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Tuesday, February 3, 2026
BEQ: Themeless Monday #862 by Brendan Emmett Quigley.
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Forever Cozart: Debit or Credit? by Connor Angelo Denney.
LuterCross: PUZZLE 243 by Matthew Luter.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #480 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #116 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Freestyle by Erik Agard. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: by Adam Aaronson.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: February 3, 2026 by Erica Hsiung Wojcik.
Crossword Flow: ($) by Taylor Harris. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: And The Winners Were… Tues. Feb. 3, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
Defector: ($) The Crossword, Feb. 2: Hard Act To Follow by Rebecca Goldstein and Kelsey Dixon. Subscribe at link.
Hyperallergic: The Art Crossword: Renaissance Edition by NL.
Metas On A Tuesday: Weekly Meta
Morning Brew: Brew Mini: Caiman by Jack Murtagh.
Puzzmo: a change in perspective by leo tsai. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Rob Dubbin. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Enrique. Online only.
Slate: Slate Midi: Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 by Quiara Vasquez.
Slate: Slate Mini: Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 by Kiran Pandey.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Muppet Puzzle by Malaika Handa.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
The Globe and Mail: Globe Mini by Jess Shulman.
Los Angeles Times: by Hannah Binney. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Like Heads and Tails by Kelsey Blakley. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Nate Cardin.
New York Times Mini: by Joel Fagliano.
The New Yorker: The Anniversary Crossword: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 by Andy Kravis.
Newsday: 2/3/26 Day of Rest by Billie Truitt. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) Get Rich Quick! by Prasanna Keshava. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Scare Quotes by Amie Walker.
Vox: by Juliana Tringali Golden
The Wall Street Journal: International Finance by Christopher Youngs. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini: 02/03/2026 by Anna Steel.
The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini: 02/02/2026 by Anna Steel.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: TV Tuesday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Janice Luttrell. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Worlds apart (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
The New Dork Times: New Dork Times Puzzle: Mini 193 by Cole Rush. Subscribe at link.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life: New York Time by Diana Risley.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.Garden Party: ($) Rows Garden #9.5 by Michael Blake. Subscribe at link.
Outside The Box: ($) Rows Garden #11.22 by joon pahk. Subscribe at link.
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,920 by Harpo.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online only
Times UK Cryptic: Daily Cryptic via The Globe and MailCheck out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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Monday, February 2, 2026
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Crosswoods: Score 60 by Crosswoods.
Crossword Curiosities: Death Sentence by Hannah B.
Luckystreak+: ($) puzzle #254.5: why worry? (themeless) by Ada Nicolle. Subscribe at link.
The Puzzle Pit: Metal Monday #36 – “…and my Axe!” by Adam Landau. .pdf, .puz only
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #115 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Pinwheel by Sally Hoelscher. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: They’re Up! by Stella Zawistowski.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: February 2, 2026 by Will Nediger.
Crossword Flow: ($) Robot Overlords by Shannon Rapp. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: Date Movies, Mon. Feb. 2, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
Monday Fills: Pain in the A by Dave Murchie.
Muggle Meta Mondays: Weekly Meta
People Puzzler: ‘Empire State of Mind’ Rapper by Adam Auriemma.
Puzzmo: Kitchen Nightmares by Shannon Rapp & Will Eisenberg. Online only
Puzzmo: Step Counter by erik. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Rob Dubbin. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Amie Walker. Online only.
Slate: Slate Mini: Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 by Adrianne Baik.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Free Solo Puzzle by Malaika Handa.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
The Globe and Mail: Globe Mini by Jess Shulman.
Los Angeles Times: by Zachary Edward-Brown & Jude White. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Themeless by Sue Alexander. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by John Ewbank and Colin Thomas.
New York Times Midi: by Ian Livengood.
New York Times Mini: by Sam Ezersky.
The New Yorker: February 2 by Kameron Austin Collins.
Newsday: 2/2/26 Blade Parade by Guilherme Gilioli. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) Look Here! by Drew Schmenner. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Little America by Jay Silverman.
Vox: by Patrick Blindauer
The Wall Street Journal: How Appropriate! by Zachary David Levy. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini: 2/1/2026 by Ananya Govindarajan.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Movie Monday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Pam Amick Klawitter. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Duke Chronicle: Mini Crossword 196 (2/2/26) by Emily Lutzker.
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
Fordham Observer: Monday, February 2 (Mini) by Jasmine White.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Greek to me (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life : ¡Vámonos! by Rena Cohen.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.Cryptic Crossweird: ($) No Shirt in Margaritaville by Bob Weisz. Patreon Subscription.
The Gnomon: Issue #5, February 2026 by Andy Yingst. Subscribe at link.
Redhead64: PUZZLE #581: Line ‘Em Up 15 .pdf only
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online only
Steve’s Cryptic Crosswords: by Steve Townsend. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,919 by Vulcan.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online only
Times UK Cryptic: Daily Cryptic via The Globe and MailCheck out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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Sunday, February 1, 2026
7 down: to the stars by 7down.
