Thursday, November 13, 2025

BEQ 7:58 (Eric) rate it
Fireball untimed (Jenni) [3.67 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
LAT tk (Gareth) [3.17 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
NYT 7:52 (ZDL) [3.79 avg; 19 ratings] rate it
Universal 6:42 (Eric) [3.50 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
USA Today 10:24 (Emily) [2.50 avg; 1 rating] rate it
WSJ 9:08 (Jim Q) [4.00 avg; 8 ratings] rate it

Joshua Dobrow’s Universal Crossword — Eric’s Review

Joshua Dobrow’s Universal Crossword “Quadruple-Double” — 11/13/25

I don’t see Joshua Dobrow in the Fiend database, so I assume this is his first puzzle published in a venue that we cover. Congratulations on a solid debut!

There’s probably a name for this kind of theme:

• 17A [*Answer to “Who’s the fairest of them all?”] SNOW WHITE
• 25A [*Not click on, say] HOVER OVER
• 36A [*Not attending class] CUTTING SCHOOL I hadn’t figured out the theme when I reached this one; if I had I might not have tried things like “skipping school” and “ditching school.” (Yes, I know neither fits, but it’s quicker for me to type an answer that’s the wrong length than to count the letters.)
• 48A [*Credit option for wealthy clients] BLACK CARD How do those of us not in the 1% group know these elitist credit cards exist? I learned of them from crosswords — how about you?
• 60A [Support for a basket … or what combines with either word in each starred clue’s answer?] BACKBOARD Since only “board” combines with either word of the other theme answers, I’m gonna say that “back” is an indication that “board” follows those other words — snowboard, white board, etc.

It’s a fine if not overly exciting theme, and the theme answers are all familiar enough. I don’t know how limited the universe of two-word phrases and compound nouns that fit with “board” is. Nor do I know how Mr. Dobrow went about finding his theme answers, though I expect one could write some code to search one’s word lists and generate possibilities that fit the parameters. (Or easier yet, just take advantage of the tools constructor Adam Aaronson generously provides.)

Other stuff of interest:

• 16A [Birch relative] ALDER Not ASPEN. I went with what I can see from where I’m sitting, and it cost me 30 seconds or so.
• 32A [First lady?] EVE/41A [First gentleman?] ADAM I try to think about the Trumps as little as possible. It helps.
• 

  Map courtesy of Google Maps

  40A [___ Antonio] SAN/10D [Davy Crockett’s last stand] ALAMO The Misión San Antonio de Valero is right in the middle of downtown San Antonio.

• 57A [Chris who was on “Saturday Night Live”] REDD Weird. I would have sworn that clue said “who was born on” and I thought that was a bit odd. It doesn’t matter; I wouldn’t have recognized his name either way.
• 6D [Like Joyce and Yeats] IRISH Tip o’ the Day: “Yeats” rhymes with “Gates.”
• 60D [Landlocked nation in South America: Abbr.] BOL I think Paraguay is the only other South American country that has no coastline.

Joe Rodini’s Fireball Crossword “Double Play” – Jenni’s write-up

We have rebuses! Plus a quote revealer for good measure.

Fireball, November 12, 2025, Joe Rodini, “Double Play,” solution grid

• 1a [University community along with its neighbors] is {TG}OWN – TOWN and GOWN. The rebus crosses 1d [Working stiff’s cry] which is TGIF.
• 5a [Storytelling technique often seen in “The West Wing”] is {WT}ALK – WALK and TALK crossing 5d [Org. for the Williams sisters], WTA TOUR.
• 9a [Red Lobster offering] is {ST}URF, SURF and TURF. This crosses 9d [Calf raiser], STILETTO.
• 62a [Use a bong first thing in the morning] is {WB}AKE – WAKE and BAKE. The crossing is 49d [“Felicity” network], THE WB.
• 63a [Entertain at a restaurant] is {WD}INE – WINE and DINE crossing 53d [Apt rhyme of “crude”], LEWD.
• 64a [Close] is {ND}EAR – NEAR and DEAR, crossing 42d [National dog of Norway} which is the ELKHOUND.

And the revealer: 23a [With 36- and 47-Across, Yogi-ism that also serves as an instruction for completing this puzzle]: WHEN YOU COME TO/A FORK IN/THE ROAD TAKE IT. I’m a sucker for things Yogi is reputed to have said and that made the puzzle for me.

What I didn’t know before I did this puzzle: that José ALDO is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame. Didn’t even know such a thing existed.

Kyle Perkins’s New York Times crossword — Zachary David Levy’s write-up

Difficulty: Easy (7m52s)

Kyle Perkins’s New York Times crossword, 11/13/25, 1113

Today’s theme: WHEELS (What this puzzle’s sets of shaded squares resemble)

• R(OLLS) ONES EYES
• SHOOTS S(OME H)OOPS
• THROW F(OR A L)OOP
• R(OUND) OF APPLAUSE

Here we go loop de loop
Here we go loop de li
Here we go loop de loop
On a saturday night!

Cracking: OH CMON, everyone likes Johnny Thunder

Slacking: take me to your LDRS?

