Best Crossword Podcasts (2024)

1
Thursday, November 7, 2024 - TULSA, the Capital of Route 66 12:36

4h ago12:36

12:36

Joe Deeney can definitely BEPROUD of this crossword, as it is, in a word, SUHWEET! While the grid does contain a standing-ovation-worthy hairpiece pun, it is still the theme that rules SUPREME. Deets inside! Show note imagery: An EGRET, with a look that says, don't even think about making a pun about my name! We love feedback! Send us a text... Con…

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Wednesday, November 6, 2024 - Look out, it's a flock of outraged ... MEADOWLARKS!?? 15:45

4h ago15:45

15:45

Today's crossword was fabulous -- that's the LONGANDSHORTOFIT! A deftly constructed theme and delightlful clues (43A, Snack brand from the Spanish word for "fried", FRITOS; 8D, Hip hop's Madvillian or Mob Deep, DUO; and 69A, Second smallest of seven, EUROPE) make for a great mid-week solve. Deets inside! Show note imagery: A MEADOWLARK, who, fortun…

1
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 - Psst, want something non-political to listen to? We've got you covered! 19:01

2h ago19:01

19:01

A fine Tuesday crossword by Evan Kalish, and as this is his 22nd NYTimes crossword, it would be fair to say that he is on a roll. It would also be hilarious to say that he is on a roll, but to find out why that is the case, you'll want to download today's episode, which also includes Jean in an epic Triplet Tuesday™️ segment. Show note imagery: The…

1
Monday, November 4, 2024 - At long last, BILLYIDOL is in an NYTimes crossword 🎉 11:42

1h ago11:42

11:42

A clever Monday crossword by Colin Adams, that may (or may not) have been tricker than the usual Monday. Listeners, what say ye? Did you find this puzzle particularly easy, hard, or just your typical Monday? Let us know, either by clicking on the Fan Mail button or dropping us a line! Show note imagery: HORUS, a Falcon-headed Egyptian god. We love …

1
Sunday, November 3, 2024 - A Sid Sivakumar spectacular! 21:39

2h ago21:39

21:39

Sid Sivakumar, known for his exceedingly crunchy Saturday crosswords, goes easy on us (relatively speaking) in this fun Sunday outing. There are oodles of delightful clues, including 29A, Who has successfully juggled 15 balls simultaneously, NOONE (nice!); 103A, Name that sounds like its first two letters reversed, ELLY (oho!); and the magnificent …

1
Saturday, November 2, 2024 - Blake Slonecker dials it up to 11! 21:46

3h ago21:46

21:46

Blake Slonecker, the virtuoso of late-in-the-week-really-really-tough-crosswords, has demonstrated why he has earned that monicker in today's puzzle, filled with some treacherously clever clues and just a slight scattering of "gimmes", although even the gimmes were more like "probably's". Deets inside, as well as the surprising winner of this week'…

1
Friday, November 1, 2024 - Woo-hoo, it's November, prepare to freeze your nooooose off 😀 14:41

1h ago14:41

14:41

A nice Friday crossword by Spencer Leach, both co-hosts found it easier than Thursday's -- a tad unusual, but definitely not unheard of. Today's clues, however, were magnificent, a bevy of LOLers absolutely guaranteed to put a smile on your face or your money cheerfully refunded (eh, we might have to check on that last bit). Beyond the crossword, w…

1
Thursday, October 31, 2024 - Boooooooo (in honor of the day); Yaaaaaaaay (in honor of the crossword) 24:59

3h ago24:59

24:59

This was a scary crossword, because of the theme, or, to be precise, just how difficult it was to figure out the theme (and many of the other clues besides). it was rated as a Thursday crossword, which generally means that it will be on the tough side, but when Sarah Sinclair and Paolo Pasco are the authors, that really should be uber-tough side. U…

1
PODCAST - Enemies of the Mind 2 Deep Dive 18:21

1h ago18:21

18:21

Materialism and its Cousin, Worry - Enemies of the Mind 2 This episode examines materialism and worry, two enemies of the mind. These two issues can affect mental health and prevent spiritual growth by hindering the renewal of the mind, transformation by the Holy Spirit, and the ability to discern God's will. Created using Notebook LM --- Support t…

1
Wednesday, October 30, 2024 - Halloween Eve, time to warm up with a Snicker's bar or three 16:55

3h ago16:55

16:55

We present for your edification a very nice Halloween-ish themed crossword to get us mentally prepared for the big day tomorrow! We weren't scared, though, as we were in the capable hands of John M. Kauffman, adeptly supervised by Joel Fagliano. Deets within, so have a listen, and let us know what you think! Show note imagery: Any Given Sunday, a 1…

