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Puzzles for January, 2018
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (26)Jeff Chen (31)Jim Horne (2)Hide comments
Mon 1/1/2018
MARCOMOATSMIG
OWNUPVANDALACA
BLAZEOFGLORYKEG
CRAWONTPECS
PTBOATAAAAANAT
FEEBURNINGLOVE
CALAMARIPOSER
ETERNALFLAME
SPATEOILSANDS
LIGHTMYFIRESHH
AQUAROANWISELY
SUETPUTSYNC
HARDISCOINFERNO
ENEIBEAMSENVOY
STDABETSRESTS

You don't hear the term torch song so much anymore, and that's too bad. Love song is a rough equivalent, but that term is safe and sappy by comparison. If you're singing lyrics like "I'm going to love you, like nobody's love you, come rain or come shine," you're addressing someone you're "carrying a torch for." Love songs imply sweetness and cuddling. Torch songs promise at least the possibility of furniture-busting sex.

Tue 1/2/2018
COMAORCASPREP
SLAMNEALECOME
TAKEITSLOWSOAR
VOLGALENSKIT
INPENPAIL
SINAIMOVEAHEAD
AHATAIWANLYLE
RAPEGGLDSEEL
ADAMERNESTART
HAVEASEATAORTA
BATSISBNS
ALLKIEVOZAWA
BALDSTEALAKISS
USESPATIOARIA
TTYLSLEDSNEAP
Wed 1/3/2018
JAZZSLAVFLAG
ALEEOCALAAURA
ITSNACHOPROBLEM
LOTRTESINFUSE
ITEMCATO
LETSTACOBOUTIT
SALTYHALRONA
TUBGAILYTON
ARODELMOPENS
YAWANNAPIZZAME
TOESTOAT
RIDEUPGROWSIP
ICANNOLIIMAGINE
PERUOOZESURGE
SENTLOADVEEP
Thu 1/4/2018
12DOWNARFACT1
STEVIEREACRE8
IOLANIMACARENA
ERAELLMELACC
SENSLABCASTER
DOTETARANTINO
ENTERERANTS
4WARDINGADDRESS
4AGEMEANSIT
ALLOWEDINDUOS
CRISISNEVPRES
RUTETSXIISAW
OSTINATOENRICO
SEEDMAXDMINOR
SSRSPRY48DOWN
Fri 1/5/2018
SMACKDOWNWHALE
TAMALEPIEHOMEY
RHINEGOLDIRENE
ARTEARLITSSAD
YEOWSTANDEE
BAHOREOSSPF
BALLETDONATETO
ONALARKSOLOCUP
WEMADEITTETRIS
EWECAROMSEE
NOTSPAMSTAT
BADGUYGRASWHO
OCEANBEACHCOMB
ORBITCACAOTREE
ROTOSCRAWDADDY
POW Sat 1/6/2018
BELTWALTZACTS
ONEATATIMEZAHN
BRAKEFLUIDEPEE
CADENTSTRIFE
AGUASEESHATER
TEPIDGNOMEADS
MAJORLABELS
DARETODREAM
LITTERBOXES
COGGRIEFBYLAW
HAIKUPDFSRENO
INCANTPLINKO
COATVOODOODOLL
HUMEPOWERLEVEL
ITSYGFLATROSY
Sun 1/7/2018 VOWEL PLAY
JULSPASSMARMCORA
UNITORTALOADERAPEX
DEALAMEALANNALSRIDE
ASSESSDIEMSPICYFOOD
HYENATRIJETSKIDS
ITOSTINESUMER
DAMNFOULCALLPOSEDAS
ELISATSEALIPOSSALT
VANTAGEMINEDNBA
TOREATSATINSUBGUM
WHOMITRICKSTERPREMP
HERBALAMICALAGEAR
ELESAHIBRADIORA
LLODCANITIRWINDUIN
POSITEDCHOCHANGESPN
GOYASETHELSAD
TRIGGAINSONTRAIT
WHATATOOLERISLAUNCH
HELISTROBESTRINGTIE
ATOZKISSEDHOUNDESS
MANESTEEDPESTSTP

This is only the fifth time diagonal slashes have been used in NYT daily crosswords. The first was this 1992 Crytocrossword by Eugene T. Maleska himself which included the awesome word SPLACKNUCKS, followed by this Tic-Tac-Toe grid by S. E. Booker.

