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Puzzles for May, 2018
with Jim Horne comments

View these same grids with comments from:
Constructor (29)Jeff Chen (31)Jim Horne (11)Hide comments
Tue 5/1/2018
HEFTSDTSOASIS
ALLOTIOUBLINI
SLAVENUEVOLEON
HISREARLEAGUE
SHANGRILANETS
LISASODA
CPASDATAPASTA
AIMLESSTREETOP
REPELACHETROT
SOMETONI
PAIDRIVERBANK
OFNOTEILYAGNU
ROADBLOCKMITER
TONGAPHIALIEN
STEERTENSLEDS
Wed 5/2/2018
JAVASATSFED
OVIDTURNSFAIR
LENAAEIOUALGA
TROPHYROOMASHY
TIESTABETS
PAWDDECOOPS
ADATENAPONAIR
POLKASTAKENDO
ALLOWELICREED
ESSAYRCALDS
ESCYOGAASP
ECONWINECELLAR
RENOLATCHAIDE
INCHSNORENAZI
ETETNUTTMEN
Thu 5/3/2018
ACCLAIMAILOAR
FRAILTYRNAPRO
FUMMIESMANDELA
AIMEDWEANED
DIDOSLICELADD
ICAHNFRODINGE
GENIUSTIERDER
COMPACTCARS
OREBATHOMAHAN
LEARSOEDADULT
DARESMAUGITCH
SLOVAKPLATS
ABUSERSLEASHES
WONREPESPOUSE
SYDOAFSTENGEL
Fri 5/4/2018
HACKTIVISMACID
IMPRESARIOFADE
STAYCATIONCROC
PSYSUEWALK
TROTXYLEM
RENOFATTASERS
OPENWIDEATTLEE
YESREDEALTCDT
ENTAILTAKESOFF
STONEDHASERIE
PARTYANNE
FASTREFWES
IMHOINELEGANCE
LOOMATLONGLAST
ESPYLETSDOTHIS
POW Sat 5/5/2018
SNUGADAMHEEDS
POGOSOBAINNIE
UTAHHODGEPODGE
MONADMUONSTE
ENDLESSLOOPIRE
DEAFENAWMAN
SPARKYRHETT
ISAIDGOODDAYSIR
TOMEIWASABI
CRASSROOSTS
HERHIGHFALUTIN
HEFDAYOAGAPE
GETUPANDGOHYPE
MATZOGRUBTIER
ADOZESAPSANDS

Excellent puzzle.

Sun 5/6/2018 LET'S PLAY TWO!
ABEAMITSTIMEPHOBOS
BOXTOPNATALIELONELY
BATTLESHIPRISKAWARDS
ATRARAEASASITIN
ACQUIRETICKETTORIDE
MACHULIBILOERE
OSHEASTROADHOCOMAN
THESISSORRYDIPLOMACY
ROELIDDIESUNOCO
IRSBAMAOATSECO
NEEMEMORYTROUBLERBS
NILITOOWEREYAM
BLINISGUSASSAGO
CRANIUMTWISTERSINNER
HAVESIGHSYVESEAGLE
IVETIOACUGROSS
CONNECTFOURCHECKERS
DOLLYROOIRAALMA
FIEFIETABOOOPERATION
ERRATAATASKETOPENTO
ZESTERBANTERSEDGES
Mon 5/7/2018
MTFUJIDATAGAL
POLLENOWENOLE
GROUNDSCREWRVS
EELEASYAEGIS
AWEDORLON
EATAPEACHSNAP
ASSETPANEZIT
SPHTOOLBOXOLA
TABSUPEPALES
IDLESTAYSAWAY
ROGETETTA
RINGSSOARSKA
OLDTUNASASHIMI
ALEEMITTAILOR
DESRAPSIGNORE
Tue 5/8/2018
PACKATLASMAPS
ICONHAITIEVIL
SUREWHYNOTMAXI
APNEAUNCLESAM
CROSSCOUNTRY
TABASCOEMIT
WRAPHOPGOOFS
ILLBONJOVIRIO
NOLIESHEHALL
REBAOTHELLO
BACKTOSCHOOL
GUESSWHODPLUS
ARCOSTARTAFIRE
MAIMTOTHEUCLA
ELLEONIONLESS
Wed 5/9/2018
FROGCLASPBEACH
LENAHATCHIMDUE
ISAYAMORELIVER
PEDAMAZINGGRACE
TRITIPPOPENAS
OVERRICEMARCRY
PETEOARSAWED
VENTILATTE
PRIXSIGHBAIL
LOUPOMDEEPENDS
AWLOMENFORGED
SEEINGDOUBLEEAT
ERODEATRIAALMA
RUNONLISTSMOAB
SPELTSTASHPUNS
Thu 5/10/2018
IRATEBLAHSLAM
REFITEERIEEAR
KARMAAFTRANTH
SLABONTHEMONEY
SIRENFURYROAD
MODERATORINME
LOSIBARTEE
KNOCKEMORALIVE
RATBEESFAN
ERSESERVEDOUT
NICEIDEAODOUL
DEADCENTERONTV
ISPABODEEDDIE
VEEMURALGLINT
ENSEGADSGETGO
Fri 5/11/2018
SOUPSUPPERSIA
TOPTIERBIGTIME
IHEARYAINGEMAR
FLAMEIGLOOIWO
FARESUITSLAB
ELLENEMOSNARE
DAYTONMUDTIRES
IVORYSOAP
SPINAWEBCLERIC
MANGECEOKRONA
AIDSWHAMRAFT
LSUSHERESIDLE
LACONICGULFWAR
ONTRACKAMILATE
JOSEPHSADEYED