Ariadne’s Crossword Library: February 2026 Monthly Contest: “Fairy Rings” by Madison Shultz. .pdf, .puz only
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Good Clues For People Who Love Bad Clues: Themeless 52! – OFFBRAND SATURDAY STUMPER by Frisco17.
Jeff’s Puzzles: Themeless 121 by Jeff Linder.
M & M Crosswords: Believe in Themselves by Martina Waluk.
Memorial Hall Library: Bad Jokes.
Playbill Puzzles: Puzzle #2: Making a Splash (Meta) by Danny K Bernstein.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #479 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #114 by michael.
World of Crosswords: themeless 164 by marya and carla.
Apple News: ($) Salad Dressing by Kevin Shustack. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic: by Rebecca Goldstein; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: February 1, 2026 by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Flow: ($) by Joe Marquez. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: Return of the King, Thurs. Jan. 29, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
The Hub Crossword: ($) Tooling Around by Joon Pahk. Patreon subscription.
Matt Gaffney’s Weekly Crossword Contest: ($) MGWCC #922 — Sunday, January 31st, 2026 — “Divide and Conquer” by Matt Gaffney (Meta) by Matt Gaffney. Subscribe at Patreon.
Princeton Alumni Weekly: Orange and Black History Month by Stella Zawistowski.
Puzzmo: Hair Raisers by Fire Ants. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
Slate: Sunday, Feb 1, 2026 by Brian Callahan.
Slate: Slate Mini: Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 by Dan Kois.
Smooth Sailing Sunday: Weekly Meta
Texas Monthly: Power Grid by Brandon Koppy.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: EXTRA PADDING by Katie Hale. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merl Reagle Archives: February 1, 2026 – They’re Ba-a-ack by Merl Reagle.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Alcohol Containers by Robert E. Lee Morris. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) Comical Mutation by Lance Enfinger and John Kugelman.
New York Times Mini: by Christina Iverson.
New York Times Monthly Bonus: Miss Americana by Patti Varol.
Newsday: 2/1/26 REVERSALS: With Very Different Meanings by Billie Truitt. Online .pdf
Premier Crossword: by Frank Longo. .pdf, online only
Sporcle: Three Fairy Tale Companions by HPGirl. Online only
Universal: ($) Themeless Sunday 170 by CJ Tan. Direct link to .puz.
Universal Sunday: Mega Freestyle 3 by Rafael Musa. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Cover Up by Jess Rucks & Ben Findley.
Washington Post: Nanotechnology by Evan Birnholz. Direct link to .puz.Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Sunday Funday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Patti Varol. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Fast Company: Good Fortune by Joe Rodini.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: The worm (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
TV Crossword: Weekly Puzzle. .pdf, online only
YourPuzzleSource: Weekly 15×15 by Phil Fraas.Beneath The Surface: Beneath The Surface Cryptic 37 (midi) by Kyle Dolan.
Playbill Puzzles: Puzzle #2: Making a Splash (Meta) by Danny K Bernstein.
Puzzle Tome: Perseverance (Cryptic) .pdf, online.
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online only
Square Chase: ($) 99 Problems (Variety Cryptic) by Steve Mossberg. Patreon subscription.
Stay Golden Puzzles: ($) Rows Garden by Juliana Tringali Golden. Purchase at link.Azed Cryptic: Cryptic
Everyman Cryptic: Cryptic
Financial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Hindu Cryptic: ($) The Hindu Cryptic on Sunday .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online only
New York Times Variety: ($) Hop Cross Fun by Alex Eaton-Salners.Check out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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Constructor Spotlight: Katie Hoody
This month, we are featuring gardener, greeting card crafter, and emerging themeless guru Katie Hoody (she/her). Originally from Minnesota, Katie now lives in Kansas with her spouse.
Katie! Thanks so much for letting us feature you in our Constructor Spotlight. I’m curious, what brought you to Kansas?
Moving to Kansas was a move home for my husband so he could be close to his dad. Before that, we lived in Dallas, TX for about 11 years, so in addition to being a move home for my husband, the move to Kansas was a move closer to home for me. Maybe I’ll get back to Minnesota eventually!
Does anyone (or any pet) live with you and your husband?
It’s just the two of us – no children, no pets, though I sometimes refer to the critters in our compost pile as our pets. I don’t individually name any of the creatures in our yard, but I do enjoy getting to know more about them. Our oregano plant was in bloom and teeming with life for a couple months last summer – lots of wasps and some butterflies with striking patterns on their wings. After admiring the butterflies for several weeks, I decided to see if I could find them online and was happy to learn they were the common buckeye. They’re quite beautiful, and I hope they’ll keep coming back.
It sounds like gardening is a hobby of yours.
I’ve been gardening for over a decade, but I still feel like a novice. For me, gardening is less about choosing what I want to grow and more about learning through trial and error what seems to like to grow in our garden. For example, radishes are far from my favorite vegetable, but they love the conditions in our yard, so I grow (and eat!) lots of radishes every year.
We’ve reinforced our chain link fence with chicken wire to keep the rabbits out, but other than that we don’t do anything to deter insects and other critters from enjoying the garden. We just hope they leave some veggies for us, and they usually do. I used to worry when swallowtail caterpillars devoured our carrot greens, but the carrots underground were fine, so now I just enjoy watching them munch away.