Sidetracking: SILOED

Zachary Edward-Brown’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Side Eyes” — Jim Q’s write-up

THEME: The I’s have been moved out of themers’ “proper” spots to the front

WSJ • 11/13/25 • Thur • “Side Eyes” • Zachary Edward-Brown • solution

THEME ANSWERS:

• IIITMELMT = TIME LIMIT
• IIIIBKNLNES = BIKINI LINES
• IIIIISPLTNFNTVE = SPLIT INFINITVE
• IIIIMSSSSPP
• (revealer) [Cry of anticipation, and why 16-, 25-, 39- and 51-Across are presented the way that they are] I CAN’T WAIT

This was nutso in the best way. Sort of reminded me of a VWLSS Crossword, which I solve once in a rare while. I also assumed that the title “Side Eyes” was the revealer, so I was pleasantly surprised to uncover the actual revealer I CAN’T WAIT, which is much more fun and apt since the I’s are only first (and not to both sides as the title might suggest).

I’m curious as to whether the constructor tried to find words/phrases that would work with I being the only vowel, as in MISSISSIPPI. The other 3 have one pesky E in there that, I’m guessing, Zachary may’ve initially tried to avoid. There is also a perfect lack of other I’s in the puzzle outside of the themers, which is elegant and didn’t seem to cause too much damage fill-wise.

STUMBLES / NEW-TO-ME / ETC. 

• [Concerns for tanners] BIKINI LINES (IIIIBKNLNES) I was certain we were looking for the type of tanner who works with leather.
• [Product of scheming] PLAN. Not PLOY as I entered initially.
• [Starbuck’s manager] AHAB. Cute.
• [Thompson of the Mavericks] KLAY. New to me.
• [Archangel known as the angel of wisdom] URIEL. That’s not the Little Mermaid, right? No, that’s ARIEL. But I suppose if you combine her with Ursula…
• [2009 Hilary Swank biopic] AMELIA. As in Earhart I suppose? I thought this had something to do with Boys Don’t Cry initially. I’m suddenly interested in AMELIA Earhart after reading a fantastic article in The New Yorker. Maybe I’ll check this movie out. Didn’t know it existed.
• [Key next to Q] TAB. Is it possible not to look at your keyboard if you get a clue like this?

Really fun, clever, original puzzle today. I didn’t mind the themers looking like they just got off the Hot Mess Express after a long ride.

4.5 stars.

Brendan Emmett Quigley’s Crossword #1834 “Change Back” — Eric’s Review

Brendan Enmmett Quigley’s Crossword #1834 — 11/13/25

The title made me think the theme would be related to the abhorrent Daylight Saving Time (I’m still getting used to the earlier sunrises). But no, it’s simply a bunch of dimes, indicated by squares with circles, running backwards in the grid:

• 17A [2001 hit by Jimmy Eat World] THE MIDDLE I’ve heard of the band, but I don’t know any of their songs.
• 23A [1973 Best New Artist] BETTE MIDLER Her debut album, The Divine Miss M, was released in 1972. I guess for Grammy purposes that makes her a “new artist,” though by that time, she’d already appeared on The Tonight Show.
• 31A [Princess whose childhood nickname was Squeak] KATE MIDDLETON I didn’t know of that nickname.
• 38A [Moneymaking skill] THE MIDAS TOUCH
• 59A [“Call it in the air,” and a hint to the circled letters in the grid] FLIP A COIN 

It’s a cromulent theme, though far from novel. Once I realized the circled words were all DIME (though backwards), it was easy to fill in a dozen letters without reading the clues.

Gotta run now, but I might be back later.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Additional stuff:

• 13A [___ Sturka (Rhea Seehorn’s “Pluribus” role)] CAROL Is this a case of trying too hard to be up to the minute with the pop culture clues? The show’s debut was less than a week ago, though Apple TV has already ordered a second season. (And it is on the top of our watch list.)
• 19A [Love in 21-Across] AMORE/21A [See 19-Across] ITALIA This could easily have been AMOUR/FRANCE. These are the kind of clues that you just need to be patient with.
• 30A [Shithead?] ESS Are we supposed to be shocked or just amused?
• 36A [“Circle back sometime,” on schedules] TBA/24D [Sched. unknown] TBD One or the other is enough for one grid.
• 48A [Ratings provider] MPAA I know Brendan’s culturally aware enough to know the Motion Picture Association dropped “of America” in 2019.
• 58A [“The Princess Diaries” author Meg] CABOT I didn’t recognize that name.
• 64A [Legal suffix] ESQ Not ESE.
• 35D [Music producer Templeman] TED Another a name I didn’t recognize, though now that I rarely buy music in a physical format, I don’t pay as much attention to musicians and producers as I did before. That’s no excuse here; Templeman’s known for working with 1970–1980s acts like the Doobie Brothers, Van Halen and Van Morrison.
• 45D [Carter-era FBI operation] ABSCAM A gimme if you’re as old as me. I wonder if anyone born after 1980 has any idea what this was.

Sala Wanetick’s USA Today Crossword, “Down to Earth (Freestyle)” — Emily’s write-up

A jam-packed puzzle!

USA Today, November 13, 2025, “Down to Earth (Freestyle)” by Sala Wanetick

Favorite fill: SAMOSAS, CHALLAH, and OMAKASE

Stumpers: SPITFIRE (needed crossings), HUMBLEBRAGS (needed crossings), and ENABLER (needed crossings)

This was a longer solve for me, with more challenging cluing. How’d you all do? The lengthy bonus fill overflowed the puzzle, which made for an interesting grid and much of which was also fresh and fun. A mini theme today too with MODESTMOUSE and HUMBLEBRAGS.

4.0 stars

~Emily