Constructor: David Kwong
Relative difficulty: Medium (if it takes longer than usual, it's because the puzzle has so many moving parts to keep track of, not because it's particularly hard)
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THEME:"Art Heist"— There are notes. Here they are:
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Ten paintings (actually, artist names, which stand for the paintings) have been "stolen" from ten different answers, replaced in each case by a single letter (from the Down cross) (e.g. the Max ERNST in EASTERN STANDARD TIME has been removed and replaced by the single letter "I" from IS INTO). The missing artist names also appear as standalone answers in the grid, clued as [Painting stolen from [relevant clue]]—this helps you figure out what "stolen" artist names to look for. Once the grid is completed, the letters that have replaced the artist names in their respective answers spell out a message, presumably from the accused art thief: "I WAS FRAMED" (get it? it's an art pun)
The paintings (i.e. artist names):
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Whatever this is, it isn't boring. I often grumble about "architectural marvel" grids because they (often!) sacrifice overall solving pleasure for grand visual schemes or other elaborate gimmicks. Put this here, connect these elements, read this hidden phrase backwards, fold your puzzle thrice and repeat an incantation, etc. Lots of instructions is almost always a sure sign of a slog—lots of (awkward, painful) work for a relatively superficial payoff. So, yeah, not super hopeful when I first opened the puzzle and got hit with a "message" notice. Software asked if I wanted to read the message. Sigh, sure, why not. I read the message and did Not understand the message, so I just dove in and figured "eh, whatever, I'll figure it out." And ... I did. And ... you know what? I (mostly) enjoyed my (very erratic) trip through this weird-ass grid museum. Finding the "missing" paintings was genuinely fun. If you're not a fan of paintings / artists / museums, I can see how this could've quickly grown tiresome, but I love art and museums so this was very much my jam. What I like most about the theme is how absolutely bonkers the answers are that contain the artist names. At first, I was like "OK, you hid ERNST in an answer, fine ... doesn't seem that hard, but fine." But by the time I got to O'KEEFFE I was like "dayyyyum, how the hell did you hide bleepin'O'KEEFFE, that is Not a name that wants to hide ... anywhere!" SMOKE EFFECTS, what a find. And some of the other "hidings" were equally creative. FROM ONE TO TEN!? BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA!?!? I am not normally a big fan of the "city, country" answer format (the "country" part always seems gratuitous—like, yes, Argentina, of course Argentina—are there other, non-Argentina BUENOS AIRESes?) but when you desperately need to hide a whole-ass SARGENT, you do what you gotta do. I admire the improvisation and creativity.
I had no idea THE CW still existed, but then I haven't had cable in years now (12D: "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" airer). I also had no idea "Penn and Teller: Fool Us" was a thing, but the clue made me smile—David Kwong is himself an accomplished magician, so I could feel him kinda winking there. I also had no idea anyone named LEANNA existed (29D: Actress Creel of "Saved by the Bell"), or that REAVE was ever a word (76D: Plunder, archaically), or that anyone was ever a TOYMAN (?!) (79D: Old-fashioned trinket shop vendors), or that you could use FLAM without the corresponding FLIM (71D: Deception). I knew DARIEN and LEHAR, but only in that dim, hazy, maybe I met you once at a party ten years ago kind of way (109A: Connecticut coastal town near Stamford + 67D: Franz who composed "The Merry Widow"). So there were definitely some trouble spots today, but overall the grid came in pretty smooth, especially considering how thematically demanding it was. And the grid manages to squeeze a fresh longer answer in there as well with ALERT TEXT (22D: Certain emergency message). That almost makes up for GREAT LIE, which has no business passing itself off as a standalone answer. Long partials are somehow much worse than short ones. You can forgive a short one, like "A LIFE," because you figure the constructor's in a tight spot, they have no other options, whatever. But a big answer like GREAT LIE? That's harder to see past. It's like he thought "well, GREAT LIE will fit here ... I wonder if anyone ever said that?" and then bam, Ben Franklin to the rescue. It's a debut ... and once again, I tap the "Not All Debuts Are Good" sign. What is that, three days in a row?
More things:
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I mean, the least you could do is slap a Post-It Note on your cat. Look—instant "Holiday" relevance (this is Cherry):
Or throw a hat on your dog... (this is Joy)
Here we have some proper Holiday pics, of the mischievous cat variety. Nessa, no! The YETI (4) is not a toy!
Not sure what Leo got up to, but the damage appears to have been done, Merry Shredded Presents Day!
Finally, here's Donut, furry companion of crossword constructor Trent Evans, watching ("watching") a classic Christmas movie. Yippee Ki-Yay, Donut.
