Tweedy, a known crossword aficionado, gave more detail about the crossword on his Substack, Starship Casual: “I’m a pretty massive crossword puzzle nut, and I have been for a very very long time.” He continued, “As an addict, you have to remind yourself that you’re still an addict, even when you [sic] aren’t doing things that are terrible for you. Crossword puzzles are a pretty benign outlet for an addictive tendency, in my opinion.”
In a recent interview with NYT Crossword Puzzle editor Christina Iverson, a bedraggled-looking Tweedy said, “I think that putting a song together and finding the right word to express what you want to say succinctly or with clarity, that can feel like putting a puzzle together sometimes.” He noted, though, “the difference is there’s no right answer for a song. And there definitely is one for a crossword puzzle.” Three of the NYT’s Great American Songwriters—Carole King, Diane Warren, and The Magnetic Fields’ Stephin Merritt—also wrote Bonus Mini crosswords for the paper this week. But, because he’s a real ball-knower, Tweedy went straight to the big leagues.
If you have a NYT Games subscription or a generous family member who doesn’t care enough about Twilight Override to play it themselves, you can try your hand at the game here.
