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.
Programming note: No highlights post next Friday, as we’ll all be in Stamford for the ACPT. Will be back on 4/12 with two weeks’ worth.
Los Angeles Times: Themeless (3/23) by Nate Cardin. I loved so much of the cluing in this puzzle – just the right amount of tricky with highlights in 33A and 37D. I appreciate the fills of 8A, 22D, 40D, and more. – Norah
Autostraddle: AF+ Crossword (3/23) by Darby Ratliff. Pretty developed theme for a midi, and it got a laugh out of me when I got it. – Matt
USA Today: Primetime (3/23) by Ryan Mathiason. Great theme + themeset find. – Matt
The Modern: Themeless 67 (3/24) by Ryan McCarty. I’ve missed Ryan’s themelesses and this is a textbook example of why. This one’s a don’t-miss. – Norah
Ryan is a master of this themeless shape and we’ve seen too little of him lately. Trademark McCarty, and a joy to solve. – Matt
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword (3/24) by Will Nediger. Fun 11x with a cool grid design and pair of lovely triple stacks. – Rich
Alta Magazine: Curl Up with a Good Book (3/25) by Rebecca Goldstein and Rafa Musa. Cute and cozy theme, breezy solve. – Norah
Lutercross: Getting Down To It (3/26) by Matthew Luter. Matthew is consistently putting out solid themelesses just about every week. This time the grid architecture especially stood out to me, but I also admire the commitment to cluing common stuff interestingly, like 43D AND 24A. – Norah
Lil AVC X: “Who’s Even in Charge of This Place?” (3/26) by Owen Bergstein. I know I’m biased, but Lil is doing some fantastic things already this year and this is one of the best so far, with seven (!) spanners and a notched-up difficulty that make for an extra pleasing experience. – Norah
New York Times: ($) (3/26) by Laura Dershewitz and Katherine Baicker. I didn’t found DCL to direct clicks to the New York Times, but I did do it so Laura and Katherine, and those before and after them, could get their due. This is a neat theme with interesting entries kicked up to “check it out” by an absolutely pitch-perfect revealer – Matt
AVCX Classic: Cover All Your Bases (3/27) by Matthew Stock. A cute theme that surprised me in the end. – Norah
Crossword Club: March 27 (3/27) by Kate Chin Park. Quick and easy diagonally symmetrical midi with two fun spanners. – Norah
Luckystreak+: ($) yada yada blah blah blah (3/27) by Ada Nicolle. The indie vibes all over this grid, so much fun to solve. Ada has recently added a free trial option! – Norah
Wall Street Journal: Going to Pieces (3/27) by Alexander Liebeskind. Slightly different theme, placement-in-the-grid wise. Fun. – Matt
A Crossword Rose: Epic Highs and Lows (3/28) by acommonrose. Not one but TWO perfect revealers? We love to see it. – Rich