NYT Crossword Answers for Dec. 18, 2024

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WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — In many ways, I am what you’d call a risk-averse individual: I avoid roller coasters, I won’t pass cars on a two-lane road … and I never gamble, unless you count my choice to forgo travel insurance.

That said, I’d have no qualms about betting on the success of a crossword collaboration between Jeffrey Martinovic and Will Nediger. These constructors have collaborated just once before in The New York Times, and it resulted in a humdinger of a Tuesday puzzle. So when I saw their byline above today’s grid, I was ready to take my chances. And reader: The risk was well worth the reward.

Today’s Theme

If you CONSIDER THE ODDS, it means that you [Think before placing a bet]. Interpreted another way, however, this expression hints at hidden layers in the entries to the starred clues. At 18-Across, for instance, [Mendel studied them] solves to GREEN PEAS. By focusing on the odd letters of this phrase, we get GENES — what Mendel’s study of peas was all about. The [Book designer’s concern] at 46-Across is FOOTNOTE, but with odd letters only it’s FONT. (Gray-shaded squares indicate the odd letters in each theme entry, so you can make certain you’re looking in the right place.)

Odds bodkins! Or, as we say in modern times, I can’t even.

Tricky Clues

51A. You don’t need any [Morel support?] unless you’re a variety of mushroom, the supporting part of which is a STEM.

70A. I’m consistently amazed at constructors’ creativity in cluing (say that three times fast). The [Response during an eye exam] is WORSE, as in how you might characterize your sight while the optometrist adjusts lenses.