LAT untimed (pannonica) 
[2.83 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
NYT 6:42 (Amy) 
[4.17 avg; 24 ratings] rate it
Universal 5:02 (Jim P) [2.90 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (Emily) 
[2.50 avg; 1 rating] rate it
Robyn Weintraub’s New York Times Crossword — Amy’s recap
NY Times crossword solution, 1/30/26 – no 0130
Your blogger has a fever tonight, so here’s Robyn’s puzzle grid. Lots of nice longer entries interlaced hither and yon.
Four stars from me.
Hanh Huynh’s Universal crossword, “I’m Speechless”—Jim P’s review
Theme answers are familiar words, names, and phrases but the solver must audibly remove the “ME” sound in order to get the answer to match the clue homophonically. The revealer is “HEAR ME OUT” (49a, [“Just listen to what I have to say,” and a hint to a sound you must ignore when reading each starred clue’s answer]).
Universal crossword solution · “I’m Speechless” · Hanh Huynh · Fri., 1.30.26
- 21a. [*Melon scoop] BALMIER. Baller.
- 64a. [*Joints above the ankles] MEANIES. Knees.
- 65a. [*Sneaky scheme] ROOMIES. Ruse.
- 3d. [*Areas of land] TRACK MEETS. Tracts.
- 11d. [*Electrically neutral, in chemistry] AMY POEHLER. Apolar. Wow! What a crazy find. Not knowing the theme at this point in the solve absolutely threw me for a loop.
A very nifty theme that baffled at first but then made total sense with the revealer—just how a good, tricky theme is supposed to be. Kudos for some fun finds in there.
Fill highlights include APPLE CORE, RAP ARTIST, OPEN BAR, ALL THAT, and “TAKE ONE“. Plus, I enjoyed the free-flowing open design of the grid with its left/right symmetry.
Clue of note: 33d. [Gala center?]. APPLE CORE. Good, tricksy clue especially given the earlier clue [Gala spot with free drinks] for OPEN BAR.
Good theme expertly executed with fun fill and cluing. What’s not to like? Four stars.
Zachary David Levy’s Los Angeles Times crossword — pannonica’s write-up
LAT • 1/30/26 • Fri • Levy • solution • 20260130
As the grid started to get filled in, some of the answers looked funky, and I couldn’t figure out was going on. It sure seemed as if the crossing entries were correct!
- 25dR [Comment to a low talker, or what is found in 4-, 9-, 27-, and 40-Down] SPEAK UP. It certainly didn’t help that the first themer I had mostly filled in (9d) had the shortest modified element—only two letters.
- 4d. [Fast service] SSREPXE MAIL (express mail).
- 9d. [Seize-the-day type] OG-GETTER (go-getter). Also tricky because ‘go’ is the least obvious of the four synonyms for ‘speak’ in the puzzle.
- 27d. [Many a land-grant university] ETATS SCHOOL (state school). Etats is also French for ‘states’ (not the speaking kind) and that’s fun little distraction.
- 40d. [Hogwash] RETTU ROT (utter rot). Not sure how strong UTTER ROT is as a phrase; what’s its GPQ?
It’s a very solid theme with an excellent revealer.
- 15a [Enter again, as data] RELOG. Speaks to my electronic bias that my first attempt here was REKEY.
- 18a [Greg Maddux’s record 18] GOLD GLOVES. That does seem like a lot.
- 26a [Neutrogena product] T-GEL. Seems as if this might be a tough entry for some? Either you-know-it-or-you-don’t stuff.
- 40a [Put on again] RE-AIR. Sure, ok.
- 43a [Edmonton CFL team] ELKS. A refreshing change from the various BPOE clues we typically get.
- 50a [Conveyances also known as tricycle rickshaws] PEDICABS. I believe they’re also called cyclos.
- 59a [Magenta kin] FUCHSIA. m-w.com doesn’t even have the more accurate German-style pronunciation listed as a variant!
- 11d [Makes more sophisticated] CIVILIZED. Perhaps that isn’t always a good thing. And no this isn’t a romantic ‘noble savage’ take; 3d [Views] TAKES.
- 30d [Terse confirmation] IT IS. 45a [Terse denial] NOT I.
- 36d [Fruitless endeavor] LOST CAUSE. In our current moment, one would do well to be aware of the power and persistence of the fallacious Lost Cause narrative.