There seems to be a letting-go of control in your approach to gardening. I wonder if there’s a parallel in crossword construction?
That is such an interesting question! I don’t usually think of myself as good at letting go of control, so I appreciate you characterizing my approach that way. I’d never thought about it before, but I do think there may be a parallel between my approach to gardening and my approach to constructing themeless crosswords. I tend to start with a grid shape rather than a seed entry, so I have no attachment to any particular entry ending up in the grid. I explore the grid to see which entries fit well together, much like experimenting to see what vegetables seem to want to grow in my garden.
Of course, I don’t fully relinquish control. If I didn’t plant seeds, add water, and pull weeds, my garden would not produce many things I would be willing to eat. And if I just clicked “auto fill” and went with whatever the construction software came up with, I would be unlikely to produce a puzzle worthy of publication. In both cases the best results come from experimenting, learning what works, and knowing when to keep pushing, let go, or say, “good enough” and step back to enjoy the fruits (and veggies!) of my labor.
How did you get into constructing?
I was a regular solver in my 20s but had recently been only an occasional solver until I took it up again as a distraction during a difficult stretch of health problems. After solving daily for a couple weeks, I decided to try making a crossword, just to see if I could do it. I was unaware of the existence of crossword construction software, so my first puzzle was a 15×15 grid constructed on a sheet of graph paper. That modest success whetted my appetite for more, and so, my adventure began.
Did you have a mentor?
For about eighteen months, I worked without a mentor, learning from studying published puzzles and from feedback in rejection letters. Early last year, after a discouraging string of rejections, I reached out to Robyn Weintraub to ask if she would be willing to look at my filled themeless grids from time to time and point out any areas of concern. We’ve had several back-and-forths about grids since then, each of which has been invaluable, not just regarding the particular puzzle in question, but also helping build general principles to apply to all my puzzles.
Around the same time, I applied for the Lil AVCX mentorship and was delighted to be invited to join their 2025 roster. Matt Luter mentored me as I created a series of midi puzzles – the experience exceeded my expectations. I highly encourage emerging constructors to consider applying for the Lil AVCX mentorship!For those unfamiliar with Lil AVCX, can you talk a bit about it and what it’s been like for you?
Sure! Lil AVCX is the midi and mentorship branch of AVCX. Each new roster member works with a mentor to create a series of midi crosswords. There are multiple rounds of feedback from editors, test solvers, and fact checkers. It was incredibly illuminating to be involved in so many different stages of the publication process. I didn’t anticipate how much I would learn about clue writing from having several opportunities to fine tune the clues for each puzzle. The process led to a more polished finished product, and the lessons I learned along the way will stick with me.
In addition to the one-to-one mentorship, I have really benefited from being a part of the Lil AVCX Discord community. I am an introverted homebody who is quite content working independently, so before reaching out to Robyn last January and then applying for the Lil AVCX mentorship, I hadn’t had direct interactions with anyone in the crossword community other than the editors I submitted puzzles to. I was a bit intimidated by the Discord community at first, but the editors made it clear that, apart from occasional administrative matters, participation is completely optional. I gave myself time to settle into the experience and eventually started jumping in on conversations here and there that caught my interest. I’m grateful to be able to remain a part of the Lil community even though my year on the roster is done. I’m looking forward to seeing the work of the new roster of constructors this year. Readers might not have heard this yet, but there is an awesome new Lil AVCX editor named Jess Rucks!
Aw, thanks! When I reached out to see if you wanted to do this feature, I wasn’t yet part of the Lil AVCX team. Now, we both have a chance to benefit from the amazing community there (love that for us). Also, I think we have to share the many surprising other connections we discovered after talking back and forth via email and on Discord: we’re both from Minnesota; we both attended the College of Saint Benedict (at different times); we both majored in philosophy; we both cite the same professor as a major positive influence (shout-out to Steve Wagner) – in fact, we both had him as our academic advisor; we both worked at the same coffee shop in downtown St. Joseph; and we both got into crosswords at that very same coffee shop. Holy buckets, Katie! Maybe we should visit that coffee shop and start a puzzle there together (I feel like it would be a collab blessed by the crossword gods!).
I smell a coffee-themed collaboration in our future!
Yessss. Aside from Lil AVCX, where are you published?
I’ve had puzzles published in the Modern, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, AVCX Classic, and The Atlantic.
Any other hobbies besides crosswords and gardening?
I enjoy crafting, especially making greeting cards. Before becoming a crossword constructor, my card designs included vegetables, flowers, and quirky insects made with watercolor paper cutouts. Lately, most of the cards I make feature custom crossword minis created in honor of birthdays and such. It’s lots of fun to create a puzzle tailored to one specific person, with full creative license to write clues with inside jokes and references only they would get. For example, I clued ONION as [Ingredient best left out of any recipe] in a puzzle for my brother.
What do you strive to create when you make a crossword?