1
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 - An uber cute Tuesday crossword 17:31

8h ago17:31

17:31

The answers to today's themed clues are so much fun to say that you may find yourself reciting them to strangers, which is a great way to break the ice at parties, just ignore any strange looks / raised eyebrows 😀 To find out what those answers are, we cordially invite you to check out today's episode. Also be sure and listen to our Triplet Tuesday…

1
Monday, October 28, 2024 - Water under the bridge and ... in the grid? 13:05

8d ago13:05

13:05

There was a lot of water in today's grid - in 4D, Obstacle for a would-be castle attacker, MOAT; 35D, Beverage with a Big Mac, perhaps, LARGECOKE; and in it's purest state, 46D, Bottled water brand, DASANI. Yet in spite of all that,this puzzle was far from wet, in fact, just the opposite: a stellar Monday with multiple LOL clues, a great way to sta…

1
Sunday, October 27, 2024 - Amoon our favorite puzzles this month 😉 24:14

2d ago24:14

24:14

Jeffrey Martinovic and Jeff Chen -- who as far as we know do not call themselves the two Jeffs -- have put together a moonificent Sunday crossword that will put you, well, over the moon. And if all these lunar references have not yet cued you into today's theme, fear not -- we have moony things to say on the subject (and we promise the episode itse…

1
Saturday, October 26, 2024 - The first person to record Hound Dog? Nope, not that guy, 'twas Big MAMA Thornton! 15:10

9d ago15:10

15:10

This is, incredibly, Peter A. Collins' 120th NYTimes crossword. His sweet spot seems to be Wednesdays, but he has published (unsurprisingly, with 120 puzzles in the archives) every day of the week, this is his 8th Saturday. It would not be too much of a spoiler to say that we loved it, but for the deets check out today's podcast to see why. Also, i…

1
Friday, October 25, 2024 - Any crossword with TENOUTOFTEN in the grid deserves, ... wait for it, ... a TENOUTOFTEN 😀 14:59

4d ago14:59

14:59

This was a debut crossword by Alex Murphy, and a fine debut it was - with a large-ish number of challenging clues, exactly what you'd expect and hope for in a Friday NYTimes puzzle. Beyond those covered in today's puzzle, we would like to give a shoutout to 16A, Cello parts are written in it, BASSCLEF (not, as we first suspected, CRAYONS); 9D, Indy…

1
Thursday, October 24, 2024 - Just finished that wonder water? Then it's bye, bye, BAI 🙄😀 17:35

12d ago17:35

17:35

A fun Thursday crossword by Ella Dershowitz, with a theme that will grow on you (or, since it involves NE, perhaps we should say glow on you🙄😀). All puns aside, this was a great crossword that has led us to bestow on Ella the title of GGOAT -- Greatest Genius Of All Time. Show note imagery: Staying in shape doing TOETAPS We love feedback! Send us a…

1
PODCAST - Enemies of the Mind 1 Deep Dive 17:44

6d ago17:44

17:44

Guilt - A Double-Edged Sword - Enemies of the Mind 1 The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing guilt, distinguishing between "worldly" and "godly" responses to guilt. We also explore Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter's approaches to dealing with guilt, emphasizing the significance of seeking God's forgiveness and living …

1
Wednesday, October 23, 2024 - A crossword with a lot of SPARK and FIRE 14:23

6d ago14:23

14:23

This was a lovely Wednesday crossword by veteran cruiciverbalists Matthew Stock and Brooke Husic, with a theme guaranteed to warm the cockles of academics everywhere, and inspire everybody else to Google "cockles" 😀. Deets inside. Show note imagery: Nothing runs like a DEERE We love feedback! Send us a text... Contact Info: We love listener mail! D…

1
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 - SPACE ... above us, around us and ... in the grid! 12:49

14d ago12:49

12:49

This is Barbara Lin's 14th NYTimes crossword since 2020, and to see why she keeps getting them published, just take a look at today's puzzle. We did, and are glad of it. Deets inside, as well as Jean's epic struggle to win at Triplet Tuesday™, so have a listen, and let us know what you think! Show note imagery: A RUBE Goldberg contraption We love f…

