Tuesday, Might 20, 2025 |

Jonesin’ 5:45 (Erin) price it
LAT untimed (Jenni) [4.00 avg; 1 rating] price it
NYT 4:55 (Evan) [3.67 avg; 6 ratings] price it
The New Yorker untimed (pannonica) [3.67 avg; 3 ratings] price it
Common 6:24 (Eric) [4.00 avg; 1 rating] price it
USA Immediately tk (Sophia) price it
Xword Nation untimed (Ade) [4.00 avg; 1 rating] price it
WSJ 4:20 (Jim) [3.50 avg; 1 rating] price it
Fireball untimed (Jenni) [3.75 avg; 2 ratings] price it

Matt Jones’s Jonesin’ Crossword, “Context: Free” — no theme, no downside. – Erin’s write-up

Jonesin’ resolution 5/20/25

Hiya lovelies! We have now a themeless this week with numerous fascinating fill. Spanning the middle of the grid are JASON MANTZOUKAS, ON CRUISE CONTROL, and STOLE SECOND BASE. The NE nook boasts DIVEMASTER, AM I TO BLAME, and the newly chosen POPE LEO XIV. Down within the SW we discover MOONLIGHTS, ART CONTEST, and RETRO GAMER.

Issues I discovered as we speak:

• 25a. [Movie that elicits certain emotions] WEEPIE
• 44d. [Half of a Daymond John-owned apparel brand] FOR US. FUBU stands for For Us By Us, and the sportswear firm has been round since 1992.
• 27d. [___ conducción] (driver’s license, in Durango)] PASE DE. Does anybody know the place that is generally used? It looks like licencia / permiso / carnet de conducir/ manejar are extra widespread.

Till subsequent week!

Jared Goudsmit’s Common Crossword “He’s All That” — Eric’s evaluation

Jared Goudsmit’s Common Crossword “He’s All That” — 5/20/25

A easy theme that’s acceptable for a Tuesday — a bunch of spectacular guys hanging out collectively:

• 17A [Certain European ruler] GRAND DUKE
• 21A [“Golly!”] GREAT SCOTT
• 39A [Painting or poetry] FINE ART That’s slightly odd to see with out an S on the top, however males’s names appear to be a part of the theme.
• 58A [Platform game series primarily set in the Mushroom Kingdom] SUPER MARIO 95% of what I do know in regards to the Mario Brothers video games I discovered from crossword, together with the truth that mushrooms determine in one way or the other.
• 64A [“Sir!” … or a way to address 17-, 21-, 39- and 58-Across] MY GOOD MAN This revealer, or at the very least the way in which it’s clued, doesn’t fairly work for me. I feel it’s making an attempt to say that, say, a “Nice Scott” is a “good man.”

The remainder of the grid appeared to have a whole lot of the identical quick phrases I see in lots of, many puzzles: YETIS, EDDA, NEON, IS IT, NEST, ALOE and SIRI amongst others.

These straightforward solutions helped me get solutions that I both didn’t know or didn’t know as clued:

• 37A [Actress Rivera] NAYA She’s in all probability finest identified for Glee. Wanting her up simply now, I recall having completed that earlier than, as a result of I bear in mind studying of her loss of life by drowning (at age 33) in 2020.
• 48A [Trolley problem subject] ETHICS This can be a thought downside that poses the query of whether or not it’s higher to kill one particular person or a number of.
• 62A [Actress Pulver] LARA I hadn’t realized, whereas fixing, that I’d seen her as Irene Adler within the collection Sherlock — and in an apparently-notorious nude scene.
• 66A [Mischievous-sounding D&D class] ROGUE
• 67A [R&B singer Scott-Adams] PEGGY
• 49D [Undergarment with a busk] CORSET I wasn’t conversant in this sense of “busk,” which is the stiffening strip I do know as a keep.
• 61D [“___ Arbuckle” (cartoon series)] IGGY

Bonus factors for:

• 3D I HAD A HUNCH
• 29D NAMED NAMES
• 31D [Medjool fruit] DATE They’re tasty, particularly full of Nutella or a darkish chocolate peanut butter.
• Crossing 63A IPADS with 58D SIRI.

