Wed Apr 30 08:20:00 UTC 2025: **Crossword Conundrum: Adam Vincent’s “Clean One’s Clock” Puzzle Challenges Solvers**
NEW YORK — Adam Vincent’s latest crossword puzzle, published today, is proving to be a brain teaser for even seasoned solvers. The puzzle’s central theme, revealed by the combined entries of 6-Down and 32-Down, is the idiom “CLEAN ONE’S CLOCK,” meaning to soundly defeat an opponent. However, the puzzle’s cleverness lies in its literal interpretation of this phrase.
Clues surrounding the central theme revolve around cleaning a clock, referencing its various parts. For example, clues such as “[A reason to act this very instant … or why you might 6-Down 32-Down?]” and “[Bottleful that might 6-/32-Down?]” lead to answers like “THE TIME IS RIPE” (referencing a ripe smell needing cleaning) and “HAND SOAP” (for the clock’s hands), respectively. Another clue hints at cleaning the clock’s “face” with “FACE WASH”.
The puzzle’s constructor, Adam Vincent, whose last puzzle appeared in July, has once again created a challenging yet rewarding experience. While some solvers may find the theme initially confusing, the wordplay is ultimately described as “clockwise”—referencing the need to approach the theme with cleverness and understanding of the wordplay.
First Piper 