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Puzzles for August, 2021
with Editor comments

Sun 8/1/2021 OFF BRAND
ARTICLECFCSPEARCE
TOOCOOLPAWATDENIERS
OFFENSIVELINEARTROOM
PLUMESOSWINDTURBINE
EMTWONCHAONLY
IGNEOUSEMAILAPB
OSOGUSEWELLLAYSHIA
OLDMACDONALDPITOCD
PACEHARDGAGREESMED
SMORELOEBLEGALFEES
MILITARYACADEMIES
HEPTAGONSDESIMATTE
ALLLENDERLSATSSEAL
LIETAOSTEELGUITARS
FOXTAILKVASSICKDOE
ENTINPUTAFCEAST
COEDBOOESLOAT
SOUNDSYSTEMPACTODOR
OUTPOURSPANISHARMADA
APRONEDUPTONASPIRIN
PEEPEDPSSTTHICKET

Matthew Stock, who turns 25 this month, works for a math education nonprofit in East St. Louis, Ill. The idea for this puzzle came about in January, when he was on a cross-country road trip and passed a Honda Odyssey. He reinterpreted the name as "Honda odyssey" (small "o"), which aptly described what he was on. That bit of wordplay didn't make it into this puzzle, but similar ones with other brand names did.

This is Matthew's sixth Times crossword, and his second Sunday.

Mon 8/2/2021
PSSTEKEDROPS
OAHUOVUMRADIO
RIOTNEROARENT
CLOUDSTORAGE
HSTMACOXOEGO
LIGHTNINGBUG
CASINOHISRAIL
ALONGLUCRINSE
ROPEMOMPINKER
THUNDERBIRDS
SAPRTEGOOBUS
WEATHERFRONT
MEDIATATAATTA
PRISMALITCOIN
GAMESETEEXES
Tue 8/3/2021
KATGRATISWHET
ETHREBATEHARK
MREEASTERIMET
PAYPALAMAPACS
USESSPRINT
WESTEROSHOT
ACAIRAMISSRS
CORNERTHEMARKET
ONAROSINHIDE
WITBUSDEPOT
DMINORSLIT
SEALTECONTAPE
HTMLINLOVEHAT
AREDLEANERMRT
KETOLEMONSEKE
POW Wed 8/4/2021
NATOASPIREBAT
ANONCLOSETAPE
MONSTERMASHRTE
MEADBEIGNET
WALLSTREETCRASH
ALOEWILLSARTE
NYCFIFEODDS
CONTACTUS
TBARNAIRBEE
PHATGROPEAIMS
RUSHHOURTRAFFIC
ONMYOWNIRON
ADAFILMSPLICER
METFLOTUSCANI
SRIADWARSALTO
Thu 8/5/2021
MEGAHIMOMOTIS
ALESOPERATRAP
OFTHEWORLDSEGA
ABELMEDIBRR
APRILBAASKEET
LIONDRINKLIKEA
ESOBRADSHAW
CAMERAANIMAL
WENTCOLDAXE
HOLECOVERSOMIT
APISHGNCGLASS
RENTOUTIMDB
INKYBEATSADEAD
BETAISUZUOAHU
ODORSTREPGRID
Fri 8/6/2021
SLOEAGARLOAMS
MANGANESEOUNCE
IMEANITTHISTIME
LAWDYSHAMEMID
ERASCRISPHAL
DRYERICHFELLA
OCLOCKSIRHAN
HERESWHATIFOUND
AMALIESHREDS
DANTERARESBOT
COSCUBESBANE
FITSABREBONET
LAHDIFRICKINDAH
ATEUPACAIBERRY
PERESWKRPSYMS
Sat 8/7/2021
BATSINILLPASS
ONAUTONEUTRALS
TYPISTTEXASTEA
THETAMOSESTIC
LORELAISIGH
EOSRUGSTHIGHS
LIGHTWEIGHT
EIGHTYEIGHT
NIGHTYNIGHT
MONETSERESSIS
USSRDNABANK
LITSTENOLOUSY
CREATIVENARROW
HEINEKENAREOLA
ENDWISESYDNEY
Sun 8/8/2021 JIGSAW PUZZLE
CRUSTPERMJANEGOOFS
TUSHYASIAODORADMEN
RECAPRAPSSOTSMISDO
PICKUPTHEPIECES
ARLENELEAPTOTTAWA
TEAGOOVERTHEEDGEREC
OPIEKIDSSEGOBATH
NORMARAEOLDBETSY
PLAYWITHMATCHES
PIGEONSRAITTELATION
ADORESEEDIERUPDOS
YOLOHOTBEDIRAALFA
FREEDOMOFASSEMBLY
SERENEPOSIES
BAMGETITTOGETHERPAR
ARIASTEARSINTOGNOME
LENDPARTIESDOWNEPIC
SWERVEALLPRO
AERIESPICTURENOSEIN
MOVEITPERFECTABORTS
NANNYMOMENTSSENSE

