You will find constructors who focus on wordplay, constructors who excel at including the edgiest entries and constructors who thrill us with innovative grid design and other forms of visual derring-do.
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This underrepresentation of constructors who are not white and male is something that constructors and editors discuss often.
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McLaren has won 22013 constructors' titles and eight drivers' titles; Ferrari has won 22013 constructors' titles and 22014 drivers' titles.
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That's why F1 gives out awards to both drivers (F1 World Drivers' Champions) and the constructors of the cars (F1 World Constructors' Champions).
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Mentors are published constructors who teach new constructors how to polish a theme, what good fill looks like and how to write clues.
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It's a terrific online resource where aspiring constructors can ask questions of veteran constructors or just get to know others in the puzzle making community.
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My solving skills improved and, after a few months of reading columns by constructors, including many by first-time constructors, I thought I would give it a try.
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Now, two puzzle makers, along with a group of constructors who are generously volunteering their time, would like to help diversify the pool of constructors who contribute to newspapers and magazines.
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In the end, we decided to add two new constructors.
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I always wonder why constructors choose the patterns they do.
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Mercedes lead Ferrari by 219 points in the constructors' standings.
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Mercedes lead Ferrari in the constructors' standings by 154 points.
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That's what constructors and editors mean by a tight theme.
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Like most constructors, I steer clear of moldy old crosswordese.
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I had never given any thought to constructors or constructing.
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And constructors are entitled to gently troll them right back.
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Value shares, such as banks, steelmakers and constructors, ended lower.
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Ferrari are sure of second place in the constructors' championship.
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Let's hear from our constructors: We love people who love words.
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Mercedes are 15 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' championship.
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Wordplay TUESDAY PUZZLE — Constructors, as a group, are a devious lot.
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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Everyone can have a bad day, even crossword constructors.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Can't leave parrots alone, can we?
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Let's hear from our constructors: How does stuff get thunk up?
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Let's hear from our constructors: Is this a time for comedy?
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Wordplay SATURDAY PUZZLE — Have you grown weary of greeting new constructors?
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Constructors also love to use word tricks like spoonerisms and anagrams.
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SATURDAY PUZZLE — Our two constructors have shared work on puzzles before.
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With the organization, mind-set, structure and some of the staff remaining from the triumphant years, Ferrari managed at first to continue winning: There were drivers' and constructors' titles in 22016 and constructors' title in 22014.
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I can't imagine how non-native, American-English speaking constructors do it.
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Here are a list of all the F1 Constructors Champions in history.
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While most constructors have their own bylines, no one really constructs alone.
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Like Tausig, Agard has emerged as an advocate for other underrepresented constructors.
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"I'd say all the top constructors now use computer assistance," Shortz says.
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Ultimately, the constructors have the entire palette of language at their disposal.
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Everybody, all together now: Thank you, constructors and editors, for the crossings.
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But the constructors assure us that those two entries are happy coincidences.
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Mercedes have a 133 point lead over Ferrari in the constructors' standings.
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Let's hear from our constructors: This passage may not apply to PBS.
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I appreciate his efforts to include more underrepresented groups as crossword constructors.
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He wrote about the world of crossword puzzle constructors in issue 27.09.
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It has been 21 years since the team won a constructors' championship.
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McLaren, eight times constructors' champions, have not won a race since 2012.
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The constructors probably left a few on the cutting board, I'd bet.
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We clearly need to start a Fresh Air Fund for our constructors.
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Welcome to a new Wordplay feature where we will meet these constructors.
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In Part 1 of the series, the constructors Ben Tausig and Finn Vigeland developed the theme, and the constructors David Steinberg and Natan Last set that theme in the grid and placed the black squares in Part 2.
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No, Santa is not going to be visiting these two constructors this year.
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Some crossword constructors are visionaries who enjoy incorporating visual elements into their grids.
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By the mid-2000s, alternative weekly newspapers started publishing puzzles from young constructors.
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Constructors like debuting words, since it usually means that they're fresh or new.
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It's always worth noting when constructors and editors try for a fresh clue.
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The added layer here is that our constructors have turned them into puns.
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But I'd like constructors to make an honest effort to write original clues.
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As with many constructors, this marks the fulfillment of a long time dream.
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They are also heading for sixth successive drivers' and constructors' titles this season.
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Finally, it's an honor to be included in this week highlighting women constructors.
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Kudos to our constructors for debuting all four theme entries and the revealer.
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It's a boon for constructors, so we see it a lot in crosswords.
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They're higher in the constructors' championship than they've been for over 10 years.
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PUZZLE MAKING Crossword constructors volunteer their time to help underrepresented populations get published.
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"I can now sometimes recognize certain hallmarks of certain constructors," Ms. Ching said.
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After all, epiphanies should be not just for constructors, but for solvers too!
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SATURDAY PUZZLE — Some puzzle constructors are attracted to a marquee phrase as their seed entry and some constructors can't resist the Scrabbly allure of the rarer letters of the alphabet when selecting a place to start filling their themeless grids.
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Let's check in with our constructors: Oh, just getting in step for Mardi Gras!
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Ferrari have not won a championship since 2008, when they took the constructors' title.
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Red Bull racked up four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010 and 2013.
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Ferrari also reduced the gap to Mercedes in the constructors' championship to 218 points.
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Regular crossword constructors and editors aren't allowed to compete, but are welcome as officials.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Ellen Leuschner: It's always fun to work with Jeff.
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Mercedes have already won the constructors' title for the third year in a row.
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In total, the Williams team has won seven drivers' championships and nine constructors' championships.
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Moreover, I'm delighted and honored to be included in this celebration of women constructors.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Hey, shouldn't we grow more fearless as we age?
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It's rudimentary but I'd recommend it for aspiring constructors before making a larger investment.
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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — You might not have noticed, but crossword constructors enjoy playing with words.
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Be patient with veteran constructors' time, and really listen to what they tell you.
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The really early birds (pun intended) are the attendees of the Women Constructors' Breakfast.
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McLaren finished ninth in the constructors' championship last season, the worst position since 1968.
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Let's hear from our constructors: The Sherlock Holmes stories generate lovely acrostic-length passages.
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The bride's father is a rig welder for H&S Constructors in Corpus Christi.
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Wordplay FRIDAY PUZZLE — Ah, our young constructors ... they grow up so quickly, don't they?
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I imagine that cryptic setters (constructors) start to see them everywhere there are words.
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Ann Arbor constructors James Tuttle and Peter Collins are local celebrities in my mind.
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Mercedes set a record, winning constructors' and drivers' titles for a sixth successive year.
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Wordplay TUESDAY PUZZLE — I am always impressed by the generosity of our puzzle constructors.
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How do you feel about a pair of constructors who play games with you?
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The origin of this theme probably duplicates the thought processes of many crossword constructors.
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I'm so honored to be counted among the other constructors of the NYT crossword.
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Mercedes have already won the constructors' title for the fifth year in a row.
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Historically, the themeless, late week puzzles have generally been the domain of male constructors.
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Going into last weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, the team was last in the constructors' championship.
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In the constructors' standings, Mercedes are already a hefty 57 clear of second-placed Ferrari.
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S & B Engineers and Constructors has been proud to be part of this exciting progress.
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James G. Slaughter, Jr. is the CEO Emeritus of S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.
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Many of them are your favorite constructors, who are happy to meet solvers in person.
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Let's hear from our constructors: We have the little blue book mentioned in this passage.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Don Gagliardo: There is no memorable inspiration for this puzzle.
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Its founding editors reached out to Anna Shechtman to help recruit a roster of constructors.
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Do constructors and editors really get together in secret, Oreo-fueled meetings to compare notes?
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Mercedes wrapped up its fourth successive constructors' title after Hamilton won in the United States.
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This is a growing list, but contact any of the constructors here to get started:
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For most constructors, I imagine, some theme concepts never get their moment in the sun.
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MONDAY PUZZLE — Crossword constructors are experts at acknowledging holidays, people of note and important events.
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And our constructors reinforce that theme creativity with a lovely revealer at 61A, THINK BIG.
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It then won the 2009 championship, both constructors' and drivers' titles, with Jenson Button driving.
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You can festoon him with vegan food items, for example, as our constructors have today.
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Andrea Carla Michaels is one of the best of the Monday constructors, in my opinion.
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That's why it's so wonderful that she is sharing her time by mentoring new constructors.
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The constructors' title was Honda's 173th, coming as the company celebrates 60 years in motorcycle racing.
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Ferrari last won the constructors' championship in 2008 and the drivers' title with Raikkonen in 2007.
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It's chockfull of lovely vowels and very helpful to constructors when they are filling a puzzle.
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After 1981, McLaren went on to win seven more constructors' titles and 10 more drivers' titles.
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I have a lot of respect for constructors who can write clean, easy puzzles so prolifically.
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A good lesson for constructors and solvers alike: It really does pay to stick with it.
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Mercedes also padded out their advantage in the constructors' standings to 295 with Ferrari on 172.
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The competition has gotten a LOT stiffer, with many new talented constructors having upped their game.
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The partnership yielded four drivers' and constructors' championships from 2010 to 2013 but ultimately turned sour.
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Published constructors have hailed from 47 states plus D.C., six Canadian provinces and nine foreign countries.
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Both published and aspiring constructors who identify as women attend to support and encourage each other.
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Given that crosswords are mainly about wordplay, it's interesting how many constructors have a math background.
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I have since learned that other new constructors found mentors for themselves through the puzzling network.
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Although Mercedes leads the constructors' championship this year, it is by only eight points over Ferrari.
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He later guided his own team, Brawn GP, to the constructors' and drivers' titles in 2009.
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Mercedes took their sixth successive constructors' title in Japan (race 17), equaling Ferrari's 1999-2004 record.
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Mad respect for those constructors who manage to churn these things out on a regular basis.
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Wordplay MONDAY PUZZLE — Crossword constructors are creative people and, as a group, can be very sensitive.
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Mercedes won the constructors' championship in Japan last year but that will not happen this time.
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We will always have the memories of winning the drivers' championship and two constructors' championships together.
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Our constructors debuted six entries, including MATHLETES and FUNEMPLOYED, two portmanteaux that were new to me.
