The New York Times Crossword Was Yiddish-Themed For Yom Kippur

Image by Getty Images/Karen Bleier/Staff

By PJ Grisar September 20, 2018

While many of us spent yesterday reflecting in shul, The New York Times crossword section paid tribute to Yom Kippur with a Yiddish-themed puzzle. Spoilers ahead for those who haven’t done it yet.

Because it was just a Wednesday puzzle the answers weren’t too esoteric. “Tchotchke,” “Schmaltz,” “Chutzpah,” “Oy Gevalt,” “Megillah” and “Verklempt” dotted the board with clues that more or less track.

As we were mostly starving yesterday, we may have been thinking more of delicious chicken fat when it comes to schmaltz (the Times clue was “excessive sentimentality”), but then again we weren’t supposed to be sneaking in a crossword before sundown anyway.

I think we can all agree that more Yiddish is always welcome in the toughest word puzzle in the land. We’d probably have an easier time filling out the whole grid.

May this puzzle be inscribed in the crossword book of life!

PJ Grisar is the Forward’s culture intern. He can be reached at [email protected].

PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter.

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