I started this puzzle in a good mood and finished in an even better one. Mark of a really good puzzle, with a subtle theme, lively and humorous, winky cluing, and a nice selection of words. I 'arbor only positive feelings toward this puzzle, and any time Eaton-Salners branches out and drops yet more fruit for us crucivores to consume, I will certainly lumber over and go to work. Until then I'll be pining for more from him, not to get all sappy about it.
@john ezra "Crucivores" should be immediately added to our lexicon! Although...maybe it begs a negative connotation reserved for those who feed off crucifying the cruciverbalist constructors and editors, as in "Don't be such a crucivore! No need for the attacks!"
@john ezra I was in a good mood, once.
Tree puns, is it? I bough down to the creativity of AES. I’m such a sap for their puzzles. Who can forget the “T” puzzle of 1/9/2020? And Tree Tops starts with T’s - coincidence? I think knot. On another subject, the Slaughterhouse Five clue made me want Tralfamadore as the answer. Ha! Oh well, so it goes.
@Cat Lady Margaret I expected to see a Cat's Cradle reference. As Mother Night sweeps in, put a roll in the Player Piano featuring the songs of The Sirens of Titan and plan tomorrow's Breakfast of Champions.
@Cat Lady Margaret poo-tee-weet? (11:32am)
If you plant a tree in my garden, I won't arbor a grudge. (This pun is back by poplar demand.)
My headspace- “ Wow… seems a bit light for a Wednesday…where’s the gimmick…maybe I’ll hit some friction…so far so good… this is a reeeeeeally light Wednesday…maybe I’m getting smarter… I must be getting smarter… 🎶 ⭐️ Oh. It’s Tuesday. Definitely not getting *smarter* Oi.
@CCNY The only way I remember what day of the week it is is by the crossword I worked that day. Went for a period when I couldn't do them, and I was even more confused than usual. I'm definitely not getting smarter, either.
Things I liked: • The strong presence of fauna to balance the flora theme: SIAMESE, MOTH, CANINE, ANT, BEE, ASPS, not to mention barFLY and aBATed. • Lovely answers VALOR, SCHISM, FUGUE, SEEMLY, and IF I MAY. • HAY has been clued more than 200 times in major venue crossword puzzles, but never with a play on “bale” as in today’s [What’s needed to make bale?]. Props for originality, plus for the kind of silliness that makes me smile. • The lovely PuzzPair© of CHU/CANINE. • LOOPS, echoing yesterday’s O-centered theme. • More hesitation in the fill-in than I – an experienced solver – am used to on Tuesday, making my brain happy. • There was almost a “tree bottom” answer with PRELIM. • Simple yet clever never-done-before theme, perfect for Tuesday. Waking to a box filled with so much to like is a gift. Thank you so much for this, Alex!
By the way, for a grid art treat that will warm your heart, take a look at what Alex did in this 2020 puzzle: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/daily/2020/03/13" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/daily/2020/03/13</a> . Et tu, emu.
I posted this late Monday in the comments for the Monday puzzle, but I thought I should post it again in today's comments, since most people probably missed it. Here is the posting: One of the language-centered podcasts I listen to just dropped an episode I think a lot of people here will like. Helen Zaltzman's The Allusionist's most recent episode is titled "Word Play Part 4: Good Grids." It's about crossword construction, with a focus on newer constructors bringing newer and more diverse points of view to puzzles. (If you think crosswords are not allowed to change with the times, or if you're easily triggered by inclusion and diversity, you might want to skip it.) The guests include constructors Erik Agard, Juliana Pache, Rachel Fabi, and Adrian Johnson. I don't agree with everything I heard, but it was time well spent (<40 minutes if you skip the ads). <a href="https://www.theallusionist.org" target="_blank">https://www.theallusionist.org</a>/
@CaptainQuahog That was great. Favorite quote “no puzzling at gunpoint.” Also, the ads are not intrusive—one block in the middle, another at the end. So, it’s not like, say, trying to watch an NBA game. I, on the other hand, think that those who bemoan change, or are easily triggered by inclusion, should person-up and have the guts to give it a listen with an open mind. Finally, I learned a new word, as I stared at my wife’s marcescent Mother’s Day flowers. Thanks for the link!
