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

Thumbnails

Puzzles for August, 2026
with Constructor comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (4)Editor (5)Jim Horne (21)Hide comments
Sat 8/1/2026
TRASHTALKAPBS
VAGUEIDEASBALI
DIADELOSMUERTOS
ANTSSUSANLUCCI
DYEMITESKPH
DOTNUTTWIN
RCCARASTRONOMY
IRANIANRIVERAS
GARGANTUAASKME
APSEYETORS
HRTDISHYCOT
AMAZEBALLSGABE
CORONATIONROBES
MIENMETPAYROLL
ELSEDYSPEPSIA
Sun 8/2/2026 Going for a Spin
BICSARITAGSCARPS
MENUTIERWRAPALERTS
OFFROADVEHICLEREVERE
TOLLFREEATHLETESFEN
TRUSTRAMSADOSBEAD
SEXTARSUSNEWSHOCKS
MISSEDETREARTS
LOWEMISSIONSSLATE
ORATESNEEDREDACT
VANESSCAMPIMACSNOR
ENTSBUCKETSEATSNODE
IGOFARSIUPSETFEIGN
TENDONNANAIRONED
RISESKEYLESSENTRY
THISVISAOVULES
QUIETRIDEPRIMALSIM
URLSICEEPHILOMANI
AFLACTTHREEDEBACLES
SWATCHREARWHEELDRIVE
HARAREIRISMALEAVER
RYDERPELESDSUEAR
Mon 8/3/2026
COSTSNAILAREA
ODORTEDDYPUMP
MIDIABASEINCA
BEACHBUMPETER
YELLCROCHET
ICECREAMMAKER
AISLEOOZEOAF
MATEMILNEHURL
BOABETABUGLE
TRUECRIMESHOW
STEALTHMALT
LASIKCHILLING
ETASBLOODEVER
PELEAGAMERARE
TRESEATENSNOW
Tue 8/4/2026
MITTSLIMESSKA
ACERCOMBATWAD
SARINOTSARIOLD
SNIPERSLYRES
LLCBALEEN
DELHIPLATTERS
ONUSGAUNTNOW
HEMAYNMAOEVA
ORBREIGNAMEN
HOLIMATRIMONY
ETCHERORG
YADDACREEPIN
UFONAANAPOLOGY
MARDANISHIPOS
AREYACHTSCORE
Wed 8/5/2026
CHARTTOPPER
LEADINGNOWHERE
ARIZONAICEDTEA
PAGERANKS
CARDCASE
HEADMASSAGES
CARBONSTORAGE
WESTERNSAHARA
INTERNETBOTS
GOESBUST
FIRSTMATE
BOOLEANALGEBRA
INDIANAHOOSIER
COUNTSNOSES

This puzzle was a particularly challenging one to construct (see this similar puzzle for some background). I spent a great deal of time exploring different black-square patterns and ended up filling several grids around this core concept. In the end, I had to accept a few less-than-ideal entries to make everything work. I hope you enjoy the solve and that, at the very least, it gives you something a little different to sink your teeth into.

