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Puzzles for June, 2015
with Editor comments

Mon 6/1/2015
PEPSILANEAJAR
ISAACOPALRUNE
SOLCERVEZASNAP
ASSCEEINHEELS
GUNITINC
SOLEBENEFICIARY
EZINEAIRCREE
COQSURREALTEN
TNUTPHOIDEST
SEOULSOUTHKOREA
RTETRIES
ABETTEDISMSPA
URDUSOULSISTER
ROUTTELLKIOSK
ASPSARMSEXPOS
Tue 6/2/2015
BAUMAIREDVAMP
ABRASNAREIRIS
ABBRKUDOSNEXT
BEACHEROSION
AYNOWENLYCRA
ASSTSBSAHUG
PITCHEROFBEER
INREOASESAERO
LEARNTHEROPES
LAWASAAZERA
SPLATAJARPAS
HEROSANDWICH
TIDEAGINGEZIO
AQUAFRAILEZER
USEDTENSEPARE
Wed 6/3/2015
KOBEUPTOSLOTS
ORENREAPTAROT
NEEDALIFTEVOKE
GOFARFIRENYA
CLEANYOURROOM
TRALALANEON
SAKSAVEDEIGN
AGEFSERIESROO
RASTAANYRENT
OVERREVENGE
SOWHEREWEREWE
ARIEELITORCH
TAPASITSFORYOU
OTERISTIRDAMN
NESTSHYPOSNAG
Thu 6/4/2015
CAVERNBADSIGN
ADELESADMITONE
MISSAYCASTAWAY
PATERNITYCLAW
MCCIAHA
DOSOHIESCAPS
DIRTSTAINSTOIL
RANATABVANILLA
ENOLCOMEDYTEAM
DATAIDOLSERF
GUTROBT
ISMSPAPERTHIN
TORIAMOSSIRICA
STATIONSOPENUP
EASEDBYTSETSE
Fri 6/5/2015
JOCKJAMSMENTOS
ALLFORITURBANE
IDECLAREREAGAN
AMATBILISIADD
LANESALVEOLAF
AISLEMAIPHOTO
IDEATEREJIGGER
SHOTSOLO
JUSTASECELDEST
ASKINTAOSNAPE
CHICFORTYORLE
KEADONATORBEN
ARREARFAKEPUNT
SIERRAEVENODDS
SNARKYSADTOSAY
POW Sat 6/6/2015
INTSEVILQUEEN
OMOUTMADEAPLAY
WEIREISLANDERS
ENGRETTENTACLE
SHORAGESAT
STOISTSEVEN
PRISONRTHDIVA
AOKFYIEWEBEG
DUESOFMASTERS
STAIRTRAITE
LIBENTRADA
TELEPORTSERING
IRONSTONEAMODE
TICTACTOETORRO
SNOWWHITESNEE
POW Sun 6/7/2015 THE CALL OF THE RACE
UPCASISIMPACTSODS
STEADIESTGUITARUNIT
EARLYLEADAFLAMEREDA
PHILSYOSTFADINGFAST
ALPOWOLFCLEFTS
ONTHEOUTSIDECOHORT
ICEAXESACSFORAERA
SOMNIROSEBARONSRET
ESPCLOTHBACKSTRETCH
OBSESSAUSTACHOO
GURUGAINSGROUNDHENS
OHARAOKLAVOODOO
TURNFORHOMEKUDZUTSP
TRYLYSINEKALETOHOE
OATETESTUNAACCENT
ABACUSMAKESACHARGE
VOTENOVAILSKOR
INTHEMONEYAITSVIOLA
ALOEOBERONBYALENGTH
LAOSVIAGRAMCDONALDS
SYSTATRESTSOSASES
Mon 6/8/2015
MEDSTAMPACRAP
AMOIAXIOMREPO
CINDERELLAALAS
STEERSLOETATS
DOGSILOVEYOU
STEROIDONESWM
DEADTIJUANA
SALEMMANSLATE
RAWEGGSIRON
ASPRANEFFECTS
MARATHONOONA
EMERYVATRADII
NOMEDEMOLITION
RAINALEROEATS
ASEAMSDOSSNAP
Tue 6/9/2015
WOMBATMMECOST
APOLLOAASINCA
REDEEMCITATION
ARCHNEWYORK
SEATTLESLEWNEE
AXISALLYUSSR
GADINGESPA
AMERICANPHAROAH
DIYDOOMMRI
MUSSAEROONES
ISUSECRETARIAT
KEROUACDIRE
AFFIRMEDNEGATE
DUELEDUGNOMES
OLDSSEESANTAS

Roy constructed this puzzle shortly after American Pharoah won the Preakness in May. We had an understanding: If American Pharoah wins the Belmont (and, thus, the Triple Crown) on June 6, I will then rush the puzzle into print. If not, his beautiful work will go to waste.

