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Puzzles for April, 2025
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (2)Editor (4)Jim Horne (13)Hide comments
Tue 4/1/2025
AMIGAASPENBETA
MINERTIARAAVOW
INFLIGHTMAGAZINE
EELLESAIOLIS
USEONSANTO
SEATBACKPOCKET
SUNDAEHUPHANES
AMCSHINTODNA
GUESSICKNEURON
PRIORPASSENGER
GLASSPATHS
GETMADMACUFO
RETURNTRAYTABLES
INONEBIKEOATES
NYPDRAGEDLASSO
Wed 4/2/2025
FIFEPAWNWED
ICONCANOEAPE
NEATWINDOWTRIM
IBMREAIRTULSI
SEPIATONEDPOTS
HEARTSORACLE
RDACARJACKED
RACCOON
BUDGETCUTNBA
ASIAGOSCOURS
REAMPERFECTFIT
IDLESBOILSFAR
SPORTSBUFFBONO
TONARENABONN
ATETODDSNAG
Thu 4/3/2025
EBBRAMBOCO*
BARQSEVIANHUN
THE*RYNIGHTETS
REBOOTSTATELY
DAZEUMMPAREN
PIERRE*EAROTC
INSTAAFGHANS
NON*TER
BEANIESSUMOS
CU*DLO*TSSOME
ATTICHOPAVEC
STRAYEDMANUEL
TSASTARCROSSED
LIDTANYASAUTE
ENESLEETPSI
Fri 4/4/2025
ALSOBLOBSMUSH
SIAMRADONASHE
KEYBOARDWARRIOR
SUTRASTRAINED
HEROOILING
ATESWINESATIN
BAMNSFJETHRO
ICALLEMASISEEEM
DOGEARVANONA
ESIGNSOCKSLED
CRATERSOLD
AIWEIWEINOBLE
CROSSATTHEGREEN
MARTIHEARNANO
ENDSNESTSANTS
Sat 4/5/2025
LBSJOSHTRANS
AUTOMAKERMAYBE
TROJANWARINCAN
CRASHSITESDAFT
HOTAPSPRIORI
ALOESARMANI
OHIFORGOTAWMAN
LENTTUNICABLE
ALTERYOGACLASS
FLORESSHREK
HOPOUTTEAMTV
CODANOPRESSURE
ALERTPHONEITIN
PEETAPIPEDREAM
ESPYSSLEDSLO
Sun 4/6/2025 Course Correction
ASEABBASTESAABGAL
WHYDIOTHERTUNATACO
SEEMOTRIESUTTERROT
CAMPSHIRTIDOSEARS
SCANSINALIGNPMAGNA
PORNCAAEMPTSACES
AMESGAPYEARYPLS
TRASHYSOBSLEAZE
SCIONSSLAPSTONELAD
RAKEOBITURLSEGG
ETSYSPINCLASSESISAY
MRTTOILSOLOSKIM
TIAHUCKSTERNIMPART
SPYBOTSIDTIPTOE
CARLDARKALEISTO
QUINILIONERHUMET
BURLYTESTESCUSPIDS
LOREACIDHAPPYMEAL
ATERIGHTAIDEDMLEWD
SANSKRITBRIEFUMARY
ESTEASYSANDSSSTYE
Mon 4/7/2025
MOTHPICKBLAB
AWRYROMEPROSE
LIAMETONEIGHT
TENNISANYONE
SAFEAPTUMA
WELLINTENTIONED
AMATISUPEND
LITUPESCMIATA
KNIFEEONREM
TENORSAXOPHONES
OMGCONROTE
TENTOONEODDS
PECANISLEOREO
AGENTCHEWLUMP
LOOKSASSENOS
Tue 4/8/2025
ERASRAMENSTIR
SOLOERIKAMANY
TOLLHOUSECOOKIE
VERBSLIKENS
POKERGAMELEAK
OPINESEMMYS
SENTMANIATSK
ERECHIPSINRON
DASRUGBYCONE
TROTHDAHLIA
KHANTACOSALAD
ONECUPRURAL
DESKTOPCOMPUTER
ELIEUSEMEPALO
STATTUDORAXLE
Wed 4/9/2025
BTSMILLETANCHO
LOWELAINEBOOTH
UNEMIXEDRESULTS
SEEYOUUMAREPO
HITORMISSRBI
TIDYLEEFISCAL
IDEACOWAUTHORS
SOPPASSABLENIA
TWIDDLEBUSEAST
ONEWAYWETBART
ISPITSJUSTOK
ATTNSAGDRYICE
GOODNOTGREATSRA
REPLYOLEATOTAN
ASSETNEATENSTU

Oren: Hey there! I'm Oren, a freshman at Columbia University studying physics. This is my first-ever puzzle, and I'm thrilled to see it featured in The New York Times! Aidan and I are friends from high school, and it was so fun to collaborate with him. I texted him that MIXED would be an apt review of a bartender, and from there, we immediately started bouncing ideas off each other.

