I might've sensed a theme, a longshot-type theme, but I had to look the thing over at the end to figure it out. The only thing keeping this from being a dead spring were my fat fingers (got INTENTIONAL off the "IN-" but then proceeded to type it in like nine kinds of ways before I got the letters all in order, ugh) and a couple of terrible (if plausible-ish) wrong guesses. I'm still not awake, frankly, so the fact that I solved puzzle in 3:07 (maybe half a minute under my Tuesday average) tells me it's very easy indeed. Second, a mailing address (checks should be made out to "Rex Parker"): First, a Paypal button (which you can also find in the blog sidebar): But if you are able to express your appreciation monetarily, here are two options. All are welcome to read the blog-the site will always be open and free. Some people refuse to pay for what they can get for free. How much should you give? Whatever you think the blog is worth to you on a yearly basis. Whether you choose to contribute or not, I'm all yours. I will continue to post the solved grid every day, tell you my feelings about the puzzle every day, make you laugh or wince or furrow your brow or shout at your screen every day, bring you news from the Wider World of Crosswords (beyond the NYT) every day. Knowing that I have a loyal readership really is the gas in the tank, the thing that keeps me solving and writing and never missing a day for 13+ years. It's just me creating this thing and then people who enjoy the thing supporting the work that goes into creating the thing. And then I let 51 weeks go by before I bring up the subject again. I have heard any number of suggestions over the years about how I might "monetize" (oof, that word) the blog, but honestly, the only one I want anything to do with is the one I already use-once a year, for one week, I just ask readers to contribute directly. This blog is a source of joy and genuine community to me (and I hope to you) but it is also work, and this is the time of year when I acknowledge that! All I want to do is write and make that writing available to everyone, for free, no restrictions. Well, I do pay Annabel and Claire, respectively, to write for me once a month, but beyond that, it's just my time. I love what I do here, but it is a lot of work, put in at terrible hours-I'm either writing late at night, or very early in the morning, so that I can have the blog up and ready to go by the time your day starts (9am at the very latest, usually much earlier). Speaking of love-I try hard to bring a passion and enthusiasm to our shared pastime every time I sit down to this here keyboard. It's not a rational sentiment, but love's not rational, especially pet love. Also, on a personal note, 2019 was the year I lost Dutchess, who was officially The Best Dog, and who was with me well before I was "Rex Parker." Somehow the turning of the calendar to 2020 felt like. It's kind of a melancholy January this year, what with the world in, let's say, turmoil. It's early January and that means it's time for my annual pitch for financial contributions to the blog, during which I ask regular readers to consider what the blog is worth to them on an annual basis and give accordingly.
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