In a sense, Roy had a $300 paycheck riding on the outcome!

Fortunately, American Pharoah did win. The race took place on Saturday evening. I edited and typeset the puzzle on Sunday morning. The testers solved it and got me their comments by afternoon. I polished the clues. Ellen Ripstein went to the Times on Sunday night to prepare the files in all the formats for both print and online. Et voilà! Done with time to spare.

Conceivably, we could have rushed the puzzle into print on Monday, bumping the puzzle that was already scheduled then. But the Times crossword now appears in so many formats that a last-minute swap isn't easy. There would have been a serious chance for a screw-up somewhere besides. So Tuesday was safer, and the puzzle's theme and fill felt more Tuesdayish anyway.

A couple of notes on the clues:

  • While the puzzle has no specific mention of the "reveal," the Triple Crown, the clues for 22A ("Home of the Belmont Stakes") and 10D ("Louisville and Baltimore") do suggest all three legs of the title. I was pleased with that.
  • For 1D, WAR, I debated a long time about using the clue "___ Admiral," referring to the Triple Crown winner of 1937. I finally decided not to, as that would have muddied the theme. But I did include a backhanded reference to War Admiral's sire, and a great racehorse in its own right, with the ship reference "Man-o'-___."
  • One other semi-thematic clue was "Infield, for one" (AREA), referring to the interior part of a racetrack.

Altogether I think this turned out well. Thank you, Roy (and American Pharoah)!

The previously scheduled June 9 puzzle will now appear on June 30 instead.