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Nancy, who has mentored many constructors, uncorked the New Year's Eve title, which led to acceptance.
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Two congenial constructors, one a familiar weekender, Howard Barkin, and one a Monday regular, Kevin Christian.
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Obviously, that goes for the demographics of constructors, too, but also the makeup of the grids.
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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD — We've had a nice variety of cryptic "setters," or constructors, the last several puzzles.
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They're not the worst entries in the world, but I expect more from two such veteran constructors.
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Ferrari last won a constructors' championship in 2008, the year of Hamilton's first drivers' title with McLaren.
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The 34-year-old won in Brazil last year, while Mercedes wrapped up the constructors' championship there.
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Ferrari are on 147 points in the Constructors' championship having benefitted from an improved turbocharger in Canada.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Here's a guy who thinks his home state is weirder than others.
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It now trails Ferrari by 10 points in the constructors' championship; Red Bull is 58 points behind.
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THURSDAY PUZZLE — No offense to veteran constructors but it is always a kick to see a debut.
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But the Scuderia have not won a championship since 2008, when the team took the constructors' crown.
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Our constructors today, playing fast and loose, just toss in TZATZIKI like they're running a restaurant. Opa!
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And we hope the above comments give both solvers and constructors some insights into our editing process.
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The constructors and editors have even circled the letters spelling out the word "spoon" to help us.
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Toto Wolff, the Mercedes motorsport boss, has enjoyed winning the constructors' championship for the last four seasons.
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Jeff Chen: I enjoy working with new constructors, and I really enjoy it when they're like Michelle.
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Constructors who can work quickly will sometimes pull together a puzzle when a person of note dies.
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Some constructors have what I call a shtick, or something they are known for in crossword puzzles.
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The constructors, Mary Lou Guizzo and Erik Agard, are a dynamic team, and this puzzle reflects that.
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They have also won 16 constructors' titles, another record, and six were consecutive between 1999 and 2004.
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If you do not know what an EX-PARROT is, please observe: Let's hear from our constructors.
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Mercedes, who extended their winning run to six, lead Ferrari by 118 points in the constructors' standings.
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The team won the constructors' championship in a walk, wrapping it up with four races to go.
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As expected from a puzzle by these constructors, this grid was stuffed with subtle misdirection and quips.
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Constructors try their best to make these shorter crossings legitimate words, without too many partials or abbreviations.
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Love and appreciation to the stack god Martin Ashwood-Smith, one of my favorite constructors to solve.
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Ferrari and Red Bull are also looking ahead, their second and third positions secure in the constructors' standings.
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Mercedes lead the constructors' standings, a point ahead of Ferrari, after two wins by each of the teams.
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Puzzle constructors have a unique talent for looking at words and phrases and seeing them in unusual ways.
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Join us for Part 4 on July 11, when our final pair of constructors will write the clues.
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It's a fun and well-researched travelogue through the passionate and quirky world of puzzle solvers and constructors.
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Constructors, however, will by and large tell you that it's actually much tougher to construct a Monday puzzle.
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He's not alone; many constructors vent their spleen in their crosswords, and heaven knows that's cheaper than therapy.
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He also really got the idea that a puzzle should be about the solvers, not about the constructors.
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It's even more appealing to me when constructors do it right in their puzzles, for all to see.
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In my 25 years at The Times the ages of published constructors have varied from 13 to 101.
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I know that aspiring constructors say they are daunted by the word list aspect of construction: Don't be.
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SHORTZ: One thing I'd like to emphasize is how important it is for constructors to write original clues.
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Erik mentored and guided us as aspiring constructors through several puzzles and is a constant inspiration for us.
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SATURDAY PUZZLE — Randolph Ross has been making puzzles since before some of our constructors had baby teeth, even.
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Let's hear from our constructors: It's comforting to know there's some radiation left over from the Big Bang.
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Since Schumacher's 2006 departure from the team, Ferrari has won three world titles: two constructors' and one drivers'.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Sometimes we have several similar models under construction in the shop at once.
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The Mercedes team set a record this season, winning drivers' and constructors' titles for a sixth successive year.
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I was then lucky enough to join the team of "regular" cryptic constructors at The Independent in 2016.
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So tell me, constructors, how is the planet TATOOINE just making its New York Times Crossword debut today?
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If attendees weren't feeling welcome quite yet, hordes of solvers and constructors gathered in the Stamford Marriott's bar.
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So far, we've showed people how to solve the New York Times Crossword puzzle and how to make one (including how our puzzle editors get constructors' work ready for publication), and we are bringing our beloved constructors forward to take a bow in our monthly "Who Made My Puzzle?" spotlights.
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At Mercedes, Lowe played an integral role in the team winning the last three drivers and constructors' world championships.
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Toro Rosso and Racing Point are also closer to Renault in the constructors' standings with four races to go.
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Toro Rosso are sixth in the constructors' championship, 14 points behind Williams in fifth, with four races to go.
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Constructors know that it is way easier to fill puzzle sections that have diagonal edges rather than straight edges.
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Ferrari are also a hefty 145 points behind reigning champions Mercedes in the constructors' standings with four races remaining.
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The points were Sainz's first of the campaign and helped lift McLaren to fourth overall in the constructors' standings.
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Success came immediately as the team won the drivers' and constructors' title every year since, from 2014 to 2016.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Last time, with the "Leaving Orbit" passage, we were loving a lover of words.
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Before that, since the first constructors' title was awarded in 22, the winner had always been an independent team.
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Except the constructors mean elegant formal wear, so please forget what I just said and think swellegant — TUXEDOS, maybe.
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Other than that, we strive for liveliness, which is ultimately a judgment that can vary among constructors and editors.
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Each packet features an array of constructors, including many big names you'd recognize from The New York Times Crossword!
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And I've felt honored to be associated with all the smart and funny people who are my fellow constructors.
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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — As you do more and more crossword puzzles, you begin to realize that constructors have unique styles.
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At this time, only around 15 percent of submissions to The New York Times Crossword are from nonmale constructors.
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Solvers teach each other, and many constructors mentor those who would like to try their hands at puzzle-making.
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Ferrari has not won a constructors' title for 11 years, and it is 12 since a driver was champion.
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It won a third constructors' and drivers' title, more than any major road car manufacturer in the series' history.
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They are ninth out of 10 in the constructors' standings with only Williams below them and seven races remaining.
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The team are currently last but one in the constructors' championship and are switching to Renault power next year.
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There, I made friends with stellar constructors and wound up giving Brendan Emmett Quigley a ride back to Beantown.
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It was during the editorial process that I learned that constructors tend to use software to help with fill.
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Mercedes received $63.5 million for winning the constructors' championship in 2015, the latest year for which figures are available.
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If you have ever dreamed of trying your hand at constructing and you are on Facebook, join Erik Agard, Will Nediger and a ton of constructors in the Puzzle Collaboration Directory group, where aspiring constructors can meet more experienced hands who will work with them to learn the craft of puzzle making.
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McLaren are the second-most successful team in Formula One history but have not won the constructors' title since 1998.
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Red Bull have taken second place from Ferrari in the constructors' championship, but Marchionne expressed confidence in recent leadership changes.
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McLaren are now ninth out of 10 in the constructors' standings and have scored only 11 points from 13 races.
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I admire constructors who aim high their first time out of the gate, but I'm always worried they will overshoot.
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Toro Rosso are sixth in the constructors' championship, four points clear of Renault and a further two ahead of Haas.
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Mercedes are chasing a record-equalling sixth successive constructors' championship this year and also a record sixth successive title double.
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MONDAY PUZZLE — If constructors design the grid, develop the theme and write the clues, what do we need editors for?
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That's part of the editor's job, and it's why many of the clues submitted by constructors tend to get rewritten.
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Mercedes have already won this year's constructors' championship and are sure of completing an unprecedented sixth title double in succession.
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The constructors' championship is a crucial determinant of the total prize money a team gets from competing in F1 races.
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Sometimes constructors or editors will take a perfectly innocent word and pronounce it differently, just to mess with your head.
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That test came days after Mercedes had won the constructors' championship, with Rosberg taking victory in the race at Suzuka.
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Our constructors took four unique and common phrases containing the word HOOK and substituted the letter J for that word.
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Let's hear from our constructors: This book about the Olympics — David Arscott's "The Olympics" — offers the acrostician many fine prospects.
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Ferrari last won a drivers' championship with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 while their last constructors' title triumph came in 2008.
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In the constructors' championship, Ferrari need to outscore Mercedes by 17 points to prevent them retaining the title in Austin.
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In themed puzzles, they are easier for constructors to work with than slightly shorter words of length 13 or 14.
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Seeing that dance of squares and science proved to be the moment of conception for a new generation of constructors.
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Another AVCX star, 250-year-old Erik Agard, is regarded as one of the most talented constructors of his generation.
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Since there are so few young female constructors, I decided to reach out and see if she wanted to collaborate.
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And thanks as always to my fellow constructors, especially Jacob (congratulations again on getting married!), and to you, the solver.
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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Making a good crossword puzzle means that constructors have to adhere to a lot of fussy little rules.
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Ferrari went from top of the heap to also-rans, and both drivers' and constructors' championships became Mercedes' to lose.
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There have been some noted constructors we've noticed who have taken most or all of their clues from a database.
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They sit in constructors' idea books, waiting for the perfect revealer or maybe another theme entry to complete the set.
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Not only that, but I always enjoy when constructors show us something we might not have noticed before about words.
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One thing I have discovered while learning this craft is that the community of crossword constructors is welcoming and generous.
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Force India is comfortably fourth in this year's constructors' championship as the series heads into the Italian race this weekend.
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I'm always intrigued by themeless constructors that refer to a single "seed entry" they use to kick off each grid.
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I am in awe of my editors and fellow constructors who have that knack and play with words so effortlessly.
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Quite a few constructors start out with simple themes and those puzzles are rightfully scheduled for an early week slot.
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I cannot stop marveling at how constructors get the words and phrases to march together in their Rows and Bands.
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Most constructors have the luxury of time, where they get to refine their word lists and practice their clue writing.
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And if you are curious about what that egg breaking in the quote looks like, our constructors found this video.
