Customer Reviews

New York Times Toughest Crossword MegaOmnibus, Volume 1 (NY Times)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The title of the book is a bit misleading, though strictly speaking it might be historically correct. These are good and entertaining crosswords, but surprisingly easy compared with current N.Y. Times Saturday puzzles. I find I can typically solve a crossword from this book in about half the time a current puzzle takes.

I'm no super-brain, but I really expected more from this collection. The regular New York Times Sunday Crossword books are superior to this edition.

I guess I expected these crosswords to be along the line of the Sunday Times puzzles. Briefly, if you like your crosswords really tough like I do, these ones will be way too easy. I put the book away after doing only a couple and haven't touched it since.

Certainly not the toughest New York Times puzzles. They are just right for someone who enjoys the level of Thursday-Friday New York Times puzzles. Maleska's puzzles are less topical than Shortz' puzzles; hence, they are a bit easier.

Supermoviedeals took my money, shipped the book to the wrong address (by their own admission) and, after two requests from me, still refuse to credit my account.

The other reviewers are right on the mark. These puzzles are much too easy for anyone who likes a crossword challenge. They are small in size, with a preponderance of well-known four- and five-letter words. Worse, the puzzle constructors haven't even tried to come up with challenging clues (exs: "Famous constellation" for Orion; "first-aid contrivance" for sling). Many clues are simple fill-in-the-blanks. My average solving time for these is five-ten minutes, and I'm one who is often challenged by the Sunday NYT Crossword compilations.

The publisher's idea of including a Puzzle Meter on the back of their crossword volumes is nice, but classifying these Saturday puzzles as "maximum hard" is ridiculous.