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

Thumbnails

Puzzles for October, 2021
with Editor comments

Fri 10/1/2021
KEGELDESTLOST
ITOLANDHOONTO
WAYNEMANORNCIS
ISAACAVENGERS
ITSERAT
MADRONALORETTA
ATERADARSCREEN
CRAPSGAMEMATT
RIDEMBASMRI
OASESIDOSMIC
IKEAGYMCLASS
SOLARCARMIGS
THEBATCAVEBCCS
ANNOELMERTOGA
TOTODUSTSQTIP
Sat 10/2/2021
SESAMESDOSAGE
ONLYONCERAISON
GREENTAXASLANT
LADDORISMILLER
AGGIETEASWPA
DEEMOBIESCAAN
SEDANSTRYST
COULDNTRESIST
SOURSDEEPEN
ERTECARDSGMOS
ANYSHIVMEANT
CHECKEDINTOMRI
ROLLIEECONOMIC
ALLIESWINERACK
BESORESETTLES
Sun 10/3/2021 SNOOZEFEST
SAILSBFFBMAJOATER
OZZIELAIIAMAOLIVE
FUZZYWUZZYARROZHBEAM
TRYFREEZINGDRIZZLE
DRESSPOESYDEANERY
ZEROINGEOGGULLIVER
AGAZEGTERAZZLEDAZZLE
LAZEDLOEBPESETAOAK
EDENDITZESNANMANIA
SSSPATIENCEJADED
ZIZZERZAZZERZUZZ
MAINEDEERHIDEMAT
HOSTSSUERESINYCANI
ETSSAUTESSANGNANTZ
PRIZEPUZZLESTOYORTIZ
TISAPITYCHEZPAPACY
ANIMATOGLEANEARNS
BUZZFEEDQUIZZESOSU
HAZELOLLIEFORTYWINKS
BLAZENEILNAEELZIE
OPCITEDDAESCRLESS

Trenton Charlson, 25, is a full-time crossword constructor in Columbus, Ohio. He loves words with unusual letter combinations, like 63-Across here, which he's been trying to use in a puzzle for years. He says, "I value the sort of ‘x-factor' that makes a puzzle feel playfully and distinctly ‘human'" — the fill included.

With advanced crossword software and databases available now even to first-time constructors, it takes special effort, like Trenton's, to display a personal style.

Mon 10/4/2021
ABBOTMONTECOB
SAUNABROOMLIE
LABORDAYWEEKEND
GASXROOKS
CAPESIAGO
PUSHTHEENVELOPE
ARTIEDALISPAM
CARDIGRESSENO
ETASBELTOWNIT
DELIVERYSERVICE
DOTSLEANS
CHILIGLEE
HERECOMESMYBABY
ARKENOLAEAGLE
PBSDEISTSHOTS
Tue 10/5/2021
PASTSAIRESGRU
ESTEEINAPPOOP
THEARTOFWARBUS
RENISLEIMAGE
INTHEAIRTONIGHT
EARALTO
IOWASARGETHU
SWITCHESPARTIES
HENHOWLSHERD
PELEMCA
HEADFORTHEHILLS
ATLASHALOIOU
LUGHEARTBROKEN
ADAAGREEDUEIN
LEETOMESSRSLY
Wed 10/6/2021
MOLESIEGEWPA
IDESSACREDHAS
KEEPACLHEADALI
ASKANCECRAFTED
NOHOTTESSE
COMANECIOLDCTS
AWEDOLTAOK
NEWATATESNIDE
ARILYRANOD
DANGLECRSLIGHT
ONTOLENIAN
COCNINGPASSAGE
IRKPIGEONHOLES
LAIANODESLIMP
EKEDONUTETSY
Thu 10/7/2021
DEWARSCOSTANZA
EXARCHAWAYTEAM
MARACAREARAXLE
EMPLOYEDBATTEN
ROLLING
ICEBALLDINGED
TITOASKANYONE
ROSETTA
CHESSGAMEHAND
AIRPOPALISTER
BLARNEY
STASISBEANPATE
EACHTIMEBOYTOY
ANHEUSEREUROPE
SKIPPINGSTONES
Fri 10/8/2021
AHAMOMENTSPLED
TOMATOSOUPAERO
IMPROBABLEPTAS
LILIESACCESS
TEENTANKARD
FORCETHING
ROCKIDOLSEAGAL
INHERITMARTINI
TEIGENWINESNOB
AGASPSOLED
STIPENDTSPS
TEATAXDMITRI
WHENITSMEAGAIN
MADDGOTOETOTOE
DISSEYEOPENERS
Sat 10/9/2021
VISAITSWARFAM
ALECCANADAECO
CLAUDEMONETACL
CEDRICBESEATED
IGUANASMUSS
NATSSPLITTERS
ELYSTRIKEONE
ALLABOARD
TRUECRIMENTH
FAIRSHAKELORE
PLIEOVOIDAL
LOLLIPOPEMERIL
OOFBOWLINGLANE
TRIORIENTOMEN
SSNSTEAKSWARE
POW Sun 10/10/2021 CLUE: THE MOVIE
LASATOMSEEKLADIES
ASASARAHELLEORONYM
PSYCHOANALYSISGIJOES
CUSHYOREOMONSOONS
ACMEISWEARITSISEHS
THEREDCARPETPANELSAW
PIERSCPAEDDA
PELOTONTSHIRTCANNON
ALOUMEANIEGLUEDAWK
CLAIMSNONETABOOS
KANJISIMONSAYSBORON
ATHOMEOKIEMORALE
AMARADARTOLDTOENDS
BINGEWATCHERORESTES
UNTOOYEIDIOT
JOBOFFERCHANELNOFIVE
AREALSUKULELESONED
RESTUPONMORTBASTE
GOTHAMFLYMETOTHEMOON
ALLELETIMEIRAILLEI
REESESTADAORTAESC

