIFIOREO
DEOIDIGLEARNERSPERM
IDTAGEEKAULAIT
CLASHOFTHETANSGSTAR
ANITASALAMISSNISO
ABITSMOKEYANDTHEBAND
DESITORICSTREETCRED
ALTSSEESTSOYSSCARY
Their Sunday debut, a clever idea of adding IT into half the theme phrases and removing IT from the other half, thus the title USE IT OR LOSE IT.
Fri 10/14/2011
ITALIAABETNIB
CESARROMEROOFA
KRISTENWIIGSYR
ERASSTAGEACTOR
SANERAYEAAU
SAARSHALLWE
CPABLIPIDIGIT
FACEBOOKPROFILE
CRONINGEERALS
STUNTEDTEES
ISUEMUDEBRA
MATINGCALLARAM
ELIAEOLIANHARP
ETCVACLAVHAVEL
KOSERTEALGORE
Their themeless debut, featuring entries new to the NYT such as FACEBOOK PROFILE and MATING CALL.
Thu 12/20/2012
SCARYCIAARSON
AUCOURANTGAMUT
XBOXLUNCHENOTE
ESPYITOSICKOS
MNIGHTSHIFT
LIMAEATON
SINEXTEASGOP
ATRAINOFTHOUGHT
WEEOPTSDRUMS
ATARIINNS
SCLASSCLOWN
PATTIEASHSONS
ANITACHRISTMAS
RAMENSTIMULANT
SLEDSTICBONUS
Ian Livengood took over the class, helping with a puzzle which adds X M A S to phrases to generate wacky phrases.
Sun 2/17/2013 MARK MY WORDS
SIGMABIGBATCSICNY
HONORARALSEAOPENERA
INANELALAKERMUDFLAP
RITEAIDACTLGAARM
EASYREMKOREANTAUS
PHARAOHENSILESPA
THEINDCROWDOSESTOP
LOONSBALIHAISECANT
IRONSIDEENABLELARGE
DEFYPITHGIFTHUNDER
RACHELCRACHEL
PRECEDELONBOARAFAR
AIDANYEGODSUNDULATE
PAWNEECAKEPANZEROG
ALASNEZFROSTSNIXON
LTRBOLEROTHEEAST
ODORAMORALRRSREST
IWONABFINFAKEFUR
BLANKEDORIGAMIIBIZA
VENEERSTARHEELRELIC
DRPDREJETSAMSKEET
Their second Sunday puzzle incorporates various symbols. The symbols themselves were to be used in the across direction and spelled out in the downs.
Fri 12/27/2013
GOODCATCHSTORM
INSTAGRAMTINEA
NEWSREELSSLEDS
USEBEAVLIST
PEGSTICSYNCH
COLASNAOHTAE
INTALOEVERA
DJANGOUNCHAINED
AUCKLANDEVA
DITOTOHDELOS
SCAMSSOWSTUF
TELEBRIGTAI
OBOTEOBAMACARE
BONESVETOPOWER
EXERTASHKENAZI
This themeless has the beautiful CALVIN AND HOBBES going straight down the middle.
Sat 3/1/2014
LABAMBAATAVIST
IPADAIRSISENOR
RETWEETKTHXBYE
ASEANEBULA
REVOPENTOP
SUPEREGOTABLE
NNESNAKEBITTEN
ACREUNCLESADD
GOOGLEGLASSITO
SINGEUNTILNOW
LIONCUBDRE
SENSORFOWL
PAJAMASPADTHAI
DVDCASETMOBILE
FISHNETSAMEOLD
Featured in this themeless are some beautiful seven-letter entries including IPAD AIR and K THX BYE (internet shorthand often seen on LOLcat photos).
Wed 6/24/2015
KISSCAPOASSAM
INCAROADNITRO
THEPIERRETRAMS
INSTATEFEEBLE
TBAOMARBRADLEY
VIRGOSOATETS
STIRGARNET
SOUTHERNCROSS
BRONTEOKAY
STDURIFUTILE
CHINESEFLAGTEN
REVOTERODGERS
AMISHFIVESTARS
PODIADEERTIER
EBERTADDSALPS
A clean and lively puzzle = FIVE STARS.
Fri 8/14/2015
AFFLUENZATRAP
SEEYASOONSWAMI
TRADESHOWWIDEN
OMRIOMAGAZINE
ISAACRIZZO
NYETGILPIN
DOTTEDTHEIELSE
ADRAGROTBRASI
WEAKWENTEASYON
GANESHGULL
SATEDFLAGG
JUMBOTRONBANS
AVIANIMONTOYOU
BETTYBELIEVEME
SASHSNOCKERED
The torch was passed to Natan Last, who guides the class to a themeless with such sparkly answers as AFFLUENZA and TWIZZLERS.