Before today, the only two in the Shortz Era were this New Year's puzzle by Henry Hook in 1995, and a tricky 2011 Trip Payne puzzle called Figure It Out.

We added helpful slashes to a couple of grids to explain themes, but those slashes didn't appear in print. In 2012, Ian Livengood pulled a clever trick with keyboard digits and their shift-key equivalents. Just a few weeks after that, Joel Fagliano tried to confuse us with his W vs. double-U grid.

Added geeky note: David Steinberg mentioned Regular Expressions, which is as a way to do complex word pattern searches. And yes, of course, the XWord Info Finder Page supports them!

Mon 1/8/2018
DOTEGOADELKS
ETESHORSEMALA
AHASISTHATOKAY
RECUHOHNYJETS
GLASSOFOJCIRCA
OLDWESTIDOSHH
DODOFLUBS
YOUWILLOBEY
PRICYLETO
RASBIBSTCLAIR
AVEDAMILOOSHEA
SILENTPERMFIN
CAFEAULAITZING
ARIDLODGEANTE
LYESLUSHCEOS
Tue 1/9/2018
JOBSSLATSSTAR
ORALPOREPAUSE
HERORAPTANGST
NORTHAMERICA
HAYLIVEALIE
IOSICESEXOTB
ANTITANKSAAB
MEETINTHEMIDDLE
BILEZOOTSUIT
ILLTBSSNOPAS
CLAMBAKEKFC
STROBEEFFECT
INANEROSYLULU
LIMBSTOMEARAB
EXACTSKEDTONE
Wed 1/10/2018
DIALOGWISEASS
IMPALABANKSHOT
LAPSATORNATELY
ALLEYOOPSTEA
TOEDPSASDMZ
ENTGMCWELCOME
SEVAREIDLEAFED
FASTBREAK
ATHENSLINSEEDS
CROWDEDFATMEH
TIOSEALWINO
KGBFREETHROW
ASSUAGESCREATE
FOULLINEHITTER
TOPPLEDOBSESS
Thu 1/11/2018
ABRABOPITNTH
SAULJEWISHOUI
PLEASELETMEFIN-
ISHCLASHBASIC
CALPOLYTIDES
HWYARABS
ANTIRETELLBAA
DOILOOKLIKEIMD-
ONEPLEADSDIAZ
MELDSTWO
MAINSMRISCAN
SALMAATEAMRIO
QUIETIWASSPEAK-
INGABLUSHEVEN
NANBOSSYKENO
Fri 1/12/2018
THATSATALLORDER
EACHONETEACHONE
ARAISININTHESUN
MAKEAFRESHSTART
MELOMSTSE
REUPPED
SPAREDNOEXPENSE
CAMELIDECLAIRS
INCLASSDIURNAL
OXOTSP
IMACNACREISAO
RABATMLIDEALT
VICTORIASSECRET
INDEPENDENCEAVE
NEEDSTOSLASHER
Sat 1/13/2018
FACESMAJORCA
ERAGONUSOTOUR
LANGUORSTATUTE
IMIMPRESSEDGTO
ZINCMAKERPHIL
SEMIARIDPRIMA
SUCRESWRITER
FEARHAID
SELFIEBITSEC
PLAINSORESPOT
EDENEULERALIS
CURUNITEDFRONT
IQTESTSSOLANGE
FUELERSGODEEP
YESISEEWELSH
POW Sun 1/14/2018 SUPREME INTELLIGENCE
DANTONINSCALIASES
EMAILEDOPUSNEWWAVE
WANNABEFORTASIATIC
ANNESABOTEURANSEL
RAYSIOSPIBBHEEL
UMPEDGODARKNSA
THEPEARLWARRENTSTO
HENRYVIAIMSIR
ELLISCALLEDITVIOLA
BLINPEELORNATEROC
OBSTRUCTIONOFJUSTICE
