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Puzzles for July, 2025
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (3)Editor (4)Jim Horne (9)Hide comments
Tue 7/1/2025
CRISPTKOMEDAL
HANOIYENORATE
UNCLEPITBASED
HORSERADISH
CRABAPPLE
SEGUEDSERVED
PLOPSUBSEMI
LOOSTOMACHGOV
ITSPIRANHAETA
TEENAGEDILATES
BORECODA
REVERBOKSURE
TORENOCAPLILY
EARLUNITETAME
EDYSTESSASNOW
Wed 7/2/2025
COBBCNETBLACK
OVALHALERISEN
PUBTRIVIAAMPLE
AMYIRAICICLE
GRAPHICDETAIL
TOROSOCHI
OPALSKENOSAC
FUNFACTRAWDATA
USDYOURLABOR
ABUTSWOMB
BANKSTATEMENT
UBOATSTUXESC
IBIZAHARDTRUTH
LEROIECIGAREA
TYSONELSEESPN
Thu 7/3/2025
BAACHIPRASTA
OLDFADERAPTOR
LIMBOREDONTAPE
OWIEMARAUDYAW
TOTALLOVERDONE
INTROSINYOUGO
EGOLHASASTAN
BLACKTIRE
DESITIETOFED
EMPRESSSIMONE
BALDSPORTLARGE
UNICANAANCRAP
SACRUMBLINKERS
STEEDSBOCAADE
YESNOINKYLEA
Fri 7/4/2025
RIPSARKSSTRUT
ELLEMEANHOOHA
SLEWBALLOONDOG
ICANTLIEWHISKS
NASHERENE
TEPIDFRUITBAT
ACRESCORPORATE
RHINOAROHITME
MUSCLECARTETON
SPEEDWAYGASES
TOOSONRPG
COACHKMEDIASHY
ARTHISTORYUBER
LATINWOVETORO
CLANGODESOXES
Sat 7/5/2025
STOPYANNREACH
LONEEDIEENLAI
UNITSOFACOVERS
EGOSARTTHIEVES
UNCANNYVALLEY
HERALDOSSO
ATONECADSPERE
NILSTARKEYPIG
DELTIDEAACING
EPEEBLOCKY
QUEERTHEOLOGY
GUTTERBALLLADY
LITERALISTAMIE
OPERAURIENENA
BURSTEYEDTSKS
Sun 7/6/2025 Escape Room
MARXERGOSPAMGIZA
VOGUELOUDPEPEANIME
PRESSPSISFENDGATOR
SESHMAILLEIAWIRE
DOESNTHAVEACLUE
ATEINTOTOTEDIGNOBLE
DINEROROMEOALFRED
WMDYOSHIUNSEEEVE
ATONETAPTAUTRAIN
RAFASANMBAEKES
MTVITDEEMUBOD
HERMESXNASSAU
TEEOUSTIARTETAJ
ORRALMATMIRESPA
TAOMIENENIDTAN
ASAPUNDERTHESEABARK
LEDUPXENONWARTY
RODDENTUREHID
FOURSQUARERODEODRIVE
LOSEHEARTLIPREADER
APEDDEESLEANPOTS
  • E is the End of the Road — the last letter in RODEO DRIVE.
  • X is FOUR SQUARE, the letter in square #4
  • I is the letter Under the (only C in the grid)
  • T has no clue, meaning 76-Across
Mon 7/7/2025
BOFFOOTISLEFT
AARONMASKOTRO
STARTINGPITCHER
SHYITISAKERS
NPRAMSTEREO
VANITYPLATE
AMINOEELYAPSE
IOBJECTOXIDANT
OSSARUINCOCOA
COLLEGEBOWL
EATLOCALAWE
ACHOOSOBAISH
STILLONTHETABLE
EINEDIOSEVIAN
LIEDEXPORESTS
Tue 7/8/2025
GISTSACSSLAP
EVEREDGESPELL
LAGUARDIAPASTA
NATGEORAMSAY
HANNABARBERA
SEMITESENSOR
CLASHSPEDTERM
ASKACHEFORVIA
BEESHERSOMITS
STARESMOOLAH
DOPAMINERUSH
OPERASOTTAWA
GRADSAPLUSWORK
MACOSSOFAKNEE
AHEMHEELSTAY
Wed 7/9/2025
MUTTLIDPISTOL
EPEEETEOCTOPI
MOLEVALMISAIM
ONETRILLIONDEB
HITANNES
BASEMANCASHAPP
