Yesterday our local editor told me that our crossword might not be using a sequential difficulty pattern. She said they might be random. But she is waiting for TMS to get back to her. I will let you know once I hear more from her.
I also want to share with you this valuable information from Orange:
"LA Times follows the exact same increasing-difficulty pattern as the NYT, only a little bit easier each day (and Friday LATs have themes, whereas most Friday NYTs are themeless).
Newsday is super-easy Mon/Tues, and gets gradually tougher by Friday (but easier than the NYT). Saturday's Newsday is as hard as the Sat. NYT. The Sunday Newsday is easier than the other Sunday puzzles I do.
CrosSynergy/Houston Chronicle is roughly Mon-Wed NYT level six days a week, with a themeless puzzle on Sunday that's usually like an easier themeless Fri NYT.
The New York Sun follows the same pattern as the NYT but without weekend puzzles. The Mon-Wed puzzles feel like Tues-Thurs NYTs, and Thurs and Fri trade off between hard themes and themeless puzzles."
C. C.
