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Puzzles for April, 2022
with Editor comments

Fri 4/1/2022
EBAYTIKIBEGET
MOLEONUSAMORE
MOUTHWASHHITON
ATMEACHGODS
AIWASLURPEE
HANDSANITIZER
TWEETYKYLOISU
MEWSENEPSAS
LDSREDOCREOLE
WINDOWCLEANER
OPOSSUMHUNT
AIRSLATESPA
SETUPSALTWATER
ETHERTYKEHARM
SAYSOUSSRARTY
Sat 4/2/2022
CONSULINSPIRIT
APOLLOSETADATE
RECANTFARCICAL
DRAMASATEDELL
TAMSSCHLEPDYS
AGESPRAYTAN
BORDERONSPICED
LEARNEDOMAKASE
ERSATZPLACENTA
WIZARDRYNAT
PGANAMEITROTH
ARUMTOMEMINER
SURESUREMASALA
TEASERADONEDAY
ALLHEALSSINEWS
Sun 4/3/2022 SOFT OPTIONS
LIFTUPPFFTPELTSWAN
ACROSSREARWIPERCECE
SEAOFTRANQUILITYHEIR
TBILLAIDSROCSSOUND
ILLSAPSESETSOFTONGS
NUTSUPERVHSNEAL
GEYSEREDERASEBROCHE
TEARBROWEDREFLEX
UNLADEJESUSLIKETEAT
NEARSRUNEDTAZHAVE
DOCSSANDSOFTIMEONIN
ESTOORKFAUNAMUSED
ROOFBADRATINGTIGERS
GUSTAFNODULESETH
OLEOLEANDREFASTTALK
MOSTWIDEOUTSDEE
SONOFTARZANARRSPANE
AVERTPEETARCOGAMIN
LIARSTATEOFTENNESSEE
ENTORADARTRAPANTONY
MEOWSPYSCOGSEXANTE

Byron Walden, a math and computer science professor at Santa Clara University, is a regular crossword contributor to The Times. He says the idea for this puzzle started with the title. "I learned the phrase ‘soft option' from the [1986] Pet Shop Boys hit ‘West End Girls,'" and everything sprang from there.

Byron packs his grids with fresh vocabulary, like 20A, 35A, 53A, 70A, 86A, 105A, 51D and 61D, none of which have ever appeared in a Times crossword before.

Mon 4/4/2022
SHINMVPSMOTEL
LOCOREINADAGE
AVIDFETADOJOS
VELOCIRAPTOR
SLYFOXSINNTH
FOISTENCORE
ACEPTERODACTYL
COCOGOTSOME
TRICERATOPSKEN
EGGDYESHRED
DISEPIELAPSE
BRONTOSAURUS
APBIOARGOBUST
PEARLWELLEDIE
PRNDLEXEDDEER
Tue 4/5/2022
LACKSAPEXBEET
ALLEYFLOELADE
BLOWNGLASSARMS
ATMCOATINSET
MOPSACEPITCHER
BLEEPSLOSOSU
ADDTOAMANATEN
SPACECASE
ZAGTITHEICEES
IREADOSNOCAP
PORKBARRELNOSH
FUMESONUSTIE
ISAYHOLDMYBEER
LENOIDEAMOUSE
EDENPESTSORTS
Wed 4/6/2022
VACAYTAILTETRA
OHARERUNEOPRAH
LENINITCHBEIGE
EATATCOURSEEXAM
SPAASKREEFS
LASTEDRCATWO
BLOCIRANIOWAN
LAUNDRYDETERGENT
IMPEISAHLREDO
PEERNCPASSED
BTEAMTATLCD
ANNOYANCESADELE
REAIRAGROTIDAL
LOTSAREIDINUIT
ONSETDEEDCOMMA
POW Thu 4/7/2022
NEWBTKODMCJOB
YOHOMINIOHARE
UNIONISTSNEMEA
STUHOCKEYMOM
OKEYDOKEEPEES
RAJGPASTAND
ENURESFLOWN
SEGOHAYEDGE
BTEAMABSORB
DOUBTMIANAB
METROTURNKEYS
JOCKEYFOREEK
AVOIDEMMASTONE
DICTADEUSENOS
ANTSYSIRSLGBT
Fri 4/8/2022
GITMOPALGAH
ASWANIDIGERGO
GHOSTCAMECLEAN
PEASMATHLETE
SCORPIORAIDED
ARIASUNSETS
MANTATAPASSHO
OPTICALILLUSION
ASSCRAVEPERSE
RETWEETMETA
REWINDNOMINAL
ALISTERSPOTS
NUDESCENELOOSE
ODOROVALANNIE
NEWSPFREGAL
Sat 4/9/2022
MUSTBENICEAPBS
OBAMABIDENCHAT
NEWZEALANDTODO
IRERYESILENTO
CERACUTADEAL
ADSLOGANSTUTSI
GERUNDSPATE
RIDRATPACKGES
OBITFOOTAGE
BERRACLAMBAKES
AFTERALLTALC
BOBATEAYAMFDA
ARIDTVREPORTER
NEKONEXTPLEASE
KEENASSISTANTS
Sun 4/10/2022 ORDERING SECONDS
HOTTAMALETAFFYCSPAN
ASIAMINOREMILEOPERA
ROCKIDOLSMOVIETROPES
ESSEWISEPREPOGRES
MIENSTEPSONIT
POWERSTRIPMIRYSAL
ISHITSAMESSDEADSPOT
VSIGNESCAPEESIHEAR
OILPALMKNEXSTORMY
TEESIMDBKLUMESPYS
PEANUTALLERGY
JADENCLAPTHOUBAMA
SAVORSGRUBWETONES
INLETEGYPTIANWOODY
SEASHORESTONEAGEDIE
TBTDIMEMIDDLESEAT
OPENSPACERIDE
HIALLTIERISITTOME
MENTALLAPSEBLACKSTAR
PREENATEITMANHATTAN
GAZESGENRESTAYLOOSE

