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An 82-word construction is four words over my usual maximum for a daily puzzle, but this is done to accommodate — count 'em — 16 theme answers. They're all nice ones, too. A very elegant construction.

– puzzle by Tim Croce

For someone solving this crossword from top to bottom, the puzzle's structure is like a joke. You wonder where the theme is going and then … boom! the punchline comes at the end (58A). Very pretty. As always, Lynn's construction is gorgeous, too.

– puzzle by Lynn Lempel

In 2002 I published a crossword by Patrick Berry in which the only vowel in the entire grid was A, so I wasn't so impressed here that just the theme answers are univocalic. But the twist of the theme clues also having A as the only vowel? Love it! Fourteen theme entries in a Sunday puzzle is impressive, too.

– puzzle by Andrew Chaikin

I love a puzzle that has supersmooth fill. But at times I also like to see how far the English language can be pushed, even if there are a few compromises as a result — as long as the overall effect is good. Martin Ashwood-Smith is a master of quad-stacks, and this construction is gorgeous.

– puzzle by Martin Ashwood-Smith

I hold Patrick Berry in such awe that (I hope he doesn't mind my telling you this) I was flabbergasted to find he'd misspelled the answer at 7D. The 1990s rap duo, known for wearing their clothing backward, is spelled Kris Kross. KRISS KROSS, with two doubled S's, is the name of the skeleton/fill-in puzzle in Dell puzzle magazines, popular since the 1930s. I'm glad I was able to save this answer with a new clue, because the middle area of the grid was not going to be "fixed"!

– puzzle by Patrick Berry

Of my three main test-solvers for the Times crosswords, one "loved" this puzzle and two "hated" it. No one was lukewarm about it! Mindful of possible negative reactions, I eased up a few of the Down clues in the ninth column, to make the gimmick easier to see. I hope these changes bring a few more solvers into the fold. Notice the one-letter answer (T) at 65A — a first, as far as I can remember.

– puzzle by Caleb Emmons

Sam and Vic aren't the NYT co-constructors with the widest age difference (that would, famously, be Bernice Gordon and David Steinberg, born 83 years apart). But 43 years is still quite a difference. Sam is one of several young constructors whom Vic has mentored. Besides the theme here, I especially like YO TE AMO, BE MINE, RAN OUT ON, NOSEBAG, NEW ISSUE and NUT JOB.

– puzzle by Sam Ezersky and Victor Fleming

In the "old days" three or four theme answers were sufficient to carry a daily puzzle. Nowadays the bar has been raised. Here Mark manages six theme answers, which is pretty impressive. The only fill I don't like is IT RIP. Otherwise, a pretty solid construction.

– puzzle by Mark Bickham

I debated for a long time whether or not to "explain" the significance of the puzzle's Roman numerals (M-M-X-I-V) in the clue for 67A ... and decided against. For one thing I couldn't think of a smooth way to do it. Also, most Times solvers are smart enough to get the point of the puzzle without a sledgehammer from me (right?).

– puzzle by Zhouqin Burnikel

"Jersey Shore" cast members Snooki and The Situation have both appeared in Times crosswords before (Snooki four times), but this is a debut for DJ PAULY D (6A). With new episodes of the MTV series not being made anymore, I'm guessing this is the last such debut. Besides 6A, I admire the entries GREAT BEAR, PARK RANGER, THE CAPITOL, STONEWALL, and ADORKABLE (which was new to me, but I like).

– puzzle by Kyle Dolan

Before the Internet, I don't think constructors in different places (McLean, Va., and Houghton, N.Y., in this case) ever teamed up to construct a crossword together. Now co-constructions have become fairly common. We live in a wonderful age. My favorite entries here are PETIT-FOUR, ST. PETER, FOREVER STAMP, PAIN-FREE, BEANBAG, and TWITTERVERSE. There's lots of other good stuff, too.

– puzzle by Barry C. Silk and Brad Wilber

Sometimes I think every possible Thursday gimmick must have been used by now ... but, no. Great new ideas, like today's, keep showing up. That's one reason I maintain an "open submissions" policy at The Times, unlike many British papers, which limit crossword submissions to a select few. Todd Gross is only an occasional contributor, and if he weren't on that hypothetical roster of approved submitters, he wouldn't have sent me this beautiful puzzle. In addition to the four long theme entries, I love the bonus one at 32A.

– puzzle by Todd Gross

I've been saving this puzzle since June. The theme is slight — just one answer (37A) and its four numerical crossings. But it's fun and timely. I like the fact that all the numbers change spelling in the other direction — 2 to "too," 0 to "Oh," 1 to "won," and 4 to "for."

– puzzle by Peter A. Collins

Everyone understood the theme here, right? There's no answer that explains that each of the five long Across entries ends in some arrangement of the same five letters. An "explainer" is needed only when the theme is more subtle than this.

– puzzle by Tracy Gray

While vowel progression themes have become fairly common (and warning: I have several more in inventory!), this is the first one I can remember in which the progression appears in a four-letter string. Whether it's a first or not, it's a nice change of pace.

– puzzle by David Steinberg

When Joel showed me this puzzle last summer, my heart sank a bit, because I remembered Mike Shteyman's take on the same theme in 2006 — right down to the elongated grid with six POCKETs positioned in the same spots. But that was almost eight years ago, and at some point a statute of limitations applies. Joel's version is quite different from Mike's, and it's a beauty. So I'm happy to run it.

