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Puzzles for May, 2020
with Editor comments

Fri 5/1/2020
GINSLINGJAFFA
ORATORIORADIUM
BODEWELLPIAZZA
INAWEDAMNZZZ
REVERSILYE
ENPASSANTSLEW
DILLSIDMOSUL
ACAIONENDOOZE
MEYERLOUPUZO
LINERIVERSTYX
NYTPRECALC
ADSRAVICOHAN
DOAJIGOENOLOGY
INFUSEUKULELES
REESESETASIDE
Sat 5/2/2020
FREETHINKING
SAIDNOONEEVER
LANDSAKESALIVE
DENTSMEDPEET
ROSAGOSOLOSRA
INKHURWONT
FORGETSNOSALT
TRILLSSERIES
ATOMICGETSFAT
PEELONSERA
VOWTRIADSSHAG
IBARMLSSTACY
VEGETABLESTOCK
ISOLATIONTANK
DENYDENYDENY
Sun 5/3/2020 SHIFTING SOUNDS
SOCKOAGOGBASSSTOLI
ABOILDEARUSMATOKEN
HOUNDSHAKEDIEMALIEN
LENSHERNEDFLOUNDERS
THEIRHARITABLA
AAMILNEEDGEDNIELSEN
SHIPMENYESSESDELUXE
IOSTAJFADPEC
SYSTEMCOUNSELEDCHECK
ANOMENTORREAIRS
SMUDGETELUNARMS
STEREOSISTERLLB
MOUSEMARKETINGTOOFAR
ARADOOLEIALI
YERTLEWASABIMAGPIES
INTEARSLOBESAVERRED
QUITELINTMEDOC
TROUNCESTATEEARPOST
RABIDETONFUZZYMOUTH
EMILELONGINREOSCAR
SPEAREPEETOADNEHRU

Ben Zimmer is the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and a former language columnist for The New York Times. Brendan Emmett Quigley is a professional crossword constructor. They met some 12 years ago when Brendan began contributing crosswords to the Visual Thesaurus, where Ben was the executive editor.

The making of this puzzle — brainstorming the theme, filling the grid and writing the clues — was a full collaboration. Brendan has had many puzzles in The Times. This is Ben's debut.

Mon 5/4/2020
JESTSCOPRICCI
ADHOCADOINERT
PEEPHOLESARLES
ENDORELSEALDO
GOBBLEDYGOOK
TWIRLSWASP
RICAEATINHIP
USEFOWLLANGUAGE
EPSNAKEDSNOW
KEENCAPERS
QUACKDOCTORS
UNTOSTRONGZOE
ADELEHONKYTONK
SUREREWELANCE
HESSEREDEPEES
Tue 5/5/2020
GAZACUREASYET
ALOTASAPBOOYA
FOOTSTEPSSLURP
FETALRIOTORES
COGDNALAB
KICKBALLMICROS
ASHMAYPETERI
SLASHEDCASSATT
HELLOSSUBTHU
ASKOUTHEADSHOP
BUREAUYEA
GROGRITEESSAY
NOAHSTELEPHONE
ADREPCYANAMEN
TEDDYHELDYEWS
Wed 5/6/2020
ASAPARROWANNA
LOSEMOANANEON
TUKEYBUGERDUST
SKULKSZEROES
ALEECOTES
BARBERLANAULS
OREOSCAMELGEO
ALSOTAUUSHEAL
SETCHRISPERSE
TSAHATEFRAYED
USINECLOD
PLANCKCLINCH
AUTOYOUAREHERE
CLEOORBITEUOS
SLUPUSERSFEET
Thu 5/7/2020
ACHFLAGEPHEDRA
TRUELOVETOELOOP
BUTMATETHERESWAR
ASTINNORPINS
TOOTCAENETTU
SENTBASSESUPS
ICANTCEDRIC
MENSDAYWARNING
HUNGUPERODE
USSRAILEDTTOP
ETNAVOLSPINE
HALSONOALPHA
CARETOWAKEAMAJOR
OVERUSEALLINALL
BESTBUDYIPERDS
Fri 5/8/2020
BAZAARCOSTAR
ENABLELOWNOTE
HEMSINFARNORTH
ORBADDINGBRIE
LOOMSENDITERA
DINOASISASSET
DIDONESPART
SUPERHEROES
LITTLEITALY
ADIEUBIDEMEET
TENMILNEBYEAR
CAFECOERCEPRO
ARAPAHOSHARLOW
MINICAMARCANE
PETCATISABEL
Sat 5/9/2020
TESTAMENTSNAGS
INTERALIAHOLLER
TREETRUNKOBLATE
LANDDJEDLAMPS
EGOTREATISEPIC
ESTEESHAHDIEU
ONITELEGANCE
IMPOSSIBLEBURGER
COALESCEDART
ERRSUTESNUHUH
PETBEARHUGSNEZ
OTTERCARLRILE
PHILIPMINIBUSES
SAMIAMINAMOMENT
NEARSDEEPSIXES
POW Sun 5/10/2020 BORDER CROSSINGS
INFOSPAMDONTHAAGEN
TOILTOREFREEAREOLA
CHADLIBYALEWDRAILON
HOTCOCOALAOSCAMBODIA
OAKYPOTCROESUS
ALCOVEFEELUNDTIS
GUATEMALABELIZEPEROT
AMCSUPERCUPBRAINY
REAPPEAFINDOESKIN
SNOOTBULGARIAGREECE
POBLANOBEMUSED
AUSTRIAGERMANYQUALM
INWARDSEARORKPREY
SMORESENGGUANOROB
HARTSBRAZILARGENTINA
ANDDEERELSELIDED
DIECASTKIATHAD
MYANMARCHINAWROTEOFF
YENFORIDLECHILEPERU
SOCUTENASAPOPEONUS
THENEADYADAMESDOGE