At its core, my goal is to create an enjoyable experience for solvers. When I started constructing crosswords, I was motivated in part by the thought that crossword puzzles are a fun pastime that help keep minds active and sharp. I had a sense that publishing a puzzle could make a small positive contribution to the lives of many people. I don’t think I fully internalized that a puzzle might also cause a lot of frustration until I read solver comments about my first NYT puzzle.
I have since accepted that no single puzzle will please everyone, so rather than trying to create a puzzle that every solver will enjoy, I now think more in terms of trying to provide an enjoyable experience for solvers who tend to like the type of puzzle I am trying to create.
I’ve heard the advice to create the type of puzzle you enjoy solving, and some of my favorite puzzles to solve are challenging puzzles in which the difficulty comes from tricky wordplay rather than from unfamiliar entries. As much as possible, I try to fill my grids with lively words and phrases that are familiar, have good cluing potential, and opportunities for fun misdirection. My default difficulty level seems to run high, so my puzzles tend to be rather challenging (perhaps unpleasantly so when the misdirection flops!).
I also enjoy including subtle nods to friends and family in my puzzles. I don’t specifically set out to do so, but I take opportunities when they arise as long as they don’t require significant compromises in the surrounding fill. For example, it was meaningful to me to include DAISIES in one of my NYT puzzles because my mom loved daisies. Anything related to Pokémon reminds me of my nephews, and my niece has turned me into a “Bluey” fan, so I’m on the lookout for an opportunity to include BLUEY in a puzzle.
You’re preaching to the choir about “Bluey,” best kids show ever! What advice would you give to new or aspiring constructors?
I find it tricky to give advice without knowing the particulars of someone’s situation. I’ve heard a story about a Buddhist monk describing teaching as watching students walking down a road with a ditch on each side. If he saw a student veering too much to the left, he would say, “Go right, go right!” And if he saw a student veering too much to the right, he would say, “Go left, go left!” Which is to say – advice is contextual and probably most useful when tailored to an individual’s unique situation.
Perhaps the best general advice I could give is if you’re having difficulty navigating the path you’re on, try to find someone who you think could point you in a good direction. This is ultimately why I sought mentorship last year, and I’m very glad that I did! But I’m also very glad that I played around on my own before seeking mentorship. So, I wouldn’t say every new constructor needs a mentor, but if someone is feeling stuck and discouraged, I think it’s a good thing to consider.
What’s something about you that might surprise readers?
Some readers might be surprised to learn that my husband is Fritz Juhnke, who made his NYT crossword debut last summer. He’s also the one who developed the Grid Flow metric that appears on XWord Info and Crosserville. In addition to not sharing a last name, I call him Karl rather than Fritz, so even people who have heard me mention my husband by name may not be aware of the connection between us.
Will we see any wife-and-husband collaborations in the future?!
We serve as each other’s primary sounding boards, but so far, our puzzles have been mostly individual endeavors. Maybe someday!
As we wrap up, will you tell us about constructing for the Midwest Crossword Tournament?
It was a great experience! I was honored (and nervous) to be asked to construct the final puzzle, since I’d never made a tournament puzzle or attended a tournament. Editors Christina Iverson and Tracy Bennett provided helpful tips about tournament puzzles to get me started, and I also solved and studied the puzzles from the previous Midwest Crossword Tournament and ACPT. I checked in with Christina and Tracy at several points along the way to make sure I was heading in a good direction, and I always felt confident that their editing would turn whatever I came up with into an even better finished product.
I really enjoyed volunteering at the tournament – especially getting to meet crossword folks in person and having a chance to watch top solvers work through my puzzle on the big boards on stage. That was a unique and surreal experience I will likely never forget!
Rapid-Fire Round:
Do you still drink coffee after working at Meeting Grounds? If so, favorite coffee drink?
Don’t tell my old coffee shop bosses, but I have actually never been a coffee drinker!
Veggie you wish would grow in your garden?
We transplanted a few asparagus shoots from a community garden into our garden last year, so I am eager to see if they pop up in the spring.
Philosopher who had a large impact on your life?
Albert Camus and the teachings of the Buddha
Constructing or solving?
I spend far more time constructing than solving, but I enjoy both!
Go-to emoji?
🙌 for yay! 😬for yikes!
Three words your closest friend(s) would use to describe you.
No party animal
Dear reader, we have one more topic to talk about. If it isn’t obvious by now, one important thing Katie and I share is our Minnesotan identity. We both grew up there, and we both still think of it as home.
My heart has been heavy lately. I spend a lot of time following the news (now I watch KARE 11 out of Minnesota to get a clearer picture of what is happening there), reading firsthand accounts from friends and acquaintances, and checking in often with family and friends. Even though I’m not physically there, my heart very much is. What I’m seeing, hearing, and feeling is like a never-ending rollercoaster: each day, revealing the best and worst of humanity – cruelty, intimidation, and violence – met with a fierce unity – people bound together by shared trauma, by hope in the face of it, and by an unwavering belief in the power of community and love.
I have always been fiercely proud to be from Minnesota (every one of my tattoos is Minnesota-related), but never more so than now. When George Floyd was murdered, I felt profound grief, shame, and confusion that something like that could happen in my state. Over time, I came to recognize the privilege embedded in that surprise. What we’re experiencing now feels similar, but strangely inverted, if that makes sense? If we come out of this intact, I think it will be impossible to ignore how much resilience, grit, and collective growth Minnesota has experienced.
