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Puzzles for February, 2018
with Editor comments

Thu 2/1/2018
PAINDOHAOPTIN
EMMAICESBRIDE
RYANONEALLETON
LAGEARVITALE
SALLINDAEVANS
CLEMENSUNIX
HOAROTTOSOT
MARIEANTOINETTE
ODSCPASRETD
AHEMSWARMED
ROGEREBERTCRY
SORELYORIOLE
PLATOINITIALLY
OFTENAGEECLIO
TEENSMOSSESPN
Fri 2/2/2018
WITCHHUNTAGASP
EMERGENCYRUNTO
ESTATECARTATAS
DERNDAREDEVILS
STANCESAMALIE
IEDARTISANS
STEELJIVESBIS
ERASBODEDBOSE
XERFAKERHURTS
CATSEYESGOD
ADHEREDOGSPAS
PETERROGETELSE
ADOSENICHOLASI
DONATELCAPITAN
ENEWSBLAMEGAME
Sat 2/3/2018
HALLPASSGAPPY
OLIGARCHSOIREE
PIBBXTRAPANERA
ICETSOBSISTERS
SERRADBACKNYT
FAIRSATEAT
NATGEOTURNRIPE
EYEHANDPAYAFEE
WESTCORKCOVENS
SOFIAKNEES
OTBDANZAELLIE
COOKEDKALEBLOW
TRAUMAKETELONE
AIRDAMHUNGOVER
DIDUPSTAGGERS
Sun 2/4/2018 CRACKING WISE
THEPRUBASSTUBADRACO
AARONSAUTUMNALRICAN
THATSHYSTERICALAVANT
SASSENTIREEAGERTO
TREESFUNNYORDIE
UTERUSMADAMEANS
POLONIUSROBARDSALP
DRYSENSEOFHUMORAPRIL
OISEBEGISEBEENE
PIATOOTSADORNED
EVERYBODYSACOMEDIAN
LACTOSEDACHAMEN
ETHANSADUTAACTE
TAILSTHELAUGHFACTORY
STPUSERIDSSCREAMAT
VARREROOFGOLAME
YOMAMAJOKEADIOS
CHOCULAFILERSOBOE
TARASIWASONLYKIDDING
ORATELABNOTESENIGMA
RENESSTALLONESANDED
Mon 2/5/2018
HASCEREALLAMB
ARIORANGEIDOL
LIDNEWYEARSEVE
FACETARNEPIN
ALAMOTASTED
CRESCENTROLL
LOSEWEREMYEYE
ALASLEUTHSVAL
MERITASIALINK
QUARTERBACKS
SEESAWSTRUT
ALLRAINIDIOM
FULLTIMEJOBORO
EDIETAMALENEO
REEDSCOREDSON
Tue 2/6/2018
DINRABBIEPICS
ANOAXIOMCALLA
DECDEATHVALLEY
BRAGSHEERBMW
ORNATEREDDISH
DODGEVIPEROTOE
SROLIMAPENN
DEEPVOICE
SILOETNAADO
AHASDARTHVADER
VOTERIDDENOVO
EPISNOOPSPIN
DEMOVERSIONTOY
USEUPBLEARMUM
POSTSSORTAESS
Wed 2/7/2018
HANSGIZMOPLAY
UTAHONIONLENE
MAKECONNECTIONS
OBERONDIETED
RODEOTEACRATE
MILEPULLASRTA
ELYOREILLYDER
WISETA
DYSLEDAWAYWAS
RATARADIITAMP
AMOCOYOSRHYME
FARCRYGOESON
THETIESTHATBIND
EARNCHAIREDIE
ESSOHONEYSEAR

Will Shortz posted a correction at nytimes.com reproduced here:

SPECIAL POST — Lots of complaints about the answer LENE (16-Across — "Voiceless consonant like "b" or "p") in today's crossword.

