Solver is presented with 10 audio files, one with Tock and nine with contestants only known by their first name.
The radio stations in order, when read vertically, provide the message "Use the Sunday puzzle. Xwordinfo" (it is not necessary to use xwordinfo.com, but it will ensure solvers have a single place where they can go.)
Each of the nine non-Tock files references a different New York Times Sunday crossword and its theme. The first name(s) of the contestant(s) match those of the constructor. In presentation order:
Will is cluing theme entries from the puzzle, but the contestant is giving in seven cases other entries from the puzzle based on a certain rule. One entry does not follow this rule (and is in each case a food item).
| Constructor | NYT Crossword Puzzle Date | Theme | Contestant answers | Response not following rule | Word it should be |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AJ Santora | 7/3/1994 | Overlaps of countries and celebrities | Take the entry that crosses the first letter. | ENCHILADAS | ARIA |
| Tracy Bennett | 7/21/2013 | Painter puns | Take the entry that crosses the painter's first letter. | PATE | EDDA |
| Don Gagliardo, Zhouqin Burnikel | 4/19/2015 | Entries are repeated three-letter sequences, with one letter different. | Take the entry that crosses the changed letter. | DOLMAS | GOODNATURED |
| Elizabeth Gorski | 11/11/2012 | Reversals | Take the entry at the reversed number (single digits lead to themselves). | ENVIED | HAS TO or HOT CROSS SNUB |
| Mary Lou Guizzo | 5/4/2014 | DOUBLE phrases | Take the entry adjacent to the DOUBLE word. | OLIVE | IRES |
| joon pahk | 11/25/2018 | Silent E added on | Take the entry that crosses the added E. | TARRAGON | PROTEGEE |
| Peter Gordon | 11/21/1993 | Phrases with colors | Take the symmetrical entry. | WELSH RABBIT | SYDNEY GREENSTREET |
| Patrick Berry | 9/6/2015 | Number rebuses | Use the entry at the number in the answer | TARTINE | TOP 40 |
| Tracy Gray, Tom Pepper | 1/17/2021 | Double double letters | Take the next entry in clue order. | DELMONICO STEAK | TOUR |
In the Tock clip, the puzzle itself is not clear, nor are what the responses should be. But Will's clues are all anagrams of the food items mentioned in the radio shows. (The example given is an anagram of WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE.)
| 1 | PEAT | PATE | EDDA |
| 2 | VOILE | OLIVE | IRES |
| 3 | MODALS | DOLMAS | GOODNATURED |
| 4 | DEVEIN | ENVIED | HAS TO or HOT CROSS SNUB |
| 5 | NITRATE | TARTINE | TOP 40 |
| 6 | ARROGANT | TARRAGON | PROTEGEE |
| 7 | LEAD CHAINS | ENCHILADAS | ARIA |
| 8 | WHITE BARRELS | WELSH RAREBIT | SYDNEY GREENSTREET |
| 9 | LACKED EMOTIONS | DELMONICO STEAK | TOUR |
First letters of the responses the contestants should have given spell EIGHT PAST, which anagrams to SPAGHETTI.