Christina Iverson, of Ames, Iowa, is a stay-at-home mom with two young kids. Jeff Chen is a writer and professional crossword constructor in Seattle. This puzzle's theme started with the vague concept of moving pieces and morphed from dominoes to magnets and finally to jigsaws ("all interests of my son," Christina says).

This is the pair's second Sunday collaboration.

POW Mon 8/9/2021
ORSNOHOWCORAL
HEHETUDEOPERA
OVERCOMESUTTER
HELICESTECINK
IFSOHIGHSEAS
ELLEIRONAGE
ELICNETLASES
LEFTOFFRIGHTON
SEEMELOTSSUE
ABREEZEPYRE
LOWLANDSDISC
ACETOMELANTRA
SELMAUNDERGOES
SALONNOISERAT
ONSETDRESSEMO
Tue 8/10/2021
RBGGRADPUSS
URLAPLUSONEUP
BOOKSMARTEDICT
INBOXAASEZRA
OXENHENBERRIES
ACAICAPN
ABCHUGOSHAGAR
SCHOOLHOUSEROCK
SCANSTHREENEO
REEFGAME
WAGONWHEELLEFT
OVENDEVISUZU
WIDOWLITTLERED
SAUNAPLINKORE
SPEXSETSSOS
Wed 8/11/2021
MIDMOI
AGAALCOPOPAIR
TOTVERMONTMLK
STAREDINTOSPACE
UCLAMIAIBID
HOMBRETABLET
ASSEENODELAY
SERVOSWEAR
STEVEKERR
RETIE
HADABLANKLOOK
TIGERBURRO
SHOWEDNOEMOTION
PAREVOLVORENT
STAYDWEEBELEV
Thu 8/12/2021
HOHODELTRACED
EPICAQUAEBONY
HUGHFUNNYNERVE
SHOOTINGMETEOR
HARECGSYS
ONEBUDNAAN
REEFRIOTDEALT
CALLSITLIKEITIS
ATSEATEAMLAMP
ALLOLSDGAS
ACTVIMILL
KOALAMARSUPIAL
ECUADORHATCNET
RONDOKEKEICON
SATYRSASSTEST
Fri 8/13/2021
STARTURNHASHES
OHBOOHOOADHERE
WAITWHATPEORIA
SITINSETTLEON
SHUTHIES
ACTSASHICTHC
SORELOSERSROAN
KNURLODDTINGE
SETIBIGSPENDER
SHEIREASGARD
OBOEROTC
LOVEMEDOSARAN
MODELAADMITONE
ADONISMEETCUTE
PERSESSOLEHEIR
Sat 8/14/2021
CLEATSFIRST
THISISAMERICA
THEMOREYOUKNOW
PHASEBLINDGUN
ARTSMAINECORY
NOHMISOGYNY
GAUNTLETTANG
TRAILSBRIDAL
TIDEBEELINES
FANBASESGTO
SIBSNESTSESTA
INABILESMATER
MUSICALTHEATER
MIRACLEWORKER
STANSDOTEON
Sun 8/15/2021 THINK TWICE
ADDLELOLZADSTEST
TRAITSAPIAFROUNCUT
WIRETAPPINGLOUDMOUTH
ONEFACEDEARPROMLEA
OKDSSRUTERINIBLET
DINAKPOPNOTATED
NOTIFIESWEBDASANI
TWOLETTERWORDSYOGA
ONORTISOAKINN
EVERSOSPATBLMISIT
SANSDOUBLECROSSPETE
SLITRRSOARSTEASED
AIGICEBFFJINN
YUMATHREEFEETUNDER
MALAWIMDSCUSTOMER
BIODOMEMOTTAPES
LAMARRNACHOWHAEAP
ALAIKEAKITFOURBALL
STONESOUPPOPAWHEELIE
HARESNTHTWITSNEEZE
RIOTSODONCEARDEN

Aimee Lucido, of Berkeley, Calif., is a full-time crossword constructor and author of children's books. Ella Dershowitz, of New York City, is an actor. A mutual friend introduced them, and Ella says "we bonded immediately through being artsy puzzle people." When Ella moved to San Francisco they became close. Now that she's back in New York, the two stay in touch by making puzzles together.

