Scroll on for our recommendations from the last week of puzzles!
Remember that this is not an attempt to pick the “best” puzzles, and we won’t be commenting as critics. Our approach is best described as “puzzles we don’t think you should miss.” Kind of like staff recommendations at a local bookstore.
New York Times: (5/11) by Billy Bratton. I’m a sucker for this themeless grid shape. – Matt
Wall Street Journal: Separation (5/13) by John Ewbank. A little birdie told us this was a fave of the week, with an unexpected theme design for a Monday. – A Little Birdie
AVCX: ($) AVCX Classic Themeless #76 (5/15) by Ryan Patrick Smith. I’m a sucker for this themeless grid shape. – Matt
The New Yorker: The Crossword (5/14) by Wyna Liu. Some really great cluing angles in this one, and the NW and SE corners are lovely. A bit tougher than the typical New Yorker Tuesday. – Matt
BEQ: Themeless Monday (5/13) by Brendan Emmett Quigley. I’m a sucker for this themeless grid shape. – Matt
The Atlantic: (5/12) by Kameron Austin Collins. Not the biggest challenge KAC has ever thrown our way, but quite satisfying nonetheless. —Rich
The Modern Crossword: ($) Themeless 74 (5/12) by Maddy Ziegler. Loved the mini theme in this one, and the rest of the grid is stellar as well. —Rich
Defector: ($) Tossed Salad And Scrambled Eggs (5/13) by Kelly Richardson. Really cute, evocative theme. —Rich
Crosstina Aquafina: themeless no. 32 (5/16) by crosstina aquafina & erik agard. What a collab, with a standout triple stack of 16s and great cluing all around. —Rich, Matt and A Little Birdie