Counting Variety puzzles, this is crossword #24 for Sam, and he won't be 23 years old until later this month. David is only 21 and this is his puzzle #80.

Sat 5/12/2018
AKITASCHASTE
VERONAHOEDOWN
AROUNDLOWLIFES
LONGSFORMOTEL
OUCHFROSTSIZE
NAHBEAKERSEER
CEMENTSHOES
FALSEBOTTOM
RETRACTIONS
GOTMENCKENEAU
ACESRAKEDAMIN
SEALELOYCLODS
CAPITALNMOONIE
ANOMALYOROIDE
NOTELLDEFCON
POW Sun 5/13/2018 LOVE AT FIRST SITE
NBAJAMPSASSWAMBAT
SATIRERUNTIAGOSOLE
FRENCHCONNECTIONEATS
WRAPSONREPEATOPERAS
ELIOCTAORSOHYDRA
ELONBOOYAHDREAM
PENGUINSEANBEANERA
ADESTUDFINDERHOMEEC
BESTIERUBBERMATCH
AWEDBERYLNASTIES
PETPASTATRISHRNS
FASTCARMASONBOGS
ACTIONITEMSFLIPON
CHEESEOPENFLAMESMET
EERTRINIDADMONDAVI
NANASPACTENAKIN
AZUREMIMEHENSTEL
MINERSTOOTSIESPAIGE
APINORGANICCHEMISTRY
SPOTROUTCALEONESIE
SONTOYSKNEEBATONS
Mon 5/14/2018
LEEROBLAPOULT
ARTEFUELLUCIE
BITEVALVEATLAS
SCUBAKICKSTART
ORBSEMO
LILKIMDIYWAIL
ANOEOSINTINNY
SCRATCHANDSNIFF
SURLYELSIESET
ORELPASELDERS
OTCAMIE
PUNCHBOWLOUGHT
AROARFIGHTCLUB
PLUTOFRAUEELS
ASNEWSEEMSNAP
Tue 5/15/2018
ATARIJPOPADD
TIMEDBUONOFRO
IGIVEARGOTLIE
LEGAPBIOAGAVE
TROLLEYSSTACEY
IMDBDOORDIE
ALALAITFUND
STANDUPCOMICS
WEEBJERKEEK
ORANGESTFAL
REWELDGRANDAMS
SNAREORANGSUE
HAYASPICIRATE
IDAMOUSYRUNTS
PETSYSTLEAST
Wed 5/16/2018
TOPICSTATSLAY
ANODEURIAHABU
JEWELSVERNENYC
EDIENEDDESK
GRRCLODDEBUSSY
RUTALTMEL
AMOSTIPAUDRA
TOOLOOSELAUTREC
ARLENGATHIGH
ACSITSVIE
BLAZEPASCALESS
RILEALACAST
ATLFRENCHTWIST
NEOASPEREAMES
DRYNEHRUSPEAK

This is Mr. Schmalzbach's 31st NYT crossword, but his first in 20 years. Here's his previous one from 1998.

