Jeff Stillman’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “A Little Bit Shy”—Jim’s review
Theme answers are familiar phrases that (mostly) indicate something is a little less than full. Playing on this theme, the answers themselves are all missing their last letters.
Wall St Journal crossword solution · “A Little Bit Shy” · Jeff Stillman · Thu., 3.6.25
- 17a. [Dimwitted, or what this answer is] NOT ALL THER.
- 27a. [Teacher’s allocation, or what this answer has] PARTIAL CREDI.
- 44a. [Failing to meet expectations, or what this answer is] COMING UP SHOR.
- 60a. [Lionel Richie song, or what this answer has] ENDLESS LOV.
Cute. I suspected the gimmick after reading the title and the first entry bore it out. That last entry though is not consistent with the others. Maybe the pun was impossible to resist and/or maybe a fourth suitable entry couldn’t be found. I’m fine giving the puzzle some leeway, but I would’ve preferred a consistent set.
Lots of Xs in the long fill: DOT MATRIX and TAX EXEMPT. Plus, the land of CARE-A-LOT and HOGSHEAD. I got a little bit hung up when I put in “IT HURT” instead of “I’M HURT” for the clue [“That was really uncalled for”], but I see now the correct answer makes more sense than mine.
Clue of note: 31d. [Gauntlet, in metaphor]. DARE. Feels a little incomplete, yeah? The act of “throwing down the gauntlet” is the DARE, not just the gauntlet itself. And why do we “run the gauntlet” anyway? (Wikipedia has the answer.)
3.5 stars.
Kiran Pandey’s New York Times crossword — Zachary David Levy’s write-up
Difficulty: Personal best (5m14s)
Kiran Pandey’s New York Times crossword, 3/6/25, 0306
Today’s theme: play it again, Sam
- BORN, BORN (presumably “born again”)
- NATURE, NATURE (presumably “second nature”)
- CARBON, CARBON (presumably “carbon copy”)
- DOWN, DOWN (presumably “double down”)
I think I’m missing something. I’m inferring the theme phrases (“presumably” above) because they don’t seem to be referenced in the puzzle, as far as I can tell. See Edit 1 below. I also don’t see a revealer, and there are other entries in the grid that hint at twins (YOKEd pairs, DUBS, etc.), though I could certainly be seeing illusory theme content (CHIMERAs, appropriately enough). There are an inordinate number of long downs here as well (6 non-theme entries of 10-11 letters), which further makes me think I’m blind to some other aspect of the puzzle, but I’ll leave it to you guys to set me straight in the comments.
[Edit 1: I was on such a tear, I don’t think I even read the clues for the repeat entries, which do hint at the theme.]
Cracking: ALY RAISMAN, the smirk heard round the world. [Edit 2: on further review, that was McKayla Maroney, but nevermind.]
Slacking: HITLER used to appear in the puzzle more often than you’d think, but sensibilities about what names belong in a puzzle have changed, and his name stopped appearing in the mid-1980s. Even Idi AMIN seems to have been retired about five years ago.. hence my surprise at seeing murderous drug lord EL CHAPO in today’s grid
Sidetracking: the SUNKEN PLACE
Peter Gordon’s Fireball Crossword, “Double Features” – Jenni’s write-up
Took me a bit to figure out what was going on in part because I’m not much of a movie-goer. I knew there was a rebus (or something). I guess it’s fitting that the “aha” moment came courtesy of the perfume I used when I was in high school.
Each theme entry is a movie title – or actually two movie titles. This is a masterful construction. Peter found three movies with sequels that fit the pattern, and then found crossings that worked and are (mostly) not tortured. And it was fun to solve!
Fireball, March 5, 2025, Peter Gordon, “Double Features,” solution grid
- 17a [Animated film featuring the voices of Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres] is FINDING DORY/NEMO. The crossings are ME[ND], CR[EO]SOL, CA[MR]Y, and CL[OY]S. CREOSOL is my least favorite of all the fill and it’s still inferable.