SOTIBANEZNUMBHEAT
SYSOPPASADENALENTO
NPRREDHEARTEN
TOHELENAKAGANYMEDE
ATEEGESTSCOLDS
BRASIDOLBOTSHAG
ADHOCCAPUCHINOAHU
ANSONIASOTOMAYORAL
STUPIDSTOTODIETTIP
HOPSTEPHENBREYERS
Mon 1/15/2018
STPCITGOODOR
IHOPONIONLENO
NEWRELEASEINTO
ODESPROAVIAS
ELKTAXEXEMPT
MERLINLEO
ICKMEMORYIRKS
THECOASTISCLEAR
TOGORUBBERALA
SEEEAGLES
BEGPARDONVID
EXALTARIAREA
GILAFREEATLAST
ALLYRICCISLAB
NESSINKEDSPA
POW Tue 1/16/2018
ADIOSBADPRZIN
ROCHEALIENERA
KTOWNSASSAFRAS
SENESCENCEIOTA
LEOSTENGEL
LOLLIPOPAHI
EMOSAIDOTTOI
FOURLETTERWORDS
TOTESHOMEODE
HATNONSENSE
SWEATERALA
OHMSTATTLETALE
RECHERCHEASCOT
TEEPIKESZUMBA
ALEASSETEPEES
Wed 1/17/2018
ACELASTOAIDEO
DORAGEELSNOVA
DNASAMPLESTWIT
EMAILABUNCH
LAWEXAMDRIFTS
ERATOSEAATE
DRYOFFAVIVALL
GINNIENAPETIA
EVENEMOANTHEM
REGCLOTSERENE
RAHWHOWIRES
STEREOEHOWSET
LATISHRIPON
ORZOAPOSTROPHE
WOKSRUNELIRAS
STYEEPEEDRONE
Thu 1/18/2018
CAROMBRETTGAP
ONICEOUTERENE
HIGHROBBERYMTA
IMHONBAMOSSES
BATCOEDSULTRA
ALONERUNATRAIN
EMUBOSCTOT
SLOWESTWHALERS
TOVNEEDEMO
ONESTREETPORES
CDROMNEONSEVE
KODIAKPORSVEN
ANOSUBSTATIONS
DENOBOESUNTIE
ERENOWAYBEEFS
Fri 1/19/2018
GRABBARPARADOR
RELEASEABILENE
ATLANTALABELED
NOIREPEESSITE
TONBREADEDCOY
SLOPERRRELATE
NITSPYCITES
BEETOVEN
GOPROCOTDEB
ERRORRNAEDATE
MEISTEEPEDLEM
ISNTBASELSAAB
NOTALOTDEFENSE
IMEMINEUNLACED
SERAPESPAYLESS
Sat 1/20/2018
BOOPADOOP
SENDALETTER
BIGTICKETITEM
YOSVSHAPESLAP
ESTDTILERSERA
STEEPNINPLAIN
MORLOCKSREASON
ANSELMOHELLENE
SCOTIASALLOWED
TRUESBMIAMATO
EELSPOORSSITU
RAJSYNODALVET
MAJORITYRULES
HOMETHEATER
TEXASSIZE
Sun 1/21/2018 SUBSTITUTES
SCUBAGOPROALOPTWEE
TENOROAREDCAREBEARS
PLAYFORTIMEENDTABLES
ALLSDEEMSNOGGROK
TOLLEDNOTSAFEFORWORK
AIDESEACHUAENEO
CRYFORHELPLEANTTWAS
EPEEALIENANGNEAR
LIDRECIPEFORDISASTER
BASKSLOTSHELENA
ASSENTSGOGOSCANARDS
CHEESEGALANOVAS
TEMPORARYEMPLOYEESNL
DIEMCABEIEIOQEII
SFPDTUDOREARTHQUAKE
HURJUTROTCEATIN
ELIZABETHANERADREYER
VICEBONOEDITTONE
PIANOTRIOTELECOMMUTE
TOTEBOARDEMILEMANED
SUESPHDSSITESANGRY
Mon 1/22/2018
SCAMSDAMEAFTS
OHFUNRIALCLAP
XACTOEMMASTONE
LEERSABITOLE
QUARTERTONERID
VPSSTEELNINO
CATOATMSMATES
METRICTON
OCTADODORASEA
BLONDERIGPRY
LASIMEANCOMEON
APTEARNEPICS
STANDINGOANTIC
TODOLILASCROD
SNAGSEEKTEENS
Tue 1/23/2018
TWOREIGNSSLOG
AIROCTANETAKE
