Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle (2024)

Constructor: Ryan JudgeRelative difficulty:Very EasyTHEME: noneWord of the Day: Rafael DEVERS(25D: RAFAEL ___, ALL-STAR THIRDBASEMAN FOR THE RED SOX) —>Rafael>Devers...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/fur-lined-outerwear-sat-6-15-24-onetime.html

Constructor: Robyn WeintraubRelative difficulty: MediumTHEME: noneWord of the Day: ETHEL Barrymore(1D: ACTRESS BARRYMORE WITH ANEPONYMOUS BROADWAY THEATER) —>>>>...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/bose-competitor-fri-6-14-24-gym-machine.html

Constructor: Kevin CurryRelative difficulty: Easy-MediumTHEME:A "letteral" interpretation— all-cap clues containparenthetical letters that must be read self-referentially (ashom*o...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/strong-as-ox-in-slang-thu-6-13-24.html

Constructor: Simeon SeigelRelative difficulty: MediumTHEME:Hell's-a-pop-pun— an early Father's Day puzzle; familiarphrases with a word for "father" in them are clued via"Pop" pu...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/long-islander-of-literature-wed-6-12-24.html

Constructor: Chloe ReveryRelative difficulty: Medium-Challenging (**for a Tuesday**)THEME: FIRST LADY (58A: Title for Jackie or Jill, and a hint to theanswers to the starred clues)—...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/trumpet-flourish-tue-6-11-24-pounded.html

Constructor: Kareem AyasRelative difficulty:Medium-Challenging, as a Downs-only solve (Easy,I imagine, if you solved the regular way)THEME: SET (71A: Guinness world record holder for "E...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/cleaning-implement-for-bunnies-mon-6-10.html

Constructor: Zachary SchiffRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME: "Quiet Time" — each theme answer contains one circled"silent" letter; those letters end up spelling "AUCTION," which givesy...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/chinese-gambling-game-with-dominoes-sun.html

Constructor: Daniel SheremetaRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME: none—there's a dumb little ABC/XYZ thing (see below), but Idon't think that constitutes a "theme"Word of the Day: UTHER ...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/dishy-rumors-in-slang-sat-6-8-24-coins.html

Constructor: Alice Liang and Christina IversonRelative difficulty: MediumTHEME: noneWord of the Day: TRIPLE SEC(9D: INGREDIENT IN A LONG ISLAND ICEDTEA) —>>TRIPLESEC...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/backpedaling-qualifier-fri-6-7-24.html

Constructor: Michael LiebermanRelative difficulty:Easy-MediumTHEME: "I'VE CHANGED" (53A: "The old me is gone" ... or what happenedbetween the first and second parts of 19-, 28-, 37- a...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/traditional-mexican-stew-thu-6-6-24-art.html

Constructor:David RockowRelative difficulty:Easy (20:57 while teaching my boyfriend how tosolve puzzles)THEME:DUCKS IN A ROW— State of order that this puzzle fails toachieve? T...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/feeling-that-can-be-caused-by-final.html

Hi, everyone! It’s Clare, here for the first Tuesday of June(switching it up because the world conspired against me with two majorfilings due on the same day last week). It’s been actually ...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/lovely-lady-in-beatles-hit-tues-6-4-24.html

Constructor: Alana PlattRelative difficulty: On the harder side, for a Monday (solvedDowns-only)THEME: ON THE BOARD (56A: Helping to manage a nonprofit, say ... orwhere to find the ans...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/artfully-arranged-meats-mon-6-3-24-one.html

Constructor: Luke K. SchreiberRelative difficulty: Easy-MediumTHEME: "Typecasting" — familiar phrases are clued via names offamous people that are "typed" in some funny / punny way:...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/classic-novel-set-in-rural-nebraska-sun.html

Constructor: Eric WarrenRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME: noneWord of the Day: "THE DAILY"(7D: POPULAR NEWS PODCAST SINCE 2017)—>THEDAILYisadailynewspodcast>...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/06/small-appetizer-in-turkish-cuisine-sat.html

Constructor: Aidan DeshongRelative difficulty:Easy-MediumTHEME: noneWord of the Day: WASPS(49D: FEMALE FLYING GROUP IN W.W. II) —>In>theUnitedStates>,WHITEAN...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/titular-elementary-school-on-tv-fri-5.html

Constructor: Royce FergusonRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME:"THE WALLS HAVE EARS" (7D: "Shh! People may be listening" ...or a hint to eight squares in this puzzle)— a rebus puzzle w...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/large-aquatic-insect-thu-5-30-24.html

Constructor: Jeanne Breen and Jeff ChenRelative difficulty: Easy-MediumTHEME: RECIPE FOR / DISASTER (46A: With 56-Across, what each of thestarred clues is?) — mixed drinks named after...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/actor-josh-who-was-once-married-to.html

Constructor: Chris LeatherberryRelative difficulty: Medium (i.e. a normal Tues.)THEME: WATER / SIGNS (38A: With 42-Across, zodiac trio that hints atthe longest answers in this puzzle) �...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/famed-fireman-red-tue-5-28-24-singer.html

Constructor: Christopher YoungsRelative difficulty: Easy (if only I knew how to spell NOVOCAINE...)(solved Downs-only)THEME: PUT ON A SHOW (62A: Keep up appearances, say ... or what to ...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/offer-kudos-in-modern-lingo-mon-5-27-24.html

Constructor: John KugelmanRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME: "Roughly Speaking" — familiar phrases clued as descriptionsof insults (the clues are the insults, the answers an imagineddes...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/sound-of-rejection-on-1970s-variety.html

Constructor: David P. WilliamsRelative difficulty: EasyTHEME: noneWord of the Day: Reggaetón(3D: REGGAETÓN, E.G. => MÚSICA) —>>REGGAETON(UK>:/ˈrɛɡeɪtoʊn,...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/rearrange-to-fit-jocularly-sat-5-25-24.html

Constructor: Carolyn Davies LynchRelative difficulty: MediumTHEME: noneWord of the Day: STIMMING(3D: REPETITION OF SELF-CALMING MOVEMENTS,SUCH AS FINGER-TAPPING OR HAIR-TWIRLING) ...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/fourth-card-in-texas-hold-em-fri-5-24.html

Constructor: Adam WagnerRelative difficulty: Medium (theme easy, other stuff hardish)THEME: BOX BRAIDS (32A: Hairstyle worn by Janet Jackson in the 1993film "Poetic Justice," with a hin...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/quirky-bit-of-running-footwear-thu-5-23.html

Constructor: Martin SchneiderRelative difficulty: MediumTHEME:DOUBLE MISNOMER (34A: What 18-, 23-, 49- and 56-Across couldbe called)— familiar things with two-part names where bot...

https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2024/05/unusual-meat-courses-that-are-neither.html