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Sunday's result also secured fourth place in the constructors' standings, McLaren's highest finish since they were third overall in 2012.
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As the constructors reveal at 69A, a PLAYER (1A) and a DEALER (14A) are playing a game of TWENTY-ONE.
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Ferrari won six straight constructors' championships from 1999 to 2004, accompanied by five drivers' titles, all won by Michael Schumacher.
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It's just that it's not every day that a pair of constructors offers to buy the entire internet a drink.
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WEINTRAUB and WILBER: Before we really dive into the cluing, there are some things that all constructors need to know.
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Constructors like Neville Fogarty of Newport News, Va., credit Mr. Shortz for the increases in pay rates for puzzle makers.
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With some constructors, solvers can find several clues that are gimmes or gettable, but the overall solve doesn't feel smooth.
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Maybe that's not really a secret, but it explains the notes from the constructors Amanda Chung and Karl Ni below.
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Since 1958, when Formula One began awarding a constructors' title to the team that scores the most points in a season — as opposed to the drivers' title, which goes to the winning driver — all of the constructors' titles have gone to teams residing in Britain, with the exception of Ferrari, which is based in Italy.
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Mercedes won the constructors' title in Japan at the weekend, a week after an engine failure denied Hamilton victory in Malaysia.
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Renault's own works team are currently seventh in the 10 team constructors' championship with two races remaining while McLaren are ninth.
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That has irked some established teams who have spoken of Haas as effectively a Ferrari 'B' outfit rather than authentic constructors.
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This excerpt is a joke about beauty with a Halloween twist, because our constructors are forever full of tricks and treats.
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Here's to running out of wall space before either my brain gives out or our robot overlords make crossword constructors expendable.
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Thanks to the Frenchman's points, with Mexican Esteban Gutierrez so far drawing a blank, Haas are fifth in the constructors' standings.
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They sit fourth in the constructors' championship after nine of 21 races, 20 points ahead of engine provider Renault's works team.
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Mercedes have won the last three drivers' and constructors' championships without conceding more than three races in any of those seasons.
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Educate about construction materials that make travel safer, and construction methods that allow constructors to deliver projects cheaper, faster and cleaner.
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It's easier for constructors sometimes, and if you have an otherwise lively and high-quality sector, it's sometimes worth the tradeoff.
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From his perspective, Bottas is there to score points and back up the team's bid for a fourth straight constructors' title.
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Let's hear from our constructors, as they wax poetic: Horses In their legs is a "stay apparatus" that lets them remain
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So not every "inconsistency" in a theme is one that dooms it, which is a point well-remembered for us constructors.
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During that period, it also provided engines at times to Ligier and Benetton, winning the constructors' title with Benetton in 1995.
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SPIRIT ANIMAL also makes its debut and I'm just going to leave this here for constructors and solvers as bonus material.
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FRIDAY PUZZLE — Robyn Weintraub is quickly becoming one of my favorite constructors because of her lively grids and prowess with cluing.
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After 35-plus years of solving New York Times puzzles, I am positively thrilled to finally join the club of constructors.
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That's when I learned to solve, pre-1993, before constructors first got their due (at least nominally) with bylines in print.
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When the holiday falls on a weekday, constructors have to make do with what they can pack into a 15x15 grid.
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All of the steel, concrete and asphalt from the bridge will be removed from the river, according to Tappan Zee Constructors.
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SUNDAY PUZZLE — Brendan Emmett Quigley is in the pantheon of great veteran Times constructors, and today's grid is absorbing and clever.
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Please read the constructors' notes today for color commentary on the making of this puzzle and suggestions for two sweet charities.
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The trick for constructors is to make those long entries as lively and interesting as possible, and that's not always easy.
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There is an old joke that prisoners make good crossword constructors, because they have a lot of time on their hands.
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This is my first New York Times crossword, and I must say I feel honored to officially join the constructors' fraternity.
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I contributed two puzzles to Queer Qrosswords, a puzzle pack organized by Nate Cardin by LGBTQ+ constructors to benefit LGBTQ+ charities.
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"It used to be that, for constructors, the only feedback they got on a puzzle was from the editor," he explained.
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When constructors go below a certain word count or stack long entries, it can be at the expense of the fill.
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McLaren is fourth in the constructors' standings, although the gap to the team in third place, Red Bull, is 183 points.
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Special thanks to constructors Byron Walden, Robin Schulman, and Daniel Landman, whose "IDOIDOIDOIDOIDO" and "ITSAMADMADMADMADWORLD" puzzles inspired today's theme and revealer.
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Let's hear from our constructors: There are three kinds of people: those who can do math, and those who can't. Rimshot.
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It's filled with fun and mostly educational quizzes, some of which are written by crossword constructors whose names you would recognize.
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But this year Mercedes won the drivers' and constructors' championships for the sixth consecutive time, the only team to accomplish that.
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You can't really expect constructors to stay away from a perfectly good entry that ends tantalizingly in a J, can you?
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The contractor, Tappan Zee Constructors, issued a statement in response to questions about the investigation and allegations: "To the extent that inquiries or concerns have been raised regarding the quality of the A490 bolts, Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) has fully cooperated by providing documentation, hundreds of actual bolts for testing and access to our employees," the company said.
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In our call for submissions, we suggested that work by female and minority constructors was especially welcome, given historical and continuing underrepresentation.
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Operating with and on these constructors gives rise to what Dr Deutsch reckons is a theory even more fundamental than quantum mechanics.
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MONDAY PUZZLE — One of the nicest things about this job is the chance to welcome new constructors when their puzzles are published.
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One theme can inspire another theme, and before you know it, constructors are challenging each other to previously unknown Acrosses and Downs.
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Wordplay VARIETY PUZZLE — The Broadway musical "Hamilton" has captured the imaginations of many people, including our constructors Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon.
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Clearly, there are a lot of constraints in a grid like this, and you can read about them in the constructors' notes.
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The company that owns the stationary barge, Tappan Zee Constructors, said it was aware of the accident and was cooperating with investigators.
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About half of its puzzle-makers are now women, and some of its young constructors are popular at The New York Times.
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If you're a new constructor, there are many wonderful experienced constructors who are eager to connect with you and give you tips!
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EDO changed its name to Tokyo in 1868, yet the former name is short and vowelicious and therefore tempting to crossword constructors.
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How do the editors Will Shortz and Joel Fagliano evaluate constructors' submissions and decide which day of the week it should run?
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T William Campbell's correct name is T Campbell, and one of the Women Constructors' Breakfast attendees is Katje Brinck, not Katje Sabin.
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I don't mean to ruffle any genderfeathers; I just happen to extremely dig every one of the constructors we've seen so far.
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Thanks to Will and the team for making it happen, and three cheers to my fellow constructors whose puzzles ran this week.
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There was a puzzle similar to this one from 2002, but instead of the revealer QUALITY TIME, the constructors focus on television.
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An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to one of the youngest crossword constructors during Will Shortz's time as puzzle editor.
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The Italian team's most recent driver's title was with Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, a year before they took their last constructors' championship.
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Ferrari have won a record 16 constructors' titles and are unique in having competed in every season since the first in 1950.
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"We mustn't forget that they (Renault) are fighting with Toro Rosso for a better position in the Constructors' championship," the team said.
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SATURDAY PUZZLE — Two veteran weekend constructors, Erik Agard and Joon Pahk, combine forces today and slap a zingy grid on the table.
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We all know Jeff Chen, who frequently collaborates with new and veteran constructors, gives us his own solo work, and runs xwordinfo.
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Both Sam Ezersky, a student at the University of Virginia, and David Steinberg, a student at Stanford University, are already veteran constructors.
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Hamilton has 296 points to Bottas's 231 with six races remaining while Mercedes have 527 to Ferrari's 394 in the constructors' championship.
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UPDATE: Sorry, I was so busy trying to figure out how BEST means worst that I completely forgot to introduce our constructors.
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The GATT case brought against Canada has direct parallels to the Trump administration's plan to require pipeline constructors to use U.S.-made steel.
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In a statement, the department said the work by Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Southwest Valley Constructors is expected to be completed by Jan.
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He also contributed to a team that won eight "World Constructors' Championships" and six "World Drivers' Championships," the highest awards in Formula One.
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Force India, fourth in the constructors' championship for the last two years, also have work to do after being knocked out during Q2.
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In a statement, the Pentagon said the work by Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Southwest Valley Constructors was expected to be completed by Jan.
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Newey is Red Bull's chief technical officer and the most winning F1 designer of all time, taking ten Constructors' Championships in his career.
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Mercedes had already won the constructors' world championship for the fourth year in a row and ended with 668 points to Ferrari's 522.
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Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda, himself a triple world champion, also agreed even as his team celebrated their fourth successive constructors' championship.
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The surrounding fill is — in my opinion — above average for two constructors who are just starting out, and they debut some nice entries.
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FRIDAY PUZZLE — It's always exciting to watch crossword constructors stretch their wings by trying to publish puzzles for every day of the week.
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Let's hear from Mr. Steinberg: The inspiration for this puzzle was a dinner with other young constructors at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
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Crossword constructors have a way of setting a "been done" theme on edge, or giving it a twist so that it feels fresher.
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Crosswords can be so much more, and the things that constructors wedge into their grids, both visual and verbal, continue to astound me.
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Huge shout-out to him for his help in putting this together, and his general role in helping constructors everywhere with their craft.
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But the materials used are cheap and the houses are secretly burned down, thus allowing the constructors and stakeholders to collect insurance money.
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Wordplay VARIETY PUZZLE — Like our constructors, I no longer own a Magic 8 Ball, but I had one when I was a child.
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IONA is also the name of a college in New Rochelle, N.Y. The entry certainly gives constructors and editors plenty of clue fodder.
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Hopefully, with time, these constructors will adapt their word lists and learn to put aside themes until they can give them more thought.
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A pair of veteran constructors, Kevin Christian and Andrea Carla Michaels, are back with a long-playing theme that goes quickly and smoothly.
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Jeff Chen is the master of giving quick lessons to aspiring constructors, so I'll use this note to try to do the same.
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You would think that after nearly a decade of doing this, I would know to expect absolutely anything from the constructors and editors.