Brandon Koppy works for a digital ad agency in Austin, Tex. He started solving crosswords about 20 years ago in college, doing the ones in The Onion and New York Times reprints in the student paper. He got serious about constructing around 2018.

The theme for this puzzle occurred to him when he stumbled across an old poster for the movie "Clue" and thought, hmm, that could work for a puzzle title.

Mon 10/11/2021
CONCHSAMCLOUT
AKIRATIOHENNA
TAKEITORLEAVEIT
EYEDROPENLIST
TOGAGEN
LOVEITORHATEIT
ANISETAGSCUE
LEDETABLEBALM
APENONOFARSI
MOVEITORLOSEIT
OWLKEEL
BOWSERDADBODS
MAKEITORBREAKIT
EARLEWOORHINE
GLASSSEXSTEEP
Tue 10/12/2021
SALSABEETIWO
EMAILARCHRAPT
RUSSIANROULETTE
INSSFODINEIN
FRENCHFRYMERCH
ASIAASPLIU
ELEMENTBOAT
ALLITERNATION
DUESSTAINED
ETALYECELS
TODDYDUTCHDOOR
ESPORTNAHRUE
CHINESECHECKERS
TOPOPOLOPEACE
PERSNEEAGLET
Wed 10/13/2021
CLEFTSODSTIRS
PALEOEVETONIC
LASTNAMESERICH
INDIRAGANDHI
HOLDEMCULLES
ESOAAHATREST
ISAMUNOGUCHI
ROMAPADTASK
ICHIROSUZUKI
SCALIANIPDOT
KATNRATSHIRT
ISAACMIZRAHI
BIRCHMAURITIUS
UNITEENDFTLEE
MOSESEYETOEYE
Thu 10/14/2021
LEGSKURTOMIT
ALOTDEFERNEMO
BLOODYNOSEETNA
MIDWEEKVIDEOS
ISIFREAKINGOUT
COEDNRAVERSE
ENSURETYPOSER
DARNSOCKS
CAMIEOHSERIFS
AMASSLOOSCAT
ROTTENAPPLEELI
WEIRDOTIKIBAR
ABLEBLASTEDOFF
SADEEERIEEWER
HEATLIENALLY
Fri 10/15/2021
AMENMASSTAMPS
FORESIGHTARIAL
GROWINGUPDINGY
HOTSTARTWADDED
ANIJOYCEGOO
NICHEORBPANG
EXSQUEEZEME
BIGSURPRISE
GODIHOPENOT
JONIARINOBEL
ETAPAEANENO
TOFFEEHEADINTO
SPILLWORKINGIT
KODAKALIENRACE
ITEMSNEEDEYED
POW Sat 10/16/2021
SKASTIRNOVAS
CRIBNONAPOLOGY
RIRIITSHANDLED
ESCORTERIECNN
WHOSESCANWADE
UNOFILTHCONEY
PALMEDORFLOOR
AREWEGOOD
NINESPLUSSIGN
HINGEBEALECOO
ECHOWELDINERT
YEAFALLUNIPOD
NOSPOILERSTOGO
ONTHEFENCESPUN
WEEDSSTARSEE
Sun 10/17/2021 COMMON CORE
OMITSSCHWABONSPEC
HADITTRAINORPREHEAT
SLIDEROGETSTHESAURUS
NADIROPSNEUROTIC
ALIENSWWISUNHEM
PATRONOFTHEARTSIMAGE
LLBEANOLEGONGS
STOICGISTBAEDEUCES
TOCCATASATANHATRED
ATHENAWINESLENIN
GOOTHEREINSPIRITUFO
MOONYGSPOTENURED
STONEDSHELLBLOGGED
ECHOESNETALOEWHETS
TRESSAOLHYENAS
TUTEECHARTEREDPLANES
ABEMRIISRFOMENT
ASSOONASSOUWOODY
BOACONSTRICTORSCECIL
ARCADESINPEACEABOVE
ASTRAYGASPARLANES

