“It feels especially exciting,” said Ian Livengood, a veteran constructor who joined the puzzle-editing team in September.

16A. This is an evocative clue! [Blissful stretch] makes me think of a happy cat. The “stretch” in question is a span of time that lasts a while, if you’re lucky: It’s the HONEYMOON PERIOD.

If you're in a reading mood, then we've discussed why The NYTimes Mini Crossword is a reliable joy and interviewed Jonathan Knight, Head of Games for The NYTimes.

In keeping with the word theme, we've also discussed why The NYTimes Mini Crossword is a reliable joy. Instead of going straight to the answer, you might only need a few hints to get you over the ...