Katie, does any of this resonate with you?
Definitely! My friends and family throughout Minnesota are in the forefront of my mind every day, and like you, I’ve been experiencing a mix of heartbreak, worry, and Minnesota pride. One of my recent NYT puzzles included the entry AMOS. While researching a clue for it, I came across a passage in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that struck me as very powerful. He describes having initially been disappointed about being called an extremist, but later, gaining satisfaction from the label when he began to consider Jesus as an extremist for love and Amos as an extremist for justice. He writes, “So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.”
I’m grateful I happened upon this passage when writing that clue several months ago, because it has helped me feel less angry when I see the label “extremist networks” being used to characterize groups of Minnesotans banding together to support and care for each other. I think to myself, these are indeed acts of extreme compassion, extreme caring, extreme conviction, extreme courage, and in some cases devastatingly extreme sacrifice. I see reasons every day to admire and feel proud of the many ways in which Minnesotans are standing up to protect themselves, their neighbors, and their communities, and I believe that if we make it to the other side of this dark period in our country’s history, their stories will be added to the already existing collection of tales of the heroic courage of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬🙌😬
If you are looking for a way to help Minnesotans, here is a link to many vetted charities and some GoFundMes. https://www.standwithminnesota.com/
Here is a link to donate to the ACLU, which also has some great resources to discover via their home page. https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Jess Rucks is a crossword constructor and play therapist. She is delighted to combine her love of learning about others with her love of crosswords for DCL’s Constructor Spotlight.
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Saturday, January 31, 2026
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Club 72: Freestyle 1085: “I won’t stand for any of this.” by Tim Croce. .pdf, .puz only
Pun Of A Kind: Times, New Roman by Mikey G.
Puzzles That Need A Home: Up and at ‘Em by Brian Thomas.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #478 by Queerty.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #477 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #113 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Freestyle by Jack Scherban. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword by Ada Nicolle.
Crossword Flow: ($) Night Court by Will Eisenberg. iPad-exclusive app.
Morning Brew: Secret Sauce by Jack Murtagh.
Puzzmo: It stands to reason… by Dan Schwartz. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
Reason: Extra Credit by Stella Zawistowski.
Spyscape: Route 86 by Bryant White.
The Walrus: All That and a Bag of Chips (themeless) by Will Nediger.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: by Mark Axel. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Magazine: Bowl Games by Matt Gaffney.
New York Sun: ($) I Before E as in Movie by Michael Langwald. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Nick Maritz.
New York Times Mini: by Sam Ezersky.
Newsday: Saturday Stumper by Lester Ruff. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) Universal Freestyle 209 by Jess Rucks. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Haven’t You Heard? (Freestyle) by Boaz Moser.
Vox: Just Deserts by Andrew J. Ries.
The Wall Street Journal: Palette-able by Derek Ruttan. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini by Sofia Whang.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Smartypants Saturday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Mark McClain. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Seeing red (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
The New Dork Times: New Dork Times Puzzle: Mini 192 by Cole Rush. Subscribe at link.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.The Crossword Centre: February 2026 Cover Stories by Phylax by Derek Harrison .pdf only
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online only
Tortoiseshell Studio: ($) Bonus Snake Charmer by Nathan Curtis. Patreon subscription.Financial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
Financial Times: FT Crossword: Polymath .pdf only
Financial Times: FT Weekend Magazine Crossword .pdf only
Gemelo Cryptic: Cryptic
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online only
WSJ Variety: Rows Garden by Patrick Berry. Direct link to .pdf.Check out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
-
DCL Highlights: January 2026
We’re back with some recommendations, aiming to get more regular with these posts again.
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 solved that we don’t think you should miss.” Kind of like staff recommendations at a local bookstore.
Did we miss your favorites? Add them in the comments!
We shared a plug for the ORCAS in our most recent News & Notes, but if you mostly read in email, the gremlins got it, so we’ll reproduce it here. It’s basically a year-long, community-wide highlights effort that you don’t want to miss:
There’s something special about the 14th ORCAS.
Sure, we added five new awards (did someone say cryptics?) Yeah, the ballot contains 15 categories comprised of 124 nominations from 59 different outlets. But, this year, you can solve these spectacular ORCA-nominated puzzles in our first-ever puzzle pack!
All funds raised support The Trevor Project, a suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. Although suicide rates for LGBTQ+ youth are surging (39% seriously considered suicide in 2024), HHS terminated its contract for FY2026.
The puzzle pack includes 76 ORCA-nominated puzzles from 44 outlets plus five original puzzles from the Constructor of the Year nominees. Along with the puzzle pack, donors will receive early access to the ORCAS ballot, which will be posted publicly on February 3.
To make a donation, visit the ORCAS-specific donation page at The Trevor Project. Once your gift is confirmed, an access link will be displayed on the Thank You page. For any questions, email: theorcaawards@gmail.com.