- 37a [Heist film starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt] is OCEANS ELEVEN/TWELVE. Crossings: [ET]AIL, FA[LW]ELL, D[EE]R, RE[VL]ON, TURGEN[EV], and SUGAR PI[NE]. 32d is [Charlie seller], and Charlie was the perfume of my youth.
- 61a [Comedy film starring Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal] is ANALYZE THIS/THAT. Crossings are OMI[TT]ED, MAS[HH]AD, SAT[IA]TE, and A[ST]OR. No, I’ve never heard of MASHHAD but hey, geography is not my thing.
What I didn’t know before I did this puzzle: that TURGENEV wrote “A Month in the Country.”
Brendan Emmett Quigley’s crossword #1763, “Watering Holes”—Eric’s review
Brendan Emmett Quigley’s Crossword #1763, “Watering Holes” 3/6/25
It’s a familiar theme this week: Stick a word into a well-known phrase or name and see what wackiness ensues. As hinted at by the title, the added word is WELL:
- 17A [Refuse to stop talking about actor Ribisi?] DWELL ON GIOVANNI I can see solvers who don’t know Mr. Ribisi’s given name having trouble with this one, but it might be my favorite of the bunch.
- 26A [Tune that keeps building?] SWELLING SONG This is probably the weakest of the theme answers, since the wackiness is almost non-existent. Some songs swell.
- 43A [“Both ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘1984’ work for me”?] EITHER ORWELL OK, I liked this one, too. Problematic if you don’t know the author, but Animal Farm was required reading when I was in junior high or high school, and 1984 is iconic and unfortunately all too apt for our times.
- 57A [Wiped down all of a Tube track?] TOWELLED THE LINE When I was solving, I assumed that Tube was some band I’d never heard of, but I just realized we’re talking about the London Underground.
Now that I see all the theme answers together, it’s overall a solid bunch.
Other stuff that stands out:
- 1A [Some Camaros] IROCS It’s always nice to start a puzzle with a gimme, and if we’re talking Camaro, the four-letter answer is always IROC (which I learned a while back is short for “International Race of Champions,” a stock car racing event from 1972 to 2007 that was rebooted in 2024).
- 20A [Emilia’s husband at the Globe] IAGO My project of reading the important Shakespeare plays that I hadn’t already read or seen never got any further than Othello, but some day I will get around to King Lear and the others.
- 42A [Some N95s] MASKS It took me a second to remember what an N95 is.
- 61A [Its state emblem is a beehive] UTAH My husband and I spent last week in Utah, skiing in Big Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City. There are beehives on the signs for all the state highways, including the one that runs right past the lodge where we stayed.
- 7D [Open org.] USGA I had USTA first, until Mr Ribisi needed a G. When I think of the U.S. Open, I think of tennis before golf.
- 11D [Bad weather in some sci-fi] ION STORM
- 33D [Mustang treatment option] TURTLE WAX You can, of course, use that product on other cars. I assume the clue’s reference to Mustangs is meant to make us think of horses.
- 41D [Hell of a guy?] DEVIL I tried SATAN first.
Max Schlenker’s USA Today Crossword, “Party Leader” — Emily’s write-up
Pump up the jams!
USA Today, March 06, 2025, “Party Leader” by Max Schlenker
Theme: the first word of each themer can be prepended with PARTY— to form a type of party
Themers:
- 16a. [Single friend who tags along], THIRDWHEEL
- 25a. [Tea that co-workers spill], OFFICEGOSSIP
- 45a. [2021 Lady Gaga/Adam Driver crime drama], HOUSEOFGUCCI
- 58a. [Fusion food sometimes topped with pepperoni], PIZZABAGEL
Today’s themer set doesn’t seem to have much in common: THIRDWHEEL, OFFICEGOSSIP, HOUSEOFGUCCI, and PIZZABAGEL. However, with the theme, we get THIRD PARTY, OFFICE PARTY, HOUSE PARTY, and PIZZA PARTY. While also a quirky group, it seems that the fun is increasing with each one—though that could just be me.