Adam Fromm is a songwriter/musician from Brunswick, Me., who has been making puzzles "as far back as I can remember." His first published puzzle appeared in Games magazine in 2000. This one grew out of a geographical curiosity he noticed.

Fun fact: Adam is a huge fan of Amazon Prime's "36-Down," which he was very happy to include in the grid.

Mon 5/11/2020
APSEBLABTUT
BOOTYTAILBUNS
SERTAWIDEERIK
CHEEKSREAREND
OLASEZDRAFTED
NERFXESITSWAR
DRMOMSHOESOLE
BOTTOMROW
PSSRAYONNEIGH
OKTHENTIEASIA
MIRANDAABSANN
CABOOSEBEHIND
ALIIOKRAREDID
BUTTRUMPFANNY
CBSIPASLOGE
Tue 5/12/2020
RAFTSUNITSISI
ORIONNANOETON
MARBLECAKENABS
ARMYMACHOLST
NAETOPPRIORITY
STRAWURNAOL
CORTANAINRE
THISISNOTATOY
COEDFANFEST
ETASLRHYPES
RATTLESNAKEHUH
ELWAYSRIMORE
ALASYOYODIETER
LIVEINNSSMOKY
SEEDPACEPENAL
POW Wed 5/13/2020
BLUTHIMSETWOW
ALPHANITROIPA
SAFEPASSAGENED
KNOBDISCJEAN
SORORITYCHAPTER
MENUAAMILNE
ADUBAATLCIDE
LINMACBOOKFED
OGLESOSAVERY
ONAGAINAONE
FIBONACCISERIES
TESTEARLDRAW
HALHORSDOEUVRE
IREENTERGRIND
SYDMOSSYSENSE
Thu 5/14/2020
SPATYEAHPULPS
POREAGRAIHEAR
FIFTYPOINTBONUS
ROSSNOBHILL
ALTARCARNAY
NURSERYRHYME
DNATOYARMS
GLUTENFCEREAL
SAGEDASNIL
GAMEOFCHANCE
SRIELMOSAKA
TONGANSALAS
ABSOLUTELYRIGHT
GOTUPOKIESTAB
STATSNETSTOSS
Fri 5/15/2020
LAICALCRIMES
IMNOTOKUNPACK
LASTSTEPTAUTLY
KNEESPARETHAN
IDABATNEXTLIE
MAMIEITSEBERT
MEANSTREETS
BURNTORANGE
FASHIONISTA
JUNTAUFCSTAMP
INKTACITLYREI
THORCHRISJINX
TONIEREVACUATE
EMIGREETHANOL
RETAGSSONARS
Sat 5/16/2020
CRAZYBUSYABCS
AERIALVIEWTEAT
MAINCOURSETATE
ODDHALETRANCE
ETTACRUCIAL
BRAVESGOATHERD
LUREDTANGSBRO
IMANBYTESBAIO
NOBTAPESWEBER
DRIBBLESSATYRS
SHALALARAKE
PANERANOVARPM
OSSADRAGONFIRE
TIERSUPERDUPER
STAYBATSANEYE
Sun 5/17/2020 WIDE-OPEN SPACES
ATPARANCHOVYSPEEDO
RHINOAPARICIOPLANER
KENTCIGARETTESLASTED
AVESSERRATEDFUNTIME
NATWENTATITBARTERER
SUREBETTINCONGOREDS
ALEXAKINGHUSSEIN
STETSTOVETOPSSLATED
RECIPEHOPESSUAVE
SEASONSDETESTSSHIN
OURLORDSAPIDPISTOLS
USNANEBULAENATURES
THIRDRESINIGUANA
SIEGELUSAINBOLTLIZA
ECURRENCIESBIDEN
ZEPPOMARXBETBELAIRS
AQUILINECULTHEROTOW
MUZZLEDHOTSEATSMAZE
FIZZERHUNTERGATHERER
INLATEARGONGASSNORE
REESESPLANSONTUDOR

