Nice puzzle and enjoyed it. However I wanted to share that being hit by Milton, losing power and internet and cell coverage, my street flooding, trees down, general chaos, the thing that upset me the most was that I was going to lose my 221 days streak. I know that is petty, but doing the crossword has been my way to cope with personal and professional crisis. That I was able to get back online and complete today’s puzzle has meant a lot. Thank you everyone at the puzzle department. And all the linemen restoring electricity here in the Tampa Bay Area. Thank you!!
@Mark Well, sorry about your streak, glad you are otherwise ok, and rest assured I'll never compete with your streak.
@Mark We were saving your place at the table. So glad you could make it! Stay safe in all that cleanup.
@Mark, Congratulations on getting to continue your streak, despite all of the obstacles and chaos going on around you. It does seem incongruous to worry about something of far less importance than basic living conditions and personal safety, but you must have known somehow that you would survive it all. And your streak might not! 🙂 I don’t know why these things take on so much importance, but they do. Maybe as a reminder that you’re reaching a personal goal everyday. I’m glad to hear that power is finally back. It’s so unsettling the whole time that it’s not there. Life will eventually continue. Be safe and enjoy these crosswords!
Huh. Super quick, even with ATTED, EDGELORD and SIN BIN. Is it just me? [Shells out for dinner] --> PASTA is excellent, and I can see it working with clam sauce, mussels, escargot, as well. The vibe I'm getting from the word choices in the story that this grid tells (all grids have a tale to tell) is that the protagonist is a down and out gambler who has never lived up to his potential, a life of jello shots and lousy bets, antes into a game where he's accused of cheating. "It's a lie!" he shouts. But he's living in a world of con artists who know just which outkast to call, who says, "You name it, I'll do it." I'm not so sure hilarity ensues when some joker in a hot rod is bearing down on you, ready to ram you straight into the big Sin Bin in the sky. In this life, the answer is yes, you are too late, you always will be too late. I'm serious. Meanwhile you're lying at the bottom of a rain barrel, some bird perched on its rim booing at you, and Lassie goes arf arf arf and the last thing you think before you go deep into an Asahi-soaked nightmare, is wishing for a secret menu on your phone with a button that put dogs on silent mode. Arf Arf Arf!
@john ezra Not just you. Although only you could have the nightmare vibe takeaway. ____________________ Jesse Goldberg 8/28/2024 for Puzzle of the Decade (I do this instead of emuing)
@B My mom and I did that puzzle on paper! I liked it too! Emu
@john ezra, You're the poet we need, but not the poet we deserve! LOL!
"But I want to be the brightest star!" "No! I'm Sirius!" ("You're up to your old Vega tricks.")
@Mike My stars! You can't trust Vegans. They're too lyrical.
@Mike I think you're just an Dromeda Queen....
@Mike When either of us gets going, it's either you Orion a roll. The emus probably liked your Vega tempt, though.
@Mike The planet "Uranus". No pun there. Just a commonly snickered at name. I think we should change it. I think it should be "Urbutt".
Praise to the underachievers. And praise to the "CANARTISTS" in the supermarkets who make such beautiful pyramids that it is often with great regret I pull a can from their creations.
11 down reminded me of my mother! She was 80 years old, and I was visiting. She hosted a party for her lady friends, very proper ladies one and all. My mom told me she wanted me to make Jell-O shots for the party, because she had one recently and thought it was fun. So there I am at her party, handing out Jell-O shots to her senior friends! It was a fun party, for sure. Good old Mom.
A BOOBIRD is NOT a fan who boos the opposing team. That would be normal. A BOOBIRD boos the home team, the team he (or she) is supposed to be rooting for, when that team isn't doing well. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boobird" target="_blank">https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boobird</a> This is especially an element of Philadelphia sports culture, <a href="https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/02/07/philadelphia-booing-sports" target="_blank">https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/02/07/philadelphia-booing-sports</a>/ which is quite timely, given the events of the past few days. Of course, the concept isn't completely foreign to New York sports fans, either.
@Steve L If the Philly BOOBIRDs boo the home team, then who boos Santa Clause? Oh, I remember, it's the emus.
