The New York Times’ latest Sunday crossword puzzle, titled “Be Amazed,” features a creative collaboration from Zhou Zhang, an economist based in Seattle, and her husband, Kevin Curry, a stay-at-home dad and part-time carbon emissions consultant. The couple, who first met in college in 2006, were inspired to create crossword puzzles together after watching the documentary “Wordplay.” Curry reportedly proposed to Zhang using a series of original puzzles, marking the beginning of their puzzle-making journey, which has culminated in this fourth collaboration for The Times.
This Sunday’s puzzle is uniquely crafted, combining intricate themes and engaging elements. The puzzle includes a maze-like structure, wherein solvers must navigate from the first entry at 1-Across, through various circled letters while respecting the grid’s layout. The construction includes five related theme clues at multiple positions, with the necessity of reading entries in a specific sequence due to 11 circled squares scattered throughout the grid.
Details of the Puzzle’s Design
The puzzle’s title plays on the concept of amazement, guiding solvers to follow a maze that begins at 1-Across, marked simply as the subject of the puzzle. The grid’s layout requires players to interpret clues while circumventing shaded squares, described as “unclued.” For instance, the entry at 30-Across, clued as an “Appetizer, entree or dessert,” leads to the phrase “OBSTACLE COURSE.” The shaded word “OBSTACLE” presents a barrier within the maze that players must navigate around to progress.
Solvers must utilize clues from crossing entries to identify the correct letters that guide them through the grid. For example, the entry at 15-Down, referencing a “Unit in the game Clue,” pairs with “ROOM DIVIDER,” adding to the maze’s complexity. This inventive structure enhances the puzzle-solving experience and invites participants to think critically about their path through the entries.
Zhang and Curry’s inventive approach is expected to challenge and delight both crossword enthusiasts and casual solvers alike as they engage with this multifaceted puzzle.