Thu 8/6/2026
TONIICEDEDDIE
ANONSAMEGROOM
JAICANRUMGAUNT
RISOTTOPRIG
TRYMELEBRONJES
MARCOOLHAL
SESAMEHOTLANTA
CLANTHOSEHUMP
RENDEREDSPITES
ANDMIROTAG
PAJAPARTYROIDS
WILLELMTREE
PRIMOJAMPACKED
DICEYONEGHERA
ACHESETNAADEN
Fri 8/7/2026
STRESSBALLAFEW
IHADNOIDEARAVI
CATSOUTOFTHEBAG
SISWRISTOWENS
SCOTTASER
PECANBUSTAGUT
TRAITPORKTEVA
NERFTOONSHEEL
UGLIAWESBIGAL
TOYMAKERSONGS
ROVERBERG
OLIVEGRIDSNYC
MUSICPRODUCTION
ICEEGATECHANGE
TARSABITETOEAT
Sat 8/8/2026
TOSSSARICBS
HOOTSHEMANDHAW
ALFREERICCARLE
WATERSLIDEPILE
SLEEVELESSTSET
ANTIRUSTRETRY
STEEVEDAVIS
ETNAMAGI
RIATAFINITE
GETMELENSCAPS
AAHSPANAKOPITA
BREAHYDROMETER
BELLEAMIEIRONS
ENPASSANTCOMTE
RDSPENGNESS
Sun 8/9/2026 Freestyle Exercise
ATALLHEISTSFLUAXIS
COMEONINTHEWATERSFINE
CONGRESSIONALDISTRICT
OCEANUSSWAMPDAYO
ROSTERUNUMHOEEMAIL
DOTEONTOPDAUNTANNE
SLYSLEETDEBTHINTAT
BOONSLIFESPANCHI
LODGEHAVETHINGSOUT
TODAYMOVEASONENLRB
ROTISTONISTONEMOORE
IMINPALESTINETAWNY
TONGUELASHINGCOVEY
URLBEESTINGDOMED
ARISENSANGGROANSIP
LOFTSHENGWRISTMINE
SWEEPUSSIHOPISOLDE
POOLWARIOFLAREUP
CORPORATESURVEILLANCE
INVERTEDROLLERCOASTER
SASSODSFESSESTSARS
  • I've been meaning to put 57-Across in a puzzle ever since I learned about her (and Mamie Johnson and Connie Morgan) while visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, one of the first things I did after moving to Kansas City seven years ago. Fortuitous that this puzzle is running so soon after the inaugural season of the Women's Pro Baseball League begins.
  • Making the puzzle took longer than usual. I did the middle part of the grid in February 2025, and then I thought it would be nice to have some 21-letter answers. My wordlists didn't have a ton of those (since they're largely sourced from 15x15 puzzles), so I spent some time looking for more by using online dictionary search tools and also by thinking of them. I submitted the puzzle in September 2025. Love a slow burn!
  • I asked the Times team which editor wrote the brilliant clue at 66-Across; I should have guessed that it was Sam Ezersky (you know, the Bee guy).
Mon 8/10/2026
APESSLATENJOY
MAXIAIMSGEODE
OPEDSTEPBYSTEP
RICECHEXUPS
BAAHOTPAN
PLAYBYPLAYCANE
LASSOHAZEANTS
UGLISOSADSILT
CUEDUBERRENEE
KNEEBIRDBYBIRD
YAPETALAY
ALLLAUNCHED
FOURBYFOURAURA
LARGOISNTSLAM
YKNOWNETSEASE
Tue 8/11/2026
IPADSSYSCOESC
NOTUPAOKAYVIA
FLAMINGLIPSIAM
OLDPROOPSELMO
LEAKIDLE
ANTIHANSZIMMER
LAWNSRITESPIE
LUIGIMAACHIDE
ORSGAILYSORES
WUTANGCLANMERE
ELSETAKE
DAREDOIRUBIES
RUMSONGDYNASTY
IRAOUTERISLAM
PATSTORESEALS
Wed 8/12/2026
TAGSTREBLEDMS
OTRAHARROWAYE
GOOGLEDRIVENBA
AMIGOONESCAM
NETWORKSPEEDS
DREWARO
CISALECRIFTS
INTERNETTRAFFIC
ANORATAROSKI
RUGLAMA
COMPUTERCRASH
LUSTHAIICARE
ANOSERVERDELAY
ICUORNATENOSE
METWESLEYTSPS
Thu 8/13/2026
ZAGBEEPPARIAH
IMOOKRARICOLA
LOBSTERSORATED
CREPTSTUMPAVE
HERALDESPOUSES
STEAMETDS
PIESTALLSABER
BRRSAXLESFAVA
JAKOBIMSADNEW
FARMSPEND
AQUARIUMSNOWED
BUNROMANSOARE
BOBCATSIZINGUP
ORANGEKNITOPT
TANNEDSONYNTH

I love crosswords that defy convention and require you to think outside the box (sometimes literally!) to unravel the mysteries of the grid, so I always look forward to tackling The Times's tricky Thursday themes. My favorite puzzle-solving day is extra special this week, as I have the great pleasure of sharing a Thursday twist of my own.

