Crossword Fiend | Reviewing the best crosswords in newspapers and on the Web

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Posted on November 25, 2025 by Eric Hougland

AV Club 5:46 (Amy) 4*: 3 | 3.5*: 1 | 2*: 1 [3.50 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
LAT 5:34 (Gareth) 3*: 1 | 2*: 1 [2.50 avg; 2 ratings] rate it
NYT 3:56 (Amy) 4.5*: 3 | 4*: 2 | 3.5*: 3 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 | 1.5*: 1 [3.55 avg; 11 ratings] rate it
The New Yorker 5:38 (one-handed typing, with one error) (Kyle) 4*: 3 | 3.5*: 2 [3.80 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
Universal untimed (pannonica) 4.5*: 1 | 3.5*: 1 | 1.5*: 1 [3.17 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
USA Today 7:06 (Emily) 5*: 1 | 4*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 | 2*: 1 | 1*: 1 [2.92 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
WSJ 9:53 (Eric) 3*: 1 | 2*: 1 | 1*: 3 [1.60 avg; 5 ratings] rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Dan Zarin, Daniel Hrynick, Joe Rodini, John McClung, Mike Shenk, Rafael Musa, Robyn Weintraub | 13 Comments

MGWCC #912

Posted on November 25, 2025 by joon

MGWCC crossword 2:59
meta ~~DNF~~ 3 days 5*: 4 | 4.5*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 [4.50 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
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Posted in Contests | Tagged Patrick Berry | 8 Comments

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Erin Milligan-Milburn

Jonesin’ 6:39 (Erin) 5*: 1 [5.00 avg; 1 rating] rate it
LAT untimed (Jenni) 5*: 1 | 3.5*: 1 | 1*: 1 [3.17 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
NYT 9:43 (Eric) 5*: 1 | 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 1 | 3.5*: 3 | 2*: 4 [3.32 avg; 11 ratings] rate it
The New Yorker untimed (pannonica) 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 2 | 3.5*: 3 | 2*: 2 [3.50 avg; 9 ratings] rate it
Universal 7:31 (Eric) 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 2 | 2*: 1 [2.88 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (Sophia) 3*: 1 [3.00 avg; 1 rating] rate it
Xword Nation tk (Ade) rate it
WSJ untimed (Jim Q) rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Erik Agard, Gene Leganza, John Ewbank, Matt Jones, Ravi Mangla, Robert S. Gard, Theresa Brady | 28 Comments

WSJ Contest — Friday, November 21, 2025

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Conrad

WSJ (Contest) Grid: 10 minutes; Meta: 10 more 4*: 4 | 2*: 2 [3.33 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
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Posted in Contests | Tagged Matt Gaffney | 17 Comments

Monday, November 24, 2025

Posted on November 23, 2025 by Sophia Maymudes

BEQ 9:39 (Eric) 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 | 2*: 1 [3.25 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
LAT 1:49 (Stella) 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 2 | 1.5*: 1 [3.50 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
NYT 3:26 (Sophia) 4*: 5 | 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2*: 1 [3.56 avg; 8 ratings] rate it
The New Yorker 4:02 (Amy) 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 1 | 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2*: 3 [3.00 avg; 7 ratings] rate it
Universal tk (pannonica) 5*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 | 1.5*: 1 [3.00 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (?) 3*: 1 [3.00 avg; 1 rating] rate it
WSJ 5:02 (Jim Q) rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Alan Siegel, Brendan Emmett Quigley, Joseph A. Gangi, Will Nediger, Zhou Zhang | 6 Comments

Sunday, November 23, 2025

Posted on November 22, 2025 by Eric Hougland

LAT tk (Gareth) 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2*: 1 | 1.5*: 1 [2.50 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
NYT 20:19 (Eric) 4*: 5 | 3*: 2 | 2.5*: 3 | 2*: 3 | 1.5*: 4 [2.68 avg; 17 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (Darby) 3*: 1 [3.00 avg; 1 rating] rate it
Universal (Sunday) 7:51 (Jim P) 4*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2*: 1 [3.00 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
Universal tk (Norah) 4*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 [3.17 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
WaPo 4:28 (Matt G) 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 4 | 2*: 1 | 1.5*: 1 [3.56 avg; 8 ratings] rate it

New Yorker crossword constructor Natan Last has a book due out on Tuesday called Across the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle. The Nation ran an engaging excerpt last week. You can (pre)order it from Bookshop.org, which networks independent bookstores, or check your local library. New Yorkers, you might enjoy the book launch event on Tuesday evening, in conversation with New Yorker critic Doreen St. Félix.