@Steve L "Cool story bro" but none of that discredits the clue/answer pair presented in the puzzle? It didn't say who they were fans of... ____________________ Jesse Goldberg 8/28/2024 for Puzzle of the Decade (I do this instead of emuing)
Some may recall my occasional mention of my pups, and that one of them made a visit to the emergency vet in the wee hours of the morning two weeks ago. Sadly, she had to be put down yesterday. I'm still rather lugubrious over this, and will be for some time. Her sister is out of sorts, too. It's just the two of os for now.
@CaptainQuahog I’m sorry, Captain. I would be lugubrious too.
@CaptainQuahog so sorry to hear of your loss. It's so hard. Thinking of you and your pup.
@CaptainQuahog I’m sorry to hear that. Best wishes to you and your remaining pup.
@CaptainQuahog So sorry for your loss. I said I’d never have another dog after we lost our beloved Lab, the loss was too painful. 8 years on though and we do have a beautiful Shiba. He doesn’t replace Dougal in any way, but he is a joy. Much love to your remaining Doge.
@CaptainQuahog I feel for you and I’m so sorry for your loss. The only thing that would reconcile me with the idea of an afterlife would be if I could be sure my old dog would be there too.
@CaptainQuahog I’m so sorry to hear that. It’s never easy to lose our furry friends.
@CaptainQuahog My heart goes out to you and your other pup. We had a vet visit with our 17 year old pup yesterday and are waiting to see if she improves today. Reminds me of the quote attributed to Winnie the Pooh: “How lucky am I to have something that makes saying good bye so hard.”
@CaptainQuahog I’m so sorry to hear this. There’s no feeling quite so heavy as the loss of a family member. I know we are all just internet strangers, but for what the sentiments of a stranger are worth, know that my thoughts are with you and your pup’s sister and wishing you both ease and peace.
@CaptainQuahog I feel for you, buddy. I went through all that several years ago, and haven't owned another dog since. Lately, I've been thinking it might be time.
@CaptainQuahog I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. I really know how you feel - we lost our 17 year old cat and last remaining pet yesterday. The house feels so empty.
@CaptainQuahog Sorry for your loss and the pain you feel. I once heard someone describe that feeling as "the presence of absence." May you and your pup find comfort in each other. A big hug is sent your way.
@CaptainQuahog Very sorry. Always a tough moment for a pet lover.
@CaptainQuahog Sending my condolences! I'm glad you and her sister are there for each other. Wishing you both peace!
@CaptainQuahog It’s so tough, they are family members. For over 30 thousand years, we have bred them to care for us, maybe more than we deserve. Condolences. I’ve been there, hate it, but love them.
@CaptainQuahog Oh that’s sad! I wish you and the other pup the blessings of her memory. Emu
@CaptainQuahog Very sorry, it is the hardest choice to make for a dear companion.
@CaptainQuahog I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending you and your remaining pup warmth and compassion at this difficult time.
Who else here immediately knew "WASTED POTENTIAL" and thought, "Take that [teacher's name.] I'm using my time and smarts to solve the NY Times crossword puzzle, now!" 🤣
@Swift It was my high school guidance counselor. He was holding all the SAT scores in his hand, coming to our homeroom to hand them out, and I was on my way out. He said, oh, wait, let me give you your scores. Then he looked at the papers in his hand, then back to me in shock, then at the paper, then at me, then at the paper, than at me, then... "OH, that's not yours, it's Diane's!" Diane was our valedictorian. I will never forgive him for looking at me as if there was no way in hell I could ever measure up. I was a good student. Then there was the college advisor. My friend Helene and I went to him at the same time. We took the same classes, had the same grades, the same major, the same plans. This advisor looked at our files and harrumphed. "English majors, huh? Well, you can be department store buyers." She became a buyer for a chain store that was Chapter 11 a few months later, and went to work in her husband's business after that. (They did quite well, thank you.) I followed my original plan and became an editor/writer. So there. She and I are still friends. Neither of us can remember his name. So there again.
I hate to admit it, this is one of those marvelous puzzles that is just way too young for me. I didn't know so many solves, I had to go to Deb's hints. It's a long list. BooBirds? Sinbin ( I actually guessed this one with crosses) Edgelord? I had no idea what a "low tie" was, and never heard of atted? It was really hard for me to finish. I did like the puzzle and had the SW corner and stacks done. Football and hockey references are lost on me. The jelloshots clue was over my head. I lie to myself and say I keep up, then the reality of knowing what a phone booth is and who sang the midnight sign-off on early tv (Kate Smith) but never hearing of an edge lord or boo birds brings my old self home.😂 It was fun to find out all these "new to me" things that I just missed on the other hand, Geez Laweez, I feel OLD tonight. Thank you Mr. Bratton for a clever puzzle, and thank you Deb for all the hints...I couldn't have finished without them. Cheers from Texas y'all. Looking forward to the weekend crosswords.