Beyond the theme, I also had a lot of fun writing the clues for this puzzle, challenging myself to incorporate fresh cluing angles and subtle misdirection throughout. I am especially proud of my clues for 31-Across, 73-Across, 27-Down, and 40-Down.

I hope solving this crossword doesn't give you too many fits!

Fri 8/14/2026
GIZASNIFFSOUT
IMONAYCARAMBA
NEONBREAKUPSEX
SAMURAIRIC
UNFAIRRENTACOP
CALORIEGOLOCO
COTSETCHSINCE
AMIINCLOSEFAM
SEGERHUSHSAMS
COUSINSEALABS
ANECDOTELEMURS
ERRGOSPLAT
THATSMYJAMLAZE
RAPACIOUSETON
UMPTEENTHSERT

For me, every New York Times submission is like an incarnation of Schrödinger's cat — a submission is both rejected and accepted (or is it neither rejected nor accepted?) until I hear back about it. And no matter what the response is, I'm always surprised and amazed. Acceptance? Total shock! Amazing!! Didn't expect that! Rejection? Total shock! What?! I loved that puzzle!

I know that makes no sense, but it's somehow true. This puzzle was no different — I was shocked that it was accepted. I won't point out its flaws to you though, in case you don't see them.

The seed for this puzzle was ZOOM FATIGUE, which I was worried about using, lest it be irrelevant after a year or two. Luckily for me, this puzzle is being published just 13 months after I first submitted it, which seems like a very short time given how many themelesses are in the queue. Unluckily for me, I continue to experience ZOOM FATIGUE on a weekly basis.

Lastly — many thanks to Rafa Musa!! Without him, this puzzle would not exist. I emailed Rafa shortly after ACPT 2025, asking him to collab on a themeless. He took pity on this themeless newbie and very generously said yes. This spawned a cursed puzzle that generated over 40 emails and many, many grid iterations. Our shared clue spreadsheet tabs read "Sheet1", "new! clues", "new! new! clues", and "new! new! new! (lmao) clues". But through that process --- the filling, the refilling, the clueing, the re-clueing --- I learned so much about the art of constructing a themeless. I'm addicted now.

I'd still love to share an NYT byline with Rafa one day, and I hope that not all of our collab attempts are destined to be cursed… But I think I'll pitch him a themed puzzle, just to be safe.

(I'm also forever pitching to Kevin Curry that we collab on a themeless, but I've yet to get him to bite. Someday!)