@CaptainQuahog Thanks for the link. I look forward to listening to it when I have a spare 46 minutes.
Liked TRUNKSHOW as the central vertical for AES's tree puzzle. Hope nobody takes an axe to this one; BEHAPPY. And I hope our more recent arrivals show new growth. Emus in the MIST
Loved the puzzle. Lots of interesting fill and a great theme; simple but effective. AROMAS followed by ODORS raised a smile. Being a die hard Zepp fan 36A was a gimme, leading to a fab earworm for the day. Might have to crank up the turntable and stick the (original) vinyl on. A minor nit: 24D is a perfectly good clue/answer, but those devices are little better than torture implements. So much so that they are banned in the UK. What dog owner thinks it’s reasonable to cut off their pet’s voice? It’s your dog’s main method of communication. As for shocking them; how would you like it if someone hit you with a few volts without explanation? All dogs can be trained without cruelty and I speak as a Shiba owner, one of the most difficult breeds to train. It’s like asking a cat to walk to heel. If you don’t like the sound of a dog, don’t flippin have one. Rant over. I’m off to walk my noisy, naughty hound. We’ll have a great time and come back home to a well deserved treat; peanut butter doggy biscuit for him, coffee with cream for me.
@Helen Wright I heard somewhere that Krisi Noem used a shock collar. Not necessarily on a dog, which she just shoots. But on Corey Lewendowsi.
Haven’t done today’s puzzle yet, in fact just did Monday’s masterpiece and left a late comment. As I went through all 278 comments (which as others have noted was a joy in itself) I realized that, unless I missed it, I don’t think anyone mentioned another feat of Mr. Newton’s construction (and perhaps the editors judgment): All those O’s and not a single OREO to be seen, and on a Monday!
@Mtmetz Well, you do bring up an interesting point that I do not believe was previously mentioned. However, with this grid and the way the “golf ball” caroms off the top and bottom sides as well as the black bars at 20A and 45A, OREO could never work. The shortest entries at carom sites 20A and 45A were THO and OWE respectfully. The shortest double-O entries at top and bottom carom points were YOGOG and NOHOW respectfully. Sine O’s away from the path of the ball were completely avoided, OREO with four letters could never have been used. Only the three and five letter double-O entries were possible at or near the carom points.
@Mtmetz Brilliant observation! I hope they don't all abandon OREO, though. Sometimes that's the only way I get started.
Fast & Fir-ious. Loved it! Thank you, AES! 🌲 🌲 🌲 🌲
Nice to see one of my very favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., referenced through 54A. That book, and that author, changed my life forever. He tried to teach me how to laugh rather than cry, although these days that's hard to remember. Mr. Vonnegut, RIP, wish I were there. So it goes.
@Francis Really nice puzzle and we share our love of all things Vonnegut. Years ago, as a young sci-fi addict I had never heard of him, but read the Sirens of Titan, thinking it was the usual sci-fi writing. A few chapters in I realized that Vonnegut was something much more than the usual space travel, time travel author. Slaughter House Five caused me to become a life long fan, reading everything of his I could get my eyes on. A true genius.
Because of the tree theme, for just a brief moment I had eNT for OK boomer. Bru-ra-hoom!
There’s a branch of puns from which this theme stems. I conseed, I conenot guess it. Yet, the puzzle grows on you and was a smooth chlorofill. cc: emu handler
I'll start today with a couple of remarkable 21 letter answer finds - quite appropriate for today's puzzle. They both appeared only once - both of them in a Sunday puzzle from February 3, 1991 by Jeanne Wilson with the title: "Want Tibet? Peruve it!" The two answers: THEONELLAMAHESAPRIEST THETWOLLLAMAHESABEAST And the other pair of theme answers in that one: LINESFROM OGDENNASH Anyway... today's puzzle - yet another slower than average work-out for me with a couple of completely unfamiliar answers (BARKCOLLARS and TRUNKSHOWS), but managed to work it all out. Two day streak - probably won't last much longer. Had some other quite interesting puzzle finds today - I'll put those in replies. ..