@Bonnie Ann I'm right there with you. I only know things like "jelloshots" from working with younger (sometimes *much* younger) people, and listening to them talk about their exploits. Now that I'm retired, I'm sure new things will creep in. I didn't know EDGELORD, at all, and it was purely by making real words for the compound word that got me by. I'd also never heard of SINBIN, but it made sense that a hockey player was put there for the "sin" of (probably) bashing another player's head with his stick.
@Bonnie Ann Apparently BOOBIRD has been around longer than I have— and I’m well into my eighth decade! I only recall having heard it in the last few years, though. I am also not a football or hockey fan, but was able to complete this in below average time, with the help of the crosses, despite a couple unfamiliar terms. ( I like the inclusion of contemporary usage in the puzzle, as it often occasions a TIL moment… and may keep me from feeling like too much of a dinosaur should I need to converse with a young ‘un.) Perhaps my biggest problem was the very familiar “aloe”, which as Deb noted, went in almost automatically, before BALM became obvious.
@Bonnie Ann, I just wanted to join the chorus as a now septuagenarian (though I feel about 40, so I don't know I'm as old as everyone seems to think I am). I was about half and half on today's "young 'un" clues, and much of that was indeed from having learned them in other puzzles. But I'm still in the dark about SECRETMENU. Something reserved for a preferred clientele?
@Bonnie Ann Your clearsighted and cheerful acceptance of the of the inevitable turning of time and tide, without blame or bluster, made my day! Wisdom. Appreciated. Thank you.
The Thursday puzzle still has a hold on me. I confidently filled in "save the day" for 1A rather than "pave the way." Way / Day. Sadly, it's no longer w-or-d choice day. Lots to enjoy in this fresh puzzle that made me work to get a toehold. I learned a few new-to-me terms.
@JBW Oh, but that would have been *so* cool if they'd managed to slip in another W/D, leaked over from Thursday.
This one was part jigsaw, part crossword—tightly made and fun to work. Clean, graceful, and stylish. One of those puzzles that are deceptively simple—once the light goes on and the fill goes in. What looks totally opaque is sometimes right, sometimes wrong, but gets sorted out by the crosses, not by some creaking wrench with a mystery word. Kudos to Billy Bratton for this polished construction. We await your next one—soon, please.
Ugh, I was stuck so long cause, not knowing 2D I was convinced that the builders of pyramids were "CAN ARTISTS", like the designers of grocery store displays 🤦🏻
@Hunter funny! I kept thinking of card pyramids we built as kids but could not make card artists fit; I forgot about college and the beer can pyramids (memory of those probably foggy due to the number of beers consumed before building them!). It was one of the last words to complete for me.
Well, I’m back from the (nearly) dead. After the hideous virus I went straight for the Covid/flu jab which knocked me sideways yesterday. Better than catching the full blown thing, but there’s not much in it. Feel like I’ve been trampled by the cows today. Anyhoo; great puzzle. Took me forever to get into it, what with all the social media/sports references. Delighted to see BOOBIRDS, only because I just learned that’s a thing when it was clued a few days ago. OUTKAST was a rare gimme; I’ve now got Hey Ya on repeat in my brain. EDGELORD was a new one on me. I’m afraid I was thinking far more negative terms, which fortunately didn’t fit. Not sure the emus would let them pass. I fell through the aloe/BALM trapdoor, which gave me clams for too long til I worked out it had to be PASTA. All in all a great Friday workout. I’m simply happy to be feeling slightly human again.
@Helen Wright I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better.
@Helen Wright Glad you are doing better and hope you feel 100% by tomorrow!
Nice! A little crunchy, but not too hard. I learned about EDGELORDS tonight. The stacked answers were very nice. No WASTED POTENTIAL here.
Had an awful time finding a toe hold in this one - when I am reduced to a 3 letter starting entry I know I'm in for a slog. But it surprisingly toppled in an orderly fashion after that. Nice puzzle.
Yes Deb, my hand is up in the air for the ALOE answer. Although, in fairness, even while I was typing it something in the back of my skull was saying "Easy boy. That could be BALM..." A lucky catch!