Thu 5/17/2018
CLAPAGAVESAME
HEROWEWONILYA
AMESNEWORLEANS
DONTASKDOORMAT
SNAILNONPRO
TATTOOADAM
RAJRIOTSORE
ETAMAY1718MEL
DAZSBULBEAT
ADZERIPSAW
BASSETLASTS
INAWORDBILLNYE
SANANTONIOLILI
INDYANIONODES
SASSSENSEPERM

For the second day in a row, my note is about a puzzle from 20 years ago. Green Eggs and Hamlet is near the top of my most memorable puzzles list.

This is the third appearance of 8BALL in NYT puzzles. The first was back in 1956.

POW Fri 5/18/2018
IMACOPLAWLOBO
NOTONEIOTAIRAN
STARTERSETMINE
AIRPOPSESPOSA
NOUSECARTNHL
ANNEWARSTORIES
PRIDEPARADE
SOUNDMIXERS
TOSSESASIDE
OWLETMOTHSJEEZ
HOVLANEMENLO
SPACEKSAYWHEN
TABUINTERWEAVE
OILSNAMECALLER
PREPGMCHYSONS
Sat 5/19/2018
SLOTCANYONAPPS
AIRBAZOOKASHOP
FLEAMARKETLOWE
ETSBRAETEETER
REIDREDWORM
CAMERACAREBED
ATOMSWATERPOLO
LANICASEDLOIN
ABSTRACTSMOTTO
BATELKSNETHER
ADEPTLYROES
STRODEBOCKKEG
HIHODOUBLETEAM
EMIRIFYOUSAYSO
SETSTASTETESTS

The idiom "of a piece" (or "all of a piece") means "of the same kind."

Sun 5/20/2018 RHYMES, SCHMYMES
BUGBITEIGLOOTIPSTER
AFRICANBROODIMALIVE
BOOZESCHMOOZEAPPAREL
ASKPERUUKECREAMERY
BOSOMTOOAAA
TAGUPAOLNUTSSCHMUTZ
IGORSCREWTETHEINIE
DEERSCHMEARARTEFACTS
YESSIREEVEEAIDMOLT
RODDESPITEHIRES
MACEDNOSCHMOMUSKS
BOGUSTECHIESWIM
ARABDEWINSSIXPACKS
RESIDENCEDUCKSCHMUCK
BASSOSOLESPIEDEBAY
QUITSCHMIDTABCSNARE
HOEAHIARMED
BASEPAIRMENGAYEBUC
OUTRUNSHALTSSCHMALTZ
SNIGLETAMOREKATRINA
STROLLSDETOXSTOPPER

Mr. Nediger is near the top of our Scrabbliest Constructors list. This is the Scrabbliest Sunday puzzle, breaking the record set by, yes, Mr. Nediger.

Mon 5/21/2018
JEANPALMHASNT
ORBSIPSOOCHOA
BABYALBUMTRAMS
STANCEAFIRST
CHILDPRODIGY
EBBTORINO
TEENVOGUETOAST
CAREENSIMILE
HUMORADULTSWIM
MODULEAPP
SENIORMOMENT
ACORNSPEEWEE
GOTATGHOSTTOWN
ELATETERIROOD
SIXEROXENASKS
Tue 5/22/2018
CODAIDESBABEL
LAIRNOMEINURE
URSAMAJORGOTAT
ESOBESOGODDESS
BYTETERINEG
GEECHESPEEDO
ARYANONDOPE
LASSOLAOENOLA
ERRANDRYDER
TREATYTOPOOF
WONHESSELON
ENMASSESCORNED
EDICTGREATBEAR
TETRAEARNILSA
SLYERLYESSLEW

Our Visual Puzzles page collects grids you draw on. The earliest is this STAR rebus from 1996.

Wed 5/23/2018
BUMSHAHAPALE
ALOEOPENOPEC
STREETARTNEMO
IRAFRIOGYRO
CALIFORNIAKING
PODGHETTO
SPEARLAGGIRL
COXTIEDYEFED
AWOLZOONOSES
LENOVOAMI
PRESIDENTELECT
PREPPASSMOO
BOASSOUTHPARK
ASTIECRUTIDY
MEETTHUDALSO
Thu 5/24/2018
DISHMARCOSTROT
ACTIARTHURHERE
WHINNYMEETSERIN
SARGESEELWOOD
OBIESJERRYCELLO
NOTSHOTSHELEN
DUDDECLEAK
PASTYHOODING
REVSNRADAD
STAKEITEMSRIG
PAYGROUPONHARSH
ACERUNHCALICO
DOSESPOONERISMS
AMIETENDEDBOAT
YARNSNEEZEINNS

Echoing the constructor notes, the 62-Down clue is outstanding.

