Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Congratulations on your NYT debut, Dr. Breen! Nicely done. Thanks to you both.

And I know no (none, nil, nada, zero) drink recipes! Yet I finished! It wasn’t a disaster.

As a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety and OCD, one complaint about the puzzle for today (05/29/2024) is that 6D reads “Anxiety condition, in brief,” and the answer is “OCD.” However, OCD is not an anxiety condition. It is a condition that is separate from anxiety and is in the DSM 5 in a category that is distinct from anxiety diagnoses. A more accurate clue would read, “Mental health condition, in brief” or “DSM diagnosis.”

Well that was a fun debut. We've been charmed by two in two days now!

Oh, clever wordplay theme, making literal the figurative phrase RECIPE FOR DISASTER. Perfecto! Spotless grid, a given in any puzzle with the name Jeff Chen on it. Jeff is as kind a soul as you will ever run across, but he is ruthless, if you make a puzzle with him, when it comes to grid cleanliness. And, if you make a puzzle with him, you will eventually be exceedingly grateful to him for insisting on it. Some lovely answers in SLEUTH, SMOLDER, and MEASLY. Also, after Monday's PUT ON A SHOW theme brought into the theater of my mind Ethel Merman brassily belting out "Everything's Coming Up Roses", how sweetly serendipitous that STYNE, who wrote the music to that song, shows up today. In addition, the rebel in me liked seeing QUIET on the Eastern Front. Jeanne, I loved how you, step-by-step, went from the dream of making a NYT-worthy crossword to its reality, as described in your notes. Jeff, you are such a giving and talented soul. This was a Recipe For Success. Thank you both for a delightful outing!

I am impressed by the theme fill occupying so much of the grid. Wow. Thanks to you both for such a delightful puzzle.

Didn't know what dark corner of the wine cellar Josh Duhamel was hiding in, but for once my brain's little flashlight briefly flickered and there he was with his sanded-down DiCaprio features! It's rye-ly amusing to me that when I came across the recipe that turned out to be for MUDSLIDE I literally said to myself, "That's a recipe for disaster." And the others were the same, just the thing that would bypass whatever euphoria alcohol produces and head straight for the worst hangover ever. All ROADS lead to RUIN in this puzzle. Props on the badminton clue. Here I was thinking golf. And for the disaster-echoing off-theme words, like aformentioned RUIN, and certainly DAM -- look what happened to Johnstown in 1889 -- or VEER, something major storms do sometimes - and LIT UP/COPSE/SMOLDER -- the eternal narrative of many a terrible fire -- and MARY ANN, shipwrecked by a HURRICANE (and also by Gilligan, who threw an anchor overboard without a rope attached). And Josh Duhamel, he must have starred in a move with a disaster in it, or that WAS a disaster. But I know so little about him that I thought that it was the Duchess of York with whom he had a thing! Bye bye birdie (I'm looking at you, emu!)

EWE don't always see a debut as charming as this one. Nicely done.

I don’t comment often but this was my favorite Wednesday of all time! Really loved ENVY but all the clues were very clever and would set off satisfying chain reactions! Thanks!!

As someone who drinks cheap red wine out of a box, my "cardboardeaux," these fancy drinks were a mystery to me. But, slowing the fill gave me enough clues to solve it. What fun, and what a blast!!! Literally.

fun puzzle. I must be getting good at this.

As a self anointed connoisseur of cocktails, I loved this puzzle. Although I prefer classic cocktails, I was familiar with the concoctions in this puzzle. Therefore I wasn’t shaken and it went down smooth.

I’ll have whatever the constructors are having!

Well, I've been through at least three (non-alcohol type) HURRICANEs, and several storms involving tornados, but I've avoided the MUDSLIDEs and VOLCANOs so far. As a non-drinker I was more than a little worried that this was going to be a DISASTER, but I had enough crosses to SLEUTH out the drink names without too much difficulty. I was amused by the revealer. Very nice debut, Jeanne, and hope with this accomplished, you can come up with more to entertain us. Thanks!

First time commentating but wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed this crossword and got a good laugh out of the revealer. When I eventually got it right that is, on my first pass I very confidently entered signature cocktail which tripped me up for a while *facepalm or should I say *headdesk?

I really loved this one, and though I don’t often notice the constructors, I’ve learned that if it includes the name Jeff Chen it means a good puzzle. I was ok with “the euro” because that’s the way we talk about it. And maybe not intentional, but for those of us who don’t drink, the “recipe for disaster” has a double meaning.

Omg, the entire time I was thinking to myself “Darn, is this a tough Tuesday or am I tripping?!” Only to see the gold star at the end: “You finished a Wednesday puzzle…” 🤦‍♀️ D’oh!