Sat 8/15/2026
DAWNEDTVACTORS
REHIREHISTORIC
OSAKANENTREATY
POTSETSAILJUL
SPAMBRUINPEAL
HIPAAENGHOLLA
ICANTHEARYOU
PALATECLEANSERS
TEXASTWOSTEP
ARMEDNOTRICCI
LOBEPORESNELL
BOACAPISCETIL
EMPHASISATHENA
REPARTEELAUREN
TRESPASSPLEASE
Sun 8/16/2026 Take the Edge Off
LOLITASINTHEMLAME
ATONOFEMUSROLOTRAP
DOCTORSWITHOUTBORDERS
SHOOKPENOPERATETIO
NAIADERATOSLOAN
NEEDSNOINTRODUCTION
FOSSILNODATPASO
LIPPALNOGPLODNIGH
URNSNEVERENDINGSTORY
PODIASEALELATED
BICEPSLABTSKSIMAGE
ASLEEPIDIGITSME
HEADLESSHORSEMANROTE
TENDSHEDETCRATDIY
ASTIRAYONPUDDLE
NOTCOMPLETELYHONEST
SANERREADSGONGS
OREATPEACESIRSEEUP
UNLIMITEDTALKANDTEXTS
TIEDRANTLOINWEDGES
HAGSESSOTNTINSIST
Mon 8/17/2026
LIMEMUSTPLOT
IMAMANTEPAOLO
DAPPERDANINUIT
SCORPIONACTIVE
EINKPHHEED
KISSCAMEASEL
ISISRIOTTROLL
NETJAMJARSUAE
GEESEOSLOMINT
VOTESSCREEDS
SNITNATKOA
NOSHEDHABANERO
OBIESYESANDYES
RETROATTNERAS
ELSEMAIDREDO
Tue 8/18/2026
HELPURIAHDENS
ALOENASTYISAW
MOONLIGHTSONATA
SECATFAULT
AMADEUSEUR
CITYOFSTARSABS
OLDENMOVIECLIP
RIANDARIAALTA
NEWSMEDIAORDER
SUNSWEETDREAMS
DNDSEESYEE
ALGEBRATOP
MUSICOFTHENIGHT
OBITPRIORNOAH
SEXYSONGSGOTO
Wed 8/19/2026
ARIDPSATSCOTS
MEMOUNSEEUNIT
ISNTFEINTRELY
GOOSEFEATHERS
ARTXYZRITES
STOLEELDERCARE
SKORTOILURSA
STRAWPOLL
TAFTIVENOUNS
BLACKBARTOMITS
SINAIASSGUT
BURIESTHELEDE
BRASORATEAREA
EASEWALLEMINK
DYESASTERBATS
Thu 8/20/2026
HARPSAFARIPSA
TROUSPOTONAIL
TASTINGROOMRNA
PLAIDOWNATEAM
NUEVASTUDIO
HORNSRIPER
RAVENSDRYNDAS
BRAVOETALOOFA
IDLEMEHDEFRAY
REIKIONPAR
CUSSATNEIGH
ISLETOKSTRACE
RUESPLITSHAIRS
CAPUSENETSNIP
ALTPIGGEDETSY
Fri 8/21/2026
LAMAAMBERALES
ARIDBOOTYCALLS
BANDCOCHAMPION
EMILESCONETAO
LAMELOESCLENT
SIAYOMOFUSE
CRASHINGOUT
THEATERGEEK
MEATBALLSUB
BRASHMERRAJ
HEADPHIROCOCO
EDTHOISTDESKS
WHEREITSATSALT
SODARNCUTEAWOL
GETSTHEAXRAGE
Sat 8/22/2026
RABBITSTEWEYES
ANYONEHOMEREAL
INEXTREMISESTA
NOSPOILERSANEW
LUGSOLDON
BIFOCALSNEED
BRETHRENGROSS
QATROUTEUHH
SNARKCOLUMBIA
COILKEEPITPG
SHADOWMSN
OPEDWHITETIGER
DREWBANANACAKE
DESIIMOUTRAGED
SEENDONTSTRESS
Sun 8/23/2026 Small Change
RADPHDSFLIRTSHARK
EMILLAINRAWERPHASEI
DOVEAPSAVEDISAPEARNED
TEENSYCPASLIMPSEELS
ABRAHAMLINCOLNICAME
GATORCANTORSNIPDUB
LASSIASCETICTHETA
USMINTMAGGOTHEIDER
STINKUPLEOROTWSJ
EEKNARCADELEITALIA
ONEAPTWOAPHOTCROSSBUNS
