Clues in quotation marks require you to identify an equivalent phrase, which you can test by substituting one for the other in a made-up sentence. “… if you can believe it” is the clue for NO LESS. H to that Homer is the Greek letter ETA.Ĥ7D. The clue “H, to Homer” refers not to Homer Simpson of Springfield, but to the epic poet Homer. Apparently there is, and it is NEOLOGIC (“Like a recently coined word or phrase”).Ĥ2D. I’m familiar with the concept of neologisms, but I did not realize there was an adjectival form of the word. I got stuck on the clue “_ at ’em!” by confidently writing in “up and” instead of LEMME here.ģ6D. Here, we have “Woman’s name hidden inside ‘assum ed name’” for EDNA.Ģ6D. Let’s take a look at some of the clues that may have stumped some solvers today: Tricky Cluesġ0A.

Mendez’s other handy bit of crossword advice - “Haste makes waste” - for another column. New solvers may be stumped when they encounter a question mark or square brackets for the first time, but after the fifth time, or the 50th, or the 500th, interpreting those sorts of crossword quirks becomes second nature. Through repetition and exposure, you naturally pick up the language of crosswords.

Many who picked up the Crossword for the first time in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic as a distraction have since gone on to become daily solvers. I’ve heard from countless solvers who were initially bewildered by the idiosyncratic wording of crossword clues.

Mendez’s puzzle features the most common piece of advice I give to new solvers who want to improve: “Practice makes perfect.” I know it’s cliché, but it’s true! The best way to sharpen your crossword-solving skills is to practice. I’m excited to see the puzzles from the rest of the class! Congratulations to Trey Mendez on this excellent debut. TUESDAY PUZZLE - Today’s puzzle is a special one for the New York Times Crossword: It is the first puzzle to be published by a member of the first class of the Diverse Crossword Constructor Fellowship.

Geography tests ems