I've solved countless crossword puzzles, but designing one was an entirely new and challenging experience. At times, filling in the grid and coming up with creative clues felt like a puzzle in itself! I hope you enjoyed solving it as much as we enjoyed making it.

Aidan: Oren was one of my closest friends in high school, and I'm beyond thrilled to share a byline with him! We spent a lot of our free time in 12th grade solving old Friday and Saturday themelesses together, so there's nobody else I'd rather make a puzzle with. Except possibly LeBron James.

Thu 4/10/2025
MACJARULETBSP
OREACUNITREAR
ERRGENTLENUDGE
TIVOTIAATTIC
VENDINGMACHINE
AZTECALLMAD
LAOSSTUDEWE
PINKYRING
REMAIRYSEND
ERAVIPAFTER
FINGERSANDWICH
UTURNEEOTKOS
GRAINOFSANDRUE
EELSHOORAYUSE
EASTOOPSIEBEN
Fri 4/11/2025
COCACOLASITSME
OPERAROLELOPED
BARTRIVIALYING
SLAMPOETSWINDY
AOLOCEANS
GIJOESARIGATO
ERROLEFLATYUP
BOORAXELSDATE
BUNDRANORERUN
SPINACHPAEANS
CURSORLSD
SPARKLEFTALONE
PULSEICEPLANET
ARLESCOMOESTAS
TRYSTSNAPSTORY
Sat 4/12/2025
ITSABETTHATSO
NOTTODAYHESOUT
AGERANGERISERS
VISASCORE
LESTCAANSCUD
ICKMONTESSORI
SKAWONDERWOMAN
CEREALSROARING
IMEANCOMEONCIO
FALSEALARMTRU
IDLYJETSPOEM
WRESTMEAL
LARIATEGOTRIPS
ATONCEDELIMEAT
SENSESLETSFLY
Sun 4/13/2025 Both Sides Now
LEADDOGSNODSATSSRI
AUDIOJACKOTOOLETOWIT
PROCESSIONSCONCESSIONS
COPESPODIAONCOLOGY
APTSSNKIDFLASHPLO
TOETAPLONELYADIEU
PROTESTANTCONTESTANT
RODEBYIGNOREIT
RIPONCHIMPPRATFBI
EMINEMTAOOFPOOHIRON
CONTRACTORSPROTRACTORS
AUTODRINKYPOOGOSSIP
PTARAINOGRESRATSO
SEMPERFIBLEEPS
CONFESSIONPROFESSION
POLLSMATRIXPENNEY
ORDTIMELOOPPANTWO
PROMDATESEMISMARYI
CONVOCATIONPROVOCATION
ADEPTLOOKIETONYSTARK
NESSYONDERTEDTALKS
Mon 4/14/2025
CAMIVEERSAMMO
BLIPIMPEILOON
SERAGOINGOSLO
CODEOFCONDUCT
ALDAADO
EGGPLANTDIPWAS
LOOPSOARSMPH
LADSBENDSLUNA
ELFSEMIPALER
NSAKNUCKLEHEAD
TRIHARD
WHATSCRACKING
SHEDHAIKUDING
TERIAGAINACAI
PESOMENSAHEWN
Tue 4/15/2025
SLANGFRATMUM
GIJOELURESITE
TRAGICOMICWREN
SAXSHOOBOARS
CHERRYGARCIA
APPEAREASEL
BOHOMUSTIEPA
CLOSEBUTNOCIGAR
SETNARCOCRIT
ODORSLABORS
MAGICREALISM
ALEPHLUNKSAC
MINICRAIGSLIST
AKINBORGOILER
SECDEMIFETAL
Wed 4/16/2025
MUTEDHOWDALP
EGGNOGINHDKEA
SLEDGEREOSRAN
SILOTOTALCOST
ROTSCEMENTS
APESUITTBAR
GOVERNEDACESUP
ROIDGREGGATRA
AFLCIOFROGLEGS
HANGAFRAMES
SCHEMERPTUI
CRUXSEDERSTEW
RUMOKAYISLATE
ADOWISEXTERRA
PEREXESUSTEN
Thu 4/17/2025
ACAIACTINEMIT
BANSBRUNOGILA
ERGOLUNCHBOXES
TOESHOEHER
LLCOOLJLOTUS
ELMESPOUSES
SABLEFTCMNEME
TREESASHSETIN
ANASCROWDUHNO
FIRMARNERPEAR
FENCRISPEDFLA
APPLEPAULO
THITHEREMPIRES
POSSESSSOLACES
SWEDESFOREST
Fri 4/18/2025
DIALITBACKISAY
ANTISOCIALMAMA
