I do the NY Times crossword every single day and have for several years. For the most part, its a pretty challenging puzzle and has a lot of clever wordplay. Lately though, the 'fashion' I guess in puzzlemaking is to include a rebus in several of the answers. In short, its a way to put something in the freaking puzzle because you're not freaking original enough to come up with something that is actually a word. I REALLY look forward to the Sunday puzzle and they totally and completely frakked it up.
Screw 'em! i'm done with these buttholes!
BKB