Monday, May 11, 2026 — Welcome to Vientiane, a must-see any time you're in the neighborhood

After the excitement of the last few days, we confess a certain pleasure in tackling a more laid-back crossword, one that did not require all neurons on deck, and what some might term an excessive amount of gnashing of teeth, to get the job done. We were anticipating that this might be the case, but appreciated the confirmation nonetheless. Hats off to Joel Woodford (this is his second NYTimes crossword) for an entertaining start to our puzzle-solving week. Show note imagery: Vientiane, Laos!...