@Rich in Atlanta As promised: First puzzle, a Wednesday from October 11, 2000 by Jack McInturff. There was no 'reveal' or hint in that puzzle. Took me a moment to figure out what was going on. Anyway - one example of a clue and theme answer: "Hint for identifying a mystery man's shirts? :" XMARKSTHETOPS And the other three theme answers: SHOOTINGRATS THELASTWARTS WATCHYOURPETS Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/11/2006&g=20&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/11/2006&g=20&d=A</a> And then... A Sunday from October 26, 2003 by Patrick Merrell with the title "Did there used to be...?" A couple of theme clue and answer examples: "Before TV, were there ...? :" FROZENRADIODINNERS "Before trucks, were there ...? :" COVEREDWAGONSTOPS And here's the Xword Info link for that one: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/26/2003&g=49&d=D" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/26/2003&g=49&d=D</a> One more puzzle find that I'll put in another reply. ..
@Rich in Atlanta I should have searched for lama before posting. Love that little rhyme.
Another fine puzzle! The creator AES even continues the tree theme in his comments about it. I'm sure most will 'root for' more of Alex's creations! (Loving trees, irises and bees!)
Thought “Outback terrain” was TUSH
@Stu the Shot Ha! Someone needs to use that... just putting it out there. (The clue, not my tush) ..................................... .....................................
@Stu the Shot No, but don't worry, you still have the TRUNK SHOW to look forward to! 😉
Thank you for this fresh and fun Tuesday, Alex. Okay boomer? For TNT gave me a laugh. As for putting a BARK COLLAR on your CANINE, just realize that you are not addressing the anxiety causing the barking, only your poor pup's means of expressing it. It's similar to putting tape on the mouth of a post-op patient instead of alleviating their pain. Hi Helen, I see we agree. I was composing my rant while yours posted. It bears repeating.
@Nancy J. - as someone who lives across the street from a household with three dogs that bark at anything that moves, everything that doesn’t move, every person they know, any person they don’t know, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, learning about these collars inspired me to make an anonymous gift to the neighbors… So, MMMV…
@Nancy J. Indeed it does. I hadn’t heard of an anti-barking collar until I saw a YouTube vid a couple of years ago. I’m a fairly chilled type and also wouldn’t particularly call myself an animal lover per se, despite having dogs and chickens, but watching what the collar did to animals that the owners professed to ‘love’ made me so mad.
The one-l lama, He's a priest. The two-l llama, He's a beast. And I will bet A silk pajama There isn't any three-l lllama. Ogden Nash
@Tom Wild three-l lllama is a big fire
While it didn't detract from a pleasurable solve, I'm not fond of bark collars on noisy dogs. However, there's been a time or three I wouldn't have minded one on a noisy barfly. It can be annoying listening to one of them yipping and yapping and barking up the wrong tree.
@ad absurdum look I'm not fond of the new neighbor's three dogs barking at all hours of the day and night. The only saving grace is they don't bark non-stop, usually just for short bursts, but it is quite annoying, especially at 3 a.m.
Don’t want to spoil the mood, but this puzzle does seem to be a clear-cut winner.
I loved this puzzle but man, the NE corner was like going to the dentist. But, just like my dentist appointments, I ultimately won. "Slaughterhouse Five" is an amazing novel and hilarious novel... everyone should read it! Billy Pilgrim is my favorite time-hopper! Make sure to tell your family and friends that you love them. Peace be with you.
@Alan Parker I even liked the movie they made of "Slaughterhouse Five" probably because Vonnegut wrote the screenplay.