Relative difficulty: Medium (if it takes longer than usual, it's because the puzzle has so many moving parts to keep track of, not because it's particularly hard)
- Max ERNST (54A: Painting stolen from 21-Across)
- Francisco GOYA (92A: Painting stolen from 33-Across)
- John Singer SARGENT (13D: Painting stolen from 35-Across)
- Edgar DEGAS (63D: Painting stolen from 53-Across)
- Frida KAHLO (20A: Painting stolen from 64-Across)
- Claude MONET (8A: Painting stolen from 71-Across)
- Georgia O'KEEFFE (94D: Painting stolen from 77-Across)
- TITIAN (4D: Painting stolen from (101-Across)
- Joan MIRÓ (93A: Painting stolen from 105-Across)
- Salvador DALÍ (110D: Painting stolen from 116-Across)
The answers from which the paintings were stolen:
Word of the Day: John Singer SARGENT (13D) —
- EASTERN STANDARD TIME (21A: Winter setting in New England)
- "GO, YANKEES!" (33A: Bronx cheer)
- BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (35A: Capital on the Rio de la Plata)
- BODEGAS (53A: Neighborhood grocery stores)
- HOOKAH LOUNGE (64A: Bar with hashish pipes)
- FROM ONE TO TEN (71A: Common scale range)
- SMOKE EFFECTS (77A: Fog and haze generated for a theatrical production)
- REGISTERED DIETITIAN (101A: Health professional focused on nutrition)
- STEAM IRON (105A: Household appliance that makes a hissing sound)
- "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB" (118A: Classic nursery rhyme)
John Singer Sargent (/ˈsɑːrdʒənt/; January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more than 2,000 watercolors, as well as countless sketches and charcoal drawings. His oeuvre documents worldwide travel, from Venice to the Tyrol, Corfu, Capri, Spain, the Middle East, Montana, Maine, and Florida. [...] From the beginning, Sargent's work is characterized by remarkable technical facility, particularly in his ability to draw with a brush, which in later years inspired admiration as well as criticism for its supposed superficiality. His commissioned works were consistent with the grand manner of portraiture, while his informal studies and landscape paintings displayed a familiarity with Impressionism. In later life, Sargent expressed ambivalence about the restrictions of formal portrait work and devoted much of his energy to mural painting and working en plein air. Art historians generally ignored society artists such as Sargent until the late 20th century. [...] The exhibition in the 1980s of Sargent's previously hidden male nudes served to spark a reevaluation of his life and work, and its psychological complexity. In addition to the beauty, sensation and innovation of his oeuvre, his same-sex interests, unconventional friendships with women and engagement with race, gender nonconformity and emerging globalism are now viewed as socially and aesthetically progressive and radical.
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| [Here's today's constructor, David Kwong, taunting me w/ a Nighthawks selfie; I forget precisely why he sent me this, but he knows I love Hopper and have never seen Nighthawks (a perfect painting) up close, so ... taunting me, as I say. Kinda surprised that a HOPPER was not among the stolen art today] |
As flashy as the longer answers were, I also really admired the discreet three-letter hiding place for DEGAS. You usually go looking in the longer answers for theme elements, so it was a delightful surprise to find one hiding in such a small, seemingly out-of-the-way nook of the puzzle. It's also impressive how dense the theme gets in places. The missing DEGAS, KAHLO, O'KEEFFE and TITIAN squares are all clumped Really close to one another in the eastern part of the grid. The whole premise was KOOKy and zany enough to win me over. Yes, the grid was fussy, and yes, the fill gets a little strained in parts, but unlike most Sunday themes, this one never felt tedious, or thin, or like I just wanted it to be over already. Inventive and ambitious and kind of maniacal—it's so rare to get a theme worthy of Sunday's giant (I'm sorry) canvas. This puzzle reminded me of Liz Gorski's iconic Guggenheim puzzle, which is about as high a compliment as I can pay any Sunday puzzle. Was this my favorite Sunday of the year? The bar is low, it's true, but ... maybe. I'll have to check my spreadsheet, but maybe.
[35D: Motel proprietor in "Psycho"]
[59D: ___ Clan, iconic hip-hop group of the 1990s]
- 19A: Fertilizer compound (POTASH) — definitely a word that crosswords taught me. I remember getting it as an answer the first time and wondering what PO-tash was (it's POT-ash). This was back in 2008. At that time, I said that POTASH sounded like "some kind of Eastern European casserole," or else a contraction of the slur "poor white trash." But now I know better (I still don't really know what it is) (the clue back in 2008 said [White, granular powder], so I've at least got a visual)
- 50A: Role for Jay Silverheels (TONTO) — TONTO is also a giant synthesizer that played a really important role in music history. It's the instrument at the heart of Stevie Wonder's amazing string of solo albums in the '70s (credited with the amazing bass line on "Superstition"). Genuinely iconic. Also, literally massive. Still waiting on my synth clue for TONTO.