1
Monday, October 21, 2024 - Monday's crossword is fair of face, or, er, something like that ... 10:13

8d ago10:13

10:13

This was a straightforward crossword, as Monday's are wont to be, although one of our number had several mistakes that they had to ferret out before getting to the happy music. In the interests of heightening suspense, we will not tell you which one of our cohosts was involved, nor where their mistakes lay: but instead refer you to today's podcast …

1
Sunday, October 20, 2024 - Movie madness! 18:25

9d ago18:25

18:25

EGAD this was a fine crossword, it deserves some sort of AWARD for its EPIC themed clues and answers. There was NOTABIT of crosswordese in the grid, just ALOT of great cruciverbial magic. In short, we are ALLIN when it comes to this, the fourth NYTimes crossword by Jerry Miccolis. Show note imagery: Just one of many reasons to visit Los Cabos, Mexi…

1
Saturday, October 19, 2024 - NUUK, one cool capital city! 17:32

10d ago17:32

17:32

Today's crossword was filled with amusing and tricky clues, like 46D, "Charms strike the sight, but _______ wins the soul": Alexander Pope, MERIT; and a nice combo, 7D, Branching point, NODE, and 8D, Branching point?, TREE (ha!). But these are just a few of the stellar clues in today's crossword, even better ones lie within, so download today's pod…

1
Friday, October 18, 2024 - This crossword was a GAS, definitely nothing to BOOAT! 15:48

11d ago15:48

15:48

This is Jesse Cohn's second NYTimes crossword, and it is an absolute delight. You'll be giving so many standing ovations for his fabulous cluing that you'll probably close your rings before you solve the crossword, it's that good. Want proof? Download today's podcast and allow us to make our case. Show note imagery: Something about this image is in…

1
Thursday, October 17, 2024 - The INTEL is that this is a pretty good crossword! 17:34

12d ago17:34

17:34

August Lee-Kovach has made a fine Thursday crossword for our edification. The theme would've been an easy sell to editors, since it was all about ... editing! Other fine clues (not mentioned in the podcast) include 2D, What is to be done?, AGENDA (of course!); 5D, What Alexander Graham Bell suggested as the standard telephone-answering greeting, AH…

1
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 - Un excelente crossword! 9:08

13d ago9:08

9:08

The title of today's episode is a very subtle hint to today's theme, a nice bit of work by Hanh Huynh, his third NYTimes crossword in a year. Beyond those clues covered in the podcast, we'd also like to laud 42D, "Alrighty, then. As I was saying ...", ANYHOO, and 58D, The appearance of a butterfly in a home, for some, OMEN (hopefully a good one!). …

1
Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - the IDES have it! 21:44

14d ago21:44

21:44

Today's crossword, a debut by Lindsay Rosenblum, did not feel like a debut at all, more like a major work by a seasoned constructor. Beyond those clues mentioned in the podcast, we'd also like to point out 52D, Medieval tales of daring adventure, GESTS (and no, we would not jest about GESTS 😉); 43D, Bond film between "Skyfall" and "No Time to Die",…

1
Monday, October 14, 2024 - A PEACH of a debut crossword 13:59

17d ago13:59

13:59

Just when you thought it was surely impossible for anyone, anywhere, to come up with a new theme, someone, somewhere, does. And that someone is Dana Edwards, the somewhere is here, today, and the results are delectable. Deets inside, so have a listen, and please tell others about us on social media. Show note imagery: One of just 4 people to have s…

1
Sunday, October 13, 2024 - That's SOMME river ya' got there 🙄🙄 20:12

18d ago20:12

20:12

We're starting these show notes with a pun (see title, above, if you dare), to get you in the proper state of mind for today's crossword. You'll see what we mean when you tackle said crossword, or check it out (as you always can) at xwordinfo.com: puns here, puns there, puns everywhere. Well, not quite everywhere, but definitely in the themed answe…

1
Saturday, October 12, 2024 - GEEWHIZ this was a tough crossword! 18:48

19d ago18:48

18:48

At the NYTimes, the Saturday crosswords are traditionally the toughest of the week, and today's, a debut (!) by Katie Hoody, is certainly in that vein. Although difficult, the clues were awesome, making that wondrous AHA! moment that comes when you solve one just that much sweeter. For example, we had the magnificent 8D, Took in a bad way, POACHED …