Wed 7/27/2016
DREWYAKBOOMS
PATCHOULIOHWOW
THEHOBBITOMNIA
ALSOSAGELYERR
VENNDIAGRAM
PESOSSHE
CIRCUSTENTNUFF
STIRSANOGIGLI
ISEEAUDIDEALER
ACTJOLIE
OLYMPICFLAG
GEESTOLENNABS
ROMANRINGCYCLE
ENEROGETOVERIT
SINEWIDOSTEP
Finn Vigeland came aboard to help RING in another fun project.
POW Sun 5/7/2017 DUALITY QUALITY
DECODUMBJAPESIMPS
ODORABIEGOCARTBORN
DAUGHTERLAUGHTERIDOL
OMGOARGUISECEASES
HOPESILLTENLUX
BUDDINGPUDDINGPAPYRI
ARRESTHIMMAULLOOFA
LBOSRENGASMAINEDEN
SAPBYEKOSHERNOSHER
ANSELOTTODUVALL
MOOCPORCHSAGE
HENNASPIKEGRADS
GARDENWARDENHEYCOW
PUTSGOATEEDITSOTRO
TACOSERRSACTCASUAL
SCHNOZMASSAGEPASSAGE
DAWFORPLEDPOOL
MADAMELALAWWINSOB
VOTEBASELINEVASELINE
ALCSIDIDITLIFTAZUL
NEHIESSEXLETSBEST
A creative theme might heal all wounds,
Using look-alike but non-rhyming sounds.
Sat 9/16/2017
SHELOVESMESAGS
HESAKEEPERTROI
EASYSTREETARID
ELALEMERGENC
PSYOPSDASHSPA
WALLOWESTEE
CISNODSHOOHAS
ASHPITSJESSICA
STARCHCOLTMER
THROBTHEGAP
PAKASIAATESTS
ATTORNEYTARA
RYANIDONTGETIT
TONEPOTATORACE
YUKSENEMYLINES
MEEMAW makes for a fun entry in this themeless. SHE LOVES ME, indeed!
Wed 3/7/2018
SANDABECAPOS
CLAUDIUSTOSSTO
UPFORDISCUSSION
BHTEELALIASES
AAADOMINI
ITSHOPELESS
TEAROOMSLEO
TENPENNYAWRATS
RATEDGLUCRETIA
ACEDONTEVEN
CHRISMARTIN
SHONDANAB
SHALALAPEAONE
PARALLELPARKING
EZINESLETMESEE
DYADSCDSNEXT
Andy Kravis joined the team in 2018, working with Natan Last and the class to master PARALLEL PARKING.
POW Sat 7/28/2018
ADELEWEBBDADS
CURESWAREECCE
TEAMSPIRITMACE
ETTUHINESODON
DOORDIEFYIEMO
ESPNREMIT
FASHIONPOLICE
JUICECLEANSES
GENDERSTUDIES
ROSENERTE
APPDIXOHSORRY
NAOHTESLARHEE
DRNOINLAIDTILE
EDGENOOBMINIS
RYESANTSCZECH
The third Saturday themeless for JASA features a central stack with FASHION POLICE, JUICE CLEANSES, and GENDER STUDIES.
Wed 9/25/2019
EDGARINSEASON
LAURANORMCORE
BRITCHESITCHES
ATTEAVEROOT
AMBLEGNU
BREYERSEYERS
BESTAREAOL
ONOBREXITIDA
ACLAOKISAY
HOMBRESHOMES
CAYCUFFS
AHABLOAFHBO
CEREBRALCEREAL
TAMARINDNOLIE
SLYLOOKSDOLLS
In 2019, JASA gave BREXIT the crossword treatment.
Wed 1/20/2021
POETSPAMCGI
COLLISIONSART
MINDMELDINGSOS
UTZODORATOM
MEIRMATCHGAME
OTTOORIONS
WORKERLAINEMT
THEUNITEDSTATES
ABCACAICESSNA
REINERSODA
JOINTPAINPOPE
ATVSNICKPUG
CHIWINEPAIRING
KENONEPERCENT
ORGKNOTSKYE
In order to make a more perfect union...
Fri 6/16/2023
ADSPACESABAN
TACOBARSANODE
STONEWALLODORS
EELYTIASSKIT
ADDPLOTZESFEE
FRIAMAANG
DOOMSCROLLING
CANCELCULTURE
WHITERUSSIANS
HELSISNIA
ANYSCHMEARSUP
TIMSKIEVPILE
FLAIREGOBOOSTS
OLIVESKIDMARK
RELAXENDPLAY
This themeless Friday steps right into political controversy with CANCEL CULTURE dead center.
Thu 8/10/2023
SLALOMBOGBRA
CARAVANUNIBROW
HITGAMEMOVIIER
WIILASHELEGY
ANEWSTOOLIES
AAAUPONTBS
OFFICISSIPPOUT
NORTELEOCOBRA
CAYSRUBILDBERG
ELISUMOISO
NOTEPADSYOWL
MAGNATASKPRO
IMPULSECONTROL
SEASLUGAMILATE
CNNSIGETCHED
The Freudian concept of resisting temptation results in four rebus squares.
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