@Alan Parker as I was writing my post, I thought "hmmm.... The Doctor actually has some competition". @dutchiris @Francis (from MN) I don't think I've seen it! must fix that. I very much remember reading something from KVJr (maybe in Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons?) that he was so unhappy with some production (I think it was ...Wanda June) that he wanted to have his name removed from it. He'd heard of that being done. But as he said, he was refused. "Turns out I had actually written every word spoken." at this hour the emus will let this through; but will it be seen?
I will always BE HAPPY to solve a Tuesday puzzle from AES even though the thought of all the germs one might UNEARTH in a BALLPIT make me shudder. Bazinga.
I love a fast, fun, themed puzzle like this. It goes by quick, but each minute is packed with wit. (….and tree-mendous ent-ertainment.) Thanks, Alex & eds.!
I liked all the busy bees over on the right side today! BEE BESIDE B SCHOOL BE HAPPY B ALL PIT (I like the idea of this pit we can jump in and realize our full potential.) Also, I have no idea how I immediately knew that the cat breed with blue eyes is SIAMESE. I put it in right away without crossings and I'm not sure how I knew it but I guess somewhere in my misspent youth, I must have encountered this information. A quick solve in which my only problem was not knowing the Swiss bank or the director of Crazy Rich Asians, I had most, including CH, from the crossings and went with CHO. When I didn't get the happy music, I figured it was probably that since it was just a guess and tried U -- to much happiness! I have to admit that I forgot there was a theme until I finished and read the column. Guess it didn't register much with me this time and it wasn't at all needed to solve the rest. I liked the clue for HAY a lot! That made me smile! It reminded me of a week I spent, a very intense week, helping to bale and store hay for a church camp I volunteered at in my aforementioned misspent youth. Ooh, that was hard work!! After that I always stuck to working in the kitchen! Also very hard work, but much more in my wheelhouse!! Still, I am glad how I spent that week and I feel it's given me an appreciation for the kind of work that isn't in my wheelhouse! I remember that week with pride that I could do it, even if I never wanted to again. 🤠
Four long-ish theme answers plus a long-ish revealer makes for a very dense theme. To put them in the Downs and not the Acrosses -- does that make it harder to construct? I really have no idea. But Alex has been constructing puzzles for a long time and this seems like the work of a seasoned pro to me. I liked the fact that all the tree parts are not tree parts as used in the theme answers. I also liked the fact that Alex almost avoided using any names at all in the grid. I was still thinking "By George, he's going to do it!" 2/3 of the way to the bottom. And then ERNEST, GIBB and CHU appeared. Oh, well. Next time. Good try, Alex. I think there should be a small statuette awarded to anyone who can construct a grid with no proper names at all. A little smaller, perhaps, than the Oscar and the Tony, but precious in its own way. Let's call it "The Nameless".
@Nancy I guess you missed TODD and ANI (which could have been clued Wheel of Fortune-style). And ORANGINA and MACS, for that matter. Or is it only people’s names that bother you?
@Nancy I think you can run your answers in either direction and still fill the grid. But because it’s harder for many people to read words that run vertically than it is to read them horizontally, I appreciate that theme answers typically run Down only when there’s a good reason. And today’s TREE TOPS is a fine reason for a theme using Down answers.
I thought that BSCHOOL was referring to business school, not a second choice. I never heard of a BARKCOLLAR being used. Is it a choke collar? Sounds cruel.
@FJC B-SCHOOL does refer to a business school. What makes you think it has anything to do with a second choice? !!! !!! !!!
@Steve L I apparently misunderstood Sam’s comment. But isn’t there such a thing as a BSCHOOL being a second choice?
@FJC Most collars support multiple modes in various strengths: beep/sound, vibration, electrical shock. (Note:I've never used one on my dogs.)
An enjoyable romp of a Tuesday puzzle. The revealer and the first two crossing letters gave me LEAVESALONE, so that was nice. Sometimes the revealer in early week puzzles comes too late to do much good for me. I was a fan of the wafting entries, and I thought it clever that INHEAT was on the diagonal between AROMAS and ODORS.