1
Friday, October 11, 2024 - Be nice, lest you end up in the SINBIN 😱 20:34

20d ago20:34

20:34

There was a lot of sparkle in today's crossword - the 10th for the NYTimes by Billy Bratton. We were impressed by the inclusion of 22A, Online provocateur, in slang, EDGELORD (it felt like a debut, and it was); 13D, Prepares for a bomb, GOESDEEP (brilliant!); and we especially appreciated the clue in 23D, Lugubrious, GLUM. In related news, we have …

1
Thursday, October 10, 2024 - Welcome to ECHO ECHO ECHO Park, Los Angeles 15:02

21d ago15:02

15:02

A nice bit of cruciverbial magic by Grant Boroughs, his third NYTimes publication. There were many excellent clues lurking about in the grid, including 8D, Confidently struts, SASHAYS (just a day after SWAGGERS swaggered its way into a puzzle); 57A, Ungulate feature, HOOF (we just like the opportunity to say/think/write the word Ungulate); 13D, Leg…

1
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 - Tis eerily easy to confuse ERIS and EROS 16:59

22d ago16:59

16:59

Today's crossword was brilliant, and that's not just because of the cracklingly good theme that Jeffrey Lease has penned, but it certainly is a major reason why. We found the top-left particularly crunchy (i.e., tough), but eventually all the grid yielded its secrets, including 16A, Dwarf planet with the largest mass, ERIS (not, as Mike was convinc…

1
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 - A crossword with a lot of SWAGGER! 17:36

23d ago17:36

17:36

This crossword - the second for the NYTimes by Justin Werfel - was everything that you would expect of a Tuesday NYTimes crossword - fun, educational, and, as befitting its position in the week, not too difficult. It did have its moments, however: 51D, End of a sonnet, often, SESTET; 46D, "Little Shop of Horrors" lyricist Howard, ASHMAN; and 52A, N…

1
Sunday, October 6, 2024 - An A+ of a crossword! 20:18

1M ago20:18

20:18

Today's crossword has a terrific theme, but the supporting cast of clues was also impressive, with gems all over the grid. For instance, 9D, Good "Wheel of Fortune" buy for TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL, ANO (absolutely brilliant!); 51D, "No playing" signs, RESTS (very nice); 87D, Thick plank of a ship, WALE (ok, now we know). Can there be any doubt that thi…

1
Saturday, October 5, 2024 - A MONSTRO of a Saturday crossword! 19:48

1M ago19:48

19:48

This was one of our favorite Saturday crosswords this year - tough but fair, with cheery clues to educate and delight. We've covered most of them in today's podcast, but even the ones that were left on the cutting-room floor were good: 35D, Chest bump?, PEC, and 48D, Whirl, so to speak, TRY. For all these reasons this opus, by Natan Last, has won a…

1
Friday, October, 4, 2024 - Bilbo Baggins, one of the SHIER members of The Shire 🙄 20:27

1M ago20:27

20:27

An elegant Friday crossword by Zhouqin Burnikel, her 80th for the NYTimes(!). Jean hit a few snags in the bottom right, whereas Mike spun his wheels in the central and upper right regions, before finally getting traction. A fun time was (eventually) had by all, and we have the deets inside, as well as a fine Fun Fact Friday segment (if we do say so…

1
PODCAST - The Be-attitudes: Man's Righteousness vs God's Righteousness - Behold and Become 3 34:29

26d ago34:29

34:29

Jesus teaches us how our righteousness can surpass that of the Pharisees and how inner transformation leads to practicing the righteousness the Lord requires. YT: https://www.youtube.com/live/Ch-MAYm664g?si=VpjlGJNdQT4rdsoz&t=1937 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/support…

1
Thursday, October 3, 2024 - Live long and prosper! 18:41

1M ago18:41

18:41

This is a fine debut crossword by Rena Cohen, with an aptly large number of debut entries to accompany a clever but initially cryptic theme. It involved a rebus, but evolved into the rather important question of where should that rebus go? We have the deets inside, so we cordially invite you to check out today's episode. As a reminder, as you are l…

1
PODCAST - Intro - Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places - Deep Dive 14:49

1M ago14:49

14:49

This excerpt from "Enemies of the Mind" examines the link between mental illness and spiritual well-being, suggesting many issues arise from sin and a lack of faith in God. The author critiques modern medicine for focusing on social acceptance instead of addressing spiritual causes. He argues that the Bible offers the best treatment, promoting spir…

