49-Across: Setting for Midsommar and My Life as a Dog (6 letters) slate.trib.al/CYZDQBH
Slate Crossword: Sneaky Fix to Online Copy (11 Letters)
Ready for some wordplay? Sharpen your skills with Slate’s puzzle for Aug. 2, 2026.
slate.trib.al
Ben Zimmer
@benzimmer.bsky.social
Linguist, lexicographer, language commentator, all-around word nut. https://linktr.ee/benzimmer
At the recent National Puzzlers' League convention in Bloomington, IN, @e-briannica.bsky.social and I served as "lexicographers in residence," spending a lovely afternoon taking NPL members around the exhibition of the Madeleine Kripke Dictionary Collection at IU's Lilly Library.
It's another guest appearance from the Barnacle (aka me) on the crossword podcast @fillmeinpodcast.bsky.social. bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/fill-me-in-5...
Fill Me In: Fill Me In #541: Never once have I touched a niblick.
Ryan is off losing money in Las Vegas, so we all chanted "Barnacle! Barnacle! Barnacle!" -- and lo and behold, appeared in the studio to regale everyone with tales of the ! That, plus jealousy of the...
bemoresmarter.libsyn.com
The @scrippsbee.bsky.social finals are tonight on @iontelevision.bsky.social at 8pm ET! You might catch me at the judges table, or in a prerecorded bit where I talk about how spelling a difficult word can be like solving an etymological puzzle. #spellingbee Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/scrip...
FTA: @benzimmer.bsky.social on one of the nerdiest two-remove euphemisms you'll ever see stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/w...
What the digamma?
On Facebook, Jay Dillon posted an intriguing verse that appeared in Prize Translations, Poems, and Parodies, Reprinted from The Journal of Education (1881). Jay muses that the line “What the …
stronglang.wordpress.com
"Eighty-six" or "86" in a 1920 article from Topeka, KS. I see this is also OED's earliest. This knocks out NYC's Chumley's & Empire State Building theories. A new thread. cc @davidwondrich.bsky.social 1/ www.newspapers.com/article/the-...
"Eighty-six" or "86" slang term (1920).
Clipping found in The Topeka Capital-Journal published in Topeka, Kansas on 10/22/1920. "Eighty-six" or "86" slang term (1920).
newspapers.com
Remember when they 86'd S. H. Sanders? (Article by @benzimmer.bsky.social) www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
A Restaurant ‘Eighty-Sixed’ Sarah Huckabee Sanders. What Does That Mean?
Many have claimed to know the origin story of the service industry’s most infamous number. But the real roots of the term have been largely forgotten.
theatlantic.com
Comey's "8647" is in the news. Here is "86" in soda jerker slang, from Pittsburgh, in 1929, our new earliest cite for the expression. A thread. @davidwondrich.bsky.social @jessesword.com 1/ www.newspapers.com/article/pitt...
"Eight-six" or "86" slang (1929).
Clipping found in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 6/10/1929. "Eight-six" or "86" slang (1929).
newspapers.com
Today's Saturday Stumper, Newsday's ultra-challenging crossword, is from me! brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
My talk for Crossword Con on "Adventures in Gridspotting" is now on YouTube! Thanks to @puzzmo.com for archiving it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkjb...
Crossword Con 2026 - Adventures in Gridspotting (Ben Zimmer)
YouTube video by puzzmo
youtube.com
It was a delightful weekend at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, in its last year in Stamford, CT. The finals featured an exciting win by Erik Agard @e-a-rly.bsky.social over Will Nediger @bewilderingly.bsky.social and David Plotkin. Congrats to all! #acpt www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
American Crossword Puzzle Tournament 2026 - A Division Finals
YouTube video by Ben Zimmer
youtube.com
...and one of the more integrated appearances in The Simpsons, with custom reveal and creator cameos.
GRIDSPOTTING TAXONOMY: -Real grids, real sources -Real grids into props (think: "greeking") -Grids from stock images (there is a Wilhelm scream of stock image crosswords) -Grids created for productions (from DIY efforts to guest constructors)
Next up is @benzimmer.bsky.social, cruciverbally nerd-sniping us. Specifically: gridspotting! It's all the "oh hey look, crosswords in media" rage in Crosscord, the crossword fandom Discord.
I'll be speaking at 11:15 am ET on "Adventures in Gridspotting." Tune in for the Crossword Con livestream!
Puzzmo@puzzmo.com · 4mo agoCrossword Con is happening now! 🤩 Join us on Twitch: www.twitch.tv/puzzmo
Crossword Con is happening now! 🤩 Join us on Twitch: www.twitch.tv/puzzmo
puzzmo - Twitch
The (new) place for thoughtful puzzles.
twitch.tv
featuring! talks from @aaronson.bsky.social, @benzimmer.bsky.social, @orta.io, @samanbb.bsky.social, and @xws.bsky.social panelists represent games desks at @bostonglobe.com, @vulture.com, @yahoonews.com, and puzzmo
For this year's Crossword Con on Fri. Apr. 10, I'll be giving a talk on "Adventures in Gridspotting" at 11:15 am ET. Come join us in person (or watch the livestream)! www.crosswordcon.com
Puzzmo@puzzmo.com · 4mo agoToday is the last day to buy in-person Crossword Con tickets! Join us in NYC for some great talks and a panel featuring representatives from companies that buy and license indie games made by people like you! 🌷 Link to tix, schedule, speaker & panelist info all here: www.crosswordcon.com
Today is the last day to buy in-person Crossword Con tickets! Join us in NYC for some great talks and a panel featuring representatives from companies that buy and license indie games made by people like you! 🌷 Link to tix, schedule, speaker & panelist info all here: www.crosswordcon.com
Crossword Con
Crossword Con is a half-day conference about crossword puzzles
crosswordcon.com
March links: A new book about colors from @korystamper.bsky.social The origins of "Markwayne" from @davidmackau.bsky.social & @babynames.bsky.social The source of that alien lingo in "Bugonia" (thanks, @benzimmer.bsky.social!) And lots more! fritinancy.substack.com/p/march-link...
March linkstack
New newsletters, a new portmanteau, a new word game, a new book, and more.
fritinancy.substack.com
I've got the Saturday Stumper (super-tough @newsday.bsky.social crossword)! brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