– puzzle by Joel Fagliano

Years ago Will Weng wrote that in his opinion a crossword was a good one if 10% of the entries were fresh and lively. By this standard, Frederick's puzzle is a wild success. Some of the entries I like in it are JUMBO FRIES, ONION RINGS, BORN TO RUN, LET'S PARTY, SMILEY FACE, ANYONE ELSE, SUGAR-COATED, RIP-SNORTER, JUST PEACHY, and SILLY ME — and not too much GUNK! That's handsome work.

– puzzle by Frederick J. Healy

Twice a year for the past few years Ian Livengood has conducted a class on crossword construction for the Jewish Association Serving the Aging in New York City. (Caleb Madison started the class in 2010, but Ian took it over when Caleb went off to Yale.) As with all of Ian's constructions, the grid here is lively and superclean. I wonder how he does a collaboration like this in real time in a class.

– puzzle by Ian Livengood & J.A.S.A. Crossword Class

When I started at The Times in 1993, I was cautioned that ANAL (23D) was not an appropriate word for the paper to run in a puzzle. But times — and standards of taste — change, and it seems OK to me now. Tim's puzzle has just 70 entries, which is two fewer than the maximum for a themeless puzzle, and this puzzle manages five long theme answers. I'm impressed.

– puzzle by Tim Croce

I've been saving this puzzle since May, to run on or near Christmas. I especially like that 41A crosses two letters of the center ring — very elegant.

– puzzle by Jacob Stulberg

David Kahn is the master of tribute crosswords, which he's done quite a few times. He always picks someone worthy of honoring, then manages to pack an incredible amount of theme material into the grid. Because tribute themes tend to be straightforward, I don't care to run this sort of thing too often. But once in a while, for novelty's sake, definitely. TATA (46A) here is a bonus theme answer — an amazing coincidence, I guess. David's clue for TATA did not mention Mandela.

– puzzle by David J. Kahn

Andrea Carla Michaels is the most "promiscuous" of New York Times crossword constructors. This is her 20th collaboration in The Times with nine different contributors! The "word that goes with" sort of theme has become overdone, but this one is nicely handled, with a handsome construction to boot. The only entry here I don't like is O-NINE, which isn't too bad.

– puzzle by Michael Blake and Andrea Carla Michaels

Happy 100th birthday to the crossword puzzle, which first appeared on Dec. 21, 1913! Today's puzzle is a modest celebration of Arthur Wynne's invention. The hollow diamond shape of Wynne's first crossword is retained in today's puzzle — with FUN in the appropriate spot no less (as the first three letters of 16A). In the print version of this puzzle, the original diamond shape is indicated with shaded squares. It's impossible to present shading in Across Lite, and it didn't seem worthwhile adding circles, so if you solve electronically ... you'll have to use your imagination.

– puzzle by Todd Gross and David Steinberg

Ian was my assistant from fall 2010 through the spring of 2011. Over the years he's turned into a crackerjack constructor. Easy, medium, or hard — any difficulty level is fine for him. Superclean constructions, too. In this grid I like MAN CAVE, MUG SHOT, USO TOUR, CROPLAND, SAM ADAMS, HOT TUB, IT WORKS, YES MA'AM, GAS MASK, and ED HELMS. And that's just in the Acrosses!

– puzzle by Ian Livengood

This puzzle is best appreciated in print form, which I hope most solvers use. We did, however, find a workaround for those who have no choice but to solve electronically. As far as I know this is the first Times crossword ever to use heavy bars to separate words in the grid. The two constructors collaborated on it entirely by email. George lives near Minneapolis, Michael in Baltimore.

– puzzle by George Barany and Michael Shteyman

Ed Sessa lives on Sanibel island, Florida. We had the pleasure of meeting a year ago when I spoke at the local library. Today's puzzle by Ed is simple — just three theme entries — but they're all nice ones, and they make me smile.

– puzzle by Ed Sessa

Some people seem to judge puzzles by the "worst" answers in the grid. For me these would be SAT I (which isn't used anymore), KNT, GE'S, ENT, and NONNA. But to me a puzzle should be judged as a whole. This one has, amazingly, eight theme answers, interlocking no less, plus an "explainer" at 54A. That's pretty fancy constructing. RAIN HAT, SUNBATH, BIG IDEA, and IT'LL DO are pretty nice, too.

– puzzle by Paula Gamache

The four main theme entries, at 17A, 50A, 11D, and 24D, are nice, but they're not what sold me on this puzzle. It was the bonus themers of CIAO, TA-TA, and GOODBYE that moved it into the special category for me. The nontheme entries I'M YOURS, YOU LOSE, and SKI SLOPES are handsome, too.

– puzzle by Greg Johnson

It is no exaggeration to say that today's puzzle is on par with the discovery of fire. Traveling bards will write epic tales and sing songs about the clever theme, the sublime execution, and the visual elegance comparable only to Baryshnikov at the pinnacle of his career. Jeff Chen is a Feynman-level ubergenius, no doubt possessing the most evolved mind since the inception of the primordial ooze, and has the ability to add comments into the "Will Shortz notes" box at his discretion.

– puzzle by Jeff Chen