Gustie Owens’s New York Times crossword, “Gossip Session” —Nate’s write-up

We’ve acquired a debut puzzle at the moment, and from one of many members of the inaugural New York Times Diverse Crossword Constructor Fellowship! Let’s see what all of the speak is about in at the moment’s gossip-filled puzzle:

12.04.22 New York Times Sunday Puzzle

– 23A: SHARES AN ACCOUNT [A lover of gossip, the Netflix user …]
– 41A: HAS ALL THE JUICY DETAILS [The smoothie bar worker …]
– 59A: SPILLS THE TEA [The Boston Harbor worker …]
– 72A: STIRS UP DRAMA [The cooking show contestant …]
– 89A: AIRS THEIR DIRTY LAUNDRY [The athlete in the locker room …]
– 114A: WANTS TO HEAR MORE [And the up-and-coming trial judge …]

This felt like a traditional puzzle – in-the-language phrases round a central subject – however with some good modernizing touches (Netflix, smoothie bar, cooking present). SHARES AN ACCOUNT was most likely my favourite reimagining, whereas I needed a barely stronger clue for AIRS THEIR DIRTY LAUNDRY (since I don’t suppose that’s what many athletes truly do?). A enjoyable theme, although, and one the place I don’t know that I can provide you with many different examples.

Other random ideas:
– Entries like MOIRA, NO BAIL, AMERICANAH, SPILL THE TEA, and L BOMB in addition to the clues for entries like PANDA helped this puzzle really feel present and contemporary, which I loved.
– CARDI crossing CIARA may need been onerous for some solvers, however the entries have been so in my wheelhouse that they plunked in simply!
– Aside from perhaps SERKIS (for me a minimum of), this grid felt tremendous clear.
– My one grimace was OAHU being clued through its army occupation – there’s a lot extra to signify OAHU from a Hawaiian perspective that it was a bummer to have it clued this manner.

All in all, an pleasurable resolve – congrats, Gustie!  We’re wanting ahead to seeing many extra puzzles from you.

Dear readers, be sure you ship alongside your congrats within the feedback part and keep in mind that kindness goes a great distance.  It is extremely powerful to make a clear, enjoyable puzzle, a lot much less a Sunday-sized one.  The quickest technique to discourage newer constructors (particularly ones from teams much less represented in crossworld) is to harshly critique them from behind your pc display, particularly whenever you your self have by no means made a Sunday puzzle, a lot much less revealed one within the NYT.  Our beloved world of crosswords solely survives from technology to technology if we help and encourage newer constructors, so keep in mind to do your half.  Constructive suggestions for brand new constructors is nice!  Crapping on them or their work is rubbish habits.

Relatedly, it needs to be famous how comparatively uncommon it’s to have a stand alone Sunday NYT puzzle by one lady constructor. More please, NYT!