In short, those who wrote in are right: It's a poor answer, and the clue is wrong to boot. Here's what happened:

In the late stages of editing, we noticed that the grid contained both CRIERS (5D) and FAR CRY (53A). While this doesn't officially break my rule about duplications, which I can discuss sometime, it seemed inelegant. The simplest "fix" was to change CRIERS to PLIERS, making PLAY and LENE reading across. LENE is an old bit of crosswordese, used 90 times in the Times crossword before I became the editor, usually clued as "Unaspirated" or "Unaspirated consonant."

Because I figured few solvers today know what LENE means (the last dictionary it seems to have appeared in is Webster's Second New International in 1934, where it was already labeled "rare"), I decided to spell it out with examples. Unfortunately, the example "b" is wrong. That is a voiced consonant, not a voiceless one.

In retrospect, as the commenter Byron suggested at Crosswordfiend.com, I should have left the semi-duplication FAR CRY/CRIERS as it was. That would have been preferable to the obscure and ugly LENE.

The online version of the puzzle has now been restored to CRIERS/CLAY/RENE, which all future solvers will see. Of course, nothing can be done now about the print version of the puzzle. A correction on the clue error should appear shortly.

Thu 2/8/2018
WELSHRAMADAN
ELITISTARAPAHO
SILENTOMEGRYAN
TAYEDIGGSMOSS
PIXARBAN
SAULEDUSARA
ANSELELGORTNOT
AGESAGOTMOBILE
BLUMARISATOMEI
SOPHDEFTEXT
EOSSCAMS
WAIFHOLLYWOOD
SHUFFLEAMRADIO
SIDEEYEWARNING
STIRREDHANKS
Fri 2/9/2018
IINSISTCOLLATE
STEAMERAVIATOR
LEASETOROOTFOR
EMPHASISMINE
ANAQEDCABS
ZANYGAULLAPEL
APEBOLALOLITA
PORTRAITGALLERY
PLURALJAZZCUE
ELDONRUBYFEED
ROAMJAMBOO
BOOKPROPOSAL
LEMONDEONADATE
SCENEIIMERINOS
TOHELENESTEEMS
POW Sat 2/10/2018
ORGANOCTALAMO
KOENIGWHATATRIP
SANCHOEATATHOME
ONEHALFREDEEMER
STOODUPASADA
ETRELPS
LINMANUELMIRANDA
INALLPROBABILITY
ZOMBIEAPOCALYPSE
DENSWAT
CHURNSWIFFER
RARAAVISSOLOCUP
ASIFTOSAYNICOLE
STATELINESEALER
HEHDESKSDLIST
Sun 2/11/2018 PARONOMASIA
ABLEWILDETETHADJ
WOODSFIVERSORATORIO
ORCHESTRATESDINETTES
LEORELENTSLOCKSMITH
MOANERSSPAASIF
GROUPIESGERIATRICIAN
MATTELWERELODECLU
AMIDEIGHTEBBSPIET
IBOOKCUESMOUSETRAPS