Peter Gordon’s Fireball Crossword, “Who’s Sorry Now” – Jenni’s write-up

This one was not blazingly arduous. Not even shut. Perhaps it might be for somebody youthful than I’m.

Fireball, Might 19, 2025, Peter Gordon, “Who’s Sorry Now,” resolution grid

There’s a cause this puzzle confirmed up in my inbox on Monday as a substitute of Wednesday. 20a [Who member (born 5/19/1945) who wrote 17-across] is PETE TOWNSHEND.

• 17a [Who song in the Grammy Hall of Fame] is MY GENERATION.
• 35a [With 36- and 39-Across, lyric from 17-Across] is I HOPE I/DIE BEFORE I/GET OLD.
• 56a [20-Across and 60-Across, now] is OCTOGENARIANS and 60a is ROGER DALTREY.

Yup. They acquired outdated. Ironic!

What I didn’t know earlier than I did this puzzle: that there’s a Grammy Corridor of Fame.

Joe Rodini’s Wall Avenue Journal crossword, “Going to Any Size”—Jim’s evaluation

Theme solutions are acquainted phrases whose ultimate 4 letters spell out models of size.

Wall St Journal crossword resolution · “Going to Any Size” · Joe Rodini · Tue., 5.20.25

• 17a. [Strapped for cash] FEELING THE PINCH.
• 24a. [“Sundown” singer from Ontario] GORDON LIGHTFOOT.
• 45a. [New England resort where grapes aren’t actually cultivated] MARTHA’S VINEYARD.
• 60a. [Begin grinning] BREAK INTO A SMILE.

Good. I might complain that a few of the phrases are compound phrases and really feel like slightly little bit of a cheat, however , we’ve got 4 very good grid-spanning entries that match the invoice, so it’s all good with me. And naturally, the truth that our models of size are so as from shortest to longest is a pleasant contact.

Followers of Seinfeld will get pleasure from seeing oddball UNCLE LEO within the fill, and SAYONARA is objectively a pleasant entry. The quintet of 7s within the heart are stable as effectively: ESTONIA, SECRETE, AVIATOR, and LATE HIT, though the latter won’t be acquainted to those that don’t observe soccer. On the crunchier facet, I had all the time assumed FRAK [Expletive on “Battlestar Galactica”] was spelled “frack”. After which BAHT and LAHR are early-in-the-week challenges as is ARCO as clued [With the bow, to a violinist].

Clues of notice:

• 14a. [Suzuki who will be the first Japanese player in the Baseball Hall of Fame when inducted this July]. ICHIRO. Uncommon for a clue to consult with one thing sooner or later. If this puzzle ever will get compiled right into a e book, the clue should change.
• 10d. [Charity that some trick-or-treaters collect for]. UNICEF. Is that this a factor? I’ve by no means seen a child trick-or-treat for something apart from sweet.

Good theme with full of life grid-spanning entries. 3.5 stars.

Elizabeth C. Gorski’s Cr♥ssw♥rd Nation puzzle (Week 729), “Crossover Artists: A Quintet of Intersections”—Ade’s take

Crossword Nation puzzle resolution, Week 729: “Crossover Artists: A Quintet of Intersections”

Hiya there, everybody! Hope all is effectively with you beginning the brand new week!

There’s life imitating artwork, after which there’s artists being featured in crossword puzzles to create a murals. On this case, there are 10 well-known artists (effectively, in case you are an artwork fan/lover, then they’re well-known) featured within the grid, with 5 pairs intersecting one another within the puzzle. Now that’s a murals!