Jeff Chen is a writer and professional crossword constructor in Seattle. He has written a daily online review of the New York Times puzzle at XWord Info since 2013 — and helped many other constructors get published for the first time.

His wife, Jill Denny, is an avid puzzle person, too. To date, they have co-constructed five crosswords for the paper.

Mon 10/18/2021
MAINESLOTHBUB
ELMOSPATIOANA
STARQUARTERBACK
HOGFIDONOBLE
ODEONSEAAIR
MANIASRATTRAPS
EVENSCHAI
TARGETHEARTRATE
WETSHORAS
PEARTARTBOOTUP
RUPEESFLUFF
IRENAHALOOOH
DEMOCRATICPARTY
EKEUNHIPHIMOM
SANPASTSOLSEN
Tue 10/19/2021
JAMBMAASHAG
ALOECOUCHNORA
BESTENNUIOPAL
CHARLOTTESWEB
ALLTIEDUP
KEEPSHEARATSO
LAMPPEACHCHEZ
ERISSINCEKENO
ILLASNERBIN
NYYATTENDSROE
RSVPSSTODOR
PILEUPTURNIP
ASISITGUYOTTO
PESTCHAMPVEIL
ARTSSAYSOESSO
Wed 10/20/2021
EMSGALCHIAPET
SAIDIDOHENDRIX
ORLANDOORALIST
BREDISPOWEN
EINSSEAMARGUE
SETFANTASYLAX
ODDJOBACTMEET
ORANGERED
SHOTBAOEASTLA
TOVVAINESTRAW
PIECEFINSKAVA
RIGAARFAVER
ORDEALSORCHARD
DIURNALLEONINE
EMBASSYLEXLEE
Thu 10/21/2021
IRANSTATCOBB
NORAPOTHOLDER
GOONPRIMEVIDEO
OKCORRALTEN
TSKBEYPARKOUR
LOGSTABSAMA
SPINSKULLSTAG
HIVEUNTIEAHME
AXISROUNDSTIR
WINWETSRISE
NEGLECTLILSHY
OARPINKYTOE
GOFORAWALKVISA
BOOTYCALLEFTS
SHESKNEESYST
Fri 10/22/2021
AMPLEELLATHU
RELAXLEASTAOS
NAILPOLISHOKRA
INEARNESTEYES
ETSEONLASSES
MSNHEATAMY
CASEDISMISSED
LETTHATSINKIN
GENERATIONGAP
EFTANATAFT
STUPIDITOCHO
TRONPOKERCHIP
SOILGOONSTRIKE
EWOKOUZOWOVEN
ANNDREWOPEDS
Sat 10/23/2021
POPQUIZEMIRATI
GROUCHYMASALAS
FIRELOGOILGLUT
INKAPOSTLESRI
LOREETHICSTIN
MCINGEACHTANK
SOBEITDOIDARE
RSVPNMEX
PIGTAILPRICES
DENYNEUFENACT
ATEITCLUBGROK
TUXDEALERSTRI
INAWINKLEADACT
NICEONEUVLIGHT
GATEMANPETFEES
POW Sun 10/24/2021 SPORTS NUTS
ALLAHDEBITCDCSPAT
MOIRATEXACOLAOHULA
OFFENSIVEREBOUNDITEM
STEWAMISSIBETCEASE
EDGESRAISEHELL
FLOOREXERCISEOLDISH
RILKESUITDUNEDEE
APAWESSTARTINGBLOCK
YOYOTRICKYOGISANTA
HONDAMADISONRIOT
SHAWSERVICELINEETRE
CODETRAILERTRIAD
ORALBOMANTEENMOVIE
UNPLAYABLELIEPSIINA
TITTADAOKRADOORS
SNAPONSEVENTENSPLIT
TANGERINEELATE
ROILSYURIDELISNEWT
AWOLDESIGNATEDHITTER
ZINEJUTMOUSSEMONAE
ZESTSPYARBYSPEARS

Katie Hale, originally from Houston, is now a stay-at-home mom in London. She and a friend run the Reading Network, an organization that finds new homes for used children's books. A lifelong devotee of both crosswords and sports ("I can happily watch about any sport"), she set out to make a sports-themed puzzle that would be accessible to nonsports fans.

