Jean & Mike Do The New York Times Crossword

This was Kenneth Cortes' third NYTimes crossword, and it was splendid. The theme was memorable and unique, and there were some other gems among the rest of the clues. These include 
a clue that has is making its second appearance in about two weeks, welcome back 42D, Shiba ___ (Japanese hunting dog), INU; 
a university that, alas, its namesake hasn't deigned to donate to, 50A, North Carolina university, ELON; 
the national drink of Puerto Rico, 43D, Piña ___, COLADA.
There were more, and we have wall-to-wall coverage inside. 
In addition, we have our JAMCOTWA pick for the week, so check it out to see if your favorite won the brass ring.
Show note imagery: The village in Wales with the longest placename, Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch 
Show note videography: How to pronounce Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch
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Today's crossword was by Jeffrey Martinovic and Evan Park, students at Western University in London, Ontario (go, Mustangs!). It was inspired in part because at Jeffrey's high school they played the William Tell Overture before the school day commenced (very classy!). It was constructed as a result of months worth of brainstorming sessions, and all that effort really paid off. We loved it!
Show note imagery: John CENA, ACME's lawyer in Coyote vs. ACME, arriving in theaters August 28, 2026 — mark your calendars!!

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Since this was Saturday, we expected a tough crossword, and Malaika Handa and Erik Agard did not disappoint. Some of the clues were straightforward-ish, but others were definitely not for the faint of heart. We salute the constructors for their ingenuity, and our K-12 teachers for reminding us that, one day, what we'd learn would help us finish an NYTimes crossword 😀 😀 
Show note imagery: Osaka, on the island of HONSHU
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Hemant Mehta is adept at writing challenging but highly entertaining Friday crosswords, and we cherish every one of the seven that he has constructed. Today's had some awesome clues, including 55A, Time of day either way, NOON (🌞); 52A, Fictional manufacturer of a Do-It Yourself Tornado Kit, ACME (🧨); and 8D, "Yowzers!", HOLYMOSES (🧺). There were more — of course — so check out today's podcast to hear all about 'em.
Show note imagery: Several CESARs, the "Oscars" of the French film industry.
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This marks John Kugelman's fifth NYTimes crossword of the year, and it's only May! The man is clearly the embodiment of prolific, but it's not just quantity, it's quality, as today's crossword clearly illustrates. We have all the deets inside, so have a listen, and don't forget to leave us a 5 star review on your favorite podcast app.
Show note imagery: The Houston Colt .45s (from 1962 to 1964: in 1965 they were rebranded as the Houston Astros)
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