• • • • • DELACROIX (17A: [Eugène who painted Chopin’s portrait]) + CHAGALL (4D: [“The Fiddler” artist Marc])
        • TURNER (21A: [“Fisherman at Sea” painter J.M.W.]) = EL GRECO (10D: [“View of Toledo” painter])
        • PICASSO (36A: [“Three Musicians” painter Pablo]) + CEZANNE (23D: [“Le Vase Bleu” painter])
        • TITIAN (55A: [“Ecce Homo” painter]) + MATISSE (42D: [“The Red Studio” painter Henri])
        • REMBRANDT (62A: [“The Polish Rider” painter]) + CASSATT (44D: [“Woman Bathing” painter Mary])

  My lack of getting HBO for a few years in addition to being loath to going to the flicks makes me really feel actual unhealthy that I haven’t actually seen too lots of the wonderful works of Issa RAE through the years (40D: [“The Lovebirds” star Issa]). That has to vary quickly, although I feel I’m going to DRAG OUT the entire not going to the movie show factor for some time (20D: [Prolong]). It’s simply not my factor, I don’t know why. Seeing ZORRO made me consider a query: who’s the primary character that involves thoughts whenever you see the phrases “masked hero” (33A: [Masked hero])? The Lone Ranger? Batman? Catwoman? T’Challa/Black Panther? Let me know your ideas!  

  “Sports activities will make you smarter” second of the day: BLY (39D: [Journalist Nellie]) – Former NFL defensive again Dré Bly was one of many all-time nice cornerbacks within the faculty soccer ranks, showing on the All-America Staff 3 times, together with on the First Staff in 1998, whereas on the College of North Carolina. He was drafted within the second spherical of the 1999 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams, and helped the workforce win Tremendous Bowl XXXIV in his rookie season. Bly spent 11 years within the NFL, the place he recorded 43 profession interceptions. Bly was inducted into the School Soccer Corridor of Fame in 2014.

  Thanks a lot for the time, all people! Have a beautiful and secure remainder of your day and, as all the time, hold fixing!

  Take care!

  Ade/AOK

Rena Cohen’s Tuesday NYT Crossword — Evan M’s evaluation

Rena Cohen’s Tuesday 5-20-25 Crossword Puzzle Resolution

Evan Mulvihill right here! This Week’s Tuesday NYT puzzle is by Rena Cohen, and it’s a enjoyable one! The theme is issues that need to do with messages, reframed/clued in a literal sense.

Issues I appreciated:

• WEASEL WORDS – Truly had by no means heard of this time period, and it’s fairly cool. Means issues mentioned in a imprecise approach on nameless authority, in order that in the event that they have been later questioned, they’re extra simply defensible, or straightforward to stroll again (in court docket, perhaps).
• SIGN LANGUAGE – I can undoubtedly see this stuff being on indicators, so I appreciated this.

Issues that have been OK:

• CATCH PHRASES – Felt slightly compelled to me, there’s not likely that some ways to inform somebody to catch a ball/play the sports activities…
• FINISH LINES – Additionally felt slightly compelled.

Issues I didn’t like:

• ON MESSAGE and CARGO SHIP being longer non-theme entries, tremendous near theme entries. It was distracting to the clear up and neither entry is extremely sturdy, IMO.
• Usually the fill didn’t transfer me, nevertheless it wasn’t unhealthy per se.

Amie Walker and Jess Shulman’s Los Angeles Occasions crossword — Jenni’s write-up

The grid was undoubtedly Tuesday. Determining the theme felt extra like an NYT Thursday even after I had the revealer. Perhaps it’s too early within the morning.

The revealer is 25d [“Anything fun on the agenda today?,” or a hint to the starts of 3-, 7-, 21-, and 29-Down] and the reply is WHATCHA UP TO?

Los Angeles Occasions, Might 20, 2025, Amie Walker and Jess Shulman, resolution grid

• 3d [Quick way to meet a bunch of people] is SPEED DATING.
• 7d [Right this second] is HERE AND NOW.
• 21d [Gotham City searchlight] is the BAT SIGNAL, which I all the time hear in my head in Adam West’s voice.
• 29d [Spot for doodling] is a SCRATCH PAD.