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"Doctor or engineer" sounds like we're supposed to be thinking about an occupation, but the constructors and editors are just playing with you.
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These talented constructors selflessly shared the benefit of their experience with a newbie, and I cannot overstate how grateful I am for that.
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Maybe the constructors and puzzle editors are holding their cards close to their chest and will reveal more surprises later in the week.
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The winning bid, by a consortium known as Tappan Zee Constructors, came in $1 billion under what the state feared it would cost.
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Our first meeting was at Lollapuzzoola 9, and it was fun talking to one of the very few young-gun crossword constructors around.
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Talking to constructors and solvers, I've noticed that dupes and near dupes are an area where there's a good deal of aesthetic disagreement.
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I am absolutely thrilled to be making my New York Times debut and to be making the list of teenage constructors (just barely)!
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Red Bull won four drivers' and constructors' championships in a row with Sebastian Vettel, now at Ferrari, and Renault between 2010 and 2013.
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"Nevertheless this is how the drivers and team operate," added the Austrian, whose team have won the past three drivers' and constructors' championships.
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Few people expected that Mercedes would fail to win both the constructors' and the drivers' titles for the third season in a row.
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Now, with software making themeless puzzles far easier to churn out, I've gravitated toward themed puzzles, as well as collaborating with other constructors.
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Its sixth constructors' title was sealed in Japan with four races to spare, while Hamilton won the drivers' champion with two races left.
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WEINTRAUB: One stylistic side note, before we continue: As Deb said, it's common practice among constructors to put clues in brackets, [Like so].
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When my last puzzle was published, I went onto the comments section of the Wordplay blog as I'm sure many new constructors do.
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You'll start off thinking about what kind of ORE the constructors are looking for, and you'll end up realizing that it's a TYPO.
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Second, we work to help women — cis women, trans women and woman-aligned constructors — who are new to the field develop their skills.
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In addition, the constructors of today's puzzle, Peter Broda and Erik Agard, are popular indie constructors in their own right, as well as part of the team that presents the Indie 500 Crossword Tournament in Washington, D.C. Today's puzzle is a great example of the fresh thinking you see in indie puzzles, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to solve it.
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The result catapulted Ferrari back to the top of the constructors' standings and also sent German Vettel 25 points clear of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
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Williams, winners of nine constructors' titles between 1980 and 1997, are the only team yet to score a point in nine races this season.
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Maldonado's future has been uncertain since Renault announced their return to Formula One as constructors and took over the financially-troubled team last month.
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There are also millions of dollars at stake for mid-table teams jostling for position in the constructors' standings that determine prize money payouts.
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There is plenty at stake further down the pecking order, with the battle raging for position in the constructors' championship already won by Mercedes.
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Wolff, whose team have now won three constructors' and drivers' championships in a row since Brawn left, said those comments had been cleared up.
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Hamilton now has 331 points to Vettel's 264, while Mercedes lead Ferrari in the constructors' standings with 538 points to 460 for the Italians.
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Only the Mercedes team, which had won the constructors' championship, and the Red Bull team, which was a safe second, were not potentially affected.
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Dani Raymon has become one of my favorite constructors, and I like his cryptics because they are both fun and within my solving wheelhouse.
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"Next year we are targeting top five in the constructors' championship; the year after we want to be regularly fighting for podiums," he said.
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British rookie George Russell was scheduled to drive the opening laps for the former champions who finished bottom of the constructors' table in 2018.
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In 2017, he was also named one of the two crossword constructors of the year by the crossword blog Diary of a Crossword Fiend.
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Most constructors try to inject fresh words and phrases, often from current events or pop culture, that have never appeared before in a crossword.
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Wordplay TUESDAY PUZZLE — I'm always amazed by the variety of talents and professional skills that New York Times crossword constructors bring to the table.
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I had the pleasure of meeting the crossword constructor Claire Muscat at the annual Women Constructors' Breakfast at this year's American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.
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And then there's a project I worked on, Queer Qrosswords, which is another pack of crosswords by queer constructors that benefits L.G.B.T.Q.-centric charities.
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It seems odd, today, because as a longtime solver I have come to really relish certain constructors' styles, and look forward to their creations.
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Taking that part of the bridge apart piece by piece could lead to collapse, Tappan Zee Constructors, the company responsible for the demolition, determined.
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Only about 15 percent of published constructors nowadays are women — which is about the same as the percentage of submissions that come from women.
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In other words, he's reminiscent of some of our constructors, as far as numerous and various achievements, but I hadn't heard of him before.
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Odebrecht, which began work in Peru in 1979, had risen to be one of the country's chief constructors of roads, bridges, dams and highways.
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For many constructors, this type may be easier to create, as there is more freedom to express oneself without the constraint of a theme.
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Good ol' Erik Agard must be pretty amiable, as he's collaborated with no fewer than eight other constructors in the last couple of years.
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We ask constructors to send us manuscripts with the clues typed on the left, double spaced, with the answer words on the far right.
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For a team that has won eight constructors' championships, 203 drivers' titles and 182 grands prix, such a deterioration has been difficult to accept.
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FRIDAY PUZZLE — Here's a tip for new constructors: If you want to pull solvers into your puzzle, open with something really entertaining at 1A.
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Small addendum: Robyn Weintraub is among the constructors whose work will appear at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament this year, which is quickly approaching.
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ANDREA YAÑES: As I'm sure is true of many constructors, I'm thrilled to have a puzzle published in The Times for the first time.
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Even though The New York Times publishes a wide variety of constructors and themes, there are striking similarities between grids by day of week.
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Wordplay THURSDAY PUZZLE — Damon Gulczynski is one of those crossword puzzle constructors who seem to be equally comfortable making both themed and themeless puzzles.
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Wordplay THURSDAY PUZZLE — The new constructors just keep on coming, and today it's Keith Redwine's turn to make his New York Times Crossword debut.
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If you are new to solving the New York Times Crossword, you might not be aware that some of our constructors are also artists.
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" Let's hear from our constructors: If you look up the word "measly" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, you'll see it defined as "contemptibly small.
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As is often the case, constructors think alike and David Steinberg's great Sunday puzzle last year employed a similar theme concept with balls vs.
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Finally, I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage any new/newish constructors who feel intimidated by Sunday-size crosswords to take the plunge.
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Then in 22013 and 20153, McLaren Mercedes won the drivers' title with Mika Hakkinen at the wheel, also winning the constructors' title in 22015.
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Wordplay FRIDAY PUZZLE — I don't know about you, but I am really enjoying this influx of puzzles from some of the younger indie constructors.
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"We will try and finish fourth in the constructors', try and catch Williams," Mallya told Reuters in his team's paddock hospitality after the race.
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Granted, that would have required a tricky 15-letter entry fill down the center, but I like to see constructors think big on Fridays.
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This season has been far less fruitful for Ferrari, without a win in 14 races and behind Mercedes and Red Bull in the constructors' standings.
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The team had not won a drivers' title since 1979, with the driver Jody Scheckter, and it had not won the constructors' title since 1983.
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Perhaps Ferrari can now count on both drivers to contribute more regularly to podium finishes, which is essential to its challenge for the constructors' title.
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The constructors offer us a set of three theme entries that seem like a disparate list, but there are those circled squares to contend with.
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Constructors might think about a phrase that has one meaning, and then repurpose it so it has a completely different meaning that still makes sense.
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I started where most constructors don't, and shouldn't: telling myself that I really needed to make a Monday puzzle with no ideas for it whatsoever.
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So when constructors subvert the rules of puzzle making, I can't help but watch with glee, mostly because I cannot do it in this forum.
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On Ferrari After clinching its fifth consecutive Formula One World Championship constructors' title this year, the Mercedes team is wary of becoming complacent about winning.
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This is where we're trying to set up our next pair of constructors — the ones who will complete the filling of the puzzle — for success.
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While this is largely a solo pursuit, it has been nice meeting some other constructors and finding that there is actually a sense of camaraderie.
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McLaren had another wretched year last season, finishing ninth in the constructors' championship because of a litany of failures of its Honda-supplied power unit.
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It also said that Lowe, who helped Mercedes to three successive drivers' and constructors' championships, was understood to have bought a stake in the team.
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Mr. Gascoigne lives in London and, in his spare time, is a setter of cryptic crosswords (setters are what they call constructors across the pond).
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Lowe had spent four years as executive technical director at Mercedes, where he was an important figure in its three consecutive drivers' and constructors' titles.
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Robyn Weintraub and Brad Wilber, two well-known New York Times Crossword constructors, take us through that final part of the process in Part 503.
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In addition, the creativity of the puzzle constructors and editors remains unabated, and we've brought in new writers for Wordplay to help expand our coverage.
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Andrea Carla Michaels: It's been exciting to see a new awareness and push for new women to join the ranks of New York Times constructors!
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Vettel showed the reigning constructors' champions a clean set of heels and quickly established a six-second gap, which only got wider as the race progressed.
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The Mercedes drivers are the only ones in title contention and the team has already won the constructors' championship for a third year in a row.
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That's on top of a Constructors Championship Bonus of around $38 million, which is also given out to the teams of Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren.
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Employees at another of the 'big four' constructors that is involved in the maglev project, Kajima Corp, underwent voluntary questioning by prosecutors, a company spokesman said.
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As the week goes on, however, the constructors can move the theme entries around, place them outside the grid or hide them where you least expect.
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I hope you'll help the constructors — Ezra Brauner (who makes his debut) and Jeff Chen — as well as the crossword editors celebrate the Festival of Frights.
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Let's chat with our constructors: Brendan Emmett Quigley: I regularly bounce ideas off Francis to see if they fly, if there's an answer I'm missing, etc.
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Some of the most famous drivers of the time raced at the car's wheel and the Italian manufacturer won the Constructors' World Championship title in 1957.
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"Suzuka will be another challenging weekend for us," declared Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff, whose team are 53 points clear of Ferrari in the constructors' standings.
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McLaren has not had the dominant position in recent years that it held in the 1980s in the Formula One rankings, known as the Constructors' Championships.
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The new design, scheduled for early 2019, requires more expensive materials and equipment, and adds personnel costs for a longer construction period, the two constructors said.