NOSALEBPLUSASHENAT
NODBOAEOSHOVLANE
ASADASINNRECFAIRER
CCLEFKNEEINGOHFUN
SIPELISSEANCEGETAT
ACRIDTHEUNIONSHIELD
SASHBODHIRICOANTEUP
PUTINYOURTWOCENTSEMMA
UTOPIALEMONNEOSMENS
NORSELEEKSEDGYDIS
Mon 8/24/2026
ACMECUMINBALE
POEMASADAORES
UNDERWORLDWANT
IRISDEIFOE
OMEGATIDALWAVE
REVENGEONTO
CMAACLREB
HELLORHIGHWATER
ALBPOEELA
ZANGRACEDBY
PURGATORYACTAS
IREEWEELLA
PITHANGELFALLS
ECHOSEALSIKEA
SHAGERNIERSVP
Tue 8/25/2026
NIBAKONRAJAS
EVABOHOSATURN
PERSEIDSUTOPIA
TRILLAEONMIDI
USSRMENSATIL
NOTVENUSWHETS
ENAMORMERCURY
ALITTIME
SPRUCESPOSTOP
CHASMTITANIRL
HICEARTHREBA
AVESWAWABEGIN
TECATEITSADATE
URANUSTSARMAT
PYREXHOPEELS
Wed 8/26/2026
RAGEMAGMAMOPE
AHEMATLASAVON
BEAUTYMARKREND
BARRAFAWARY
IDSAYEDUMACATE
NOSECARACAS
MAUIALTTIP
SALTEDCARAMEL
HANSEEOVID
MRSLATECNET
MACADAMIAREAMS
JABSAMOSPEW
REPOSOMEPEOPLE
EVERARBORFLEA
PODSMESSYFEET
Thu 8/27/2026
UNZIPSTARZPJS
NAZCATOPAZIPO
ATBAREYEOPENER
SOUNDERSIMAGE
ATONEFRAT
JLOOOZIERZOE
NODOZZENOZAG
OURZESTFULZSA
ALIJUNOLAZED
HENAREPASIFS
WHOSHOWRU
ATSEAGIGABYTE
NAMENAMESSAWIV
APUDRONEPLUME
LEGSKATESLYER
Fri 8/28/2026
SCREWITHELEN
IHOPENOTAGILE
NONANSWERRINSE
ERATELEPORTED
WELLWELLWELL
DEEPSOLDSAW
AMIGASBRERMID
MANORYAKATARI
ASHETONSMILEY
HONSHUMCING
BOOSTERSEATS
ITSABREEZEMII
LOOFAESCAPEACT
LILACSAMANTHA
SLINKLOWGEAR
Sat 8/29/2026
ABCSNBACHAMPS
BIORESUSHIBOAT
IDTAGALIENSHIP
GOTMADLANDANA
ACLSEWINGPITT
STEBAINPARS
SOCIALLADDER
RANITSCOURSE
PATIOHEATERS
TENNISLESSON
ARIDNOIRTRY
BRIESOAKSSWAP
PIGTHUSTECHNO
LOGARITHMRAIDS
USERERRORALLOT
SIDESTEPSSEEM
Sun 8/30/2026 Written in the Stars
JAFARSOLDIBETNBA
ARUBAKABOOMFREEFORM
HENRIMATISSESALMINEO
NADIYATEMUPRAWN
EDYSCANSDONNASUMMER
REGINAKINGSTASESERA
ALIVESCALPAVOW
STREWSGEORGEFOREMAN
ESLPEAELINERUDA
SQUAREOCCAMCRIES
RECURRINGCHARACTERS
FOLIEPATIOWEGOOD
ILLFEDGASSIMCVS
ELAINESTRITCHPEORIA
MOUESAABSPHONY
WARSOLDERBRIELARSON
EVELKNIEVELDECOESSO
EIEIOEDIENECTAR
BABERUTHORLANDOBLOOM
INONTIMESAMMIEALANA
TSKSECSSOYARYDER
Mon 8/31/2026
STEPUCLATIPSY
LUXEBAITAGREE
OTISELMOLOOTS
BUTTERFINGERS
LESTAUCAT
MABELJELLYFISH
AVASADPERUSE
RANATABPETITES
SLALOMRADTRI
HONEYMOONHOOTS
ANAIRAPUN
SPREADTHEWORD
IGLOOCIAOALIA
COURTLENTRACY
EDGESESSODYES
XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2026, Jim Horne
36 ms