Mondays

CS 3:54
NYS 2:58
LAT 2:50
NYT 2:39

I don't know if this is the first time I've cracked the 3-minute mark on a Sun puzzle. It just might be...

Gene Newman's NYT crossword commemorates something I don't remember learning in U.S. history class: the 65th anniversary of the ATLANTIC CHARTER between the UNITED STATES and GREAT BRITAIN, signed by Franklin D. ROOSEVELT and Winston CHURCHILL. The charter laid out the nations' agreement on the war against fascism and their dedication to peace. (Whether Roosevelt's successors have embraced the charter during the ensuing decades is a matter for another blog.)

The easier-than-usual Sun puzzle is Robert Wolfe's "With Washer, Get Dryer." I don't know what the title means, exactly, but the theme entries end with LEAKEY, FAWCETT, and PLUMMER. Cute! The fill includes LASAGNE, whereas the NYT puzzle includes the dish with the ends-with-an-A spelling—exemplifying why I always hesitate to fill in the last letter of that word until I check the crossing clue.