Fri 5/25/2018
IMSTUCKDEEPFAT
HATESONINDIANA
ONADAREADUNITS
PORNSEALEERIE
ABUELDERSSN
SMUGTSARSCHOW
HAREEAVE
UNSNARLTHANKED
NOTTRUEHOSTELS
TNTETC
AHBLISSVROOMED
NUCLEARFOOTBALL
DECOTORICACTI
EVESALACKMOON
SODABLUESANNE
POW Sat 5/26/2018
POPAPILLLETSBE
AMAZONIAIVOTED
TESTSFORDENADA
ALTTONGANERTS
KEELSOLIBIN
ITSODDENDGAME
CROWDPLEASER
PLAYTHEPONIES
THELEGOMOVIE
HOMEROWESTRUS
ENOVOLEYETI
CENTSNOTCHHOT
USTOURWHATSAPP
REELINEASTASIA
EXALTSSNAPCHAT
Sun 5/27/2018 21
COASTATATIMECHITA
MANTLETRISTANHOTELS
AGEFORDRINKINGLEGALLY
YETBREASTSCRIESETD
ASIAOMITHAMSEXON
NUMBERONEALBUMBYADELE
SPELLPOEDIDDY
ARABSPCTTENLB
GUNSINAMILITARYSALUTE
ONETOOMANYELIEWIESEL
OCCBLTOPTTRI
FACSIMILESMALEFICENT
SPOTSONALLSIDESOFADIE
RITASINNSTENS
SHOUTWCSOESTE
WINNINGBLACKJACKTOTAL
ISAKEUROELLEFAVA
LPSHAVANASTIERSREP
LETTERSINTHESEANSWERS
SEAGALNONAGONETHANE
DRILYSLOGANSLSATS

This sets a record for fewest words in a Sunday grid with 126. Here are the other low word count Sundays. There's one (now two) at 128 and a few at 130.

Mon 5/28/2018
TRAMPSCHARTS
ARAMAICAILERON
PUTONAHAPPYFACE
HERSNOTITSULU
IDAPOOLTOYMOT
DACHALAOABASE
STEALDSLWISER
DATADANG
BREAKINTOASMILE
REAMSCAMSONES
ACRESERERUFFS
OCALAPETIT
FULLOFGOODCHEER
EPIGROWLATLYE
ESPSOANDSODEB
Tue 5/29/2018
ODDDUCKSABRAMS
PARANOIANOOGIE
ALANALDADHARMA
LEIAFREEEMAIL
SSNDHLRAM
SUEANNNIVENS
WARHORSEAILEY
ALOUSHAPEPSAS
SAUNALATTEART
PITTTHEELDER
IAMMSNCAM
DRESSSIZEHUGE
RADISHEDUCATES
AVENUESONATINA
BINGESTRIDENTS

The XWord Info Regex search capability is very useful when trying to construct puzzles like this. Here are the words in our database with triple letters. Many are bogus (thematic) but there are several good entries in the results list. (The number of entries you see depends on your account level.)

Wed 5/30/2018
LIPSACETATECHIP
OKRAMORALESRANG
BEEBPLAYERSORCA
APOLLOMIASMA
TEENATIERS
RESETISLETROMPS
UNCUTSTILEAVILA
BARRETILESNEXUS
BASRANIXOGRES
ALBSUMPREDST
GIBEJUMBLEDABIE
UNLVUSROUTEHAZE
AGEESTINGERAGES
Thu 5/31/2018
TAPMATEYGHANA
ALAAMUSEAARON
BETAPIETALINEN
APTSESCAROLE
CHIPSIZETAXI
SECYBYENOW
LAMLANDSSOHO
ITSALLGREEKTOME
NORMASIDENYS
EZPASSKARO
THETAOMICRON
FIREEXITTAZO
ONCUELAMBDATAU
ECARDTREADOWN
SASSYSINGSNAS

Crosswords are such a personal experience. I would expect the vast majority of NYT readers would know Seiji Ozawa "off the top." Neither Jeff nor I know for sure.

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