LONARENAFIRMSAILHO
SLEDTIREDCALM
LIFTEDTITOEERIEPET
IDEALOGUESBALISCHMO
LEVYALSORUMBALACE
TSEINRIPAIXROARER
STRATOSPHEREDULCIMER
ILLSINBLINEARA
MISTLETOEORIGINSCOO
ISHEDEADPROFITEERING
ALLROUNDRELETSYASIR
SAYSMGSODORSETTE
POW Mon 2/12/2018
SAWIIECHOVANS
PLANTDAMPOBIE
ELVISANDMERULE
WIEOJAYRITTER
SEDAKAMACE
OAXACAMEXICO
SPINYDRYADTAZ
PANEDEIONGETZ
UPNWAXERCONEY
DISCOVERSION
ERICTOGAED
UNJAMSBACKUVA
COOSCARDHOLDER
LINEUTAHFAINT
ARIDPENDFOOTS
Tue 2/13/2018
SPAMMEALSHOLA
TERIABBOTAROD
ASOFIBELIEVESO
NONFATARRESTS
SNARFSIA
ORGNIELSCHASM
PERSEBATCHEDIT
ERATBOXEDASTO
ROMEROSESRAPS
ALMAMATERATLAS
SLYLYSEEMSETA
ABCDRUID
ARIKARARARING
GOSIDEWAYSUSER
ARESTEHEEMORE
RYESEDITSSNOW
Wed 2/14/2018
HAGSALEC
GERUNDPLENUM
BOATYARDGRANDPAS
LORIPURSUESTIRO
ANTSYMEATYNADIA
CASTERWITHOBSON
KSTREETNEVERLAND
OPRYPORTRAYERRS
URIPOPOVNYMROO
TENNISTASACROSS
EGONLILACJAWS
STATESENATORS
ITWASNTTOBE
APPETITES
SERIALS
DINGE
EEO
Thu 2/15/2018
HASBATHMATLEO
UPCACREAGEUMP
GEOMAILSINKIT
EXURBIAENAMELS
TOIMERMOM
ARFSMINAJRASP
LEISANITAERTE
ERNRIDICTAG
NUCLEICSKEWING
ENHALOSWANKY
BONDPAPER
CLARICESTARLING
RONARATERONEA
ABIDJANARMCURL
BEMOANSTOMKITE
SARGEWESTS
Fri 2/16/2018
TROIABUTDANTE
BOXCAMERASPEAR
SPEEDBALLTHATS
PENTHOUSESUITE
ROYADDAMS
AFLACGABLESOY
CLAYNEMEANADD
EATCOLBERTPEN
TMIODDITYDIRE
IBNRESTSSUNNY
COLADAGPS
YOGURTSMOOTHIE
CAVERINAMORATA
ONENOPIXELATED
STRAYSTIRGEMS
Sat 2/17/2018
BMXGOTMECHASM
BODYSPRAYRANTS
QUIETTIMEIDTAG
SENORITASPAST
MICETREFOIL
ASIANSPRESENCE
CHANGFOALWALT
COMSEALIONLIT
OPALTRONBOONE
SAMADAMSDANGER
THEBESTVEGA
ORCAERICAJONG
ELIOTAUTOMAKER
MICAHMBADEGREE
SCATSSELESADS
Sun 2/18/2018 SEE 68-ACROSS
APSEMISSALSFIBCRED
DEUXONTARIOURETHANE
INITOCELOTSTORRANCE
OUTRUNETNABINGERROR
SPEAKSFLYFOILIRE
VEERGIMLETSHOES
HOPITAYURALAWAITS
QUIRKNEATERMETE
SIEGEKARTSLUMBERPAY
RIGRECAMIESRRR
ICONNAMEDROPPERLOTS
MUGSOFIAUSEJOB
PRIMCOLORSALPEUTICA
AONEEGGSONTUTOR
PORTERPEREEDUSYNC
TONYSSERIESONCE
DEEGENAEARLYAMEN
PHONEMARSSARIELTORO
ALCAPONEMINORCAERIN
SEALIONSREDDEERRACE
SRTARESTRIESONSLAT
Mon 2/19/2018
HEMSELMOBALDS
AVECMEALCLARK
LIFEGUARDCASEY
FLINTPLEACAL
WEREONANDSOAMI
AYSSEASADLOT
YETILIESLOAN
FILMLOVER
SHODSIRISHEL
GOALIETEMOVA
HANDGRIPWESLEY
OKSAMOSRHINE
USOFAPOLICEDOG
LULUSELANBANG
SPORKISMSAYES
Tue 2/20/2018
