2023 NYT SuperMega - XWord Muggles Forum (2025)

Those of you who receive the NYT Sunday Arts Section on Saturday may have already seen the 2023 PuzzleMania which includes the SuperMega Contest Crossword!

Good Luck to all!

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

Solved! First time doing the super mega - really enjoyed the grid! It felt like it flew by even though it took us ~3 hours.

The contest part fell really quickly. It feels kind of funny to have your hand held through the meta - they pretty much guide you right there.

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

hoover wrote: ↑Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:13 amIs there a .puz file for this one, or do I need to find the Sunday Arts section through my library's online NYT subscription and create a PDF?

Historically, the only way to get it is either on the day or through the NYT website, which at this point is sold out.

There is this: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/17/cros ... clues.html, which I have never found particularly reasonable. But it is an option.

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

CromsFury wrote: ↑Fri Dec 22, 2023 12:29 pmHistorically, the only way to get it is either on the day or through the NYT website, which at this point is sold out.

There is this: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/17/cros ... clues.html, which I have never found particularly reasonable. But it is an option.

I’ve about finished the grid but not sure what the contest part is. I see some words highlighted in the grid… is there more help than that? Is this like a meta, or something else?

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

HeadinHome wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 12:09 am

CromsFury wrote: ↑Fri Dec 22, 2023 12:29 pmHistorically, the only way to get it is either on the day or through the NYT website, which at this point is sold out.

There is this: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/17/cros ... clues.html, which I have never found particularly reasonable. But it is an option.

I’ve about finished the grid but not sure what the contest part is. I see some words highlighted in the grid… is there more help than that? Is this like a meta, or something else?

According to the instructions:

After you’ve finished the puzzle, take the answers to the four boldfaced clues and match them with the four shaded answers. The result will yield eight letters — unscramble them to spell a fitting contest answer.

It is a LOT more straight-forward than last year's.

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

CromsFury wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:51 pmAccording to the instructions:

After you’ve finished the puzzle, take the answers to the four boldfaced clues and match them with the four shaded answers. The result will yield eight letters — unscramble them to spell a fitting contest answer.

It is a LOT more straight-forward than last year's.

Problem is, I’m using that link up there so see (and endlessly scroll) all the clues, but none of the clues appear to be in bold. Do you know which ones they are? (I can see the highlighting on the grid BTW)

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

HeadinHome wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 3:43 pm

CromsFury wrote: ↑Sat Jan 13, 2024 1:51 pmAccording to the instructions:

After you’ve finished the puzzle, take the answers to the four boldfaced clues and match them with the four shaded answers. The result will yield eight letters — unscramble them to spell a fitting contest answer.

It is a LOT more straight-forward than last year's.

Problem is, I’m using that link up there so see (and endlessly scroll) all the clues, but none of the clues appear to be in bold. Do you know which ones they are? (I can see the highlighting on the grid BTW)

The bold clues are:
138A
226A
434A
534A

And the highlighted grid answers are:
245D
252D
268D
344A

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

Merry Potter wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:55 amWonder when they'll share the solutions and winners? They promised to provide them yesterday 1/15 on nytimes.com/column/wordplay but I could not find it there. Super mega crossword was not a problem but wanted to see the Castle Quest solution since mine solution was a bit of a stretch!

Just checked again and found this! I figured I would have been contacted before the winners list was published if I were a winner. I’ll just take satisfaction that I solved correctly…

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/cros ... nners.html

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

BethA wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 5:17 pm

Merry Potter wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 9:55 amWonder when they'll share the solutions and winners? They promised to provide them yesterday 1/15 on nytimes.com/column/wordplay but I could not find it there. Super mega crossword was not a problem but wanted to see the Castle Quest solution since my solution was a bit of a stretch!

Just checked again and found this! I figured I would have been contacted before the winners list was published if I were a winner. I’ll just take satisfaction that I solved correctly…

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/16/cros ... nners.html

Thanks for the finding the posting! Can't believe I solved it correctly and I'll also take the satisfaction!!

Re: 2023 NYT SuperMega

And here are the Super Mega winners —

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/18/cros ... ntest.html

Agreed with an earlier comment about how it felt funny to have them holding your hand through the solve!