Join us for the ORCA awards on Monday, February 23 at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET. Co-hosts David Kwong and Ophira Eisenberg will be live at https://www.youtube.com/@orcaawards along with T Campbell, Aimee Lucido, Laura Braunstein, Katie Grogg, Christina Iverson, Ben Tausig, Stella Zawistowski, Andy Kravis, Brad Wilber, Mangesh Ghore, Peter Collins, H. Kim Vu, Rafael Musa, Lynn Lempel, and more.
Do you want to know just how good it’s going to be? Check out this sneak preview.
_____
Defector: ($) The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect by Ben Zimmer. (10/20) – NorahLil AVCX: ($) Messy by Kameron Austin Collins (11/11) – Matt
Quite Vexing: “Halloweek” series by Quiara Vasquez (10/31) – Parker
Universal: ($) Press Clippings by Jonathan Raksin. (11/11) – Norah
The Wall Street Journal: Side Eyes by Zachary Edward-Brown (11/13) – Norah
AVCX: ($) AV Classic Themeless #85 by Amie Walker (12/3) Subtly clever clues around every corner and packed with fresh entries – Norah, Jess, Rich
Universal: ($) Go with the Flow by Derek Ruttan (12/3) Nice theme elegantly executed in a good debut puzzle – Norah
Real Puzzling Stuff: Satire + Scorekeeping (12/2) by Ryan Patrick Smith. Really neat grid shape that allows for impressive fill and plenty of tough but fun cluing – NorahThe New Yorker: Rough Copy by Mollie Cowger (12/15) Good practice for solvers trying to improve their theme recognition. -Will
Nautilus Puzzles: Uber Ultra by Ben Tolkin (12/22) A 45×45 behemoth that’s fun all the way through. – Matt
Ariadne’s Crossword Library: January 2026 Monthly Contest: “Are You Missing Something?” by Hannah Binney (1/1) Really clever literature-based meta. – Steve
Fireball: ($) Atomic Fireball by Daniel Bodily and George Barany (1/8) The first Fireball of each year is always a special one. – Matt
Puzzles That Need A Home: Pardon the Interruption by brian thomas (1/8) It’s been a minute since the last from PTNAH, and this themeless is predictably a joy. – MattThe New Yorker: January 19 by Erik Agard. A couple clues here set the bar very high for the rest of the year. – Rich & Matt
Scientific American: Consciousness Carriers by Aimee Lucido (1/20) – Matt
Inteltainment: Themeless #157 by Stella Zawistowski (1/21) My favorite from Stella to date. – MattUniversal: ($) Grid Over Troubled Water by Howard Neuthaler. – Matt
Newsday: Saturday Stumper by Ben Zimmer (1/17) – Matt
Bewilderingly: Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2 by Will Nediger (1/26) A classically “Will” puzzle. – Steve & Matt
Crosswoods: Films for a Cozy Snow Day by Crosswoods (1/25) – SteveSlate: Slate Crossword by Les Mots and Malaika Handa (1/25) A great medium-difficulty, fresh themeless. – Matt
Universal: ($) Amiss by Aidan Deshong and Adam Levav (1/28) Worth it, period, but especially if you’re gearing up for tournament solving. – Matt -
Friday, January 30, 2026
BEQ: Quart Toppers by Brendan Emmett Quigley.
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #476 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #112 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Some Assembly Required by Zhouqin Burnikel. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: What a Show! by Stella Zawistowski.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: January 30, 2026 by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Flow: ($) …Then Came the Chicken by Kareem Ayas. iPad-exclusive app.
People Puzzler: Two-Time Beloved TV Doc by Robyn Weintraub.
Puzzmo: Buzzy Blends by Ben Zimmer. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Rebecca Goldstein. Online only.
Slate: Slate Midi: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 by Quiara Vasquez.
Slate: Slate Mini: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 by Nijah Morris.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Storm Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: by Zachary David Levy. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Special Teams by Bob Klahn. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Robyn Weintraub.
New York Times Mini: by Joel Fagliano.
The New Yorker Mini: by Mollie Cowger.
Newsday: 1/30/26 Thriller by Billie Truitt. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) I’m Speechless by Hanh Huynh. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: 2Fa by Stella Zawistowski.
Vox: by Andrew J. Ries.
The Wall Street Journal: Take a Number by Matt Gaffney. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini 1/30/2026 by Sofia Whang.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Sports Fan Friday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Robin Stears. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Duke Chronicle: Mini Crossword 195 (1/30/26) by Monet Shum.
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
Fordham Observer: Friday, January 30 (Mini) by Jasmine White.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Mixed bag (themeless) (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
The Times Ponder: ($) Weekly Puzzle. .pdf, online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life : Mambo by Naomika Raveendran.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.Out Of Left Field: ($) #305 by Joshua Kosman & Henri Picciotto. Patreon subscription.
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,917 by Serenos.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online onlyCheck out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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Thursday, January 29, 2026
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
M & M Crosswords: Pie Hole Closure Needed by Martina Waluk.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #475 by Queerty.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #474 by Queerty.