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If Mercedes cannot find their mojo again soon, they can expect to see Ferrari pull away at the top of both the drivers' and constructors' standings.
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In the last 10 seasons, only four different drivers have won the championship, and eight of the constructors' titles were won by Red Bull or Mercedes.
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You might not learn very much about them from this spotlight, but you will come away appreciating the profound creativity that makes them such good constructors.
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Ms. Weintraub is one of those constructors who has that gift of providing edification with minimal mortification, at least as far as my brain is concerned.
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In advance of the 14th grand prix of the season around Singapore's Marina Bay Street Circuit this weekend, Haas's team is seventh in the constructors' championship.
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We meet many constructors and their artful creations, and we visit the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, founded by Shortz and held each spring in Stamford, Conn.
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But here's the nice thing — we've set up the grid so a few aesthetic choices can be made by the constructors who will fill the puzzle.
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Wordplay TUESDAY PUZZLE — We get mail here at Wordplay, and some of it is from readers who wonder exactly how constructors come up with their ideas.
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Renault, with Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo and German Nico Hulkenberg, are fifth in the constructors' championship with three races to go, after finishing fourth last year.
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Red Bull, who won four constructors' and drivers' championships in a row with Renault engines between 2010 and 2013, then issued a conciliatory comment from Marko.
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VERANDAED and XANADUS make their debuts, but perhaps they debut because some constructors tend to avoid strange forms of otherwise lively words in the first place.
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He has been at the forefront of this movement, setting up and moderating a Facebook page to connect new constructors from underrepresented groups with collaborators/mentors.
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Wordplay MONDAY PUZZLE — Peter Gordon is one of those "can pretty much do anything" constructors, but I think of him as a late week puzzle maker.
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Splendid wordplay all around — we've had puzzles with doubled entries, one even earlier this year (also by double constructors, coincidentally) — but this example is very elegant.
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With second place in the constructors' championship secure, Ferrari had told their drivers they were free to fight for their own positions, but with some stipulations.
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Let's hear from our constructors: In a related vein, there's the phenomenon of walking into a room and then realizing you've forgotten why you came there.
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The addition of the constructors Joel Fagliano and Sam Ezersky to the crossword editor Will Shortz's team brought new perspectives to the puzzle entries and clues.
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Last week, Southwest Valley Constructors of Albuquerque, New Mexico, won a $646 million award to replace 63 miles (101 kilometers) in the Border Patrol's Tucson, Arizona, sector.
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The German carmaker bought Brawn in 2010 and has won the last five drivers' and constructors' crowns in the V6 turbo-hybrid era that started in 2014.
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The squad lie ninth in the constructors' standings ahead only of Manor, the smallest team on the gird, and Sauber who are yet to score any points.
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DE) rose 1.9 percent after announcing a 20 billion euro plan to develop zero-emission vehicles and other constructors were also gaining ground, such as Peugeot (PEUP.
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"While Italy is falling apart, thousands of companies and their employees are losing work because of this immobility," said Gabriele Buia, president of national constructors' association Ance.
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The Mercedes pair are now separated by just one point with 17 races remaining, with the Silver Arrows 74 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' standings.
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ExxonMobil have been McLaren's partners for the past 21 years, during which time they have claimed three drivers' world championships, one constructors' title and 78 race victories.
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There are emus to re-home, tears to wipe off the test solvers' faces, shoulders to provide to the Times constructors who have nowhere else to go.
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It's always fun to see a new byline, and another nice thing, if they submit additional puzzles, is that I get to watch them grow as constructors.
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Most Formula One fans will wish for a more competitive series this year after Mercedes swept the drivers' and constructors' championships for the last three seasons running.
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Admittedly, themes put constraints on constructors because it takes a lot of skill to place a set of entries in a symmetrical grid without sacrificing other things.
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Team mate Sergio Perez was fifth, on a strong day for the Silverstone-based team that took them ahead of Williams into fourth in the constructors' standings.
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Here's why: I am a sucker for constructors who see the quirkiness of the English language, and Ms. Leuschner and Mr. Chen are top-notch quirk-spotters.
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Mercedes have been dominant for the last three years, winning both the drivers and constructors' titles, and will start as favorites again despite major aerodynamic rule changes.
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But it also provided a framework for pedagogy: Veteran and aspiring constructors discussed their craft on forums and listservs, with the established mentoring those just starting out.
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A small group of New York Times constructors have taught the class at any given time, but it is currently shepherded by Natan Last and Andy Kravis.
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Based on that brief interaction and interactions with other young constructors like her collaborator, David Steinberg, I believe we have no reason to worry about our hobby.
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But at Red Bull he finds himself alongside Verstappen, the sport's youngest race winner, driving for a team battling Ferrari for third place in the constructors standings.
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Call me old-fashioned, but the curmudgeonly part of me feels that all crossword constructors should be able to construct crosswords (to some degree) without computer assistance.
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Even so, in these last of the warm weather days, Mr. Blindauer's puzzle is a refreshing look at how constructors can put visual elements in their grids.
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I know from reading his notes on XWord Info that he gets a kick out of pointing out when different constructors come up with the same theme.
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If any new constructors are ever doubting themselves and need a sounding board, or want to collaborate on a puzzle, I am happy to be a partner!
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He was technical director of the Benetton team when it won the constructors' title in 1995 and when Michael Schumacher took the 1994 and 1995 drivers' championships.
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It's pretty rare to see many of these themes in The New York Times these days, as Will likes it when constructors bring innovation to the medium.
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And kudos to our editors for being "practical sorts," who patiently provide guidance to constructors who want to make an idea work, come hell or high water.
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McLaren, whose drivers are Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris, are fourth in the constructors' standings behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull with six races remaining this year.
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Although Williams is only fifth in the constructors' championship and Massa 10th for the drivers' title, Massa said the team had made progress after a poor 2016.
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McLaren's 12th and last driver's title was provided by Hamilton nearly a decade ago, in 2008, and they have yet to win a constructors' crown in this millennium.
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Renault's points haul in Japan had consolidated their fifth place in the constructors' standings, but their cars' steering wheels and electronic control units were impounded after the race.
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"How to Make a Crossword Puzzle" is a response to reader questions about how constructors move from an idea to a completed puzzle that is ready for submission.
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Mercedes have already clinched the constructors' championship for the third year in a row while Rosberg and Hamilton are the only drivers in contention for the other title.
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Mercedes have a one point lead in the constructors' championship while Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, with two wins and two second places, is 13 clear of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
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The figures indicated that McLaren, who endured their worst season in 2015 and finished ninth overall, will still receive $82 million thanks to a $32 million constructors' bonus.
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Wolff said he spoke with the triple world champion and team shareholder immediately after Mercedes won the constructors' title in Brazil on Sunday for the fifth straight season.
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Mercedes also returned to the top of the constructors' standings with their first one-two finish of the year and Hamilton finally felt at one with the car.
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Mercedes have won the drivers' and constructors' titles for the past three years in a row and will start next season, despite significant rule changes, as favourites again.
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Hunt had won the drivers' title the previous year, but the team rapidly dropped in the constructors' standings, finishing eighth in 21984 and seventh in 21983 and 19883.
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Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, whose team head into the race on the brink of clinching their third straight constructors' title, expressed confidence that a repeat will not occur.
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The gamble is that the youngster's relative inexperience could impact, in the short-term at least, their constructors' championship hopes as he finds his way under considerable scrutiny.
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SUNDAY PUZZLE — Sometimes there'll be a grid like this on a weekday, but I find that constructors usually need more space to combine multiple elements into a theme.
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MONDAY PUZZLE — All constructors have a style, and when I think about a crossword puzzle by the constructor Erik Agard, the tricky, late-week puzzles come to mind.
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I love seeing that kind of work ethic — many other constructors throw up their hands at my overly critical eye toward grid design, but Sande fully embraced it.
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Crossword constructors work their magic under an unimaginable list of constraints, and one of them is that all entries in the puzzle must have at least three letters.
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This puzzle is a fun debut, or two-thirds of one, as two new constructors — Amanda Chung and Karl Ni — have teamed up with a veteran, Erik Agard.
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These triplet constructors have made use of the triplet trope in their theme answers, and brought in a few fresh long entries to pose a pretty good challenge.
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To make up for the relative easiness of the theme, our intrepid constructors have thrown in some speed bumps in the nontheme fill, which certainly slowed me down.
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Most span entries are seeds, it seems, which constructors might avoid reusing, but in this puzzle, TAKE NO PRISONERS isn't even in the top tier of unusual inclusions.
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I think that our constructors did a strong job today; Mr. Mueller's original idea was out of this world but probably would have required a double-sized grid.
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Let's hear from our constructors: This selection sets our record for elisions and ellipses since, for reasons beyond our control, we were desperate to get a workable passage.
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What I don't understand, and I probably never will, is the really advanced methods that constructors like Alex Eaton-Salners use to bend a grid to their wills.
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Red Bull's Formula 1 team may not have won the constructors' or drivers' championship this season, but it did prove its mastery of what happens in pit row.
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Finding places that will accept all that salvage has been daunting, said Bob Kick, the construction manager for Tappan Zee Constructors, the consortium hired to build the bridge.
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Before Wordplay started as a blog in 2008, there was an open discussion forum for solvers, managed by our beloved Variety puzzle constructors, Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon.
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"Before reading Wordplay, I'd never really noticed the names of constructors, or given much thought to how the puzzles were constructed," Harriet Miller of New York, N.Y., said.
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Those who had hoped for a close title battle are turning their thoughts to 2020, with Mercedes seemingly heading for an unprecedented sixth successive constructors' and drivers' title double.
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He was bullish about his chances of reaching the milestone 100th podium during the coming season and felt the team should also have big ambitions in the constructors' championship.
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"We knew that Mexico with its high downforce configuration wouldn't suit our car," added the Austrian, whose team have already won the constructors' title for a fourth successive season.
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"So it is not done until you've mathematically achieved it," added the Austrian, whose team have already wrapped up the constructors' championship for the fourth year in a row.
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But as you progress, you'll find that constructors love a red herring — an unusual pairing or a triple combination that can make solvers scratch their heads or go astray.