David W. Tuffs, of Pacific Grove, Calif., is a fourth-year linguistics student at the University of California Santa Cruz. In his spare time he writes for his school's satirical newspaper, Fishrap Live!

This is his third crossword for The Times, and his first Sunday. Planning the theme involved "manually sifting through endless lists" of words — which sounds tedious, but he enjoyed doing it.

Mon 4/11/2022
LABTADAGAMBLE
ODEINITROILED
OMGLAMAALTOID
FAULTLINESSAY
ANNEETEASERS
ADORNSGEODE
GUTVIDEOGAMES
OHISEEASLEEP
DUMPTRUCKSDRY
SHEARTOETAP
PRESALESHEAF
APICHOPSTICKS
SHEILAGOALHIT
PICKUPNUKEOTO
SLEEVEETSYSAP
Tue 4/12/2022
ODORPSATBEET
HULUIAGOMUNRO
ODDSGRAFORGAN
METEOROLOGIST
SHEWONLEINEO
WEDDINGPLANNER
ALIENSLONGO
PIAFPAWTHIN
OYVEYASPIRE
YOGAINSTRUCTOR
SEXCNNRANIND
PSYCHOANALYST
LIGHTMACSOBIT
IDEASEPEEDICE
TONISERAAGED
Wed 4/13/2022
ONSBUNCHOOZE
PECASAHIPROS
TAILDECORTERI
ITSOKDRIERORG
MISPLACESOSOON
IDOEIDLOCHS
SERVERPANKO
MASAVEXWRIT
LAPAZGENOME
RESETBEGSPA
GEOTAGGALOSHES
ORBPAPERSHARE
BABYSOCKSEMIR
ASIAURKELBAA
GEEKSTORYOLD
POW Thu 4/14/2022
STAGEEGOTPERP
EAGERGREATAPES
WHATAGOODBOYAMI
EOSAIGLUG
REPASTSDECANTS
SCOTTISHPOET
USTAUNAFLU
SPINNINGWHEEL
RUEOVIORES
BRASSSECTION
GYRATESODDSOCK
LASYONBAE
FROMSTEMTOSTERN
HADAHUNCHOHYAY
ADENDDAYPASTA
Fri 4/15/2022
XRAYEYESARAFAT
XOXOXOXORELATE
XYLOPHONEMALLET
HOOTCYRIL
IPSOHITONNEST
SHOOOCALAAQUA
AOLREVLURK
IBARPATSYLIVE
DIREERANIT
NAPSTERSECOVE
OSLOSTEALOXEN
ERATOFINN
TEXTBOOKEXAMPLE
ROUTEROLIVEOYL
INSOLEPYRENEES
Sat 4/16/2022
DCBASEDKEEPTO
ALISTERSORLEAN
GOTTACATCHEMALL
AVERYGIRLSSKA
MEMOTICOSCAIN
ARERINKSCANED
BOOTYSHORTS
KINGOFBEERS
MEDIACIRCUS
GOTONONEHRBET
OVENPUGETMALE
OILBAREDDAMNS
GEOCENTRICORBIT
LANCEDSNOWCONE
EDESSAGODHOOD
Sun 4/17/2022 ON THE HUNT
WILTOSCARNESSRAE
ASEAOWETOYUCCABELL
RANKHALOSETHOSRAPS
MODEMPENCILMOUSTACHE
AHEMBOOTLEERRITA
OPHELIAFESSEDYEN
REAEBANDMADVEESOUT
SENDTEASETBASSTUBA
ODDASSERTPOTTOTEM
AWAYPOETRYMARINE
DEACONLEOMYEOONMEDS
RULERSPILOSEGODS
EBOOKNGOORGANSWSJ
SINFONIAHANSELMILE
SEESFITLONMAYBENOT
PALPESTLESTRANGE
KCARTAGTEAMSDELI
BEEDTHEQUESTIONAPPLY
LEDEDRUMSELBOWREIE
ERESTRIESSIEGEEELS
USDVANSTAROTPROM