BARBIECOREONES
SPIESLEISTRI
TARAMINOFAIR
TALCDISC
PLAYITCOOLGUAM
DOUBLEORNOTHING
ANTEROCKBOTTOM
DOLLEONS
FOLLOWOYSDAM
ANOBRASTIGER
CZARACCELERATE
TONIPLAYACTION
SOSOSUREWHYNOT
Sat 4/19/2025
IBARDEBSCUD
RULEEXAMPAPER
ASOFACTIONITEM
INEZOHBOYEVA
ENGRAINSFORCED
METINSETNOTRE
ASHORETUTVISA
ISOMERSGRIEVES
LASETARINSECT
SCENTDEREKBOO
PULSARBASEJUMP
AMIBORONDORM
MENTALNOTEREUP
NEARFATALTATA
SUDSSTYSUED
Sun 4/20/2025 Double Vision
RIPSPARSSBARROBACON
UNOARRAYHINTATTRYME
ITSWOODSWOODSCREWCREW
NOTFITSTEWSHAMWALE
OPINESEDUCATEOPENER
ODORSPAMSPAMALOTALOT
RESENTEDNILWEED
BETSYNABOBGOONASWAN
SPAMADMADISONISONHMO
GAPSSTILTLUCPOPS
OVERHITSNORESPURPOSE
DEAFDOCBEGANLOEW
DIGDEMDEMAGOGAGOGHAD
SNEERACNEASADAABODE
SUETSAPIMINLOVE
PROPROCURESCURESOPED
LOITERHEATHERREJOIN
OLDEERADANAECOMETO
REDREDACTIONACTIONPUP
DALISTHEDOTINANEIRA
EXECSSALARYLANDSEEL
Mon 4/21/2025
TENDDUMBAGAR
ALEEATTICROPE
BARMITZVAHCOPA
ANDALESISDEC
STINKTHECASBAH
CREDMOODREESE
OARSANNBATTED
CHEETAH
DENALIYRSADAS
OPERAODIEPORT
JIMMYCHOOMAGMA
ATESAWSECTOR
COSTGESUNDHEIT
AMINELENAEARL
TESTLEAPSMEE
Tue 4/22/2025
CUBAEMITFROYO
AHOYMIRALOVER
CAROLINAREAPERS
HUGONUSAVER
ELECTEEPROASA
SAINTPATRICKS
NOTACHQTIP
RODINTSKMUSTS
AKINKATSAO
GREEKELEMENTS
EARINKACCEPTS
EMMYBRUHHOU
BASEBALLPLAYERS
IDINAGALAURSA
GASUPAMERPEON
Wed 4/23/2025
DIBSSUNDAEAIRS
IMACONERUNSCAT
NEBULAAWARDPAPA
GAYBARAMOSARAN
UNCAPSTARSTRUCK
SIRSPAATEASE
TIPICONRPG
BLACKHOLESUN
ANNOBOESOS
DINDINLPSTAC
NOVASCOTIALHASA
ALTHONYCCAUGHT
FLUEGALAXYBRAIN
TUBAAMELIALIMA
APEDBERLINSNIP
Thu 4/24/2025
DARKFMOCKUMEN
ATONALOBEISANT
BEMINEVENDETTA
STATESDEER
ELCHAPOEARDRY
TOOSTUSEA
TIZZYCOMINGO
ANYASHEAFAFEW
MYSTERYPRADA
NEOESEGIG
GSUEWWSTREETS
ETNAOBTAIN
NICKNAMELOOFAS
RELIEVEREDKOCH
EBENDINGPIECE
Fri 4/25/2025
SOVIETBLOCJABS
IMALLALONEUCLA
RANLIKEMADSCAN
INSIDEDOPETEND
NESATHAND
MAITIPROAST
CANMETARELAY
HIDDENSTAIRCASE
UNWEDEMMYMIA
HEADSLAPGPA
CAPLETLAO
POTSCARBOLOADS
OMNIAYOEDEBIRI
SMOGLUMBEREDIN
HATHSPEEDTRAPS
Sat 4/26/2025
EGGHEADEDAGLOW
DREAMYOGAINANE
WANTTOTRYDATES
IVIESTESHWEPT
NYEHOTPADRAE
MOODAIRSIGN
BONMOTLAPSED
SECRETADMIRER
RUSHATMEANER
OPTIMUSERSE
YEAPREPPYAND
ARCSFIEFTAMER
LITONSTAGEDIVE
WOOLFMAKEMAGIC
ERROLSLEEPMASK
Sun 4/27/2025 Numbers Game
NOTATALLKISSABLE
TRUTHBOMBSONOTTRUE
SANTACLAUSTHEONERING
BLEATONALEADAIDES
SCISTORMMCRAE
MUKBANGSIBMLOANZIT
STAYINALIVEMOONSHINE
DINEDIRAMASTALDA
OLGACUDIFONTHARLEM
SEARCHHISTORYPENTAX
LIONOLESILT
IMRICHBALLETSLIPPER
CREEPOTIDYSEASERMA
YADAERASIALCROOK
STILETTOSEMILYBRONTE
TEAGISTPGAARRANGED
FOGGYSEAMSSAY
LIANEGANDALFOPEDS
UPSIDEDOWNCALCULATOR
CATCONDOSTOPBANANA
ASSENTEDWRESTLES

