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.
So great to see many of you at ACPT. For those who weren’t there, thanks for your patience as we took a week off. Two weeks’ worth of recommendations are below, though I forgot to jot down a few blurbs. Still good puzzles 🙂
Club 72: Freestyle 899 (3/29) by Tim Croce. Tim specializes in hard themelesses and it can take a bit to get used to this style. This edition, while as hard as anything he’s published, is also fair throughout and for me was well worth the grind to piece it together. –Matt
The Modern: ($) Academic Terms (3/30) by Erica Hsiung Wojcik. One of those themes where you know what’s going on, and each entry is still a small aha moment on its own. –Matt
Universal Sunday: Worduckens (3/31) by Adam Wagner. Cleverly themed and pleasant to solve –Norah
Washington Post: World Wide Web (3/31) by Evan Birnholz. –Matt
Puzzmo: First Words (4/1) by brooke. A fun April Fools’ Day challenge as only Brooke can do it. —Rich and Norah and Matt
The New Yorker: The Crossword (4/1) by Caitlin Reid. Really enjoyed the wordplay in this one. —Rich
Puzzmo: It Takes Two (4/3) by Erik Agard. Adorable meta-theme. –Norah
Crossword Club: Daily Crossword (4/3) by Kate Chin Park and Lil AVC X: ($) Eclipse (4/8) by Katja Brinck. These different takes on the eclipse theme are a great example of how much creativity there is in the midi space. —Rich
The New Yorker: The Crossword (4/3) by Robyn Weintraub. Especially satisfying middle stack –Matt
Universal: Beginning Bird-Watching (4/3) by Rebecca Goldstein and Will Eisenberg. So glad this theme set worked in mirror symmetry, because it’s a fun group. –Matt
AVCX: ($) Seeing Double (4/3) by Sam Brody –Matt
Trash Panda Puzzles: Hawaiian Drinks on the Ghost Ship (4/4) by Jason “Jac” Crabtree –Matt
ClassiCanadian Crosswords: ($) Custom-built for Critters (4/3) by Barb Olson –Matt
Universal: Universal Freestyle 119 (4/6) by Rich Feely –Matt
New York Times: (4/5) by Rebecca Goldstein –Matt
Kieran Boyd: Ambitious Constraint Practiced Thoroughly (4/8) by Kieran Boyd. It’s true to its title, both the ambitious constraint and the practiced thoroughly parts, in the best way. –Matt
The New Yorker: The Crossword (4/10) by Rebecca Goldstein. Surprise themed New Yorker! And a delightful one at that. —Rich
Slate: Slate Midi (4/10) by Chandi Deitmer. I’ve really been enjoying Slate’s new crossword; this one is probably my favorite so far. —Rich
Los Angeles Times: (4/12) by Amie Walker & Wendy L. Brandes. Lovely theme with a truly satisfying revealer. —Rich and Norah