Quid Pro: The GenXword Mini 1/29/26 #tbt by Andrew Anker. Online at Crosswordr.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #111 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Freestyle by Anna Harkins. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: by Adam Aaronson.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: January 29, 2026 by Erica Hsiung Wojcik.
Crossword Flow: ($) First Came the Egg… by Kareem Ayas. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: Return of the King, Thurs. Jan. 29, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
Fireball: ($) Themeless 184 by Peter Gordon. Subscribe at link.
Jonesin’: Orbit-rary by Matt Jones. Direct .puz link
Morning Brew: Brew Mini: Stratospheric by Jack Murtagh.
Puzzmo: Dearest Gentle Reader by Erin Rhode. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Nate Cardin. Online only.
Slate: Slate Midi: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 by Tim Croce.
Slate: Slate Mini: Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026 by Kavin Pawittranon.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Storm Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: by MaryEllen Uthlaut. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Warrior by Karen M. Tracey. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Kit Sheffield.
New York Times Mini: by Joel Fagliano.
The New Yorker Mini: The Mini Crossword: Thursday, January 29, 2026 by Kate Chin Park.
Newsday: 1/29/26 Happy Ending by Lin Josephson. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere by Adam Shapiro. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Split Fiction by Shannon Rapp & Will Eisenberg.
Vox: by Will Nediger.
The Wall Street Journal: Forced Out by Mike Shenk. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Snowflake! by Ananya Govindarajan.
The Columbia Spectator: Whiteout by Anna Steel.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Top 40 Thursday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Pam Amick Klawitter. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
Fordham Observer: Thursday, January 29 (Mini) by Jasmine White.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Missing Link (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
The New Dork Times: New Dork Times Puzzle: Mini 191 by Cole Rush. Subscribe at link.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life : For the Gram by Vinisha Tripathi.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.Aries Puzzles: Lock Boxes by Andrew J. Ries.
A Cleverly-Titled Logic Puzzle Blog: Wordy Wednesday 685: Pent Words 137 by Grant Fikes. .pdf only
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,916 by Imogen.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online only
New Scientist: ($) Biweekly Cryptic Subscribe at link.
The Spectator: ($) Weekly Cryptic Subscribe at link.Check out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Club 72: Freestyle 1084: “C’mon in, you’ll have fun”. .pdf, .puz only
Jeff’s Puzzles: A PC Puzzle by Jeff Linder.
Luckystreak+: ($) puzzle #254: i know my way around (themeless) by Ada Nicolle. Subscribe at link.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #473 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #110 by michael.
Apple News: ($) At the Golden Shovel by Will Nediger. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: Universal Language by Stella Zawistowski.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: January 28, 2026 by Kate Chin Park.
Crossword Club: Turn Up The Heat by Trent H. Evans.
Crossword Flow: ($) Low-Hanging Fruit by Olivia Mitra Framke. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: Turn It Up Even Higher, Weds. Jan. 28, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
MEOW: Weekly Meta by Dr.Tom.
People Puzzler: Mother of Mayhem by Adam Auriemma.
Puzzmo: Foul Language by bob weisz. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Amie Walker. Online only.
Slate: Slate Midi: Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 by Quiara Vasquez.
Slate: Slate Mini: Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026 by Nate Cardin.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Masquerade Puzzle by Malaika Handa.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: by Brian Russell & Zhouqin Burnikel. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Past Imperfect by Billie Truitt. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Kevin Curry.
New York Times Mini: by Christina Iverson.
The New Yorker: Wednesday Crossword by Robyn Weintraub.
Newsday: 1/28/26 5 Down by Steve Faiella. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) Diamondbacks by Noelle Griskey. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: Clear Out by Zhouqin Burnikel.
Vox: by Adesina O. Koiki.
The Wall Street Journal: Kinda Sorta by Justin Werfel. Direct link to .puz.The Columbia Spectator: Daily Mini 1/27/26 by Rich Vigliotti.
Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: Wayback Wednesday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Samuel A. Donaldson. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Duke Chronicle: Mini Crossword 194 (1/28/26) by Emily Lutzker.
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
Fordham Observer: Wednesday, January 28 (Mini) by Jasmine White.
Fordham Observer: Tuesday, January 27 (Mini) by Jasmine White.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Hair (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Rice Thresher: English Should Have Accent Marks by Ava McClung.
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life : Not-So-Boaring by Rachel Goldstone.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.
Ben’s Cryptic Crosswords: Let Loose by Ben Robinson Online only
Outside The Fox: ($) Touchwords by Grant Fikes. Subscribe at link.
The Rackenfracker: Concerning Developments by The Rackenfracker. Available format varies by puzzle
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,915 by Qaos.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online onlyCheck out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
-
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
BEQ: Themeless Monday #861 by Brendan Emmett Quigley.
Black Crossword: Mini by Juliana Pache.
Forever Cozart: Themeles #8 by Connor Angelo Denney.
LuterCross: PUZZLE 242 by Matthew Luter.
Queerty: Queerty Crossword #472 by Queerty.
Southern Crosswords: southern crosswords mini #109 by michael.
