Jump to: tricky clues
Friday Puzzle — A story about the man who first uttered the phrase “Why, you little …” in the New York Times crossword and his keen ear for vivid entries, back when colorful phrases were not yet commonplace. What do you find when you multiply the number of women who appear?
Get a unique Friday puzzle by Brooke Husic and Brendan Emmett Quigley. This puzzle is packed with all sorts of interesting items. Some of them you know, some of them you don’t, but you’ll find it fun to learn them.
It’s Husic and Quigley’s first Times collaboration, and it’s no easy task, but you expected that, right? It’s a Friday puzzle, after all. It’s also interesting and very cleverly given hints.
Please continue anyway. That’s my advice. Take a break, but don’t forget to come back to the puzzle. I had to face this crossword for two days intermittently to complete it. That’s unusual for me. I think that’s because Mr. Husich and Mr. Quigley’s grid frequently appears in other venues, and those venues have a different voice than the Times.
To be honest, it was refreshing. I’ve been solving the Times Crossword for a long time, and I’m familiar with the general approach. You’ll know what tricks and wordplay are being used before you write anything on the grid. Solving the Times puzzles that cross my desk is pretty much a piece of cake at this point, but I’m not trying to brag about it. I try to solve other crosswords, but since my time is limited, I find it difficult when I come across puzzles with completely different sounds.
But it’s also exhilarating. This is a new challenge and a great way to prepare for Saturday’s puzzle. We hope to see more collaborations like this soon.
tricky clues
1A. The clue “You can read numbers with this” has a hidden proper noun. The Book of Numbers is his fourth of his five books of the Law.
16A. “Are you going to make up?” You are making up stories and plans. However, if you RISE, you are now in a “raised” state.
18A. This “bed cover” is not a duvet. Garden bed cover “SOIL”.
48A. Her mother always says, “Can I put on some makeup?” Thank you, mom. This clue isn’t even about the lipstick she thinks I should wear. It’s about someone’s physical makeup. The answer is Atom.
54A. “Cloverleaf cluster?” refers to a highway roundabout, and the cluster is INNS. Because there always seems to be a group of clusters right next to those roads.
3D. “Table parts” does not refer to the legs or top plate. This suggests a table on a spreadsheet, and the answer is ROWS.
8D. Ah, “meeting extender.” Everyone loves meetings, right? (Just kidding.) And, without a doubt, everyone’s favorite part is when someone asks a question while everyone else is walking away, and a rehash of what has already been discussed occurs.
24D. This “acrylic finish?” is not a sealant, at least not without a question mark on the clue. When a hint contains the word “end?” it often suggests the last letter of another word. The acrylic “finish” is the letters CEE.
36D. You need to look carefully at the puzzle to get this clue. “One of the three people in Fiji?” It’s the DOT above the lowercase i and j.
49D. Don’t feel bad if you found this problem after counting your fingers. Also, don’t assume that the clue refers to the English alphabet. “Preantepenultimate Letter” is his fourth letter from the end. In English, it becomes W. The answer to this puzzle is the Greek letters PHI. Fun fact: The letters propreantepenultimate are the fifth from the last.
Constructor notes
This puzzle was made on ____. Brooke suggested that we ___. After reading it, Brendan passed out on the couch and said that if the New York Times did something like that, he would just ____.
Join the discussion of other games
Want to join the conversation about New York Times games? Or need help with a particularly tricky puzzle?
spelling bee forum
Wordle reviews
connected companion
Improve your crossword solving skills
Read our guide How to Solve New York Times Crosswords, which explains most types of clues that appear on puzzles, then test your skills with a fun mini-crossword.
Would you like to submit your crossword to the New York Times?
The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system that allows you to submit your puzzles online.
Read our How to Make Crossword Puzzles series for tips on how to get started.