BOLTBLOCABASE
ITOOLALACAMUS
DOUGUTAHTROMP
HIGHDEFINITION
SLOGLIVE
OVEREXPLAINED
ANINOVAADDON
HELPNINTHSNUB
HALLSDAUBASA
MEANINGOFLIFE
TODOFACE
LEXICOGRAPHERS
ARENAGOGOABOY
GINUPIDESGENE
SCAMSNESTERGS
Wed 2/21/2018
TOTALBASHPMPM
ERICAALTOLOLO
MALTSHARPINIT
PLLUTEMANTECH
PLAROPPSITES
MAGNETOPIC
ERSGULAGTARPN
DEPTPOBOXLALA
SATANSOFASNIA
CAPOCTAGON
SPRTSREPRTER
AMALPLLOPSSUM
UPNEIBISNOOSE
DUDSSOTOINSET
ISISEWESTSARS
Thu 2/22/2018
ADDMEAGESFOGS
DROOPNORAORAL
LANOITANATSUGUA
ENTCOLDSPLANB
ROPETOOHAUNT
ARBEGLAERP
ANNOYAIRAMY
TRISECTLEISURE
MACUMPMINIS
SREZITEPPA
ACHEDCALSTAB
FLORADAREDUSE
REVERSINGCOURSE
AXEDANTECREEP
TANSMEETKILTS
POW Fri 2/23/2018
DNALABSBJNOVAK
ROSECUTYOULOSE
OXIDATELUDDITE
OZSINEXILEDAB
PEASOPINEGIRL
EMITSLIEMONTE
DADJOKESWAGGER
ODEBRR
MACHONECAKEMIX
OMANIABUSEEMS
NIPSSTIESNAPA
ARTBAITCARNIN
RICOACTADAPTED
CTHULHURISOTTO
HEATMAPDEPLOYS
Sat 2/24/2018
FIFTHESTATEAHS
IRAROLLOVERREA
RUMORMONGERGAD
SLEDSGIANREDS
TEDPACSMENLO
ASINEASTON
BINGEWATCHING
PAROLEHEARING
SLIPPERYSLOPE
COLLETTINS
IDEASMAHIMSG
EDDYROMEPROWL
NEOPIRATERADIO
CRUCANTILEVERS
ESTBASICSKILLS
Sun 2/25/2018 LETTER RECYCLING
FIFESWATSMAKESCAB
ERRORKEYUPIRATEOXO
GEORGIANERAKESHABIG
BENTONTSKNATHANHALE
EBAYMUSHWADEINELLY
RIGPISTACHIOSAORTAS
TEEODEAHALFLUB
PTAGRATEKILTJEW
WASSAILENIDORESASH
EYESTRAINFIGMENTRCA
RECTOCHERTUBAASFOR
EARCDTOWERSURFNTURF
OYEHEAPCOLTMODELTS
NETITISADIOSRIM
SPEDNEEOVENSLR
ACCESSASTOUNDINGCUE
DOURTOPTENIAMSTHRU
DADBLASTEDBCCICEMEN
OCDIBSENCREAMCHEESE
NHLALISTHENNAANAIS
SKYMEETSIDESTDARN
Mon 2/26/2018
ARFSAABSPHOTO
MAOMILLILETIN
AILORLONAISLE
STILLKICKING
STOODINVELCRO
WESCOATLOU
WATERSDOWNDEUS
HEARSOUIGIANT
AIMSRUNERRANDS
ROEKURTEEL
FURIESORWORSE
DEEPTHOUGHTS
MASONLEGUPYRS
STALLUSETOMAE
NEWSYSHEENEPS
Tue 2/27/2018
TAPEDSTARASP
SPACELAKEDUEL
APRONARISTOTLE
LANGSTONHUGHES
JEDVETARSONS
OPIATEAPTRAY
SIGMUNDFREUD
HEMENIDIROTFL
SALVADORDALI
EMURAEBOOMED
MOSCOWAHIAWS
EVERLYBROTHERS
REDALERTSAXIOM
GRUBRISEMENLO
ESPSOYSMSDOS
Wed 2/28/2018
HAZYBRECHTECO
OREOMULLAHCOX
STAYSINSIDEURI
LOWTACOSTAND
THOMASNOIDEA
HITANERVEUBOAT
YDSREINTERSE
LEFTRIGHT
STREPONATATL
THANIWACOTEXAS
ARMADASAILED
MORSECODELTR
IWOMUSICSCHOOL
NODITHACAESSO
ANSCEASEDREST
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