Emet Ozar, formerly from Los Angeles but currently in Charlotte, N.C., is a program manager for a software company. She and her wife have three children, all under 6. She finds crosswords appealing partly because they can be picked up and set down easily, which is helpful due to constant interruptions from the kids.

She credits the Crossword Puzzle Collaboration Directory on Facebook for helping her develop her construction skills. This is Emet's New York Times debut.

Mon 4/18/2022
TAPEJUDOWHAMS
OBEYASEAROBOT
TAKEAWALKANODE
ACORNSTEMPVEE
LIEONBANDSHELL
LULUSUEZ
CHALLENGEPREEN
AOLIDOLSRNA
BELTSTOLLBOOTH
SAKEIRON
LIQUICAPSREHAB
ICUPOLEINSANE
GIADALOOSEENDS
HEROSANTEEDIT
TREESNYSEDYES
Tue 4/19/2022
ANTEGAULOCT
ADEALOLMOSBRR
BOWLINGBALLLAY
UPTOCHUMAMISS
STANZAMIDNIGHT
EEKIANAGREES
DEFTOPALADD
LIGHTNING
SEAROADYELP
MAXIMAYESALT
EMPLOYEEVELOUR
DEISTAXLEETSY
USAINSPIRATION
SETFOYERMOANA
AXEGALAANNE
Wed 4/20/2022
SLAPSIRSTHEME
MADRECUEWAXED
USAINBOLTILIAD
GEMSTONESNOTTY
TISZEKE
PRINCEFIELDER
NAANHELPMEROB
ANSELYASSPRAY
BATENOKISLOSE
MARGARETCOURT
ARSERBS
SIPTEAPHOTOIDS
ANAISTIMDUNCAN
STINTONOSEEYA
SONGSOKSESTOP
Thu 4/21/2022
CAPSSPLATFAWN
OSHALOATHELIE
STAYSALIVEEFTS
MISIVERSEDAT
ORECKUSERID
LESSERORONO
MACEEOLIANMGR
EREECLIPSEELM
GARSTATESGOYA
ACTUPRENTTO
THANOSAETNA
NISPLAYERION
AONERAZOREDGED
MILAILIKEERNE
IDYLGAZESREDS
Fri 4/22/2022
LIFEHACKLEANON
IMAMORONARCANE
BARENECESSITIES
IRONSKEATSLOT
DEEDCELTSGENE
OTSPARESYODOG
AIMEDTUBING
OLDSOULDILATES
HAIKUSFINED
STEMSBOGGSNYU
TETEMORSEMIEN
OSSSODOIROGER
PHOTOSYNTHESIZE
IODINECERBERUS
TWANGSESSAYIST
POW Sat 4/23/2022
CODEREDTGIF
MACARONILILMO
MATHTESTSERASE
ULTRATECHDEMO
DAREMERGEDOSE
BYEFAROAFROD
ASANASTLDRORE
TITANCOFFEEURN
HASITALLARTSY
LAVALAKES
JIFAPPLEYMCA
CANITLOSTSOUL
OMELETPANOHARA
SUPERSIZETONER
APTNANASPASM
Sun 4/24/2022 MAGAZINE RACKET
SCULPTGNAWDABSINFO
NOMOREMIROOSHATURK
APPLEJACKETWHATMAKES
GASWATSONANDCRICKET
GENENANOAANDE
CARBOMBMINTYIBEX
COCAPOSTBACATANY
SITTINONTHEDOCKETDSL
INVADEGARRNULLVALUE
LVILANDRAEPOEM
LIKEAMILLIONBUCKETS
MOTODOCLEGOSTU
EATSPALEOBOOSODISTS
RTEUNDERGROUNDROCKET
CHARTWOODTARHOLY
HEMIALBEEPITFALL
CANOETRAMNEAT
FRONTOFTHEPACKETTAU
YOUTICKETDARNSOCKETS
AINTOILYDRIBFAERIE
MEGAWELLSTACFTYPES