OTCSTEPSEGEL
ARABEDGESSERA
RILEYSTUBNIT
DAYTIMEAPOSTLE
ANODEELK
PGAYOUDIRTYRAT
UNREALGOBLALA
NANANAATOAGES
TROUGHRAYBUCK
Thu 7/10/2025
CUBSSSNBIOS
OBOECOOPELLE
MOONDANCEFADE
MASTERGARDENER
ATTICPILLARS
MOOTOIL
TIGERWOODSBTU
UDONNANTSARS
BENTOSITTRES
ADEMATCHMAKER
MACECIG
ESSENCEDEUCE
JACKIEROBINSON
ELIODINOSAURS
CMONEVESMANU
TANGOSSELSE
Fri 7/11/2025
HOSTSOWLYSASH
YAHOOGHEEPLEA
DRILLSDOWNOMNI
READAHEADHOOT
ADSRANHANDIN
WEKROARONO
RACECARDRIVER
BALLOONANIMAL
GETTINGCLOSER
INSPISHHOT
FINESTEONABA
HERECAMPFIRES
NASAVOICEOVERS
ANTSACMERENEE
BASENOSEDRATS
Sat 7/12/2025
WHATABLASTRIGG
HOMEBREWERITOO
OBOESONATAVALE
POSSEDISCALDA
NESTELLIES
STRATAECRUANY
PRIGREDOLINGO
EAGERLYBRUNSON
EVADERISEGUAM
DEMADENFEEBLE
CLAIREFIST
HORNBLOWHYENA
EGOSROBODIALER
SULUICONOCLAST
SEEMSIXTHSENSE
Sun 7/13/2025 Tunnel Vision
HALTDEMONSRATEWAITS
OTOEINASECOLAVERDOCS
LEANTECHNOTILESOOTHE
ELDERSBEETOVENTUSHIE
SOTTOLEASTRESUMESESP
ICIPEATPEREOMS
NAMELPHABAUEYNODAT
LETLIEGOBTWEENSSHEL
HADLUNCHTEAMOSECO
STBEDEDECOERRINGERHU
CAREDNOSIRRSSIMISSED
ODEECONETONILE
UPARROWCTAADAGEREDOS
ROKUDISHONRINGRESENT
ELONGOASKTODOLIST
DENTMENSCHIRSINPAWN
TSLOTMASESOBESOEAT
ICHIRISLOONNTH
MARLATETAGRADONSATIE
GLOOMYAAVEAGESBELLOW
UVULAERBISILLSUETINA
REGIMECOATTOCOMEOVAL
SHOALHONETWOMANSELL
Mon 7/14/2025
BELLACARGOPTA
AVOIDONIONROD
BASKETWEAVEEMO
ALTAHEWNDETER
BRERRAZZIE
TITLESTHEYRE
INHEATHUPALFA
EREMONOBOBBAR
DERNNASROBUST
EUGENETWENTY
KIDDOSBELL
HOPESGEARLARS
ANOHARRYSTYLES
KINNOISEHUMAN
ICYOLDEROPALS
Tue 7/15/2025
MASSNOGORATIO
ULNAUNITUBERX
SMUTDELTABURKE
KABUKIDATAMSN
REEFWADS
DANNYBONADUCE
OVASARIBAITS
ROMPRENEWMESA
KNEADJAILIAN
DREWBARRYMORE
ECOLSERE
DREAMOKMADMEN
DAVIDBOWIEIAGO
AGILEPANSCIAO
YULESSIGHIMDB
Wed 7/16/2025
PLEAATEONBASE
DONTEVENBESTIR
FOOTLONGSOMBER
ROWENEATO
WHATSTHEMATTER
PEACESEDATE
EASTANNARBOR
EVABOBTAILAMA
RENFAIREFLAN
IDLERSTISNT
THELASTSAMURAI
ROLLSVERT
ALWESTTEABREAK
PLATESCANOEING
SAYSSOMSTENDS
Thu 7/17/2025
ATTICSMOGEDAM
BAIDUHAKETOKE
EXCELETALOMIT
AIRDRYTIARA
APPNOSYFILIAL
SEESAWOILMEN
STEERISSUENIT
ARRAYSHEMOANA
MIRALIKEARMOR
ERRATAACCENT
RIVETSDASHSET
EPICSFOSSIL
AREAAILSNITRO
LAWNIDLEELMER
MYSTMOSTSTING
Fri 7/18/2025
ATONESINGEST
STEFANONOTSURE
THATSJUSTTOOBAD
RESCORKERSSIG
ONEDAYMORELUTE
PARERASSMEMOS
FRESHLUGER
DEATHTADAS
SINCEGROWL
JESSEGEERISES
AXLEANTECEDENT
ITOCREATESMAA
LAYINGITONTHICK
SPAREUSPALETTE
ELATESSCENES