Favorite fill: YOGAMAT, LIMEADE, and ZOE
Stumpers: TAPES (new to me, kept thinking “masks” and “cream” and “serum”), FAB (cluing didn’t quite get me there), and AUTO (needed crossings)
Good puzzle but a tricky one for me today. Once filled, nothing seemed particularly difficult but there were enough entires that I didn’t know and some cluing that just did’t click for me—I still got there in the end but it was a longer solve for me today. How’d you all do?
3.5 stars
~Emily
ZDL: “the theme phrases … don’t seem to be referenced in the puzzle.”
Sure they are, referring to the second instance:
17A [Like one with renewed beliefs] = (RE)BORN.
30A [Tying one’s shoes, e.g., for most people] = (SECOND) NATURE.
48A [Exact replica] = CARBON (COPY).
63A [Strengthen one’s commitment] = (DOUBLE) DOWN.
I agree that the clues are all the reveal we need.
I got a laugh thinking about the dupe haters and how they’d react. It’s probably a bit much to say Will is trolling them, right?
I agree, but I also think BORN (AGAIN) is probably the correct interpretation for 17A.
Fun theme and pretty solid fill. Last letter in was the “S” at the crossing of ASS and DOSA. I always forget about that use of -ass, and my knowledge of Indian cuisine is pretty limited. (Need to work on that.)
Yeah, that sounds more likely.Nice one.
I was about halfway through the puzzle when I thought “wait, is this a weird Thursday themeless” then started looking at the puzzle and noticed I had NATURE in twice, then started to see the rest of it. Very clever stuff! Certainly on the faster half of my Thursdays, but no PR.
On the USA Today: is a PIZZA BAGEL actually “fusion food?” Do we want to live in the world where we call English muffin pizza “Anglo-Italian fusion cuisine” ???
Yup, a pizza bagel is fusion food (Jewish-Italian).
NYT: I liked the puzzle, got the theme at 48A and 63A. But I don’t understand ZDL’s comment, “ALY RAISMAN, the smirk heard round the world”. I have actually heard of this gymnast even though I’m an Australian who lives in Australia, but I’m mystified by this.
I think it’s a mistaken reference to McKayla Maroney.
yes, apologies, when i did the write-up i was even more dim than normal. edits are posted above.
NYT: Loved the puzzle. And the dupe of “hurt” early in the puzzle (1A and 3D) was probably a “wink, wink” from Will to give a heads up to the other “legal” dupes in the puzzle. 🧩 Thanks Kiran for a fantastic Thursday puzzle
Clever and novel Thursday theme. At first, I wanted BORNAGAIN to be shoehorned into the grid somehow, but then got the trick.
SUNKENPLACE is baffling. I gather it’s an element of the movie “Get Out” (I didn’t watch the clip) but the clue makes it sound as if it’s a generic term, which doesn’t seem right.
I put in ELGUAPO before I remembered ELCHAPO — probably because there were a couple of Mexican restaurants called Guapo’s, in and around DC, that I would got to when I wanted comfort food.
I’m at the age when words I know somewhere in the gray matter often tend to hide from me when I call them. This time. I could only enter the EL at first. Then a few minutes later the little workers in the stacks of my mental library found the correct volume and told me CHAPO. (This was lucky, since sometimes it take them days.)
I’m at the age when words I know somewhere in the gray matter often tend to hide from me when I call them. This time. I could only enter the EL at first. Then a few minutes later the little workers in the stacks of my mental library found the correct volume and told me CHAPO. (This was lucky, since sometimes it take them days.)
Both NYT and Fireball were fun. NYT theme emerged without much fuss or emphasis but worked well. Fireball was tough and tricky but yielded after a considerable amount of head scratching.