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Bottas, 27, will partner Britain's triple world champion Lewis Hamilton at the sport's dominant team, winners of the last three drivers and constructors' titles and favourites again this year.
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Let's hear from our constructors: Byron Walden: For the trivia lovers out there, I did a fair bit of nosing around for some trivia-related clue for MISS IDAHO.
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The constructors champions are bullish about their car after near-flawless pre-season testing, however, and team mate Nico Rosberg may again loom as Hamilton's stiffest competition in Melbourne.
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The team, who finished eighth out of 10 in the constructors' championship last year, will remain under the same independent ownership and management with Frenchman Frederic Vasseur as principal.
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I have seen this term several times in explanations for cryptic puzzles, where "setters" (constructors) make use of every type of letter manipulation including spelling words and phrases backward.
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His most significant opinions include Adarand Constructors versus Pena, Grutter versus Bollinger, Parents Involved in Community Schools versus Seattle School District Number One, and Fisher versus University of Texas.
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David was my calculus teacher at the Roxbury Latin School (fellow constructors Sam Trabucco and John Lieb also hail from there and I will begin teaching there next fall!).
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Lowe, who has helped Mercedes win three successive constructors' titles, started his F1 career at former champions Williams in 1987 and spent six years there before moving to McLaren.
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With both championships wrapped up, Mercedes having clinched their fourth successive constructors' title in Texas last month, most teams used the opening session as an early test for 2018.
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Wordplay SATURDAY PUZZLE — Making crossword puzzles gives constructors a good opportunity to slip in small tributes here and there in the entries and we have such a puzzle today.
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Fontana's allegations of intentional blocking did not lead to a Schumacher title, and Villeneuve supposedly letting Hakkinen win made no difference to McLaren's final placing in the constructors' standings.
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But because the culture is changing, puzzles are changing too—and though those changes didn't start at the Times, constructors are going to make sure they take root there.
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By far and away, the biggest complaint I get from solvers is that I put too many rap references into my puzzles (I'm nowhere some other constructors, I swear!).
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Today, they both appear with twin clues (at 1A and 69A), but it just goes to show you that you can't put anything past these sneaky constructors and editors.
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After the demolition, only a portion of the west span, nearer Rockland County, will remain; it will continue to be dismantled piece by piece, according to Tappan Zee Constructors.
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DAVID STEINBERG: I'd say grid design is the hardest part of the construction process to get the hang of, but we believe in all the aspiring constructors out there!
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Constructors tend to place theme answers as far away from one another as possible, to give them breathing room and increase the likelihood that the grid will fill well.
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Capitalizing "Foster child" at the beginning of a clue is the constructors' way of tricking solvers into believing that a character in "Freaky Friday" was in the foster system.
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Mercedes have won the last six successive drivers and constructors' titles, with Britain's Lewis Hamilton chasing his seventh this year in the final season before a major rules overhaul.
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Also, I learned a while back that female constructors are underrepresented on Friday and Saturday, so by concentrating on themeless puzzles I'm doing what I can for the team.
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The Italian team have already secured second in the constructors' standings but have never won in Abu Dhabi, a track located right next to their Ferrari World theme park.
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I think about that puzzle a lot when I'm hitting a writer's block and want to feel bad about how much more creative and ambitious other constructors can be.
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Mercedes have won the last six successive drivers and constructors' titles, with Britain's Lewis Hamilton chasing his seventh this year in the final season before a major rules overhaul.
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The regulations are largely unchanged, with a massive shake-up planned for 2021, which has given others hope of ending Mercedes' run of six successive drivers' and constructors' titles.
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I know there's no way the "Star Wars" franchise needs a dime of royalties from crossword-puzzle constructors but there's certainly a symbiotic relationship in place — the planet Kashyyyk?
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Collaborating is often a tricky process because constructors have such different styles, but with Sam, things work really smoothly since we have the same tastes in fill, clues, etc.
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Anyway, our constructors have taken your basic snowman and made him more edible — sorry, interesting — by taking the collective names of certain foods and putting them in appropriate places.
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The Briton, who made his one stop on lap 218, is 216 points clear of Vettel in the title battle while Mercedes are 213 ahead in the constructors' standings.
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Some people still believe that crosswords are made solely by computers, and while most constructors have some software-based help these days, nothing could be farther from the truth.
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Mercedes have won the past three drivers' and constructors' championships and 51 of the 60 races since the introduction of the 1.6 litre V6 turbo hybrid power units in 2014.
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Asked why Germany had seemingly fallen out of love with the sport, despite Mercedes winning both drivers' and constructors' championships for three years running, Wolff — an Austrian — suggested various reasons.
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Mercedes, heading for an unprecedented sixth straight constructors' and drivers' title double, have won all eight races this year as well as the last two of 2018 and look unstoppable.
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New owners Liberty Media said the burly Briton, whose Brawn team won the 2009 constructors' and drivers' titles, would be one of two managing directors under chief executive Chase Carey.
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The Ferrari veteran, who has risen through the ranks to technical director and overseen a big step up in engine performance, has also reportedly been a target for rival constructors.
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Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel had taken the previous three poles before Saturday and, while Hamilton regained the championship lead in Azerbaijan two weekends ago, Ferrari are ahead in the constructors' standings.
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We have homophone pairs today, and the theme is a great example of the kind of thing that constructors notice that perhaps those who do not make puzzles might miss.
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This year was the first time Formula One teams were involved, with a $200,000 prize pot paid out on the constructors' standings and nine of the current 10 taking part.
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Constructors typically place one very lively entry near each corner and, if possible, one in the middle, so no matter where you are solving, there is at least one showstopper.
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And many argue that it cost them the drivers' title that season, so dominant was the team, which won the constructors' title with 141 points over McLaren with only 53.
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Tausig and his partners began seeking out constructors from communities that were underrepresented in the cruciverbalist ranks and offering to mentor them with an eye toward getting them into AVCX.
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The J.A.S.A. Crossword Class, called "Get a Clue," has been running for approximately 49 years, and has been taught by a variety of crossword constructors whose names you would recognize.
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In Part 3 of "How to Make a Crossword Puzzle," our constructors, Kevin Der and Paolo Pasco, tackle filling the crossword puzzle, perhaps the most detailed effort in the process.
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I'd also like to give a shout-out to a few women- and minority-centric crossword projects: There's The Inkubator, which publishes excellent puzzles by women and woman-aligned constructors.
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Wordplay SATURDAY PUZZLE — Saturdays (and Fridays) are traditionally themeless and an opportunity for constructors to open up their mental vaults a bit, withdraw and make use of some esoteric entries.
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Wordplay TUESDAY PUZZLE — To celebrate 75 years of The New York Times Crossword, The Times has been running a series of celebrity crossword collaborations between household names and prominent constructors.
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For example, at 17A, HIGH ROBBERY is the punny answer to the clue "Rooftop heist?" but it's only so because our constructors have yanked the word WAY from HIGHWAY ROBBERY.
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On a whim, I started making puzzles a few months ago with a friend after we saw that Rex Parker (Michael Sharp) had offered his help to any aspiring constructors.
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SUNDAY PUZZLE — Ross Trudeau is among the constructors that bring a lightness to their puzzles — they're not simple (or uninteresting) solves, but they're sort of easygoing and suave, I guess.
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As part of the 75th anniversary of The New York Times Crossword, editor Will Shortz is running a series of puzzle collaborations between people of note and veteran Times constructors.
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In chess, Go, and backgammon the rules are fixed but with crosswords, constructors are allowed to change the rules dramatically as long as they do it in a consistent way.
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Back on Earth, Howard Barkin and Victor Barocas are both Sunday constructors and competitive crossword solvers, as Will Shortz notes in the introduction to the print version of this grid.
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I was delighted to be included in the Women of Letters project, offering a packet of puzzles by women constructors to anyone who makes a donation to women-centric charities.
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Wordplay VARIETY PUZZLE — Another tough one today, but markedly more upbeat than the last acrostic puzzle and beautifully science-geeky, as our constructors, Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon, say below.
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These things do not necessarily make for a bad puzzle, mind you, but they are some of the things constructors keep in mind as they create our entertainment for us.
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Barges carrying construction materials broke loose from their moorings near the Tappan Zee Bridge, which crosses the Hudson River, said Laura Ware, public involvement manager for Tappan Zee Constructors LLC.
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"It's an interesting dynamic they have there," Hamilton told reporters ahead of a Japanese Grand Prix that could crown his Mercedes team as constructors' champions for the sixth successive season.
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I often tell budding constructors that volume is an important factor in coming up with a good crossword theme, maybe one out of 20 concepts being a decent starting point.
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If you have a clue like "Capital of Colombia?" and the entry is only three letters long, odds are good that the constructors are asking you for a capitalized letter.
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Start with the American-made ones by our constructors — they are considerably easier, and you won't be hampered by cultural differences — and then make your way to a British one.
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A big thank you to our eight constructors — Ben Tausig, Finn Vigeland, Natan Last, David Steinberg, Paolo Pasco, Kevin Der, Robyn Weintraub and Brad Wilber — for all their hard work!
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It's not going to hurt anyone to have a little URINE or ENEMA in our puzzles … and it's certainly going to help constructors, because those words alternate consonants and vowels.
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As I said, some constructors might try to put the SEVEN WONDERS into the puzzle (and Mr. Proulx did, according to his notes below), but this puzzle takes them out.
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We also uncovered a number of small technical debt issues in our codebase: blocking object instantiation on an md5 calculation, blocking in constructors and generally doing too much work up front.
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Our constructors offer us a disparate list of theme items — TOOTH EXTRACTION, MATH EXAM and CORN CHEX — that are all appearing in The New York Times crossword for the first time.
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The team founded by the late New Zealander Bruce McLaren have won eight constructors' championships, 12 drivers' titles and 182 races but are without a victory since the end of 2012.
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Constructors and editors spend a lot of time writing and tweaking these snippets so that they will be as fair — and sometimes as devious — as possible to a majority of solvers.
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Sauber, who have been in Formula One since 1993, have been last in the constructors' standings since Germany's Pascal Wehrlein finished 10th in Austria in July but Interlagos could change that.