Apple News: ($) Freestyle by Sanjay Rao. News+ Subscription Required
Apple News Mini: ($) Daily Mini by Taylor Johnson. News+ Subscription Required
The Atlantic Mini: by Amanda Rafkin; edited by Kelsey Dixon.
Billboard: by Stella Zawistowski.
The Chicago Maroon: Mini by Chicago Maroon Crossword Team.
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago-Style (Mini) Crossword by Kelsey Dixon.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: January 27, 2026 by Quiara Vasquez.
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword: January 27, 2026 by Quiara Vasquez.
Crossword Flow: ($) by Ada Nicolle. iPad-exclusive app.
Daily Beast: Movin’ on Up, Tues. Jan. 27, 2026 by Matt Gaffney.
Defector: ($) The Crossword, Jan. 26: Nailbiter (Themeless) by Rafael Musa. Subscribe at link.
Lil AVCX: ($) Winter Delights by Kelly Morenus. Subscribe at link.
Metas On A Tuesday: Weekly Meta
Morning Brew: Brew Mini: Free solo by Jack Murtagh.
Puzzmo: pH Balance by adrianne. Online only
Puzzmo: Mini Crossword by Brooke Husic. Online only
SFGATE California Mini Crossword: Mini Crossword by Enrique. Online only.
Slate: Slate Midi: Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 by Ben Zimmer.
Slate: Slate Mini: Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 by Adrianne Baik.
STAT News: Mini Crossword by Rachel Fabi.
Vulture 10×10: The Forgetting Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski.The Boston Globe: Mini Crossword by Sowmya Ramkumar.
Los Angeles Times: by Craig Stowe. Create free Cruciverb account for .puz.
Los Angeles Times Mini: by Elizabeth Gorski.
Merriam Webster: The Missing Letter by Matt Gaffney
New York Sun: ($) Name Changes by Lee Glickstein. Reissues from 2008.
New York Times: ($) by Miranda Kany and Tracy Bennett.
New York Times Mini: by Joel Fagliano.
The New Yorker: The Crossword: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 by Aimee Lucido.
Newsday: 1/27/26 “The” Cities by Stan Newman. Online .pdf
Universal: ($) Amiss by Aidan Deshong and Adam Levav. Direct link to .puz.
USA Today: You’re the Best (Freestyle) by Rafael Musa.
Vox: by Juliana Tringali Golden
The Wall Street Journal: Assorted Baked Goods by Ron Ammirante. Direct link to .puz.Crosshare Community: Daily Mini and Featured Puzzles.
Crossherd: Daily Mini. Online only
Crosswordr Community: Community Puzzle Platform.
Crosswords with Friends: TV Tuesday App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Midi Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Crosswords with Friends: Mini Puzzle App Store | Google Play
Daily POP Crosswords: by Patti Varol. App Store | Google Play, Online, phone app only
Fast Company: Daily Mini by Joe Rodini.
India Mini Crossword: Daily Mini
LunaMini: Bouquet (Mini crossword) by Luna. Online only
Mangesh Ghogre’s Indian Mini Crosswords: Daily Mini by Mangesh Ghogre.
The New Dork Times: New Dork Times Puzzle: Mini 190 by Cole Rush. Subscribe at link.
PlayFour: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
Squared Away: ($) Daily Puzzle. Online only
The Telegraph: Cross Atlantic Online only
Washington Post Daily Mini Meta: by Frank Longo.
WashU Student Life : Ain’t it Funny by Tillie Szwartz and Janae Crespo.
YourPuzzleSource: Daily Puzzle (Midi) by Phil Fraas.Garden Party: ($) Rows Garden #9.4 by Michael Blake. Subscribe at link.
Garden Variety Puzzles: Rows Garden #8 by Peter Baronowski. .pdf, .rgz only
Outside The Box: ($) cascades by joon pahk. Subscribe at link.
Outside The Box: ($) Rows Garden #11.21 by joon pahk. Subscribe at link.
Sporcle: Daily Acrostic. Online onlyFinancial Times: FT Crossword .pdf only
The Guardian: Cryptic crossword No 29,914 by Fed.
The Hindu Cryptic: Daily Cryptic .pdf, online.
The Independent: Cryptic Crossword .pdf, online onlyCheck out the DCL’s staff recommendations from last week’s puzzles
Other American-style links:
Reviews and Discussion at Diary of a Crossword Fiend | Boatload Puzzles/AARP | “Crosscord” Discord | Crucidrama (en español) | Cruciverbalista (en español) | Easy Crossword (Newsday Archives) | FreeDailyCrosswords | Medium Crossword (Newsday Archives) | Hard Crossword (Newsday Archives) | r/crossword | USA Today Reviews and Discussion at Off the Grid | Squares.io | XWord-Muggles Meta Calendar
Other Cryptic/Variety links:
A Frame Games | cf.kmbweb.de Links Library | CoxRathvon.com | Harper’s ($) | Lovatts | Magpie ($) | Mokelfish Links Library | MyCrossword | NPL | Panda Magazine ($) | Private Eye | PuzzleCrypt archives | Puzzling StackExchange | r/crosswords | Sydney Morning Herald ($) | The Telegraph | The Times (UK) ($), includes The Listener
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