TUESDAY PUZZLE — Every once in a while, we get mail from people who are convinced that the black squares in the Crossword line up to create a visual of something nefarious, or that there are subliminal messages hidden among the entries.

Nothing could be further from the truth. A newspaper crossword puzzle is no place for that sort of thing. Just because the British newspaper The Guardian had an interesting hidden message in its puzzle last week does not mean the New York Times Crossword would ever engage in such nonsense, at least when anyone is looking.

Of course, that does not preclude the constructor John Coulter and the puzzle editors from putting smiles on our faces. And it’s not just because this puzzle is cute and you might learn a few things. The more theme entries you solve, the better you will feel.

Tricky Clues

19A: No, not me. “Raggedy redhead” is the doll Raggedy ANN.

22A: Is it an adjective or a verb? The word “complete” could be an adjective, as in a PDF contract that has been signed. In this puzzle, however, it’s a verb, where we are being asked to E-SIGN the contract.