This is Katie's third Times crossword and first solo Sunday

Mon 10/25/2021
LATHSEALSTEAM
ACREURSATOPIC
PAULAZAHNIPADS
SCAMPIASEA
EINPETTINGZOOS
SATSORSOVCR
PESKYORBITS
PRINCESSZELDA
POINTYATEIT
IPATAILSEGO
POLISHZLOTYLEB
CHETHIPPIE
CILIAEASYPEASY
FRANKCRAMASHE
LEDGESTYETOAD
POW Tue 10/26/2021
ADLIBSBBCREDS
MEADOWEEOOREO
AMOEBAEGOSURFS
NUTSANDBOLTS
ARSSEANPERCH
SEERSELIEOHO
ANARMANDALEG
BATSINGCLEFS
LIGHTNINGROD
AMIAREANOSED
BEFITACTSPLO
FRANKENSTEIN
ALLEYCATECHECK
LEIAIIIROADIE
BEERDRETWISTY
Wed 10/27/2021
FABLERUMORIWO
UNLETOPERAMRI
DAAAAABEARSPAL
DINPENNCOUPS
SCHWEDDYBALLS
IOSALASKA
CREDOTWINIIS
LIVEFROMNEWYORK
ACEYODAHUNTS
DENADASIR
WERENOTWORTHY
CIDERSRISYAP
ANOMORECOWBELL
FEUININKEENIE
ESTSECTSBAAED
Thu 10/28/2021
BADPRABAFTTBS
AMORENOMASHOW
BERIGHTBACKACE
EXAMAIOLIINCA
ABSFLICKER
IFALLTOPIECES
MILTELLKEATS
URLSNEARSSTAT
PENALTIPSOPI
ITSANOBRAINER
OHGODNOEND
ZAHNGRAPEIDLE
ANTWEARESODEAD
ROEALIGNPINKY
KIRNANOSSTYES
Fri 10/29/2021
CHOCOTACOBASES
HELLTOPAYALEXA
UNDERWIREDIPPY
CDTONEGSASHES
KRISSCARYSTORY
LIMOSEMIRSRTE
EXEMPTEAUSASS
MAILLPGA
MDSETABSONICS
ERNCHIRPASNAP
DOUBLEDAREAFRO
INGOODVENARON
AEGISHUMONGOUS
NOISEIRECKONSO
SNEERMADHATTER
Sat 10/30/2021
VOCABSATEODDS
IVORYTOWERNOAH
SEATFILLERANTE
ANTASEHEARTED
TRACKEDDOWN
HASPIPESLAIN
LUMPFISHLALIGA
ALBATMGALTHY
BLURRYHIDEOUTS
SALEMCARYPPS
BASEBALLBAT
CATERERTIMTOE
ELIAEDGARAWARD
COOLFIELDHOUSE
EONSYOLKLETON
Sun 10/31/2021 CHOICE WORDS
PATRASCALSPENSEP
ECOEMMYLOUWAGEAPE
THEWHEALBUMHITORMISS
FETASRODEPORTDIDIT
ODORSTNTREMEETABLE
OFTASISAYPETRIMOOR
DOORDIELIVERANDNIONS
READSMUNIPSST
METRESLOLTHRILL
IMPOSEONBEHEADODEA
MOUNTRUSHMMOREORLESS
POPEEASELSSURELETS
STASISNSANOSIDE
SHAHTHONADDTO
MARCHIGORDERSINOROUT
AVERARTIEHEPCATUTE
DAZETONNESSHESACHS
ERODENESTEAABCSHOT
WINORLOSEWHIRLWDTOUR
ACEAIMSUSROUTEFSU
YESSPYPOSSESSFEN

Alex Eaton-Salners is an in-house attorney for Western Digital, a technology company headquartered in San Jose, Calif. He has been a frequent crossword contributor to The Times since 2017.

Alex also enjoys making different sorts of word puzzles. He has a book of diagramless crosswords scheduled for publication next spring from Puzzlewright Press.

XWord Info Home
XWord Info © 2007-2024, Jim Horne
113 ms