(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) The New York Times received a backlash when they published a crossword that is similar to a swastika on the first day of Hannukah, according to the Post Millennial.
Donald Trump Jr. was one of the people who criticized the Times, saying that he won’t give any slack to the publication that would never do the same to the people on the opposing political side.
“Disgusting! Only the New York Times would get Chanukah going with this as the crossword puzzle,” he wrote.
“Imagine what they would do to someone who did this and was not ideologically aligned with them? I’ll give them the same benefit of the doubt they would give those people… EXACTLY ZERO.”
The person responsible for the design of the crossword is a long-time puzzle designer and a data analytics consulting manager, Ryan McCarty. In the notes section of the newspaper, McCarty told the readers how proud he is of his creation.
“I had originally tried to make it work in a 15×15 grid but then decided to expand the grid out to a Sunday-size puzzle with a fun whirlpool shape,” he said.
Most people have not seen a “fun whirlpool shape” though.
This is the NYTimes crossword puzzle today on the first day of Hanukka.
What the hell, @nytimes? pic.twitter.com/kNBs8RjyJJ
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) December 18, 2022
Adam Milstein, a co-founder of the Adam & Gila Milstein Family Foundation, responded to the controversial crossword.
“What were they thinking?!” he wrote. “The New York Times creates a crossword puzzle whose silhouette bears an uncanny resemblance to a Nazi swastika.”
Some Twitter users pointed out that the recent crossword is not a surprise, since the publication already had a history of publishing anti-Israel content.
“Today’s Crossword Puzzle from the New York Times for Hanukkah,” S.A.F.E. CUNY, a group that advocates for Zionist Jews at the City University of New York wrote.
“Pretty much sums up the @nytimes for the past few years in regard to Jews and Israel.”
The Times Crossword has been accused of making swastika-shaped puzzles in 2014 and 2017, according to the New York Post.
In 2017, the Times swore that their then-recent crossword doesn’t have a swastika on it.
“It’s NOT a swastika. Honest to God. No one sits down to make a crossword puzzle and says, ‘Hey! You know what would look cool?'”
The publication hasn’t yet responded to the recent backlash.