Byron Walden is a math and computer science professor at Santa Clara University, "currently on sabbatical at the exotic location of my dining-room table." He picked up his love of crosswords from his grandmother and father and is now passing it along to his 8-year-old son.

This puzzle is themeless. It features longer, sometimes more challenging vocabulary than usual, with only 122 answers (versus the standard 140).

POW Mon 5/18/2020
BARDGASUSMAP
OHIOPROINHALE
BOOTCAMPDIALER
SYSCOHATTRICK
OWENMASK
THIMBLERIGOSLO
OEROMNISNIPED
GAUDYANNOLIVE
ATLASTGUACEEO
SHEDIRONMAIDEN
SWAYSYNC
DOGTIREDDELVE
AURORAMONOPOLY
TRIBESVWSOBOE
ESTESSEAPEGS
Tue 5/19/2020
ACHOOTCBYBESS
TRACEAREAEXIT
WITHRELISHAPSO
AMESALSOIMEAN
REWCRYPTICALLY
ATENUB
ALTARSPUROPEN
LACKADAISICALLY
ASHEEDGEAROSE
TSADDT
OFFHANDEDLYHAS
ALLEYERIELOFT
SOARMERCIFULLY
TARATROTONEAL
STEPVERABASTE
Wed 5/20/2020
DONORNABSDICED
AGAMEARIAUVULA
BRIEFESTBRIEFEST
SELLJAYBIRDSEA
EWEKAY
MUSTACHEMUSTACHE
ANASTEVENEMAIL
RIMSMARTSCTV
STOATINCITEHOE
HEATHENSHEATHENS
EELBAY
BATASUSUALBRAS
FLAGRANTFLAGRANT
FORUMTAOSPINTA
STONYORSOADDIN
Thu 5/21/2020
AMPLEELIETAB
RARERCEDETHEE
GREENNOSERRENT
OCDSOLOSFINER
ATTHATARABIA
UPTOWHITELADY
GROWTHOPEDS
HEROATAIDRIM
RODEOTYPEAB
BLUEHEARTEDNA
RONDOSIRONIC
ASSETROONEROE
ISEEYELLOWBOWL
SEAMEDELLASIK
ESTTOSSYESES
Fri 5/22/2020
FOLKWISDOMSPAS
EVILEMPIRETAUT
WIDESPREADETNA
DOEATLIBERTY
NOSYECOLI
YAKETYSAXPEAT
ELIXIRRAHDRUG
TICSITEMAPCPA
ICKYAUGRODHAM
EBAYROSEROYCE
OCEANOMEN
TAXHAVENSASP
OMITIDEOLOGUES
MINIATMOSPHERE
EDGENOONDAYSUN
Sat 5/23/2020
ACCRAKALESALAD
SALONAMERICANO
TROUTROGERTHAT
ITSNOTARACE
EDNALTDAPR
ASSMILLOBOE
DUHMADEITWEIRD
DIADELOSMUERTOS
STVALENTINESUE
TUESTETETSA
OPSORGUSSR
CHECKPLEASE
HEADTOTOEAGNES
UPLOADINGPUGET
MATHLETESSEEME
Sun 5/24/2020 THE MYSTERY OF MCGUFFIN MANOR
ATTACKRACERSTAMEN
LEAGUEREVILESCIMINO
PATINAOVERLAPAKINTO
APTLYNAMEDCELEBRITIES
COLEFALANICEYORE
ATEBLINISINGENOS
WEARINGNAMETAGS
SWEEPEAUALSORROWS
GERARDGAGONREREAD
RAINSIMACUOFATESLA
AWNSUMFARTIM
BEGETHYMNFUNKSCENE
SEENASASIANAMANAS
DRYMOPSENVOSMONDS
APPLESWEATSHIRT
GTSAHEAPAMORETVS
OATHARUTSKORCHET
THEONETOTHEWESTOFHERE
HIPPOSONEVOTEAROUSE
ANOINTMITEREDTASSEL
MINNIEKARENSTEADY

Andrew Chaikin is a musician and game inventor in San Francisco. This crossword contains a whodunit.