- 60A: Popeye's witchy foe in early comics (SEA HAG) — As with POTASH, I think I learned this from crosswords too. According to wikipedia, "because she is a woman, Popeye cannot physically attack her." Huh. OK. Can't really picture the SEA HAG. Hang on ... OK, here we go. Here she is, tormenting poor Wimpy:
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| [Alice is way scarier than her name sounds] |
- 95A: Opened or closed like an eye, in film lingo (IRISED) — I know "iris in" and "iris out" but don't think I've seen IRISED before. Still, not hard if you know those other terms.
- 7D: Title for Manchin or Murkowski: Abbr. (SEN.) — you know you're going too fast when you've got a three-letter answer starting "S," you see the clue starts with "Title...," and you just reflexively write in "SIR."
- 16D: Duffer's obstacle (POND) — so not TRAP, which was my first guess (a "duffer" is an inexperienced golfer)
- 18D: '60s campus activist grp. (SDS)— the farther we get from the '60s, the less likely these letters are to make immediate sense to solvers. If I google [SDS] now, I get something called a "Safety Data Sheet" for nearly all my hits (!?!). Students for a Democratic Society was a major political-activist student group that rose to national prominence in part for their organized opposition to the war in Vietnam.
- 24A: Like the Beatles'"Yesterday," key-wise (IN F) — that's "in the key of F," not "infinite,""information," or "infantry."
On now to Part II of the Holiday Gift Guide. Last week, I focused on physical gifts, such as Adam Aaronson's Crossword Calendar and Jeff Sinnock and Desirée Penner's crossword book, Name That Tune: A Year in Music—Crossword Puzzles for Music Lovers. This week, I just want to highlight some puzzle subscriptions for the puzzle-lover in your life (or yourself, why not?). These are all puzzles I subscribe to myself.
First is the AVCX (American Values Club Crossword), which has built itself into an indie puzzle juggernaut over the past few years, putting out six (6!) puzzles a week now, including two regular-sized crosswords, two smaller crosswords, a trivia puzzle, and (god bless them) a cryptic crossword, all while broadening and diversifying their editor and constructor roster and offering a tiered subscription pricing system, so that people without much disposable income can still afford to subscribe. These puzzles are consistently fresh and fun, and when people ask "what alternatives are there to the NYTXW?," this is always the first suggestion out of my mouth. Check out their sample puzzles here and subscribe here.
The Peter Gordon puzzle empire is also very much worth checking out. The weekly Fireball Crossword is especially great for those whose tastes run toward the more challenging puzzles. Imagine Thursday-level trickiness with Saturday-level difficulty. There are frequent meta-puzzles and puzzle contests as well. Fireball is a puzzle I've done consistently for ... yeesh, over a decade now? Very highly recommended for the experienced solver. 2025 subscriptions available now.
On the somewhat more accessible side (Tuesday/Wednesday level) is Peter's Newsflash Crossword—a remarkably up-to-date biweekly crossword focused on people in events in current headlines. These are a great way to brush up on or learn new names from the worlds of sports, politics, pop culture, etc., or (if you're like me) to find out what has been happening in the news since you stopped paying close attention in order to save your sanity. The Kickstarter for the 2025 Newsflash Crossword ends very soon, so subscribe today. Like, right now.
Lastly—I forgot last week to mention a really lovely puzzle store called Pavel's Puzzles, run by puzzle designer Pavel Curtis. This is more crossword adjacent than crossword specific—his store features puzzles of many different types—but they all look truly creative and beautifully crafted, and many of them run toward the kind of wordplay that I know you all love, so if you're looking for a unique and affordable gift for the puzzle-lover in your life, his site if very much worth checking out.
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| ["Punana Split"—come on, you know you pun weirdos are gonna love this] |
OK, that's all for gift suggestions. Let's do a few Holiday Pet Pics (you can still submit pics today, but after today, please, no more submissions—my Inbox is flooded!)
Again, I have to wonder what some of you all think I mean by Holiday Pet Pics. Navarre here is, what, possessed by the Christmas Demon?
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| [Thanks, Corinna] |
I mean, the least you could do is slap a Post-It Note on your cat. Look—instant "Holiday" relevance (this is Cherry):
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| [Thanks, Jenny] |
Or throw a hat on your dog... (this is Joy)
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| [Thanks, June] |
Here we have some proper Holiday pics, of the mischievous cat variety. Nessa, no! The YETI (4) is not a toy!
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| [Thanks, Isabel] |
Not sure what Leo got up to, but the damage appears to have been done, Merry Shredded Presents Day!
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| [Thanks, Brad] |
Finally, here's Donut, furry companion of crossword constructor Trent Evans, watching ("watching") a classic Christmas movie. Yippee Ki-Yay, Donut.
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