WSJ: Jim, I think you’re mistaken about the fourth themer. “Endless Love” is missing its E; therefore it is indeed endless in the same way CREDI is partial, etc. It’s entirely consistent with the theme.
Fun puzzle! Bit of an echo of the fairly recent one with shaved-off bumper sticker phrases, which I also enjoyed.
Sebastian, I think what Jeff, the reviewer, was referring to is the fact that ENDLESS LOVE doesn’t fit with the other themers, all of which related to something being incomplete in some way (i.e., being “A Little Bit Shy” of some quantity).
–A dimwitted person, who’s NOTALLTHER, is a little bit shy with respect to smarts
–A teacher gives PARTIALCREDI if you were a little bit shy with respect to the complete, correct answer on an assignment
–COMINGUPSHOR means one was a little bit shy with respect to what was expected
–But ENDLESSLOV goes on and on, and thus doesn’t come up short…it’s present in abundance
Ah, point taken. That is a level I didn’t see, so thanks, Jeanne, for laying it out in those terms. (And for the record, Jeff is the constructor, Jim the reviewer.)
Yes, apologies for that error; I switched the J names!
NYT: wait ZDL, you call out ELCHAPO and leave CHE GUEVERA out of that mix? How many needless deaths was he responsible for??
Universal: I don’t get today’s theme. Help please.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomic_rank#Main_ranks
King Philip Came Over… ;)
Very interesting. Thanks
Speaking of Hitler (maybe the first and last time I start a sentence with that), a few years ago, Will Shortz interviewed with the New Yorker. He was asked: “Can you think of any entries or clues or themes that you outright rejected because you thought they would be too offensive?”
His answer: “Two that jump to mind. I rejected a puzzle that had “Mengele” in it, the World War Two German Nazi. I didn’t want him in a puzzle. Once somebody—this is hilarious, I think—sent me a puzzle whose theme was four anagrams of ‘Adolf Hitler.’ And I’m thinking, You’re sitting down to make a theme for a crossword. What would be interesting and entertain people? And that’s what you come up with?
Nowadays, we have to be more careful of people’s sensitivities on political issues. We’re much more cognizant.”
I’ve never been lucky enough to be published by the NYT, but I guess I am lucky enough to have been called out by Will Shortz in one of his interviews. I was in college when I submitted that work of garbage, and although I wish I had never submitted it, at least I get to tell this story!
You can read the entire interview here, in case you missed it: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/will-shortzs-life-in-crosswords
How did you get four anagrams out of Adolf Hitler?
I cheated and used https://wordunscrambler.me
but the longest one they came up with was “floriated”.
Interesting story, though…
Oh, they were really bad: ”DOLLAR THIEF,” FILLED TORAH,” etc. I thought I was being funny, but instead I was bringing shame to my own religion.
That’s hysterical.
+1
Uni … re the clue for DIVOT (“Clump of turf on the green”): If you’re playing on a golf course with DIVOTs on the green, it’s time to find a new course. Terrible clue.
Thank you for the feedback! The USGA says there are two definitions of “green” in golf. They say: “Green is a noun and has two proper golf meanings. The first meaning is chiefly of Scottish origin. It simply defines all territory of a golf course, or all areas outside the confines of the clubhouse. Thus, it can be used in relation to all outdoor areas of a golf course. The second meaning, most readily known to modern audiences, means the area of short grass surrounding a hole referred to as the “putting green.””
I’m not much into golf, but the way I remember it, if a player causes a divot, they are supposed to put it back, in the hope that it the grass will re-root (or it will at least not look too ugly…). For the (hopefully) short period befor that’s done, it’s a clump of turf on the green. :)
I think the point is that you take divots with irons, not putters, so divots on a (putting) green means a really poor duffer has preceded you.
USA: I’d like to see Jared Goudsmit tone down his editing quite a bit. He tries too hard to come up with clues that contain exotic foods that the great majority of solvers have never heard of.