In this news article, the author, who is filling in for Deb Amlen, the assistant community engagement manager for the Games section, discusses their experience with solving Daniel Bodily’s crossword puzzle for The New York Times. The author expresses their appreciation for the art of crossword construction, highlighting the challenge they faced in solving the grid. They explain that the theme of the puzzle involves phrases that are inverted versions of the clues, such as “HOTPOTS” becoming “POTSHOT” and “RED TAPE” becoming “TAPERED.” The author also mentions some tricky clues they encountered, including “BAIL” being referred to as a “High-court figure” and the misconception that GMOs are regulated by the FDA.
The article also touches on the variety of ways in which the clues flip in the puzzle, depending on the number of letters involved. The author enjoys the additional layer of thought required to solve the puzzle and appreciates the entertaining nature of the solve. They also mention a few other tricky clues, such as the clue for “PAYOLA,” which refers to an illegal deal in the music industry, and the clue for “CLIP ON TIE,” which plays on the homophone. The article concludes with the constructor’s notes, where the constructor hopes the puzzle brings a smile and some color to the reader’s day, and an invitation to connect with new people interested in constructing puzzles.
Lastly, the article briefly introduces the Easy Mode newsletter, which offers a weekly Friday crossword with more accessible clues. The newsletter is designed for those who want to try the Friday puzzles but feel intimidated by their reputation for difficulty. The article provides a link to sign up for the newsletter and mentions that the regular and easy-mode clues for this Friday’s puzzle can be viewed as a sample. The author concludes with a warning that the following clues may contain spoilers for the Friday puzzle.