Mon 5/25/2020
STABBARSCASTE
ARIEICALALPHA
MIDNIGHTINPARIS
EMAILMEPOIIRE
GEOMUSTTDS
FINDMYIPHONE
EAREMTSLAZED
GIRLADMINMESA
GREENATOZRPM
LEONARDNIMOY
EYESICKENE
LAVELIAVERAGE
CHANGEDONESMIND
IONIAIRONADAY
DOTTYCENTNEWS
Tue 5/26/2020
HANGSEDIEDIN
ADOUTMANXUTES
COLINFIRTHACCT
KRISARTHURLAKE
INTERNSAMENWA
TSAANDTEMPTED
ONIONEBAY
BODIESOFWATER
TRUETOILS
HATSIZERNABOY
ESCCONSONBASE
BILLYOCEANARCS
ALAIMICHAELBAY
RISEINTOLOIRE
ASSNOSYLOESS
Wed 5/27/2020
ROZIMPARTMOP
OLEOLAALAAINS
FISHCOMPLIMENTS
LOTSABAILMEAT
THROWNALOOP
ACTONETAJ
QUIPPEARMIATA
URLFORGONEVEX
ILLBEREBAFINE
OLANTESTS
CANTSAYSURE
JOSESNOWOBESE
OHCRYINGOUTLOUD
SAOUSUALSENID
TNTMISSESSTY
Thu 5/28/2020
RSVPGOBSVELTE
ATEALIVEMINION
NETSALESASNEAT
GETSMARTFRIENDS
EDEMAOMG
USEDUPOFTEN
AMESRAHSTROBE
DOCTORWHOCHEERS
OTHERSUVAESOS
SHORTSHONDA
HSIETHOS
THESOPRANOSLOST
HALIDEBADKARMA
AMAZONCLASSDAY
IMNEXTSAYTENS
Fri 5/29/2020
TRENDSBARCHART
RUPIAHATELUNCH
ENIGMATHEODICY
ESCHEWGELTMOM
TAFTSVIESALE
OLAYWORLDATLAS
PAINPILLONA
PLIANTMUNICH
GNCCYBERLAW
ATTHEHEARTMOTH
TROTRNARASTA
BOTSCANDESERT
APEHOUSEUPTOIT
THRILLERCLENCH
SYMMETRYTYREKE
POW Sat 5/30/2020
SHAVINGKITBANC
LETITSLIDEALIA
ONRETAINERMANN
WIISTAMPNET
SEATUSESEDATE
AGRAPUREE
SPRINGCHICKEN
SPREADTOOTHIN
CHOOCHOOTRAIN
HANOITASE
EGGMANMOSSPIT
ARENOWINECO
PUMPLASTSUPPER
IGORACTIONITEM
ESPYNOSETONOSE
Sun 5/31/2020 WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN
ETCSPECKICEDSHUI
GOESHELLOMILECENT
GELTENIACPAILCELLO
TIARASSHOOTIEONEON
MOBRARIESJUVENQUENCY
ITALYOPSSNOEURAKA
NOTISNAILDADAIST
TEENPOPZEALITPEOPLE
GILLENDORSECLUES
ATEETASAZTECREMAP
MEDICINTSCOMMETARY
OPINEROPESSUEDSYS
NECCOSABRINAHAIL
GETAFLATONITANTEDUP
SPYFILMTOMMYGENE
FARASASENNAMMATTE
INOPPORTUNTELABORAIL
NOBLELIEAHEMDAMMIT
ARBORHERDRELAYONLY
LAIDAMIEANGLEREED
EKESTSPSSTAIDDDS

Lewis Rothlein is a yoga instructor and onetime journalist in Asheville, N.C. He teaches a popular course on "The Art of Solving Crosswords" for senior citizens at the University of North Carolina in Asheville. Jeff Chen is a writer in Seattle. They exchanged over 100 emails, back and forth, just brainstorming this puzzle's theme.

Lewis has had five previous puzzles in The Times, all Thursdays. Jeff is a regular contributor here.

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