When a word or phrase appears in the New York Times Crossword for the first time, we refer to it as a “debut.” Last week’s debut entries included BLANK STARES, in a Monday puzzle by Alex Eaton-Salners, and GROUNDLESS ACCUSATION, in a Sunday puzzle by Collin Drown. In order to be considered crossword-worthy, new entries need to be recognizable enough to the average solver — a bar the puzzle editors often refer to as being “in the language.” (The only exceptions are themed phrases and rebus entries, which are sometimes bizarre by necessity.) One could argue that, in this sense, the Times Crossword is just as much a reflection of modern usage as a dictionary is. Last Wednesday’s Crossword, for example, constructed by Mason Hyunjin Lee, 16, debuted the term AI SLOP. It also contained ROT, clued as [Brain __ ], and AURA, clued as [Coolness, of a sort]. Last month, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) announced the addition of hundreds of new words, including “fearmongering,” “long game” and “Lovecraftian.” The term “brain rot” was added last year. Interestingly, though, the dictionary has yet to update the definitions of “slop” and “aura” in a way that would reflect contemporary use. In this sense, the Times Crossword is even more a reflection of modern usage than a dictionary is. Then again, I’m comparing apples and oranges, since dictionaries and crossword puzzles are nothing alike in their approach to cataloging language. For one thing, they have different people doing it: The OED has lexicographers, while the Times Crossword has puzzle editors. The first group is thinking about serving the needs of language speakers, whereas the second is thinking about the needs of language solvers. The dictionary is a long game; the Crossword is a literal one. We are neither dictionary nor puzzle. But our use of language is what governs the evolution of both. In that spirit, let’s compare notes: Have you been hearing any new words lately? Send them my way, with an example, at crosswordeditors@nytimes.com. Solve Today’s Capture
Puzzle of the WeekThis week, check out the Friday, July 10 puzzle by Willa Angel Chen Miller. In the Wordplay column, Sean McGowan wrote: “For her fourth crossword for The New York Times, Willa Angel Chen Miller has thrown a blowout bash. The venue: A sleek grid of black squares arranged in an X, with plenty of open white space for mingling. The headlining entertainment: Two pairs of stacked spanners, connected by two more 15-letter entries intersecting them. The guest list: Fresh, stylish fill, escorted by snappy clues that feature late night partying, hot shot producers and a streaker running across the lower third of the grid.”
How are we doing? We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to crosswordeditors@nytimes.com. Thanks for playing! Subscribe to New York Times Games.
|