CPAWHERESOEVER
TENSIONSABRADE
GENCMON
AVENGERRELUVW
MARSGAZAINNER
ELIEOPEDSOPRY
MINDYIDLERAGE
ODDACEEMPTIER
CHARLOD
SOSOONISTANBUL
PREMONITIONITO
EZRAEMERGELEA
COBSSPREADLSD
Wed 1/24/2018
ASPSDIMDRWHO
SIREITALAAHED
AXILSCREENTIME
MAMMOTHCAVEAT
IMPALAEPIEMU
ESTATECARAT
BUSHTAUUPONE
ANTIGENSTEPSIN
TIARAEURSEAN
HONEYCOMBAT
ENDORBMETALS
FORWARDPASSAT
PIANOSTOOLACRE
ROSINEIREROVE
OUTTALADSTAR
POW Thu 1/25/2018
ORESITBYTEC
HITKOREARIVAL
SCUBATANKOLINE
NODEANTSADLOT
ALERTCONCRETES
PASTIMEORSWIG
ONOPHIWINO
ISLANDHOPPING
KNOTOEDTEL
EDUMCSTSELIOT
VERBALISEPIPPA
INNATEUFOAHEM
NIOBEBALTIMORE
SATEDAVOIDNAS
LESMENSAEST
Fri 1/26/2018
WIKILEAKSSPLIT
ONADOWNERIRONS
RARECOINSTORTA
DNAAKONCINDER
VITALNYRANGERS
OMELETEROS
MAKESAUTURNCAP
ITISOPINEHOBO
TEDSISTERWIVES
APSEEELERS
STILETTOSTORRE
NAPLESLOCKBAS
ALOUDHAWAIIANS
KIDDOEVERSINCE
EASESFIRESIDES
Sat 1/27/2018
MIDMARCHABUT
MARIECURIEHEME
ORANGESODAHELM
ZYNGATWERPRAP
ALIENSTONGUE
ROARTRASHMOUTH
TUNBEANPLANTS
CLAMJUICE
BLOODBORNEJOB
THINKYOUNGPAWL
HUGGEDSHANIA
ETASITBYEMEND
LATEERRATAPAGE
ANEWTEAMEVENTS
WIDEFMSTEREO
Sun 1/28/2018 SURPRISE ENDINGS
CASITABLACKOPSTAP
AVOCETSEARCANDYAIME
REFERTOHUSTLEANDFLOP
PRIAMIPADVEGEYEDUP
TAXIDRIVELBREWERY
ENOCEDEBERG
OJSAWEILOVEYOUMAO
POPTENDSERINUSURP
THECOLOROFMONETROSIE
SNEERLADLECAN
DOSABOUTABOTCAL
SADECASHEDENS
CRAMSBEVERLYHILLSCOW
ACTORACESSAGETAVA
THEBIGCHILIHAIRAG
LOONTSPSPCP
GORDIANSWAMPTHINS
OBERONABSISLEALOHA
LICENCETOKILTPAROLED
DEADERICIDLEEMPTIED
ASPDATALOSSASSETS
Mon 1/29/2018
GOSSIPTGIMESS
LAMARRREDDIWIP
ETALIIALIENATE
NHLSNOWAGNEW
SLYTELLALL
WEBMDATTEMPT
SHOPPETILRULE
TARADMIRALMIA
ELLSIONROBBER
MODELUNIGLOO
VAMOOSEPJS
ESSESPARKUPC
DOWNSIZEANEMIA
NAUTICALCOMBED
ARMYUPSEXTOLS
POW Tue 1/30/2018
ASUWELSHLIMIT
MERALOHAAGILE
NABRAMENNOODLE
OLAFLARGEST
TENORMOWCPAS
SAHARANTHETA
APPLETONCHANEL
DERSOWPARNAS
READUPKALAMATA
ELWESLEXICON
PELTNYYETTAS
EPOCHALERIN
HOUSEBROKENADO
OUSTSALITOCEO
WRESTSENORESP
Wed 1/31/2018
OFFSTAGEAVIS
DRONESONSNIVEL
SORORITYPINATA
OMAHAMOMENTS
PERPBRUSHES
OMALLEYCATSORE
MINIOREONESS
OMENVOGUE
ERINEPISTLES
LENOMITSNOJOKE
OCTOPODUBER
PREMEDITATED
EUGENEEMERGENC
SIEGELSIMMERED
TRADTDPASSES
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