Wed 6/10/2015
ANNBETAPAYTO
ROESLAIDOREOS
MEGOROUNDWELTS
YARROWOSTEAL
ROTOUTORROCH
SPINNINGWHE
AFTSSTEMAISIE
TREESOHSPRELL
TOATEERIADAIS
ASTHEWTURNS
RHODEOSTALAG
WALRUSIRENEE
PLEBEROLLINGST
OGLESESSOASTO
PASTSDOUGTEN
Thu 6/11/2015
ITLLCEDEALOE
NEAPACERBCAPT
DAYSLARGEMOUTH
ULTOGREDARRIN
LEODODGEMONACO
GARDENEARS
EVENSPARTIBAH
MESAERNIEDALI
ESTASIDEWORLD
ANTSMARRED
GRUDGEMATCHIVE
RESALESAGSSIN
IMAGEMAKERSTAG
PAGESHEBAFETE
EXESAROWOREM
Fri 6/12/2015
MOTETAJIKISTAN
ACREONARAMPAGE
SEALJEWELRYBOX
SAVENOWNEESGT
ENEROBELAY
XFLOGLEDDESKS
ORTKEANUYALIE
DOITEVENTSEAN
UNMETIFNOTASA
STEERDIEGOZOT
NIPATISERE
HUGSALDELIBES
ELECTROLUXLANE
INTHATCASEALTA
RAZORBACKSSLOT
POW Sat 6/13/2015
ZEROWASTEYUCCA
EXOTICPETOBOES
TAXISQUADDARES
AMYSURNHANDLE
FINERYGOOS
HAMLETCOATING
ONAIRSKATEBRB
UNIBROWSTANLEE
RONEXISTSPEED
DESTINYRERUNS
DOVEDENVER
EMERGECIGWAGE
RINGOSHRINKRAY
ENTERARTFORGER
KISSYSOUTHPOLE
Sun 6/14/2015 THE IN CROWD
ONPAPERCHATSALCAPP
FAILUREOILRIGDAUBED
FIGHTINJUSTICEITSPAT
AVIAKEELSTKTPESOS
LETITGEDROOSTPASHA
GENERALINFORMATION
MOLECOAMSVOUSTOG
BRAININJURYJETESITE
ADONISEPAEROSAVER
SOSADSLIPONULSTERS
COURTINJUNCTION
EQUALTONESTERLOOPY
LUNNMARKFRATOOKTO
RASHOSESSISTERINLAW
ODUESTDAPTYOSASS
PRIVATEINVESTMENTS
OUTEDDREADHOBSIGMA
PARCHEURLAMARPOOR
LEBEAUCRIMINALINTENT
IDLESTTOCOMELAYETTE
USENETNEONSSLEAZES
Mon 6/15/2015
CABALSMARINAS
ASATEAMOLDNICK
LINOCUTSTANLEY
MAGNACARTAOEDS
CRYULRIC
RATERANYLEAST
EREEARNELNINO
OINKNSYNCTRIG
RESIGNMOOSEPA
GLENNPEWAPRES
GUARDBMI
EMAJDUEPROCESS
SOLOMONSAVANNA
SOTHEREINASUIT
ORANGESDRAFTS
Tue 6/16/2015
IPADIVSSCAUP
MOSENETCHEESE
HOTFUDGEBURGER
ICECREAMSTAIRS
THROATSGTOSSE
INLAREVUP
MASSIMONTACIT
ONKPLEPEWWAVE
POSSEMETALNYE
ASNERTOTO
ADAPOSREGALER
LOGJAMMARINARA
ONIONSRIGATONI
HOTDOGEDURIIS
ATAILSSNALEE
Wed 6/17/2015
URGEDWINSOME
SEESAWJALOPIES
EVOLVEEYEBALLS
RURIRMAXED
SEGDEANSLEARS
EBBSPASCAT
MICROCAULKADE
UNSOWNUDONDIP
SACICELPIPEUP
ITOERASEGIMME
NITSSAPHEY
GETUPTREATART
BRATECHWAR
ONELINERTODATE
TIMEZONESOURON
TAUTENSDIDNT
Thu 6/18/2015
SUPRAPHILSTLO
APIANAEROSMITH
MOUNTAINTOPONYM
INSTILLSPOKER
ROESHOE
BLACKANTONYMS
ERICHMAILSEAT
GEEKSPACENALA
OATSPUNKMINES
MORTALSYNONYM
EYREENT
PADREINASENSE
NEWYORKMETONYMS
ATHENIANSODEUM
TAOSBLOTNOTTE
POW Fri 6/19/2015
SATCHMOAMRADIO
INAHEAPNAIROBI
NOTONCEGIBLUES
EXECARPELERTE
ORWELLIAN
JOHNSTEINBECK
REPOSTANADANO
ETALMADAMAFAR
CELICAIMHERE
ECONOISOLA
ARSWISNANUSB
SACAGAWEADOLLAR
AMERICANPALEALE
MINERALDEPOSITS
ISTILLDONTGETIT
Sat 6/20/2015
WINATLIFETARTH
AMINOACIDAWARE
SPANDRELSPECAN
SOGOVALEASEIN
USAFAXIOMSCPA
PERILENDORASE
SALADGENDERED
IRAQSERB
STEAKRUBYIELD
TEALWAILPLEAS
JAGFIDGETSANE
OREGONPARKVIC
HORUSHAVEABEER
NULLSOPENTABLE
STYLEPINTEREST