I'm a writer, director, and visual artist based in Los Angeles. As a former graphic designer, my love of wordplay extends to the typographical ways letters and words can be presented. Alex Eaton-Salners' ASL puzzle last year felt simple and brilliant at the same time, and it inspired me to start thinking about unexpected ways of playing with type in my puzzles. I love learning about different things words can do: palindromes, anagrams, ambigrams, I'm trying to crack a gramogram theme, and I'd love to make a puzzle where the cluing is entirely emojis or memes. One of my earliest memories of messing around with letters like this was goofing around in math class.

First, I made a list of letters you can make with an upside-down calculator: 7 is L, 8 is B, etc. I had originally thought about using a multiplication sign for X or a plus sign for T to have more flexibility (arguably, you could also use a 9 to be a lowercase A), but was concerned it wasn't as clear of a read for the solver. Also, making symbols like that letters removed their ability to be word breaks, which felt more important. This was my first experience using a limited alphabet for cluing, and I owe a huge shout-out to Adam Aaronson's Wordlisted site. Some constructors know how to do all kinds of coding to help find theme entries — I'm more right-brained (see earlier math class goofing). Adam's site lets you search your own wordlists based on a variety of queries, including a limited alphabet. The day this theme got accepted, I went and clicked the 'buy me a coffee' donation button on his site.

  • [GHIBLI BOSS / 5508.178145] for HIYAO MIYAZAKI
  • [GEISEL GOO / 006 735136] for OOBLECK
  • [OH HELLO HOST / +504.07734 40] for NICK KROLL or JOHN MULANEY
  • [OH HO HO / .040440] for THE TABLES HAVE TURNED (possibly as a revealer)
  • [SHELL SHILLS / 577145+77345] for OIL EXECUTIVES
  • [BILLIE EILISH BOOGIE / 316008.451713 x 317718] for BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  • [HILO HELLO / .07734-.0714] for ALOHA along with [HILLEL HELLO / .07734 + 737714] for SHALOM
  • [GLOBE LIE BOOB / 8008.317 - 38076] for FLAT EARTHER
Mon 4/28/2025
MITTSSPANURSA
ONIONTUTUSETH
JACKOFALLTRADES
ILKORSEINE
TILFIVEYEAROLD
ONEMILEUMPSEE
SEDANARMAERO
KNOWITALL
LETOVIMOPTIN
AGODEFAWESOME
MOTHERINLAWATM
SAABIONSHE
MULTIHYPHENATES
TRUEPEPAOTERI
SFPDSAYSDARES
Tue 4/29/2025
GODSSMOKEDBLAB
EDITCAVIARRENO
LENAOHENRYONYX
GROWINGPAINS
VOLDNC
GETEMHIEDLOPEZ
ELOPRIMROSEHBO
RIOHOTORNOTOSO
MOLDSTPATSITEM
STARTHENSICONS
TANGENTLINES
SCEPTERONAWHIM
HONENOCLUEIOWA
ODORTOPICSNOIR
DEWYFISHETNA
Wed 4/30/2025
KALERCAFATS
ASIAALLDRIP
THETIMEISRIPE
HARDCOACHDJED
ANATENNERSADO
SAFARIULTRON
CENSORBAR
HOCKENETIFF
DALESWESSALAD
ENDSDISCODACA
PDFSINCURSTEW
ASLPEGLEGSFWD
ROADSBODIDEAL
TAMESECOGEESE
PELTEKGHASH
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126 ms