I came here thinking that all the comments soul be of the “too easy” variety. There are some of those, but not nearly as many as I expected. As for me, my time was less than half my Friday average, and only a minute from my Tuesday number. I guess I was just tuned into the constructor’s wavelength, or maybe I am more brillianter than I think. Yeah, that must be it. Thanks for a fun puzzle.
Here in Philadelphia, the boobirds are just as likely to be booing our own team 😏😆
@Javafiend Because I was writing a more thorough answer, I allowed you to scoop me! (See adjacent comment.) However, in actuality a BOOBIRD specifically boos his or her own team (see links in my other post). I guess the BOOBIRDS are out in full force in Philly these past few days, and the police are putting the grease for the lightposts back into storage.
Long time solver, first time commenter. Best friday time EVER by a meaningful margin. Felt a bit like Slumdog Millionaire where each clue seemed built just for me based on experiences. Welp... onto Saturday....
@Isaiah Welcome, and keep coming back. I love hearing from our international solvers. More points of view, different wheelhouses, added knowledge. and exotic emus
@Isaiah Stay in touch!
The only restaurant chain I know to have a SECRET MENU (but then, they're supposed to be secret, aren't they?) is Chipotle. I think it features such things as kids' tacos and what not--I've never inquired. My go-to take out Indian restaurant here, Detroit Masala, recently went "fusion", changing its name to Detroit Eatery, and adding such things as General Tso's and Jamaican Jerk Chicken to their menu, but dropping Saag Paneer. "Can you still make Saag Paneer?" I would ask, when placing my order. "Of course we can." They have since added it back onto the menu. A bagel shop in Ferndale, MI, offers a Baker's Dozen bagels for $11.99. "How many people only ask for twelve different types, not knowing what a 'baker's dozen', in fact, is?" I asked the woman behind the counter recently. She declined to answer. And Avalon Bread used to offer two loaves of (organic) bread for the price of one after 4 pm, but only at their Midtown location. I would try to show up at 4:02. But only if you asked. Once, I was in line at the counter, and the woman ahead of me ordered one loaf, and the server did not suggest a second. When my turn came, I asked it it was still BOGO after four, and he said "of course!" Any others with "secret menu" stories?
@Bill Only secret menu I knew of (until your post) was Panera. You can look it up to see what's on it. Some delicious bowls.
@Bill Years ago, our favorite local Mexican joint went upscale, redecorating both the restaurant and the menu - and took _pollo verde_ off the list. Like your saag paneer, we were able to continue to ask for it with successful results... until we couldn't, and resorted to pollo asada instead. I was shocked then and continue to be amazed now, that very popular staples such as saag paneer and pollo verde would be removed from a menu. Especially if they're actually still making the saag, just not advertising it! Luckily for you. :)
@Bill I believe In n Out is pretty famous for having a secret menu, but they are relatively geographically limited compared to Chipotle. Also Starbucks has one, sort of, for drinks, but I'm not sure if it's an official secret menu or just new combinations people on social media come up with and popularize. Some of them are good, though!
@Bill The Jimillini cocktail at 13 coins in Seattle; at the long gone Andy’s diner, the Hearts Desire club sandwich so named for the cook’s response to the server’s question about what kind of sandwich he could make her. Oh and the Starbucks short(if that’s still a thing.)
@Snorting Elk The Starbucks short is still very much a thing, along with as many ridiculous takes on a Frappuccino as there are TikTokers to come up with them.
@Bill You are in the wrong part of the country to know In 'N Out, but it's our favorite burger place. I always order "Animal style, Protein style." Nowhere is that written on the menus -- you just have to know. Animal style = grilled onions Protein style = wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of bread bun. Messy, but yummy. There are also other secret items. Google them....
There are a lot of comments about words like VINY and, as John reminded me below of ABYSM. I remember when I was much younger, in the 70s and 80s, that the NYT crossword was filled by obscure Kazakstanhi rivers and second cousins to the Hungarian King Leopold II. Was that any better? I prefer the modern obscure to the historically obscure.
Francis, Like them or not, I suspect these words that most solvers have never or only very rarely heard of will always be part of challenging puzzles. Whining about them and even giving them a label seems to me to be a thinking human’s reasonable response. Like you, I am glad their numbers have been reduced and their currency has been increased, at least in comparison to what I see in the archives (thank you, computers). If that wasn’t the case, I doubt I would be here trying to solve the crossword puzzles. But I suspect some very serious puzzlers with amazing memories for facts wish those days would return. Anyone?