In grammar, an antecedent is the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to.

  • The clue "Explicit subject for her?" uses "explicit" to hint that the subject is clearly stated.
  • "For her" points to a pronoun, and the antecedent is the grammatical term for the noun that "her" refers to.
  • Thus, ANTECEDENT is the perfect answer—it's the explicit subject that 'her' refers to.

In other news, "My Old ASS" is a terrible title for an outstanding film.

Sat 7/19/2025
TITILLATEFLOW
EMOTIONALFRERE
MASTEROFSCIENCE
PMSINTERNETAD
CBSEND
SHOOATTAORO
SPUROFTHEMOMENT
AIREDALETERRIER
IGOTONEMOREINME
DONTGETANYIDEAS
TSADAPSDERN
SRIGAS
MASCOTRACEBCC
IMPOSSIBLECOLOR
DEITYDEANSPADE
ISNTSTMATTHEW

Read about the FREEDOM RIDES. John Lewis was one of the riders.

Sun 7/20/2025 Ten Point Spread
PEAKTVEAGLEDGOACAD
UMPIRETHRIVEANDDONE
SISTINECHAPELMELINDA
SLEEPINCASHREGISTER
SCARCEIDOBURRS
GASPEMERSONANISISI
ULTRAOLECAWMEETER
SPEEDTRAPHERBGARDEN
AVOWYEARAROMA
MALARIABEATITSTAR
DATINGSITEPHOTOBOOTH
SAHLTRALASADDUPTO
ALIASMOONOAFS
BARBERSHOPDAIRYFARM
ORDOCSAOLESTSLIER
NOMOSAMPECLASSELMS
AMISHSAOALLAYS
TATTOOPARLORGREASES
ENTEBBEGIRLSCOUTCAMP
ACERBICACCORDPORTIA
REDYETNESTORSNEERS
Mon 7/21/2025
BTSNOTIPGOBI
URLACHOOBAKER
TOUCHDOWNPASSES
TUSHAZUR
THEEVENINGNEWS
RUEDTEENIE
BBCREINSWORN
AIRPORTSHUTTLES
NCAASCABSADE
DENIEDREAD
SPELLINGERRORS
ISEEREPS
GOTTACATCHEMALL
ADAMSRURALMIA
BENZSPUNKSTY

Fun theme.

Tue 7/22/2025
VIPFOAMGNAW
ACAIALTASOUTH
TALLORDERPEKOE
NEONSSCUSEME
VYINGHRC
ESSEXORCAUFOS
ACHYSPOILCAPE
TRIOCROCKKNEW
MENUROVESOGRE
EWESUBERSOSAD
ORBDOTOO
TEAMUSAHAVOC
APLUSSCOOPEDUP
BEACHIPASRITA
SESHFATENEW

Just when you thought you'd seen all the possible "playground comebacks", there's a debut today at 49-Across.

Patrick Blindauer had a similar theme in 2019.