I actually worked as a bartender for a bit some decades ago, and... none of the referenced drinks are at all familiar to me. Couldn't complete this one. End of two day streak. That's all on me - glad to see a new constructor and looking forward to more from Ms. Breen. And... ARECIPEFORDISASTER was the reveal in a Sunday puzzle from May 28, 2017 by Andrew Zhou with the title "In Bad Taste." And the other theme answers in that one: STIRUPAHORNETSNEST MIXONESMETAPHORS BEATADEADHORSE POURMONEYDOWNTHEDRAIN CUTAPOORFIGURE SERVESTWOMASTERS Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/28/2017&g=106&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=5/28/2017&g=106&d=A</a> I'm done. ..

Fun puzzle. It brought memories of being 19 at Pat O'Brien's--finishing not one but two of their HURRICANEs and taking a third to go. Good Lord. If I tried that today, I would EXPEL my last breath (or wish that I had). Even then, true to the puzzle's theme, I was a DISASTER.

My apologies to everyone who replied to my comment re: tombolos yesterday. It's been glorious weather here (although there was rain yesterday morning) and I just don't get back to the comments when the outdoors and my garage workshop are calling. JohnMW: thanks! I do aim to please. That expression goes back decades and, after the Magnuson act came into effect, it was adopted by the fishing industry in their efforts to blame all fishing problems on the feds. Caroline Kearney: I was specifically referring to Bar Island in Bar Harbor -- the island that gives the town its name. If you go to the town pier and look straight north, you will be staring at Bar Island and its tombolo. It is a much longer tombolo than the one at Barred Island in Deer Isle. I used to live on the Blue Hill peninsula so I know Deer Isle fairly well. (How about that bridge!) Hardroch and JayTee: Yes, tombolos are fairly common, including here in Maine. The one I referred to in my OP was the one connecting Salt Island to Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA. I wasn't aware of the one in Sorrento, but it looks like it's not publicly accessible so I may never visit it. Thank you all for your comments. Even when I don't reply, I do eventually see them, but usually after the comments are closed.

Congratulations on you first puzzle in the NYT, I thought it was a lot of fun

It still is shocking. Dictionaries have existed for hundreds of years. But people won’t open them. I’m getting feeds in YouTube from a fox watcher, fox lover, showing “vixons.” There is no such thing as a “vixon.” There is no such thing as “batmitten,” “badmitten,” “batmitton.” Never has been. Let me suggest that people playing a word puzzle / word game, might want to crack open a dictionary now and then. Just for fun. Dictionaries are our _friends_.

Yeah. Wrong time to run this puzzle

Unfortunate timing with recent events in Papua New Guinea 😢

Congratulations on an excellent debut, Jeanne. I was only familiar with MUDSLIDE, but the others came easily with some crosses. Any puzzle that has Jeff Chen involved is a good puzzle as far as I'm concerned. It's good to see his continuing mentorship.

I had a bit of a hard time, as I have a limited knowledge of mixed drinks (shot of Jameson please), but I surprised myself with how many I did know. Enjoyable puzzle. And "badminton" isn't a word I mispell, its a word that IS mispelled.

Very chewy for a Wednesday and a tight theme. Quite well done!

Welp...this was entertaining (although the drinks recipes sound dreadful...maybe because I dislike rum...and sweeeeet stuff)... Had never heard of a MUD SLIDE or a FLAMING VOLCANO ...with any luck, I'll never see one, either. (Actual volcanoes don't 'flame,' although they do light off anything in the path of the lava flow--trees, shrubs, your house.) I am never going to remember the nail polish brand, but the Crosses always rescue me. This was a neat puzzle, but it was Over Too Soon... Super-smooth to solve, so that bodes well for Jeanne Breen's future.

it was exactly a perfect wednesday puzzle! fun to do - challenging in spots, but do-able / took some cross-clues to figure some of them out; but nothing impossible! great job Jeanne Breen on your debut with Jeff Chen. You do realize with a name like yours, you need to do a puzzle that plays with rhyme/ slant rhyme. i bet you're already working on it!

Tough puzzle, good theme. 12 minutes, mistakes, pretty slow for a Wednesday

Puzzle was great fun, but no excuses, *the* euro is poor craftsmanship. Though perhaps I’m sore from spelling ‘appal’ the American way.

Fantastic debEWE! Fun all the way down! Keep ‘em coming, please! …

Despite my years as a cocktail waitress I wasn’t familiar with any of the concoctions. Getting the revealer then was a huge help at filling in the blanks. I don’t know the actor and was momentarily thrown at his being the ex of Fergy. Naturally my Brit brain went to Sarah Ferguson, ex wife of the Royal prince who we do not name. Took a minute or two to remember the Black Eyed Peas songstress. Duh. I’m always a little nervous when I see the excellent Mr Chen’s name attached to a puzzle. I know I’m going to be in for a tough but worthwhile battle. This one was a little more forgiving than some I’ve done, but still interesting and entertaining. Well done Ms Breen.

A wonderful debut! Thank you, Dr. Breen and Mr. Chen! I've passed a year on my streak, with 367 puzzles so far. Today's puzzle would have been without cheats, but I couldn't find a 'typo'. I had 'badminten', instead of 'badminton', not knowing nail polish brands. I hope to see more from this duo! (Also, prayers for those in Papua New Guinea.....)