Mon 8/16/2021
PIPEGOGHEMUS
IRAQMAGOOGAZE
NATURALLAWGRIT
ASHIERETNAISH
PUSHINRE
DECSHARPCOOKIE
WROTEROSEMONT
ARMEDBAYBANTU
ROPEBOSCENDED
FLATEARTHEROLE
CHEZOVEN
AFTLOSEIFIMAY
ROSAONTHATNOTE
CRUXKARENJOIN
HAVEAPESARTS
Tue 8/17/2021
IREBARAAMIGOS
REDNOSESCANARY
INDIAINKANTMAN
STABSOSASEETO
MAWSTIRRED
SWIMMINGPOOL
ARGUEDREENACTS
PIESBANKARA
STRIPERSOBERON
CHEESEFONDUE
MARSALASFO
ELATEDUPEAIWA
MOVADOPARAFFIN
OHENRYONESLICE
SANDALNADATKT
POW Wed 8/18/2021
PARMEGADOBOE
OREOSARGEFLUS
PINTHETAILFATS
HOEPLUMNSA
FEBONTHEDONKEY
WHATFORERECTS
DODOTEEPGA
WHITEELEPHANT
ALAFDATVAD
ORIENTAPPEASE
PARTYANIMALSKI
ITDATONYUK
NEATTHOMASNAST
EDYSLONGSOHNO
DESKEWESTALE
Thu 8/19/2021
ECIGLOGANDRUM
YUMACROIANINA
ETALDEEDSCODY
TRODCEASELEB
THEROCKALGORE
ORTEGAHOUSEBOS
MOSIRREGNOHO
CEREALBOX
ALFAATEAMBUM
COOFARMSRIALTO
THRESHFITTOEE
ESTKYOTOSOWN
DOUGTHEGONASA
UMNOHIREECRIB
PEETMOILSEELS
Fri 8/20/2021
HOTTOPICSSTAPH
OCEANBLUETHREE
STALEJOKEARENA
TAMESVETOPOWER
NINEHELMETS
SUNTZUSIDEBAR
CLOSEINONSILAS
ATTTIOGAOTO
RIFERCTSCANNER
MORALESTRUEST
WAREPICRITT
ITSAPLANECLOYS
READETOADIEDUP
ELLERCLIENTELE
DYERSHARNESSED
Sat 8/21/2021
BURPEESMAHATMA
OREILLYEPOCHAL
WINGMENLOSTART
ELEVATORPITCH
EWERPUNTHEE
PSATSSRSVOILA
DABDYEDSEXT
FULLOFSURPRISES
EENYCAITTRY
IRENEAKINAHAS
DENBTENONES
THEWARONDRUGS
AEROGELAUTOPIA
GAGREELTHEROCK
SLYNESSERRATIC
Sun 8/22/2021 RESETTLING LETTERINGS
MOATIFSORADARENACT
ONMEMAIDIRULEXENON
MEANGIRLSGREASEPAINT
SUNDANCESHANHLER
PARSENTITYBOILCAT
IKETOROSEOSSHIA
MAGLEVTRAINCATECHISM
ALLSTARTUCSONLILLE
NEOSNUGSULAOLIVIER
EXAMILSEACHTIME
DATINGSITEWHITEBREAD
ZOOMBOMBKEASETI
AMAZONSKILOSWAYNWA
LADENMERELYASOCIAL
LIONESSESADVENTURERS
ONUSTNNBRIEFOWE
WETDIEUAYESIRIATE
BLEEPNESLESSTHAN
CALLIGRAPHYGIFTHORSE
ONIONAGAMEENIDREEL
SAUTETEPIDSGTSSELL

Stephen McCarthy, a native of Vancouver Island, B.C., is a Ph.D. student studying transportation modeling in Stockholm, Sweden. He got his start in puzzles by solving cryptic crosswords with his grandfather in Toronto's Globe and Mail. Last year he began constructing American-style puzzles, incorporating some of the wordplay sensibility of cryptics in his themes and clues. This is a good example.

Stephen's last Times crossword was Maple Leaf in June.