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Evan Birnholz, Kevin Christian, Trenton Charlson | 18 Comments

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Posted on November 21, 2025 by Eric Hougland

LAT 2:10 (Stella) 4*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 | 2*: 1 [2.83 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
Newsday untimed (Amy sitting in for pannonica) 5*: 1 | 4.5*: 3 | 2*: 1 [4.10 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
NYT 8:10 (Amy) 4*: 6 | 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 2 | 2.5*: 6 | 2*: 2 | 1.5*: 1 | 1*: 5 [2.57 avg; 23 ratings] rate it
Universal tk (Matthew) 4*: 1 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 [3.17 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (Matthew) 3*: 1 [3.00 avg; 1 rating] rate it
WSJ 17:43 (Eric) 5*: 1 | 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 1 | 1*: 1 [3.63 avg; 4 ratings] rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Amy Ensz, Blake Slonecker, Ed Sessa, Gary Larson, Rafael Musa | 50 Comments

Friday, November 21, 2025

Posted on November 20, 2025 by Amy Reynaldo

LAT untimed (pannonica) 3*: 2 | 2*: 2 | 1.5*: 1 | 1*: 1 [2.08 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
NYT 5:46 (Amy) 5*: 2 | 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 3 | 3.5*: 1 | 3*: 3 | 2.5*: 2 | 2*: 2 | 1*: 1 [3.27 avg; 15 ratings] rate it
Universal 6:21 (Jim P) 5*: 1 | 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 2 | 3*: 1 | 1*: 2 [3.38 avg; 8 ratings] rate it
USA Today tk (Emily) 4*: 1 | 1*: 1 [2.50 avg; 2 ratings] rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Emet Ozar, Hanh Huynh, Joyce Keller | 25 Comments

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Posted on November 19, 2025 by Eric Hougland

BEQ 8:13+ (Eric) 3.5*: 2 | 1.5*: 1 [2.83 avg; 3 ratings] rate it
Fireball untimed (Jenni) 5*: 2 | 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 1 [4.60 avg; 5 ratings] rate it
LAT 5:01 (Gareth) 4*: 1 | 3.5*: 1 | 2*: 1 | 1*: 1 [2.63 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
NYT 7:11 (ZDL) 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 7 | 3.5*: 2 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 2 | 2*: 3 | 1.5*: 1 | 1*: 1 [3.11 avg; 18 ratings] rate it
Universal 7:54 (Eric) 4*: 2 | 3*: 1 | 2.5*: 1 [3.38 avg; 4 ratings] rate it
USA Today 12:58 (Emily) 4.5*: 1 | 1*: 1 [2.75 avg; 2 ratings] rate it
WSJ untimed (Jim Q) 4.5*: 1 | 4*: 3 | 2*: 1 [3.70 avg; 5 ratings] rate it

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Posted in Daily Puzzles | Tagged Adam Levav, Adam Wagner, Brendan Emmett Quigley, Caroline Hand, Mike Shenk, Paul Coulter, Shannon Rapp, Will Eisenberg | 16 Comments

MGWCC #911

Posted on November 19, 2025 by joon

MGWCC crossword 0:40
meta ~~DNF~~ 3 days 5*: 2 | 4.5*: 2 | 4*: 2 [4.50 avg; 6 ratings] rate it
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Posted in Contests | Tagged Corey Kosak, Frank Longo, Matt Gaffney | 13 Comments

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

MGWCC #912

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

WSJ Contest — Friday, November 21, 2025

Monday, November 24, 2025

Sunday, November 23, 2025

Saturday, November 22, 2025

Friday, November 21, 2025

Thursday, November 20, 2025

MGWCC #911

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