- 47d [Marketing space] AD UNIT. 34a [Department with direct marketing campaigns] SALES. >yawn<
- 51d [IRS convenience] E-FILE. On the chopping block, thanks to current legislative majorities. It’s an unambiguous move to hurt and disenfranchise people, and also help private businesses.
Sorry you’re feeling under the weather, Amy. I hope you rest up and feel better soon.
Even ailing, you completed the NYT with characteristically dazzlingly speed. I found this one quite challenging, even though I ultimately completed it only slightly above my average time.
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4 stars
A typically smooth Robyn Weintraub in the Times I thought. a little too easy, but that’s my only complaint.
the longer entries were great: loved “Check, please!”, Baby Groot, All-Star Cast, childhood Ghost Stories, Spiral Galaxy, and T Minus Zero and thought Face Reality, Remain Calm, Weed Killer, Goes Beserk, South Beach, Textbox were all very good.
4 * from me.
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4.5 stars
Agreed on all front.
And I like a little easier on Friday. Makes be feel ABLE.
Feel better, Amy!!!!!
NYT: Nice puzzle. Seemed like more of a Saturday-level challenge to me.
Finished with an error at the crossing of BABY GROOT and STAX. Had no idea on either one, so I tried an “M.”
Amy – get well soon!
Same error for me too Gary! T was my second choice, since I have little to no Marvel knowledge. In retrospect, STAX makes more sense than SMAX.
Classic Robyn puzzle!
Memphis made me think STAX. The label is strongly associated with the city. I found when it comes to R&B and Soul I’m more of a Stax/Memphis person than Motown/Detroit
Like Mutman, after the fact, I thought STAX probably made more sense – from “Stacks of Wax” maybe? But GROOT was utterly meaningless to me. Oh, well!
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4 stars
I was very excited to see Robyn’s byline and it did not disappoint. It was a little harder than normal and… maybe a little gunky? But still a great time.
I ended up taking longer than average as I dropped in COMES LATE instead of WORKS LATE, and my biggest problem was I was sure it was SOUTH MIAMI, and after staring at TEXT M.. for a while slowly realized it had to be SOUTH BEACH instead.
I was also tripped up by seeing LSD so often and hardly ever ACID that I couldn’t knock my brain loose till I had the first three letters.
Fun Friday!
I had MIAMIBEACH for awhile, which is correct but not correct enough.
Didn’t love INDO or TILDE. Those kind of clues bug me no matter who writes them.
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4.5 stars
Perfect Friday – no proper names, very fair crossings, fun satisfying clues, very little crossword-ese. 4.5!
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 5 stars
Loved BABY GROOT! Fun fill.
I found the NYT harder than usual too. Nothing stands out, but there were several clues that took me a while to understand. In fact, I don’t understand “spare part?” for PIN. What’s the context on that one?
The clue for MEWS is wrong. What are called rowhouses in this country are known as terraced houses in the UK. A mews is a small courtyard or side street with small houses that have been repurposed from what were originally stables or something similar.
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4 stars
In bowling, a spare (loosely!) comprises PINs…
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 5 stars
I came here to mention that clue specifically as inspired!
Great work as usual, Robyn!
Oh, bowling! Not a subject I know much about.
Some years ago, after Christmas dinner at a friend’s house, we tried bowling on his Wii system. The others tried to explain how the scoring worked, but I just couldn’t get it. Admittedly, this was after a big dinner and more than a couple of glasses of wine.
I did wonder about that, but everything I know about MEWS comes from Dick Francis novels.
Yeah, I had no idea about that clue at all and got it from the crossings
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 5 stars
The last few Robyn puzzles I’ve done have been Wednesday New Yorkers and I kept thinking “I want a really chewy Robyn puzzle!” This one fulfilled my wish in all respects. Smooth and smart and funny as always. Like Mary Poppins, it was practically perfect in every way.
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 3.5 stars
NYT: only complaint is that it was too easy. Felt like I just went in order from 1A to 59a without much pause. I prefer to stall out multiple times have to switch quadrants and use crosses for hints much more than I had to on this. Seems like “breezy” should be a pejorative descriptor for a Friday puzzle, no?
Puzzle: NYT; Rating: 4.5 stars
It’s interesting that half the comments say the NYT is easier than usual and half say it’s harder than usual. But regardless I enjoyed this one.