I love a puzzle with a lot of theme entries, especially long ones, so really had fun with this one. I thought it a bit tough for a Tuesday, but I’ve been finding that frequently, so no big deal. Delightful theme, Alex, keep them coming.
I studied forestry in college. Love the constructors notes!
I love a good vertical theme. For some reason I had trouble with BAR_LY/_UGUE but I ran out of coffee this morning so I guess it’s not that big of a mystery. Also loved the clue for MET (Queens ball player). Dropping TROU was fun (no pun intended) and it’s always fun to see the GIBBs (reminding me of the hilarious SNL skit).
@Joya oh! And I loved TRUNKSHOW! (also I love a good trunk show IRL!)
The Lorax says, "A sylvanly smooth solve, thank you".
Fun puzzle. I, like many others have already mentioned, developed a taste for Kurt Vonnegut Jr. at a young age and have enjoyed him ever since. He has a great presentation about the shapes of stories as represented on a graph where the vertical axis is Good Will/Ill Will, and horizontal is time, or the Beginning/End. I was lucky enough to see him do it live in the early 80s, and there are a few videos out there of him doing it at various ages. He actually proposed it for his masters thesis [anthropology] at U of Chicago, and it was unanimously rejected. He left without a degree. 25 years later the university accepted Cats Cradle in lieu of a thesis, and awarded him his masters degree. "As Vonnegut said shortly after, 'This was not an honorary degree but an earned one, given on the basis of what the faculty committee called the anthropological value of my novels.' Vindication, at long last." Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time.
@Bob T. I'm very jealous that you got to see him live. If there's a heaven, and if I get there (I know, those two probabilities combined are the size of Planck shards of space) the people I will look up first are, in ascending order, Jesus Christ, Buddha, Abraham Lincoln, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Okay, I think I have Sam Corbin's column photo figured out. Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Alba appear frequently on the covers of fashion magazines/publications, and are therefore "Pub regulars." Did I win?
entered ragdoll for 18a at first until LAMAS came along. I miss my ragdoll :(
So enjoyed today’s puzzle! ALL THE HINTS MADE SENSE! When a hint is poor or makes little sense, I feel my time is wasted. So I love, love, love this puzzle. More from this writer. Please!?
Ha! The other night I attempted to explain Newtonian physics to a BARFLY. He could not understand why a fly outside of his car, while driving, would smack against his windshield while a fly inside would not smack against his rear window. A Tuesday without a little trick is always welcome. Thank you Alex
@dk Love your willingness to explain Newtonian physics. Here’s a good one I think. Does a box of parakeets weigh the same when the parakeets fly as it does when they perch?
never heard OATH in this context so that was a new one for me! LOVE the TNT clue
@B I'm most familiar with it from the phrase "minced OATH".
@B It occurs quite frequently in the phrase "he uttered an oath," meaning "he cursed."
Very enjoyable puzzle made even more enjoyable by AES's pithy and witty notes. The only downside for me is uniquely personal. Originally met my former husband at a timeshare resort called TreeTops in the Poconos. Was not happy to be reminded of that! > > > > > emu be gone
ASPS! "Very dangerous. You go first."
@archaeoprof God, what a great film!
Strands #72 “On board” 🔵🔵🔵🔵 🟡🔵🔵🔵 Today's Strands was very unusual for me: I found what must have been *dozens* of non-theme words, one after another without a single theme word popping up! And of course the theme title is intentionally very broad. Finally got a foothold in the upper right - accidentally, as it happens, because I double-tapped one letter short of what I was aiming for! Smooth sailing after that. // As always, please no spoilers until there are at least 3 replies, and thus "behind" the View All Replies button.
@G Strands #72 “On board” 🔵🔵🔵🟡 🔵🔵🔵🔵 I'm on board with this one! ;-)
@G Strands #72 “On board” 🔵🔵🔵🟡 🔵🔵🔵🔵 I found the word in the SW corner almost immediately. Then I quickly got the NE. Even though together they gave me the theme, it took a few minutes to find the other words.