I attempted preliminary and acronyms and I don’t know what all earlier than I spotted it’s UP TO SPEED, UP TO HERE, UP TO BAT, and UP TO SCRATCH. It’s enjoyable and well-constructed and perhaps not as difficult as I assumed. Opinions? I do know you’ve ’em.

What I didn’t know earlier than I did this puzzle: I’ve heard of “The Luminaries” however didn’t know the creator was ELEANOR Catton.

Aimee Lucido’s New Yorker crossword — pannonica’s write-up

New Yorker • 5/520/25 • Tue • Lucido • resolution • 20250520

Not fairly ‘reasonably difficult’ for me this week, however not a breeze both. I spent most of my time in 4th gear, slightly in fifth, and downshifted to 3rd on a few small hills.

The marquee entries are the pair of 12-letter feminine celebrities among the many downs: 7d [Pop star with the No. 1 hit “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”] ARIANA GRANDE and 20d [2016 Tony Award winner for the lead performance in “A Color Purple”] CYNTHIA ERIVO—each are names we regularly see in crosswords, however hardly ever in full. By the way, the musical revival was—just like the novel and movie—The Shade Purple, with the particular article.

Auxiliary to that pair is 36d [Kosovo-born singer of “R.I.P.”] RITA ORA, with nothing much like steadiness her out within the northeast nook.

Among the many acrosses, additionally flanking the middle of the grid, are a pair of 13-letter entries: 30a [Mental image?] THOUGHT BUBBLE and 35a [Culture passed from person to person, often through spoken word] ORAL TRADITION. Whereas these two are loosely aligned, there isn’t the sturdy affiliation that we noticed within the slightly-shorter vertical entries talked about above. In consequence, they’ve a lesser impression on the solver.

• 1a [Tepid display of approval] GOLF CLAP, which led me to assume that 14a [Like chili with a half a poblano in it, maybe] ONE-ALARM may be LUKEWARM. <stall>
• 27a [Widely disliked clock adjustment: Abbr.] DST. Sadly every time Congress takes up the matter, they lean in the direction of making Daylight Saving Time everlasting, when most individuals—specialists included—agree that Commonplace Time must be the everlasting setting.
• 29a [Big name in the film industry?] SARAN wrap. Thankfully I had sufficient crossings forward of time to see by this one instantly.
• 33a [The “U” of GUI] graphic USER interface.
• 53a [Pum’kin] POOKIE, not COOKIE.
• 55a [Baby carrier at Mardi Gras?] KING CAKE. 39d [Recent arrival] NEONATE.
• 3d [Most bare-bones, as prose or a budget] LEANEST. 4d [Marbling in meat] FAT.
• 5d [Sound heard when the toast is ready?] the CLINK of a utensil on a glass.
• 10d [Eden evictee] EVE. The ‘evictee’ primes the solver. This technique backfired for 13d [Syrupy, frozen treat] the place the reply was SNO-CONE slightly than SLURPEE. <throw it into reverse>
• 23d [Tentacle-faced monster of horror fiction] CTHULHU. Knew the reply, however not spell it, so I toyed with a UU in each the center and finish earlier than 40-across NICHE positioned the H for me.
• 26d [Fool, in pro-wrestling slang] JABRONI. Knew the phrase, however not on this context. Distressingly, data of professional wrestling archetypes and ideas equivalent to kayfabe illuminate a lot of our present politics—and that’s no accident.
• 28d [Provider of a prompt] CUER. Maybe the one weak spot in your entire crossword, which in any other case is extremely strong. Oh wait, the abutting 31d [Lead-in meaning “bone”] OSTE- can also be undesirable. However, the puzzle stays sturdy.
• 38d [Doug the Pug, e,g,] DOG. Straightforward to get even with out realizing precisely who Doug the Pug is.
• 56d [Pixar’s Holly Shiftwell or Miles Axelrod] CAR.