Never have tried any of those mixed drinks in this puzzle. Or any others, for that matter. Just give me a Stoli on the rocks, please.

One of the clues is inaccurate and should be updated for future reference - OCD is no longer considered an anxiety disorder :)

Best time…never…took me forever. Never had or seen any of the cocktails but worked them out from the crosses. I’ve clearly lead a sheltered life. Not sure about the flying birdie, broken china more like. It’s a shuttle-birdie over here and not heard the non compound usage as that’s used in multiple other contexts to signify a male bird, a mate, an idiot and other things (ahem). Telling your partner on a UK BADMINTON court to “grab the birdie” would get you some odd looks. So congratulations to all those who found it easy-peasy-lemon-squeezey I was in the thick of it and it was difficult-difficult-lemon-difficult.

Even though I've never had any of those delightful libations clued in this puzzle it was fun and clever. Thank you.

I'm not much on the fancy-schmancy drinks - I'm a wine and beer girl. Got 'em from the crosses, though. Clever theme. Maybe there is a queue of cruciverbalists forming at the local liquor stores!

7D THEEURO. SMH. Definite articles in a NYT Crossword feels cheap.

So late to the party this evening, but--since I noticed all the theme entries were alcoholic drinks--may I offer a little dessert? Julia Child has a recipe which I have never prepared, but will someday. It's a variation on Baked Alaska, with the cake and ice cream formed into a somewhat conical shape. Frosted with meringue, of course--good reason to use that Oxo offset spatula--but at the "summit" she embeds half a shell of one of the eggs, cup side up. Just before serving, the egg-shell is filled with warm cognac or liqueur, and ignited. Preferably, the burning cognac will run down the sides like molten lava. Julia called it "la Surprise de Vesuve." Moi, I'd consider a perfect ending to any meal, matin, midi, ou soir.

Despite being a teetotaller, I had definitely heard of 17A and 26A (and probably 36A/38A). I was pleased to see the actual recipe for a Hurricane, in contrast to what you get in a big paper cup in New Orleans, which as far as I can tell is more like rum and Hawaiian Punch (based on my one visit there over 40 years ago). Speaking of 40 years ago, my earliest memory of doing a NYT puzzle was sometime in the early 1980s with a friend, and we got stuck on the clue "Ungula", which eventually turned out to be TOENAIL (we had to look at the solution). Can anybody adept at searching the databases figure out which puzzle that was?

What a fun puzzle and fantastic debut! Now I’m thirsty for a cocktail!

today was a train wreck for me. Had tyrant for 60A, crossed with exits for 46D and xoo as the tic tac toe formation, and had to start over when I keyed in RECIPE. When I subsequently got DISASTER, MUDjuice crossed with jeep had to go too, which I thought was MUDjoint at first crossed with bitcoin. MIDSTofit also stuck there for a while. The only saving grace for me were the relatively easier long downs, which helped me to INCH my way through this puzzle and I managed to NAB the win within 45mins, with my only lookup being the ID of MIDI at the end

Great debut! Nicely done theme, perfect for a Wednesday.

Coffee did nothing for my waking headache this morning, maybe I should have tried one of these libations. Or is that a rum idea? Oh, yeah, there's a Fergie other than Sarah. Smooth puzzle, Jeanine, more please.

Very recently, though it could have been in the archives, I was disappointed to learn through crossings that the answer wasn't SLEUTH, as I'd entered. I don't remember the particulars but I am very tickled that it is in today's puzzle! It's a great word, in my opinion, and I use it regularly after having read so very many Trixie Beldens, Nancy Drews, and other young female sleuths, in my more youthful days. Now, I incline toward Gamache, Poirot, and Cheers to a very fun puzzle!! Great revealer! I also loved that COPSE and SLEUTH crossed because I learned about COPSEs by reading Agatha Christie books! I puzzled this out in good (for me) time without any help, but I can't say for sure what the time was because there was a lunch spaghetti sauce DISASTER on my mostly white shirt that happened to me at work while the clock kept ticking.... Did the puzzle manifest this DISASTER or am I just clumsy. I'll let you be the judge but if it is manifesting things, next time, please make it one of the cocktails! 🍸 😊🍸

I really enjoyed today’s theme and how it was implemented! Thank you Jeanne Breen and Jeff Chen for a lovely puzzle. Today’s lesson was an exercise in trusting my instincts with my original word placements. Had to look up Fergie’s ex like a SLEUTH but gleaned more about her life in the process. Always a win when that happens.

46/56A could not be a more apt description of my encounter with 26A! Tasty but lethal! Never again… 🤢

Really enjoyed this one. First Jeff Chen puzzle I've liked. Even the trivia was ok as crossings worked so didn't need to have watched shows never have. Once you have theme you can guess the cocktail names.