Sam Ezersky, 26, is the digital puzzles editor of The New York Times. He also edits the daily Spelling Bee. This is his 38th crossword for the paper.

On the day this one runs, he himself will be running the Brooklyn Half Marathon — the first time he's ever done this distance. He says, "Hoping solvers won't be struggling on Sunday morning as much as me!"

POW Mon 4/25/2022
LOAFNUMBSOMNI
ACNEBROILREAM
GENERALTSOBLIP
GAUDYSTEMSAVA
ANIMESCOLONEL
RITEHOSTUNITE
DAYROLOSINES
FOODFIGHT
OASISITRYSAG
BLINIJADAMILE
SANDERSSCULPT
CDCREBUSATEAT
EDITCAPNCRUNCH
NITEACTORACAI
ENYAPHOTOLESS
Tue 4/26/2022
JIGTDPASSDROP
ODEORACLEROBE
ILLMANHUGECON
NESTEGGREMAKES
ESQAPLOMB
LACEUZISTOOTH
IRANEARSENTRY
BINDECKOUTTOM
REDFININGMOON
ASYLAASEAAMPS
HONORSRPM
SEESAWSAREARUG
ERASNOCLUEERR
WIREUNRESTEGO
NETSPSYCHEFEW
Wed 4/27/2022
RAMPLATERASPS
IKEAALIBILEIA
CRAMCOMBOMEALS
CONFIFEAXLES
INSTANTREPLAY
OWINGVET
SHEETSWANLAID
TILTATWINDMILLS
YOLOHITSATOLL
BUNSLUES
BURGERFLIPPER
ASAMIELIALEE
BUMPERCROPBAYS
BEBEEXURBINOT
ARIDIXNAYBTUS
Thu 4/28/2022
IMAGEITSOK
VALORCRAZE
AWAITSKISMET
BAMBICHAPS
GRRIVSAKASUM
AIDSTERNLYONO
PDFSONICEBNAI
EGANBODHIATMS
DECATUROVERHIT
IRASTYKE
GENESISTHESIMS
OMGKNISHESVIE
NADAENEROSLAV
ZIONSAPORROME
OLGASITBYIWIN
Fri 4/29/2022
WASHTEEMSETNA
ALPORAMOSTHOR
FLIRTATIONHESS
TEENAGERSSIRE
SNLBINULCERS
LUCMESAMIA
SOLOPARENTING
WHOAMIKIDDING
PAINRELIEVERS
ERRADENERE
IMEASYOHOTBA
ELLAGENIUSBAR
IDLEMUSICSTAND
STEPGASOLALTO
MOSHSCONEBLUR
Sat 4/30/2022
BOGHADUPBLISS
AVIALERORUNTO
NEVERFELTBETTER
GREWDIMBENZENE
NOPEGRADLOL
TANKABROGAN
USASCRAWLAGES
GAMESHOWNETWORK
SPECOWLISHIRA
OOPSIEERNST
ASHAPEXSMOG
THEATERATALOSS
BARBEDWIREFENCE
AMBERACTIICAM
TESTSREYNAEMI
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