Sun 6/21/2015 CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER
ISISTESTSOTOHSTAMP
DUNEERNIEHEROEASYA
AGFASILEXMENUGEHRY
ALLELESOBPOSTABIO
TRUEFAHOLYWATERRIAL
ALERTDENOTEDBELINDA
CONSOEDGETSONIC
TAZNGSDAYSEATBELTS
FAMILIALSPECTSCION
EKESDREAMTAERO
THREETHEARTISTOKNOW
ROOTINSTEPHATE
ISAIDINTHAREALISTS
PENNYANTEHOWWASETC
GAUSSPGAEENPAIL
EDMUNDIBARNARDSOTTO
SEEPIDLEHANDSALLACY
TAROTIONMIRAFRESH
ONEPMOUSTBEALLATIT
PISANUPONANITAXENA
SETSISENTLOGICERGO
Mon 6/22/2015
AQUIACIDSSYNS
WALTSAMOATOOL
ATTEMPTINGAGUA
KARMAATTESTING
ERAINCASWEB
SMELTIFEAR
JOSHNYETFARGO
ATTUNESATTIRED
GRATAMAXIRADS
SANTOLINUS
DEMTIDESZAP
ATTRIBUTEMIAMI
LEAFATTRACTION
TELLSELMACRUE
ONLYSEEYAHERD
Tue 6/23/2015
ROADTOADTOLD
AUTOUTNECAPER
BROMANTICCOMEDY
ESPIDOSAMENS
ORRAPER
HOPEANDCROSBY
CUREDEATINAON
AMOSMINUSHYDE
TINCIGNAMOOED
DOROTHYLAMOUR
APTSLCD
LANCEERICYMA
SONGANDDANCEMEN
ICIEREDIEMCAT
BOLDBALDBALI
Wed 6/24/2015
KISSCAPOASSAM
INCAROADNITRO
THEPIERRETRAMS
INSTATEFEEBLE
TBAOMARBRADLEY
VIRGOSOATETS
STIRGARNET
SOUTHERNCROSS
BRONTEOKAY
STDURIFUTILE
CHINESEFLAGTEN
REVOTERODGERS
AMISHFIVESTARS
PODIADEERTIER
EBERTADDSALPS
Thu 6/25/2015
ASTAABCSBLOKE
SHOPTERIRIVET
POPOTTLESUPEAT
CEILINGSECARTE
ADDONCARELESS
GOOPPALMA
MOBYBEAUESTAB
AIRDEEPLUEEBB
PLACEPSISIRAQ
SUCREASSN
RASPERRYCAFFE
ODEONSIMEANTIT
MARATLEADBELLY
AGIRLELLESEEP
NEEDYODINTETE
Fri 6/26/2015
MANSPLAINPOSTS
IMATALOSSUBOAT
LUSITANIAPORKY
ASAPMETSTERE
ELENAGALEYAP
CNNBORONILL
RHODEBINETMOO
HANSAGNESSNOW
IVSPLUGSEWOKS
NEORENTSNET
EINORSOODESA
TARTSRANTOGO
DANAESALTSPRAY
ULTRAHITANERVE
OLSENONEPLAYER
Sat 6/27/2015
PANFISHROMAINE
ARBORIOARALSEA
RICOACTGRACIAS
FONTSWOEMATTY
ISEEBARQSNANO
VOWTAXCUTSGIN
ESSAYSSICKJOKE
IPSATREE
MCDREAMYOINKED
ILESLEEPININE
SASEEXLAXFATS
HITATCPUYOSHI
ARIZONAPGATOUR
PONYCARESPOUSE
SLEEKEDRASSLED
POW Sun 6/28/2015 GETTING IN THE FINAL WORD
UNJAMGLOBEREVLOKI
CAUSEAHMADAVEMINED
LASERNAGNAGNAGINTEL
ANTACIDSMAUNAGOAPE
WHATHAPPENSSRIS
BONSAIHUMESSTSINT
DEPOTSCOMEDICYODOG
AMITEMIRCEDETO
YOUVEGOTAFRIENDSEWN
BAMPREYRIVETERTROT
ENDUSESILOSETHICS
DEEMSAMPLERMONATHE
DNASCOULDYOUPUTTHAT
METEORWITTHINS
CAIROSTPETERPOUNCE
PADBACHAMATGEORGE
ELMODOUBLEDOVER
SLICKSPAINECLECTIC
TITHETOWNDRUNKLAURA
ONIONARDERATOAMBER
SGTSSKYDRESSLEAST
Mon 6/29/2015
NEEDSLOGSFRAT
EMMACAIROLEVI
WEBCRAWLEROPEN
TRACERSERGEANT
ARABICNORCUE
MLKALICEWALKER
ODESYAHSPY
MSDOSOUTHOTEL
LEAREVNATE
BLADERUNNERXCI
AIRPERTROMPE
KEMOSABEBLEATS
ELANRADIOFLYER
RODEUNITSEERO
SWAGGEESEERAS
Tue 6/30/2015
JARSCOTAROMA
ABEHOTSGROBAN
BARROCKGARDENS
LOSERABSLAW
POUNDSIGNSBITE
ANTISMAGPOSER
WEEPTAZWILKES
PRICETAGS
ABBEYSLOXTODD
CRETESLOSERIO
RATSFIELDTRIPS
OVAAUFEASEL
BACONSTRIPSNOI
ADAPTSAMOITMC
TOMESOPTSSAY
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