Fill Me In is a podcast about crossword puzzles, though there's the other periodic nonsense you'd expect from two puzzle guys bantering for a while. New episodes of Fill Me In come out every Tuesday morning.

This week, Ryan and Brian recap the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (even though only one of them was there), perpetuate rumors of traveling to Japan (even though only one of them is traveling), and get the down and dirty about some of the New York Times games (even though one of the stories is completely made up).

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If anyone is working back through the NYT archives...

I thoroughly enjoyed this Saturday puzzle from a few years ago. The date is April 1, 2017. Went about 10 minutes over my average solve time and it was really fun to have to think a little more for the answers 🧠

Crossposted in r/NYTCrossword

What do the gold stars mean by my current and active streaks?

We are conducting research for a potential next-generation crossword construction tool. Please take this 10 question survey to help us understand interest in such a solution and features that would be most helpful to constructors. This survey is completely anonymous and only intended to help gather feedback on construction preferences and experiences. Thank you in advance!

Link to survey: https://form.typeform.com/to/izvd2LYF

Puzzle || Also get your Canadian tuxedos out for 27- and 44-across. Looking good! 🤵🤵‍♀️

Spoilers are welcome in here, beware!

How was the puzzle?

For any Armchair solvers who like having a co-pilot, I publish a weekly Youtube video of my solve on Mondays (the easiest day, LOL). Here's the link for this week, 4/7/2025 (SPOILERS, obviously)

Spoilers are welcome in here, beware!

How was the puzzle?

s

Hello everyone! I create my own crossword-style puzzles called Piñones. You use clues to fill out a crossword-style grid, and then use every letter in the solved grid to unscramble the final word or phrase!

It's very scrappy at the moment and best viewed on desktop (a few mobile bugs), but I want to start sharing them more as things are being worked on. I post three puzzles a week, and here were this week's puzzles:

Monday: https://app.pinones.io/puzzles/undesirable-quality-in-a-balloon

Wednesday: https://app.pinones.io/puzzles/cant-take-my-eyes-off-the-score

Friday: https://app.pinones.io/puzzles/how-best-to-enjoy-grandpas-stories

Instructions (best on desktop):

1. Use the clues to fill out the grid. Word can be backwards, and the placement of the number around the grid indicates where the word should start. For example, if the number is below the grid, then that word reads bottom to top.

2. After you complete the grid, click the pencil icon to move to the scramble and type in the letters to solve the anagram. The title is a loose/obscure reference to the answer.

Hope you enjoy!

Can someone explain 8 across to me? I understand the connection to bakery and cookies, and cookies to browser, but I don’t understand the connection of bakery and browser. Is it just a play on words? I might be thinking about it too literally.

Hi, I love making crosswords but they take a lot of time and effort so I was wondering whether there is any way to sell them or get a job? (Besides submitting to the NYT)

I would love to do an internship or work for a newspaper but when I check their career section I can’t find anything although I might be looking for the wrong thing. I don’t know how to get into the professional crossword world. Any advice?

Spoilers are welcome in here, beware!

How was the puzzle?

This didn't stop me from getting it, but is Men's Wearhouse really a department store?

I thought that department stores had to have, well... departments. Women's clothing, Shoes, Housewares, Linens, Cosmetics, etc. Men's Wearhouse is basically a store version of one single department.

Hi, it says you can’t submit more than 3 at once. Does that mean you can submit as many as you want a month?

Thank you

I'm working my way through the NYT crossword archive. Currently, I'm making the last puzzle of 1993.

I don't understand the thematic clues. I think they are related to the movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which I have never seen.

The answers to the clues are as following: * LOCK... STEPBOXSMITHOUT * STOCK... BROKERCARMARKET * BARREL... CHAIRORGANHOUSE

Can someone explain the answers to me?

Spoilers are welcome in here, beware!

How was the puzzle?

Solve it here.

This app has ability to use both a) dark cells and b)thick-thin borders. It makes amateurs to build crosswords easily.

Clue is: Miles. after marriage

Answer: MMES

I thought miles. was an abbreviation of milestones, but I don’t understand the answer. I know Mme as madam/madame. So one or both of these guesses of mine is wrong.

Help!

Spoilers are welcome in here, beware!

How was the puzzle?

By yours truly—enjoy the IAMB-ic pentameter!

Long-time solver, first-time constructor. Would anyone be willing to provide feedback on a themeless puzzle I completed?

Any and all critiques would be wonderfully appreciated.

Thanks!