Puzzle Notes

Dear solvers,

Who doesn't love a good pairing? Gin and tonic, Trinidad and Tobago, radius and ulna ... and, in this week's cryptic, constructors Ben Zimmer and Zach Sherwin.

Here's a little about Ben and Zach in their own words:

Ben Zimmer is a linguist, lexicographer, and all-around word nut. As Chair of the New Words Committee for the American Dialect Society, he's gearing up to oversee the 2024 ADS Word of the Year ceremonies (make your nominations here!). You can find more crosswords from him on Slate, and you can also find him on Bluesky and other socials.

Zach Sherwin is an L.A.-based comedian and the creator and host of The Crossword Show, which he'll be performing live in Los Angeles on November 23 and December 7; both performances will feature a ticketed livestream option for anyone who can't attend in person. For more info on Zach and his doings, visit linktree.com/zachsherwin and @zachsherwin on your fave social platform.

You can solve this puzzle online! (AVCX login credentials required) However, cryptics lend themselves to a leisurely pace -- we'll never stop recommending an old-fashioned paper solve.

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-- The AVCX Cryptic team