jump to: difficult evidence

Friday’s Puzzle Before we begin, I’d like to direct readers’ attention to a new weekly newsletter that should help analysts get their hands on the Friday Puzzle. Written by Christina Iverson, puzzle editor, it features an easier set of clues for the first time without themes of the week. If you’d like to take a peek before you sign up, I’m going to show you some easy mode guides (behind the links, because spoilers) below. So, if you want to try one of the hardest puzzles of the week, but want to go a bit more difficult at the intermediate level, please take a look.

Carly Shona has the best day job I know of course second only to the crossover columnist of course. mx. Shauna, who uses her pronouns, is an actress and circus instructor. Before we do anything else, please watch them on the German wheel.

This is amazing, isn’t it?

and Mx. Shauna does crossword puzzles too. Fortunately for us, their networks are as fearless as they seem.

I think most people will really like this.

How could you not love the network with delicious entries like BITE ME, HELL TO THE NO, THIS IS THE MOOD (which is their conundrum for sure) and I mean REALLY? In addition, there is a good balance between misdirection and straightforwardness in the clues. mx. Shauna’s Crosswords is an enthusiastic way to transition into the weekend.

difficult evidence

1 a. “Collision protection?” It might be a seatbelt if you’re in the car, but in the Mx. Shona’s riddle, AUTOSAVE protects us from computer crashes.

17a. This “service provider?” Not a company that provides internet service, but a RECTOR that provides a religious service.

23a. It never gets more concise than a guide like “above”. The word can be used in quite a few contexts, but today it means AT BAT.

26a. Til (I learned today) that the country’s name IDAHO is not only an ingredient (like ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs), but its flag “translates” the name as “Jewel of the Mountains.”

28a. When you see a clue like “Get out for a bit?” Remember, the “coming out” part usually refers to losing consciousness or falling asleep. In this case, “a little” means a short sleep, also known as NAP.

59a. A tie may be required at a black tie event, but as a “dining option” it may be part of the PASTA BAR.

2 d. Usually, asterisks in crossword puzzles indicate that the clue is the content of the topic. But today, “*Gulp*” has stars for emphasis on the word. If you “swallow” hard, you might be thinking UH OH.

11 d. I love this guide. “French thinker?” It does not refer to a philosopher. “Thinker” is the head, and because the word “French” is used, we must use that language in our answer. The word for “head” is TETE.

34 d. Another til! The original recipe for S’MORE was in a 1927 book titled “Stomping and being late with the Girl Scouts. They were originally called “some mores,” but that name obviously took longer to say than it actually did to eat the stuff, so someone shortened it to a contraction.

47 d. Note the spelling “outline” in this guide. It is presented here as a two-word phrase, which means it is not the skeleton or outline of a written document. This guide should be read as “What short phrase would I say if I was out of the game?” The answer is that I lost.

Creator Notes

This network has a lot of attitudes, which seems appropriate as I am. My primary job is as a circus and performance coach. I always try to be nice to my students, but I like to mess with them sometimes. “You Call that straight leg? “Come on, all I ask of you is to hang by your heels. Do you think this is very difficult? I mean really! “

Friday is my favorite fix day of the week. I absolutely love nonsensical puzzles. Maybe it’s taboo for a designer to say this, but I’ve never liked themes. swap letters? flying own words? No. Stop messing with my puzzle. My dislike of the themes is unfortunate, because it turns out that puzzles that don’t make sense are really hard to make. Each one I successfully create feels like a small miracle.

Thanks to Dana Edwards for testing a solution to this problem, and thanks always and forever to Will Nediger for his generous guidance when I started making puzzles.

Fearless Fridays: About the Easy Mode newsletter

Once a week, Puzzle Editor Christina Iverson will send out a list of easily accessible crossword clues. This newsletter is for those who have wanted to try Friday puzzles but have heard all about how difficult these puzzles are.

If you solve puzzles at the beginning of the week but feel like you don’t have the experience to move forward, think of this as a set of training wheels in the shape of a cross. Use the easy mode guides until you don’t need them anymore, then tell a struggling friend like you’re getting over your Fridays. Maybe they can benefit from this newsletter too.

The links below are the key numbers that will run in the Friday puzzle. When you click on it, you will see both the version that will play the puzzle and the easier one.

Not that difficult, is it? You can definitely solve Friday’s riddle. You may just need some training before you conquer them on your own.

To subscribe to the Easy Mode newsletter, click the link here or at the top of the column.

Want to submit a crossword puzzle to the New York Times?

The New York Times Crossword has an open submission system, and you can submit puzzles online.

NB: Submissions are temporarily closed. They will reopen on July 17. Puzzle editors will review puzzles that have already been submitted during that time, so you may continue to listen while submissions are closed.

For tips on how to get started, read our How to Make a Crossword Puzzle series.

The turning point

Almost done with the solution but it needs a file a little More help? We’ve got you covered.

Spoiler alert: Subscribers can peek at the answer key.

Are you trying to go back to the main play page? You can find it here.