1
Wednesday, October 2, 2024 - We're not teasing, TEASEL is in the grid! 15:37

1M ago15:37

15:37

A perfect midweek crossword by Luke K. Schreiber that has echos of yesterday's puzzle. You will recall (or if not, check out our podcast), that yesterday we had a slew of cryptids that couldn't quite be seen clearly. Today we have 13 animals that are, essentially, in hiding; and that entertaining similarity is due, no doubt, to the NYTimes Crosswor…

1
PODCAST - Enemies of the Mind Overview - Deep Dive 29:22

28d ago29:22

29:22

This comes from a sermon series titled “Enemies of the Mind,” exploring the harmful effects of various mental and emotional states on the spiritual life of Christians. The author uses the Bible to illustrate the dangers of negativity, materialism, guilt, anger, and the unforgiving spirit. The series highlights the need for believers to cultivate a …

1
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - HOORAH, a Kevin Curry and Jeff Chen collaboration 24:52

1M ago24:52

24:52

Kevin Curry and Jeff Chen have teamed up to create a fun Tuesday crossword, based on an ingenious attempt to merge myth and mystery. We won't say any more about it here (as October is No Spoiler Month), but we have plenty to say about it in today's podcast, so do have a listen. Beyond our dissection of today's puzzle, we are also delighted to annou…

1
PODCAST - The Be-attitudes: Doing vs Being - Behold and Become 2 39:58

29d ago39:58

39:58

Jesus identifies the attitude it takes for Spiritual Growth to be increasing, productive, and permanent in our lives. We apologize for the first 13 minutes of the audio. We had some technical difficulties that day. YT: https://youtube.com/live/wHheOfU56as --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/support…

1
Monday, September 30, 2024 - All good months must come to an end ... 11:38

1M ago11:38

11:38

Today's crossword, by Alexander Liebeskind, does what all good Monday crosswords should do: offer entertaining clues and not crush the spirit of crossword solvers just getting their feet wet. Our favorite entry? 39D, Loud and unhappy sports fans, in slang, BOOBIRDS, although we were also quite taken by 6D, Empire whose capital city was Tenochtitlán…

1
Sunday, September 29, 2024 - Joe Deeney rides, er, writes, again! 22:15

1M ago22:15

22:15

Joe Deeney has gotten accolades for writing terrific crosswords, and today's puzzle, we are pleased to report, continues the streak. The theme is ingenious, there are lots of gems everywhere you look in the grid, all-in-all a nice bit of work. Deets inside, as well as a return of our "Oh, That's How You Pronounce It" segment, -- which, astonishingl…

1
Saturday, September 27, 2024 - Tarnation this was a tough crossword! 22:35

1M ago22:35

22:35

You know when a grid has words like HORCHATA and AORTAE lurking inside that the puzzle is going to be tough, and that is most definitely the case today, in this epic Saturday crossword by Margaret Seikel, her 9th for the NYTimes, and her first Saturday entry. Jean got through it much faster than Mike, but both were able to persevere and had a grand…

1
Friday, September 27, 2024 - A LYRICAL Friday crossword 17:52

1M ago17:52

17:52

Today's crossword, Jake Bunch's second for the NYTimes, and his second Friday, was splendid: even though Friday crosswords are typically themeless, this did have a meta-theme, really, really intriguing clues. Beyond those mentioned in the podcast, we had 59A, Composer for whom Poland's largest airport is named, CHOPIN; 26D, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.: Abb…

1
PODCAST - What is Spiritual Growth? - Behold and Become 1 45:53

1M ago45:53

45:53

What does Spiritual Growth look like? Many people say they are spiritual, but what does that mean to Jesus? What does the Bible say? YT: https://www.youtube.com/live/nVr-gB1DLro?si=flbMaWDDFaaeWgIW&t=1842 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pedro-gelabert/support

1
Thursday, September 26, 2024 - TARNATION this was a good crossword! 18:49

1M ago18:49

18:49

This is Jesse Guzman's first ever NYTimes crossword, and they've started off with a bang, with a theme that took both cohosts (working independently, as they are wont to do) quite some time to suss out, but that AHA! moment was assuredly worth the wait. There were some other great clues in the grid, including 61A, They take off marks at school, ERA…

1
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 - 🎹 DO, RE, MI, etc., etc., ♫ 17:56

1M ago17:56

17:56

This is Peter Gordon's 129th NYTimes crossword, and a perfect example of why the NYTimes keeps publishing his work. The theme is brilliant, the clues sharp and, pardon the pun, upbeat -- quite a lot to like. We have the deets inside, just waiting for you to download all that goodness. Our Triplet Tuesday Contest is going strong, so if you haven't p…

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