Wed 7/23/2025
ALBUSAREAAPED
ISUZUTAXITORE
MUSICNOTESASIA
SKIMSLASTED
NAGALIETTA
INEPTCSIEELS
ETNAAMANDACEE
CHEMICALSYMBOLS
EERNESSIEODES
MAKOSADHYENA
TINTEWESAY
NOIDEAEJECT
IMONBLOODTYPES
LINELINKIRISH
ETSYELSECATCH
Thu 7/24/2025
MATEDLISPSCCS
OBELIUNHIPALE
COMMONSNIPEEAR
HUPROTMELISMA
ITERATESUNA
AMERICANCROW
ASANATASKESE
BIRDVESTSCALL
RAMRASPPINOT
AMAZONPARROT
DISTEALIGHT
UNITARDWWILEO
LOLCOOPERSHAWK
NILEASEDCASTE
AROAMENSITSON
Fri 7/25/2025
DOPESLAPNOAH
ICALLEDITBOCCE
STUDYDATEOUTTA
CELEBREGNANT
TAROTLATESHOW
LOOEBAYERA
DAYTODAYDMV
SATSKINTAGRAE
ITOATELOCAL
LAMARLODOO
EPICNESSIDLES
NOCANDOSUMAC
TIARAAHAMOMENT
ENGELPOLARBEAR
STEWTEETOTAL
Sat 7/26/2025
BEBEARCHABBA
AVOCADOOILCRIB
BELLADONNATAKE
ASTIRMEDIADIET
PGSUNSUNG
BUSHELSAMPLE
GAMEDOTCOMBOOM
ALAJACUZZIWVU
PACKANIMALSEES
ENTERPREFERS
CURTSYMAX
MEANSWELLCLASP
IDLEASIANTIGER
LULLTEMPTSFATE
KEYSSESHERIK
Sun 7/27/2025 Arranged Marriages
CLINGSTOBARNUMASAMI
HUMORLESSINVISIBLEMAN
EXONERATINGGENERATIONX
FENCESELIGRAMENSKIS
ANIRIGIDEDIT
ROSITACHEATSSASSES
TECHNOCRATSTRENCHCOATS
OSUGOREMAINERORGAN
MOLTENOLASWAGCATS
BRAHMSMULCHBIOME
STREETLEGALLETSGETREAL
FREONUSOFASVELTE
ORSOSODAUTILERAMA
RETROFIREATLEAHIFS
CHECKMATINGCHICKMAGNET
AMPEREDOOHANSIRREE
ACTEGAULSSRI
AMPMCOREDSNAPEUMBER
MARISATOMEIITSAMEMARIO
THOMASEDISONTRUMPCARD
SIGILMETINGESTHETES
Mon 7/28/2025
MTVREBSLAWS
AHAEROSDIESEL
CASHCROPOTTAWA
EIEIOKEENIMIN
CARDCOUNTING
IDOTEESTAR
NINEPARPEAKS
COCACOLACLASSIC
ARESOPHITINA
YARDAMPADD
CAITLINCLARK
OMNIOAHUAORTA
WIDGETOPENSEAS
EGRETSWALKDUH
ROARSSISSTY

Every clue starts with C. Similar gimicks here.

I'll never reveal the names, but at least one NYT constructor was part of a CARD COUNTING scheme, and is no longer welcome in casinos anywhere.

Tue 7/29/2025
UNCLEDDEAPPLE
SALONIONPORED
SNORTAGOBLIGE
ROGEREBERTIMON
NELLMISC
REPEMOOPHELIA
ICANSORUSHMORE
GOGOPASAGOG
INERTGASPANINI
DORSALSBOPCYS
EGOSALPS
JPEGBENDOREGON
AARONDELOPINE
BRODYOREVINCI
SASSYNOGEASEL

Bend, Oregon is a lovely location.

Wed 7/30/2025
MAVLACKSADE
CLASSICHITSMIT
ALPSTOPUPORC
TOOKAPICEARTH
TRAPOPACITY
BOTTLESMILK
POOLARONZOO
DOUBLESTUFOREOS
APTONCERISK
BUGSVACUUMS
PRIVYTOAHAB
SMOREAGELIMIT
HEWROUTEDBRO
ANTAFTEREFFECT
HUHFEDINRHO

The OREO is such an important player in modern crosswords. It's about time it got its own grid art.

Thu 7/31/2025
MUTASAFARROMP
IDAHOPEDAEVIL
COLONSEERDECA
ENCLOSELACUNAS
ORARECON
AVAGARDEKIDDOS
LILYGIGILAERN
ATETENANTSFAA
MARDIETCHMILK
OLSENSTHISCABE
ATLAANHL
OVERSEEMEAALOT
PEASINFAIRENE
ERRAGNAREENIE
NASAHANASNOTS

Good crossword solvers quickly reject initial assumptions. "State bordering Arizona" has to be CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, UTAH, or NEW MEXICO, right? Maybe COLORADO? Rethink your assumption.

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