The New York Times crossword, first published in 1942, is legendary for its high level of difficulty and clever, often playful clues. Puzzles vary in size from 15×15 grids during weekdays to larger 21×21 grids on Sundays, with different levels of difficulty depending on when they are released.
Shechtman, who will join Cornell as a Klarman Fellow in 2021, recognizes how puzzle-building keeps the brain engaged and productive.
Math
Crossword puzzles can be an enjoyable and stimulating way to exercise your brain, providing an opportunity for problem-solving while teaching new words and phrases. Plus, they’re free, and you can do them anytime – find the clues and piece them together until you find your answer!
The utmost math degree is a crossword puzzle clue that has appeared in various publications, initially appearing in the Wall Street Journal Crossword on November 2, 2023, and since being seen elsewhere, including New York Times crossword.
If you’re having difficulty solving a crossword, try searching for clues similar to the one in question to narrow your search and quickly arrive at an answer. Or use other crossword puzzle clues (for instance, the NYT Crossword’s clue “to some degree”) as a resource; this will allow you to solve faster and more accurately.
History
Sam Ezersky won’t receive his mechanical engineering degree until May 21 but will begin working his dream job the day after graduation – reviewing and editing puzzle submissions for The New York Times alongside fellow UVA graduate Will Shortz.
Shechtman became renowned in the world of cryptic crosswords due to the elegance and cleverness of her puzzle creations, but also as an emerging female constructor in an industry primarily dominated by older male constructors. Constructing puzzles became an outlet for resistance against her eating disorder, which forced treatment. Additionally, Shechtman’s forthcoming publication about crossword history (due out 2024) sheds further insight into its evolution.
Shechtman used graph paper until recently when she joined modern puzzle constructors and switched to purpose-built software that significantly accelerates the puzzle-creation process. Since then, Shechtman has become a regular contributor to The New Yorker and their weekly crossword on its website; weekly grid sizes range from 15×15 up to larger 21×21 grids on Sundays; these puzzles all present different levels of difficulty and thus may serve as an example for other constructors.
Geography
Sarah Shechtman, Klarman Fellow (and future professor), has long been praised for her engaging puzzles at the New York Times crossword puzzles. Often, her puzzles stand out due to their clever design – particularly in a field primarily dominated by male constructors – so her contributions are particularly appreciated in an otherwise male-dominated field like crossword-making. Her most recent puzzle, published May 23, featured topics as diverse as The Simpsons, Light Brigade, Lingerie NCAA sports, and Wild West cocktails. She will soon begin full-time work alongside Will Shortz, who graduated from UVA before serving as longtime puzzle editor of NYT crossword puzzles since 1977!
Science
The New York Times crossword began publishing daily puzzles in 1942 and has become a viral activity ever since. Renowned for its high level of difficulty and clever, often amusing clues, its 1515 grid format features themed puzzles as well as wordplay in addition to standard grids that run Monday through Sunday.
Today’s New York Times crossword features a clue relating to degrees in science. To solve it, examine the diagram below and identify any letters missing from “degree.” For help solving your puzzle, visit our NYT crossword November 2, 2023 Hints page for additional guidance.