Mon 8/23/2021
MAGMABAGGYSEWS
OTOESOPINEEVAN
TWOTHUMBSUPVERA
TADAFBISERIF
ORGNOSOUPFORYOU
USESPARSE
DREAMMITREFAM
JUSTONEMORETHING
STSIRONYEARNS
LONGUACHE
HOWSWEETITISPST
ANODECADIOTA
NEWTFINALANSWER
GAZACRONEALERT
SLABCENTSTERNS
Tue 8/24/2021
TALCSMAGICGPA
AGLOWCLARAOOF
POCKETATLASOPT
IDOTOOEDGES
PEERREDELM
ESLASTERNEO
ICANSHOWAMOEBA
RANONYOUAVAIL
ERENOWTHEWORLD
ETAILOSTTEA
DAMAGEHUSH
PYRESTHRESH
ICIPALEBLUEDOT
TAUCHILIREEDS
ATMAHEMSPRADA
Wed 8/25/2021
HERDSISBNABLE
OXEYENERFSLOW
MASSAPPEALCURE
EMITIAMSHEEDS
SNORERTEENS
PITTERPATTER
MODIFYSAIDAGE
ANNALASPHITON
YEAELLARUDEST
ASSEMBLYLINE
AVASTIDTAGS
RAMENHIKELOUT
ESPNFEVERPITCH
VALEERASAZURE
SPEDZENOTEPEE
Thu 8/26/2021
COSMOJAGNORWAY
ASCAPATEINWARD
SCALEMHOCOASTS
SURINAMEHORN
ILESTENCILDCON
NATSTRAINMAACO
IRAISEADUENTH
CROSSCOUNTRY
OFTOTTOTHROES
ALISTALIBIRULY
FACTTHEBEEBDEN
IDOLMADETIME
MARGINAPTNIGER
ONEMEGSCIIDING
PANAMAPSTNETTY
POW Fri 8/27/2021
STAMPCODAGRIT
AILEYATONOENO
CLEARSKIESEDNA
SEXTAPESWASHED
MATTEETER
MARGINOFERROR
ALOUDPALMORBS
COSISPREEFIAT
HEEDPECKSANKA
BEFOREIFORGET
RUBENSNEO
BOSONSBELTSOUT
IMHOOHISTHATSO
LEEKROTIESTER
LOSSSEESSHORT
Sat 8/28/2021
TAROTCARDSIGMA
ROUGHIDEAANION
ENTREATEDDUVET
YESESFADDIETS
HEESOLTI
ALANALDAWESTLA
SIFORKIDSTIN
LETSDOTHISTHING
ATESOLOHOMER
NORUSHCOURTESY
PSHAWSPA
FLAMEWARSTILE
RURALDARKHUMOR
ACTIVEROGENOUS
GAYLEREMBRANDT
Sun 8/29/2021 UH? OH ...
TADOBAMAEPICPEN
AWESPAREDCENAALTER
FANTASYSUPPORTSSUSHI
FRIEDOPAHSEAOTTERS
YESWECANGOFORBAROQUE
SNOBLENINARI
IDSNAPAETNADEET
FALCONCARESSEDPEPSIS
SNEAKILYALEERICKY
OOPSIEANTESDISDAIN
THEROUXINTHETOWEL
PILESONNORADRAMAPO
ETASDEEDARGOMITER
RETIREDERIDEAPRICOTS
MENUSPITMREDREO
BINAPRESRAIN
GRAVYTERRAINCASTANET
RECORDSETEGGOADELE
ACUTETHUNDERCOLLAPSE
FAREDEARNLOOFALAIN
PARABEESWATSLES

Dory Mintz, of the Bronx, is a software engineer for a digital marketing company, Wunderkind. He likes to bowl (recently rolling a career-high 218) and calls himself "a passionate albeit subpar Scrabble player." He was reading an old art textbook when the phrase at 33-Across jumped into his head, and a crossword theme idea was born.

This is his second puzzle, and first Sunday, for The Times.

Mon 8/30/2021
GOBIPARMALOE
ORINATEATROAM
BOLTLACKSHEART
AMORSSTEPIN
LEXINGTONVANNA
DOICAREIREEAR
ARAACEFRAT
LICKSTHESPOON
BODYPOLELO
TOEASLSEATRIP
SNAILLOCKSMITH
CUERVOMOCHA
LUXEMBOURGDOES
ERIEBALESELLE
DISSDERNLAPS
Tue 8/31/2021
CLASPSNBCVASE
OLEOLEERAABEL
MAIDENWINGNUTS
ENOTENDSLITHE
TOUGHCOOKIES
LOANBEHAVE
INCUROKIESIA
BARGAININGCHIPS
ETAGOATSASSY
TOBAGOEVER
FIRECRACKERS
DROLLDONUTVAT
EYECANDYLIBIDO
MAUIAILTOETAP
INFOHEYSNEERS
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