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This puzzle is one of the success stories of the editing process, so I owe extra thanks to Will for this one, for having both high standards and patience with constructors.
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I'm looking forward to making more Monday puzzles, and I'm in total awe of constructors like Lynn Lempel, Zhouqin Burnikel, and Andrea Carla Michaels who consistently produce fun, top-notch Mondaypuzzles.
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Part of it was that I met a lot of really kind people at the A.C.P.T., many of whom were constructors and encouraged me to try my hand at making puzzles.
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Our constructors hint at what's going on in the revealer at 53A, where the answer to the clue "Amorality … as suggested by 17-, 25- and 41-Across?" is LACK OF CHARACTER.
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It's the right day for that, and Sam Trabucco is definitely one of those constructors who is deft at plucking words out of the zeitgeist and codifying them here for us.
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While it's true that Mr. Shortz would have a much tougher time churning out consistently high-quality work, the real reason stems from the variety that different constructors' voices can provide.
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"The Formula One financial results primarily reflect our finishing position in last year's constructors' championship and the consequent reduction in prize money," said group chief executive Mike O'Driscoll in a statement.
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"The Formula One financial results primarily reflect our finishing position in last year's constructors' championship and the consequent reduction in prize money," said group chief executive Mike O'Driscoll in a statement.
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No one ever asked you, as part of your primary education, to add a rap artist to the result of a day at the beach, as our constructors do at 9A.
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Today, we introduce a feature that will run through the rest of this year, in which famous people co-construct crosswords with some of your favorite New York Times Crossword constructors.
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I have thoroughly enjoyed the collaborations I've had with Tim ... and all the other constructors I've made puzzles with over the years, like Peter Collins, Martin Ashwood-Smith and Victor Fleming.
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Otherwise, they have done something that escaped even Ferrari during the golden era when they won six successive constructors' titles and Michael Schumacher five championships in a row between 2000-04.
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And it's no wonder; this is Mr. Arbesfeld's 119th crossword in The New York Times, making him one of the most prolific constructors since Will Shortz became puzzles editor in 1993.
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Just as a reminder, there are other software packages that constructors use to build crossword puzzles, like Crossword Compiler for Windows, but I use Crossfire because I work on a Mac.
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Mr. Nediger and Mr. Agard created a public group called the Puzzle Collaboration Directory, an online resource that matches aspiring puzzle makers with experienced constructors to help them learn the craft.
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THURSDAY PUZZLE — Michael Blake and Jeff Chen, the constructors of this puzzle, were concerned about how to best present the theme for maximum "Aha!" moment effect, but they needn't have worried.
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He's one of those "Agatha Christie" constructors whose themes sneak up on you and then make you wonder why you didn't see them right away, if you know what I mean.
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One not-so-well-kept secret on the puzzle-making side of the business is that your favorite puzzle makers may have learned their trade from a more experienced constructor (Full disclosure: I owe my career to Nancy Salomon, who was incredibly patient with me as I learned the ropes.) Mentors are published constructors who give generously of their time and teach new constructors how to polish a theme, what good fill looks like and how to write clues.
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A visitor to Cuba earlier in the year, the 32-year-old puffed unconvincingly on a fat cigar as he spoke to reporters while the team celebrated a fourth successive constructors' title.
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Red Bull are currently using Renault engines, renamed Tag Heuer, but have a rocky relationship with the French manufacturer despite winning four successive drivers' and constructors' titles with them between 2010-13.
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The team, which won two drivers and constructors' titles in 2005 and 2006, are highly ambitious and will have highly rated Spaniard Carlos Sainz joining them next season alongside German Nico Hulkenberg.
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McLaren are the second-most successful team in Formula One history but have not won the constructors' title since 1998 and have struggled to be competitive in their latest partnership with Honda.
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The service company for the building's elevators is Centennial Elevator Industries, a member of the Elevator Industries Association, according to Michael Halpin of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local One.
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The team, who have not won a race since the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, are last in the constructors' standings after four rounds despite using the same winning engines as champions Mercedes.
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The move, which had been widely expected, comes after the end of a Formula One season that saw Ferrari finish runners-up to Mercedes in the constructors' championship while Sauber were last.
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The glory days are far in the past for the winners of nine constructors' and seven drivers' titles between 1980 and 1997, but Silverstone has a special place in the team's history.
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McLaren are the second most successful team in Formula One history but have not won the constructors' title since 1998 and have struggled to be competitive in their latest partnership with Honda.
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That Ferrari team would go on to become the strongest in the history of the sport, winning every drivers' and constructors' title for five years in a row, from 22014 to 22015.
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Former champions Renault, who bought the failing Lotus team at the end of 2015 to return as full constructors rather than simple suppliers of engines, finished ninth of 11 teams last season.
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It's a very clever example of how crossword constructors are a different breed, in that they look at words and can see things that might not be readily apparent to other people.
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He said Renault, drivers' and constructors' champions in 2005 and 2006 with Spaniard Fernando Alonso, was committed to a capital expenditure program over the next five years to return to the top.
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The fewer black squares, the more "open" a grid is, and many constructors pride themselves on being able to stack groups of 14-, 12-, or even 15-letter entries atop one another.
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Constructors Brian Thomas and Andrea Carla Michaels get us into a fine how-do-you-do (See what I did there?), made especially for people who go by a certain given name.
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I wanted to do something that related to my career, as many guest constructors had done, but didn't know how to work the idea of a "quiz show host" into the puzzle.
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TUESDAY PUZZLE — One of the things I really love about the crossword puzzle community (I'm including both solvers and constructors here) is the generosity and kindness shown to those who are new.
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I have been guilty of being one of those constructors who enjoys the challenge of creating grids with "chunky" white sections just because it gives me personal pleasure to interlock long entries.
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The proudly independent team, winners of nine constructors' titles and seven drivers' crowns between 1980 and 1997, have tumbled down the standings and scored just eight points from the last two seasons.
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But if you are up for a challenge that will show you how constructors can magically turn a two-dimensional puzzle into something that rocks and rolls (mostly rolls), follow me. 21A.
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Mercedes, who have won every race at Suzuka going back to 2014, can seal a record-equalling sixth successive Formula One constructors' championship on Sunday by scoring 14 more points than Ferrari.
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In today's crossword, his seventh for The New York Times, he chooses a grid design that is new for him but, as he notes below, has been used before by other constructors.
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If you are in the New York area and would like to learn how to make your own crossword puzzle from excellent, veteran Times constructors, the class information and registration is below.
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But McLaren has not won a constructors' title since 1998, and none of its drivers have won a title since 2008, when Lewis Hamilton was champion before switching to Mercedes for 2013.
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The Briton, who has helped Mercedes win three successive constructors' and drivers' titles, started his F1 career at former champions Williams in 1987 and spent six years there before moving to McLaren.
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But heading into the 10th round of the 20-race series in Britain on Sunday, the team has struggled to keep pace with the leaders, Mercedes and Ferrari, in the constructors' championship.
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The statistics for Mercedes are striking from those three seasons: 51 wins in 59 races, 56 pole positions, 31 one-two finishes and, of course, a sweep of constructors' and drivers' championships.
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"It's complete rubbish," the German, winner of nine grands prix so far this season, said as he and Hamilton joined factory-based employees on Tuesday to celebrate the team's third successive constructors' championship.
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LONDON (Reuters) - Force India are enjoying their highest-scoring Formula One season, the team punching above their weight to secure fourth place in the constructors' championship for the second year in a row.
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Upon retirement from teaching kindergarten, my dream was to construct a puzzle for Will Shortz and all puzzle constructors as a thank you for the enjoyment their crossword puzzles have brought to me.
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The U.S.-owned team were then stripped of the points, subject to appeal, and pushed back to fifth in the constructors' standings by stewards after Renault questioned the legality of the Frenchman's car.
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But Red Bull, who won four straight drivers' and constructors' titles at the turn of the decade, did find a purple patch of form around the Singapore track reminiscent of their glory years.
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Toro Rosso, Renault and Haas are just six points apart, with the difference between sixth place and eighth in the constructors' championship equivalent to about $12 million when it comes to revenue distribution.
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"I think Lewis has been in a league of his own the whole weekend," said the Austrian, whose team head into Sunday's race on the brink of clinching their third straight constructors' title.
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But 2018 marks a decade since the Italians last won a championship, their 16th constructors' crown in 2008, and the pressure — always intense even at the best of times — has been ratcheting up.
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Top designer Adrian Newey, whose Renault-powered Red Bull race cars won four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010-13, has worked with Aston Martin on the AM-RB 001 Valkyrie 'hypercar'.
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Mercedes, winners of both the Formula One constructors' and drivers' titles for the past five years on the real racetrack, took both of the virtual titles at the finals in London on Saturday.
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And today, Andrew Zhou has inadvertently consigned me to that place — they're so innocent, these constructors — by creating a crossword with a terrific visual theme that just happens to push our standards buttons.
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Williams, a family-owned team who won nine constructors championships between 1980 and 1997, last won a race in 2012 and major sponsors like Martini make an important contribution to the overall budget.
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The former world champions returned as full constructors in 2016, after taking over the failing Lotus team, and finished ninth out of 11 with drivers Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and Briton Jolyon Palmer.
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"Current F1 constructors' championship leaders Mercedes posted: "The entire Mercedes family sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Anthoine Hubert, and his Arden and Renault teams on this tragic day.
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Because quad-stack puzzles were unusual and rare, constructors who dabbled in the genre were given a bit more leeway, especially when it came to some of the crossing words around the stacks.
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Millions of people will eventually see any given New York Times crossword, so the constructors have an opportunity to carefully consider which words and ideas they want to put into the public consciousness.
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As assistant puzzles editor, my daily highlights include reviewing our crossword submissions and corresponding with the constructors, as well as editing clues for publication with the crossword editors Will Shortz and Joel Fagliano.
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The outcome was familiar, with Mercedes winning the constructors' and drivers' championships for the fourth consecutive year, becoming only the fourth team to achieve such a feat alongside Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
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If I could wish anything for solvers, it would be that they solve all the puzzles, but develop a taste for certain constructors, much like we have bands and singers that we prefer.
