Key Takeaways
- Rafael Musa and Geoffrey Schorkopf reunited for a Friday‑themed, themeless New York Times crossword that showcases lively fill, entry symmetry, and playful cluing.
- Musa built the entire grid while Schorkopf supplied all the clues, continuing their successful collaborative pattern.
- The puzzle features a mix of wordplay, trivia, and deceptive hints—examples include “TAX EXILE,” “SORTIE,” “SKI AREA,” and the dual answer “PSST / YOO‑HOO.”
- Constructor notes highlight Musa’s appreciation for Schorkopf’s clue‑writing and Schorkopf’s praise for Musa’s grid construction, especially the standout mid‑length entries.
- The article ends with a recommendation to use the Times’ “How to Solve the New York Times Crossword” guide for improving solving skills.
It’s Friday, and while many readers are already mentally shifting into weekend mode, Rafael Musa and Geoffrey Schorkopf are hard at work on the latest New York Times crossword. Musa, who has a penchant for late‑week puzzles—15 of his 27 previous Times appearances landed on Fridays—teamed up again with Schorkopf, whose most recent byline also graced a Friday puzzle. Their first collaboration was a themeless effort, and this new installment follows the same formula: a grid packed with lively fill, harmonious entry symmetry, fun trivia, and a healthy dose of deceptive cluing that keeps solvers on their toes.
The puzzle’s themeless nature allows the constructors to scatter interesting entries throughout the grid without being constrained by a central theme. Musa crafted the entire grid this time, while Schorkopf supplied every clue, a division of labor that mirrors their earlier partnership. The result is a puzzle that feels both tight and expansive, with longer answers interwoven with crisp, mid‑length fill that showcases each constructor’s strengths. Solvers who tackled the puzzle on paper reported “serious mileage” on their pencil erasers, a testament to the density of clever wordplay and the need for frequent revisions.
Several clues exemplify the puzzle’s blend of wordplay and trivia. At 17 A, the cryptic‑style hint “[One away from one’s duties?]” leads solvers to consider multiple meanings of “duties.” The answer, TAX EXILE, refers to someone who relocates to avoid taxes—a term that, while perhaps unfamiliar, has appeared in past Times crosswords. The clue at 18 A plays on the phrase “French exit,” pointing to the French word SORTIE rather than the colloquial act of slipping away unnoticed; the note even mentions the Dutch expression “de rattentaxi nemen” (taking the rat taxi) as a colorful alternative for a stealthy departure.
Other notable entries include 48 A, which asks for a three‑letter abbreviation for “[Mammoth’s home, for short]”—a nod to the NHL’s newest team, the Utah Mammoth, whose abbreviation UTA fits the slot. At 49 A, the clue “[Where to go for a run]” exploits the word run’s astonishing multiplicity of meanings (the OED lists over 645 definitions), steering solvers toward SKI AREA as the intended interpretation. A particularly clever pair of mirrored entries appears at 57 A / 35 D: the clue “[‘I’m this‑a‑way!’]” yields PSST on the eastern side of the grid and YOO‑HOO in the southwestern corner, a playful echo that also invites a whimsical imagined line from Mario about “negative thought patterns.”
The puzzle also features delightfully straightforward clues that mislead through association. For instance, 64 A’s “[Feeds the kitty, say]” initially suggests poker antes, but the answer is simply CAT SITS—a reminder that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Meanwhile, 3 D’s “[Ding thing?]” points not to a minor dent but to the sound of receiving a TEXT, and the paired clues at 5 D / 30 D (“[First gear?]”) and ([Books that go into intimate detail?]”) lead to STARTER KIT and SEX MANUALS, respectively, illustrating how a simple phrase can pivot from hobby gear to adult literature.
One of the solver’s favorite clues appears at 28 D: “[Where to see fresh coats of white?]” The wording carefully guides the solver toward MED SCHOOLS, evoking both fresh paint and the white lab coats worn by newcomers to the medical field. The puzzle also includes a nod to linguistic evolution: 51 D confirms the modern transliteration of the Ukrainian capital as KYIV, a spelling the Times adopted in 2019 and last used in a crossword in 2021.
In their constructor notes, Musa emphasizes the collaborative ease of working with Schorkopf, calling him a “dream collaborator” and expressing gratitude for the chance to know the talented individuals populating the crossword world. Schorkopf reciprocates, praising Musa’s meticulous grid construction—highlighting standout mid‑length entries such as 1 A, 23 A, 62 A, and 45 D—and describing their partnership as a joy that extends to every corner of the grid.
The article concludes with a practical suggestion for readers eager to sharpen their solving skills: work through the Times’ guide “How to Solve the New York Times Crossword.” The guide breaks down common clue types and offers practice mini‑puzzles at the end of each section, providing a structured pathway for both novices and seasoned solvers to improve their technique.
Overall, the Friday puzzle by Musa and Schorkopf stands as a testament to the creative synergy that can arise when a skilled gridder pairs with a witty clue‑writer. Its blend of lively fill, symmetrical entries, and mischievously clever clues offers a satisfying challenge that keeps solvers reaching for their erasers—and their pencils—until the final square is filled.