I can't stop talking about Kurt Vonnegut. One of his early short stories, "DP", was the introduction to me of one of the horrifying aspects of war. DP stands for displaced person, and in this case the DP was a young black boy in Germany. He only black boy at an orphanage. Just a heart rendering, beautifully written story.
@Francis In high school, a million years ago in the ‘70s, I wrote a term paper on Vonnegut. But I turned it in 4 days late and the teacher docked a grade for each late day. So I had to do it again. She recommended that I focus the paper more narrowly, on a single short story. She recommended “The Euphio Question.” I followed her advice, and got an “A,” but always wondered if she was sending me a message.
Wow a record Tuesday for me. Loved the tree theme. Now I want a puzzle that uses understory and canopy. Has anyone read The Overstory? That’s an amazing book.
@Crevecoeur The Overstory was one of my favorite books. It’s a wonderful story and beautifully written. I recommend to anyone who is looking for their next book.
Credit SUISSE went bust last year and its remnants are now part of UBS… :-/
Thanks Sam and Alex. You both made me LOL with your article / notes. Alex especially, so on theme, loved it! Wanted to come up with an arboreal pun, but am sleepy (it’s nearly 1am here lol!) Figured out the theme which helped with the solve, some tricky clues in there, which I enjoyed Favourite clue: BEE Shouldn’t it be TIE(D) GAME though?
Another favourite: TRUNKSHOW, FUGUE (it reminded me of Ms Lauren Hill)
I came up with SST for the Okay boomer clue, but it just didn't fly. Good to have a puzzle with only one entertainment industry personality clue. 3D. the fizzy citrus drink is a new one for me. 15D. will "pressed ham" ever make it into a puzzle?? Enjoyed the puzzle!
@Call Me Al I was surprised to see 3D in a US puzzle. It’s ubiquitous in France. My kids loved it, with its squat, orange shaped glass bottle. I liked it because it wasn’t as full of sugar and chemicals as other fizzy drinks, so the kids could have a drink or two and not get hyperactive for hours afterwards. It’s available in the UK now, but in boring 2 litre plastic bottles.
@Helen Wright I can find it regularly in some restaurants and groceries in Atlanta, and have been able to do so since I arrived here in 1993. I bought it for my sons when they were litlle, for the same reasons as you. If I had known what I know about sugar now, though, I probably would have avoided even the somewhat lower levels found in Orangina. On the other hand metro Atlanta has 6 million people (maybe 7 by now... I haven't checked recently), so there's lots of things available that you wouldn't find in. say, Union Grove, Alabama.
Thought it was a solid Tuesday. Liked the theme. Have not heard of the actor or the bank so that cross was hard. I've just been writing ":)" lately in any proper noun crosses and then auto fill. It's been a fun way to finish vs throwing in random letters.
@Jon Are you referring to Ani DiFranco? She’s actually a singer/songwriter. You’ll probably see her again if you’re a puzzle regular.
Fun puzzle and not too many references I had to look up! I love a good pun, though it was hard trying not to giggle as I solved it during my lecture today hahaha! My friend got in on it, we had fun solving it together 😆 Do the emus like cheese? I can share some of my panini I grabbed after class
This was a particularly breezy Tuesday for me — I finished in half my average time. I think it was the relative absence of proper nouns, geography, and pop culture trivia (I got Orangina and Chu from the crosses). Loved “okay boomer” and “drop trou.”
I have never heard of the phrase “OK boomer” (being a boomer myself) until I looked it up and discovered it was a meme. So I was thinking TNT is more than just an “okay” boomer
@SP Hmmmm....I hear it like 6 times a day.
Theme? There was a theme? The bell did not ring again. OY!
@Once a Marine One might say you couldn't see the forest for the trees.
@Once a Marine The themers and revealer are all downs, so they're easy to miss if you got them from the acrosses and don't have the "show overlays" turned on in the settings. Something tells me that's what might have happened to you; nothing to do with synapses or anything like that! ;-)