![]() ![]() Spoiler alert: Subscribers can take a peek at the answer key. For tips on how to get started, read our series, “ How to Make a Crossword Puzzle.” The Tipping PointĪlmost finished solving but need a bit more help? We’ve got you covered. The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system, and you can submit your puzzles online. ![]() All puzzles must pass her muster - and mustard! Want to Submit Crosswords to The New York Times? My sister Jessica in New Zealand is my primary solver. It helps to get this stuff out of one’s head, just as it helps to clean all the ancient condiments out of the back of your fridge. One’s mind tends to wander and wonder whether the word PROFITEROLE could work as a clue for a Robin Hood actor who doesn’t give to the poor, or how to work PANDOWDY into a puzzle about shabby-chic kitchenware. Catering typically combines heart-racing panic with mind-numbing monotony, like when you have to prep 300 tiny lobster éclairs in the next two hours. I love all kinds of puzzles and clever wordplay. I am a Philadelphia-based chef with my own boutique catering company and a mother of two teenage boys. Kany’s recipe omitted the infamous peas! Let’s hear from her about the other ways her profession influences her crossword construction. ![]() I’m sure Times solvers were relieved that Ms. For solvers who may be less culinarily inclined, the puzzle includes the helpful note I mentioned earlier, which explains, “The circled letters reading clockwise starting in box #4 reveal what the answers to the nine italicized clues have in common.” The circled letters, read clockwise from the top, spell GUACAMOLE. I cook fairly regularly, so I immediately recognized this recipe. LIME (“ One small juiced, for citrus notes, and to preserve color”) CUMIN (“ ½ teaspoon, for a little extra flavor … really, try it!”)ĥ7D. TOMATO (“ One vine-ripe chopped, for texture and color”)ĥ3D. JALAPEÑO (“ One seeded and minced, for heat”)Ĥ9D. AVOCADO (“ About two cups cubed, after peeling and pitting”)ĥ5A. CILANTRO (“ ½ cup coarsely chopped, for bright (or soapy) flavor”)Ĥ0A. SALT (“ One teaspoon, pink or black, for emphasis”)Ģ2A. GARLIC (“ Three cloves minced, for depth and aroma”)ġ1D. ONION (“ One small red minced, for crunch and tang”)ĤD. The ingredients scattered about the grid, and their functions, are:ģD. This puzzle teaches solvers not only the steps of making a particular recipe, but also the purpose of each ingredient in the final dish. I was unfamiliar with the book “ Abel’s Island,” but I was able to guess that the “Mouse with his own island in a Newbery Honor book” was ABEL from the crossings. When the crosses didn’t work with Ohio, I had to backtrack until I realized the “Sound at the doctor’s office” was actually AAH, making the “‘From Here to Eternity’ setting” OAHU - that sounds like a much better place to spend eternity, no offense to Ohio.ĥ6D. I initially entered “ahh” as the “Sound at the doctor’s office” and guessed that the “‘From Here to Eternity’ setting” at 35D must be “Ohio” (clearly I’ve never seen the movie or read the novel). More on the theme and those circles below, but first, let’s take a look at some of this puzzle’s more challenging clues. Today, the note is helpful but not strictly necessary, as I’m guessing many (greatly clever) solvers were able to ascertain the purpose of the circles without it. ![]() This approach can sometimes require great cleverness, so don’t feel bad if you glance at the note before you’re done. Solvers have mixed views on added “notes,” but I personally don’t mind them - although I often try to figure out the gimmick before looking at the note. Kany’s grid uses circles and italics to convey her theme, and the puzzle comes with an extra note instructing solvers on how to use the circled letters after they finish filling in the grid. WEDNESDAY PUZZLE - Congratulations to Miranda Kany, who is making her New York Times debut with this puzzle befitting the owner of a boutique catering company. ![]()
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