As the precocious child I was, among other things, I would throw away the loose and orphaned items in drawers around the house and garage. It annoyed my father, especially, when he was looking for the odd battery. "Stop throwing them away!" he'd say. "Why?" - me, snickering. He yelled, "Because that's WASTEDPOTENTIAL!" (I'll show myself out.)
Yikes ... this one took me 1 hr 14 minutes! Being a Kiwi, I always puff out my chest when I solve Friday or Saturday, as the American references leave me with plenty of work to do. It took me a long time to get 'pasta' and "APlus" - I kept thinking the high 90s had to be something hot! On to Saturday!
There once was a teacher named Bonkers Who helped PAVE THE WAY up to Yonkers He planned it like Moses A path strewn with roses But got just a parkway with honkers. I will, to use the parlance of the comments section, see myself out.
AMITOOLATE!? I was cruising right along, thinking a new personal Friday best would ENSUE but alas, there was (as usual) just a handful that I really struggled with... especially the EDGE part of EDGELORD. I had LORD (though I had metes before DEALS) but don't think I've ever heard that term before. Put bLUe before GLUM, unfamiliar with the BROOM of the system book... and a few others. But, I managed without any lookups, so huzzah!! The stacks were enjoyable and came quickly for me and helped me PAVETHEWAY to a clean solve. JELLOSHOTS are fun but vodka gummy bears are even better, in my opinion. :-) Favorite was PASTA for shells out for dinner. Took me a minute but then there was the aha! Fun fact, I did run after R... My husband's name starts with R but is truly a one of a kind name. I've Googled and it's not a name for anyone else. We'll be married 19 years on Monday (together 25) and whatever portion of that time we had texting capabilities, and no matter how smart smart phones get, it cannot learn his name, so I just go with R. Running after R was the best thing I ever did, and gladly, he agrees! That clue made me smile!
@HeathieJ Happy anniversary a few days in advance!!
I was not on the constructor’s wavelength at all today - finished in above average time. Did not enjoy the plethora of slangs like EDGE LORD, SIN BIN, BOO BIRDS, ATTED — so many were sports related that I felt a pang of sympathy for Andrzej!! Many clues felt strained: YES means [Consent] so the [cue] feels out of place; [Shells for dinner] fits both the answer and the wordplay, but [out] does not make as much sense for the answer; [All ____] should’ve been clued as an expression, as it does not stand by itself. Then there’s crosswordese like VINY and some tough (for me) trivia like OUTKAST and BROOM. I could not find much sparkle in the clues or answers. All in all, it made the solve more tedious than enjoyable. Hope others had more fun!
@rajeevfromca I did because there were so many answers I did not know and yet my time was 15% less than average. Edgelord, glum, and broom slowed me down until I got APLUS.
@rajeevfromca When someone says YES, he or she is giving a cue that consent is given. (Or that cue could be a sly smile and a moan.) Maybe the clue would work without "cue", but I think it's clearer with it. When you're serving dinner, you put your food out on the table, so [Shells out for dinner] makes sense; there's no wordplay without it. I don't know what you mean by [All ___] should have been clued as an expression...what do you want them to do, put (expression) after the clue? It seems fine, although vague, to me. VINY may be an obscure word, but it's not crosswordese. Crosswordese is a word that appears far more frequently in crosswords than in real life. The last appearance of VINY was in 1988...pre-Shortz! Not crosswordese.
Just wanted to thank those in this special group for their compassion, words of encouragement and humor. It is much appreciated. There's something special going on here.
@Min It almost feels like a sociological experiment. A community of people most of whom have no other contact. Totally faceless, totally contextless, except for what context is shared in the posts. Moreover, it's strange to think that if something happened to one of the regular posters here, it's possible, and even likely, they'd disappear without a hint of an explanation.
This felt a little sticky at first and then just flowed. In the version I printed out, 44A was represented by a grawlix, so the connection felt tenuous, but I guess the angry faces didn't work in my preferred format. I'm surprised by how many people didn't know BOO BIRDS, since we just saw it on 9/30. In fact, this was the 3rd time it was an answer this year and 4th time overall.
