Zhouqin Burnikel and Tom Pepper collaborate on a themeless crossword puzzle for the New York Times, featuring crunchy and unusual answers. The constructors throw everything at it, resulting in a puzzle that flows beautifully. Tricky clues include references to email attachments, air quality warnings, transportation for a bride, and more. The puzzle is part of the Easy Mode newsletter, which offers more accessible clues for those who find Friday puzzles challenging.
Rebecca Goldstein and Rafael Musa, both regular crossword constructors, collaborated on a Sunday crossword puzzle with an ambitious theme. The puzzle features pairs of stacked entries that share a four-letter run, creating a visual effect in the grid. The theme revolves around footwear, with entries like "HEEL" and "CLOG." The revealer, "BIG SHOES TO FILL," emphasizes the size of the theme entries. The constructors used coding skills to help fill the grid and added fun bonus fill.
The New York Times crossword puzzle for Tuesday, April 11, was created by Taylor Johnson and Jeff Chen. The theme of the puzzle was cleverly concealed, with the first and last two letters of each theme entry being the abbreviations of West Coast and East Coast states. The constructors provided notes to explain the theme, which eluded some solvers. Tricky clues included wordplay and pop culture references.
The Thursday crossword puzzle in The New York Times features a theme of synonyms, with the same word in each theme entry offered twice, and the answer being an unrelated noun or verb that can be split into two parts, each part being a synonym for the clue. The constructors, Adam Wagner and Brooke Husic, worked hard on the puzzle, considering dozens of options for every corner of the grid and cluing with exquisite care. The crossword is a good challenge for those who love wordplay and are just tiptoeing into Thursday-level territory.
Peter Olsen, the reigning champion of F1 Fantasy, shares his thoughts on the new season, the game, and his advice for newcomers. He believes that the addition of an extra constructor will diversify the points pool and give players new opportunities to stand out. Olsen recommends keeping an eye on all teams, not just the big ones, and targeting pre-season testing to find undervalued drivers. He plans to pick Lando Norris and Fernando Alonso for his team.