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Today, our constructors are flipping the switch, and breaking down long-established examples of the genre into more fanciful ingredients that are all quite logical once solved, but oddball to say the least.
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He leads Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari by 30 points for the drivers' championship, the biggest advantage for either driver this season, and Mercedes is 25 points ahead of Ferrari for the constructors' championship.
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The 74-year-old, whose team won seven drivers titles and nine constructors' championships between 1980 and 1997, has been tetraplegic and in a wheelchair since a car accident in France in 1986.
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The constructors who play with the symmetry and the physical structure of the grid are always my favorite, and I had this idea for a rebus that (I think) I hadn't seen before.
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The current 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid engines were introduced in 2014, since when only the top three teams have won a race and Mercedes have won all 10 drivers' and constructors' titles.
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To help get you there, our constructors and editors have hooked a FISH (1A) and shepherded a LAMB (34A) with a shepherd's crook to demonstrate the other revealer, BY HOOK OR BY CROOK.
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Once a dominant team of champions, with nine constructors' crowns and 114 grand prix wins, Williams return to the principality as tail-enders — last overall and with just four points from five races.
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The combination won 78 races, a constructors' title and three drivers' titles with Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999) and Lewis Hamilton who raced to his first Formula One title with the team in 2008.
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The combination won 78 races, a constructors' title and three drivers' titles with Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999) and Lewis Hamilton who raced to his first Formula One title with the team in 2008.
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There needed to be more hands who could run the puzzles through the machines that do the final scoring, and constructors, solvers and other luminaries in the puzzle world stepped up to help.
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"We've had to study the entire life cycle of this living breathing organism to make sure we account for current construction conditions of the bridge," said Blake Yaffee, Tappan Zee Constructors' demolition manager.
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One thing to watch for: Ms. Weintraub and Mr. Wilber place their clues in brackets because that's how clues are often presented to editors in queries or when discussing them with other constructors.
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Formula One Review Valtteri Bottas, who began the year with Mercedes as a big question mark, spent the season erasing those doubts, helping the team win its fourth constructors' championship in a row.
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Slang terms for money appear fairly frequently in the New York Times Crossword because they are a way for constructors and editors to clue a ubiquitous word like CABBAGE in an interesting way.
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It will take over a team that is already running in Formula E called HWA, which should help give the automaker — which is the reigning constructors' champion in Formula One — get a running start.
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"When I look at today's race, I see many deficits," commented Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, even if his team stretched their lead in the constructors' standings thanks to the retirement of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen.
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AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Mercedes joined a select group of teams to have won the Formula One constructors' championship for four years in a row on Sunday and recognized it as their toughest title yet.
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They struggled to build on that form and are currently second in the constructors' championship — without a win and in danger of slipping back to third with resurgent Red Bull just one point behind.
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Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, whose cars won four successive drivers' and constructors' titles between 2010-13, has been heavily involved in Aston Martin's Valkyrie "hypercar" which will be delivered to customers in 2019.
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He is one of those constructors with an ear for lingo and cheesy humor, so you have to roll up your sleeves and blow up your whoopee cushion to really soak it all in.
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The German carmaker's factory team have won both the constructors' and drivers' championships for an unprecedented six years in a row, and next season is the last before a financial, technical and sporting shakeup.
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The German carmaker's factory team have won both the constructors' and drivers' championships for an unprecedented six years in a row, and next season is the last before a financial, technical and sporting shakeup.
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With both titles secure, and the top three positions in the constructors' standings locked in, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull will also be using the last two races to test ideas for next season.
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In between, the team did not win a drivers' title, though it did take a couple of constructors' titles in the early 1980s and then the first of six in a row in 1999.
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All Ms. Guizzo needs now is a Tuesday puzzle, and she will join the pantheon of constructors who have had a crossword published in The New York Times on every day of the week.
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For young children, both constructors did a good job pulling from all eras for their vernacular cluing — the one thing I saw that might nonplus was OWE, as Venmo giveth, and Venmo taketh away.
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That is one reason the editors, other constructors and I recommend the Crossword Puzzle Collaboration Directory group on Facebook, which helps underrepresented groups find mentors who can teach them the ropes of puzzle making.
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To be fair, cluing ALI as the boxing champion would be too easy for a Friday, but there are many ALIs out there, and it's nice to see the constructors and editors branching out.
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Of the 10 teams to compete during the team's debut 2008 season — Super Aguri F1 folded after four races — the Silverstone-based Force India finished last in the constructors' championship, without winning a point.
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Thinking about all the things that other constructors had done with words twisting this way and that, this seemed like a natural idea (and one that would test Dr. Fill's abilities in this area).
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Brawn moved to Ferrari at the end of 1996 and was instrumental as the team won six constructors' titles from 1999 to 2004 and five drivers' championships, all with Schumacher, from 2000 to 2004.
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Even if you are not a speed solver, it's a lovely weekend with like-minded puzzleheads and you can rub elbows with your favorite crossword constructors, who usually serve as officials at the tournament.
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After taking four consecutive constructors' and drivers' championships from 2010-13, Red Bull had its dominant run brought to an end by Mercedes in 2014 following the arrival of the current power-unit system.
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If Hamilton and Mercedes are to retain their drivers' and constructors' titles, Hamilton will have to draw on the mental edge that Toto Wolff, the team motorsport boss, said separates him from his peers.
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Williams have had a slow and ill-handling car this year and are last in one of the worst seasons in the history of a proud British team with nine constructors' and seven drivers' championships.
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The former world champions, who returned as full constructors in 2016 after taking over the failing Lotus team, finished ninth out of 11 last year with drivers Kevin Magnussen of Denmark and Briton Jolyon Palmer.
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BRIXWORTH, England, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Mercedes saluted recovering non-executive chairman Niki Lauda on Tuesday as Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton joined factory staff in celebrating their fifth straight constructors' and drivers' title double.
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As an added touch, our constructors placed a revealer at 58A that gives the list a reason to live: the phrase BIG PICTURE means something entirely different, but is an appropriate header for this list.
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Wordplay MONDAY PUZZLE — We've seen a lot of people make their New York Times Crossword debuts, but I wonder how many of those constructors took up this endeavor in their fourth year of medical school.
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Take heart that we'll see all of these constructors again: So have no remorse, just some pleasant nostalgia and optimism over the deep bench of brilliant women who we are lucky to get to solve.
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It's the social aspect of solving that I love, and I've tried over the years to build a place for constructors, editors and solvers to discuss our puzzles in a kind, educational and amicable way.
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Mr. Nediger and Mr. Agard have created a public group on Facebook called the "Puzzle Collaboration Directory," an online resource that will match aspiring puzzle makers with experienced constructors to help them learn the craft.
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It's why we boost the signal of puzzle publishers like Women of Letters, Queer Qrosswords, The Inkubator and the new Black History Year puzzle pack from The New York Times, written by constructors of color.
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We've also gathered the resources that were mentioned in this series — word lists, software, online resources, places to go for questions — into a single list and included it at the end to assist aspiring constructors.
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If it's too insider for you, there are four little mice on the right who each critique and comment on the Times puzzle and its constructors; each takes a different approach, which doesn't go unnoticed.
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I bring this up because I was fortunate to have a few rounds of email correspondence with one of the constructors of today's puzzle — he happens to be making his New York Times Crossword debut.
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Binotto, who has risen through the ranks to technical director and overseen a big step up in engine performance, had reportedly been a target for rival constructors and Ferrari were determined to retain his services.
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They would love to see the team return to its glory days when it won six consecutive constructors' championships from 13 to 2004 and five successive drivers' titles with Michael Schumacher from 2000 to 2004.
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The German then burned away for a dominant win that has raised hopes of a genuine challenge to the Mercedes team that has swept the drivers' and constructors' championships for the last three years running.
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The directory was started by constructors Erik Agard and Will Nediger as a place for underrepresented populations in puzzle making, like women and people of color, although all who have questions are welcome to join.
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He joined the team in March 2017 after spending four years as executive technical director at Mercedes, where he was an important figure in its winning consecutive drivers' and constructors' titles from 2014 to 2016.
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I'm also excited to be working with Andrew on the third edition of Boswords, the summer crossword tournament that we co-direct in Boston (with the help of an amazing group of constructors and volunteers!).
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Wordplay WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — David Kwong, who is also a magician, is among a group of constructors whose alchemical specialty is combining the entries and the architecture of a grid to make their puzzles multidimensional gold.
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Consider this a little seasonal gift from Team Cox/Rathvon, and make sure to look back on this really excellent year of acrostics with a bit of appreciation for the constructors and your own cleverness.
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Mercedes added that the team could still issue instructions during the race "to protect against a potential loss of constructors' points" as they did in Monaco when Rosberg was slower and told to let Hamilton pass.
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However, double world champion Alonso, who considered quitting Formula One last year as McLaren slumped to ninth in the constructors' championship, said the car's gremlins had been banished in time for Sunday's race at Albert Park.
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The reborn Racing Point Force India team, who could change their name for 2019, started from scratch in the constructors' standings after the August break and finished the season seventh with 52 points from nine races.
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On a different note, if you've still got some puzzling to do, you should get yourself "Women of Letters," a packet of 18 puzzles by female constructors that'll cost you no more than a charitable donation.
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The pair won four consecutive drivers' and constructors' titles together at the turn of the decade but the relationship has been fractious since a new 1.6 liter V6 turbo hybrid power unit was introduced in 2014.
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BERLIN (Reuters) - A euphoric mood among German constructors and manufacturers drove business confidence to an all-time high in October, a survey showed, reflecting optimism that an upswing in Europe's largest economy has further to run.
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It's hard to describe objectively, but most constructors would agree that ESCAPE ROOM and SUBTWEET (which Paolo debuted) are more lively than, say, the unremarkable ESSENCES or, ALAN-A-DALE, which is dreaded for its overuse.
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In order to get all that into a 212x212 grid and keep the word count to 212 words, the constructors had to build this very carefully and the interlock of multiple long answers is very impressive.
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Even a mundane activity like this was exciting to competitors, because the 65 officials are the "glitterati" of the crossword world: the puzzle constructors and editors who deliver their obsession to them on a daily basis.
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