Fun puzzle. Challenging without being unreasonable (although I don't think I'll ever be prepared to do more than guess at the growing number of Taylor Swift clues). As soon as I saw 32D I knew I was going here. Nobody knows what a balm's gonna do. <a href="https://youtu.be/IzowSs9mNOM?si=aS3Sln_r63aIrvNT" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/IzowSs9mNOM?si=aS3Sln_r63aIrvNT</a>
@Jack McCullough Of course! This scene will always be there for BALM
This one went in the high 90s, cuz I was able to balm right through it. Learned and loved the word “edgelords” but I suspect I might not love ‘em for reals.
As much as one can do on a Friday, I flew through this one. Which is to say that I never filled in an answer that I later had to take out, and never spent more than a few seconds thinking about a clue before either filling in the correct answer or deciding to move on. Whenever I did choose to move on, the word I skipped didn't slow me down the next time around, after there were a few letters in from crosses. Oddly enough, by no means was I sure about every answer I filled in, but all of them proved to be the right one in the end. I was well under my Friday average, and even beat my Thursday time by almost a full minute. Good thing, too, because I'm feeling a little more tired than usual and might be a little under the weather.
Steve, I hope you feel better. I also think we should table the use of "under the weather" to refer to personal health, at least until Lewis resumes regular posting.
If we are thinking of sending someone into exile, I have a nominee for the first OUTKAST... Ones with addictions to TV, 'social' sites, sports, and bar-hopping will have an easier time with this puzzle. I had to winkle out many of the difficult entries, sandwiched as they were amid lackluster pot-boilers like AM I TOO LATE and YOU NAME IT. An ongoing blog that I favor (Orange Crate Art) is the work of a now-retired English prof who often quotes/references David Foster Wallace. I have yet to break down and read anything that author wrote. Blood? Bloom? Brook? BROOM. Hmm. Anyone here go around saying, "I like the VINY type of ivy!"? I thought not. I saw part of "A Bronx Tale" the other day while I was deboning a chicken; bus-driver Robert De Niro was lecturing his son about WASTED POTENTIIAL. We don't know if the protagonist learned anything from the fate of his idol. I see youse guys tomorrow.
My brain fog is finally lifted three months after a hip replacement surgery. Hip replacements were said to be no big deal, but for me, it was a very big deal. And the recovery included brain fog I didn’t even want to look at a crossword puzzle. So this week I just got back to solving and today’s puzzle was a bit of a challenge. I did solve edge lord. but I had to look it up to make sure that I got it right. And when I saw the definition, I couldn’t help thinking of a certain pumpkin faced politician, running for the highest office in our country.
@SteveG_VA Welcome back! I so wish I could forget that pumpkin face. Hope your recovery continues unabated.
@Francis Thanks. My progress is measured in millimeters per day. Prior to surgery I expected feet per day. And after surgery I would have settled for inches per day. But, movement in any amount is progress.
@SteveG_VA Glad you are starting to feel better and I hope that the rest of your recovery is smooth and swift.
This was definitely constructed by a millennial. I as an almost 40 year-old was completely on his wavelength with the references and puns.
@AS it was my fastest Friday and I’m 75! (Some good crosses probably)
Tough but fair. I couldn't seem to get on the constructor's wavelength today. . .
I'd never heard the word RAINBARREL before but I can see why those over there hesitate to call it a waterbutt, as we do. That separation by a common language also caught me with 11d where of course I put JELLY SHOTS, since that's what they're called here (made up with Hartley's jelly cubes no doubt) rather than using the leftpondian trade name. That, I accept, was a real sucker punch.
@Rosalind Mitchell I'd give almost anything for Americans to refer to rain barrel as a "waterbutt".
This is off-topic, but I just wanted to mention there's a wonderfully clever variety puzzle for this week by Eric Berlin. It's available for those who subscribe to XWordInfo or get the print edition of the Sunday NY Times. I didn't find it terribly difficult as variety puzzles go, but it's definitely unusual, and a fun solve as well.
@RichardZ I get the print edition of the Sunday NYT. Is it the issue that will appear this coming Sunday? The one that just passed is an Acrostic. How do you get it so early?
Nice puzzle. I flew through it unlike a couple other puzzles this week (ugh, Tuesday). Maybe helped that it had, by my count, 8 sports-related entries - 3 football, 1 hockey, 1 auto-racing, 1 tennis, 2 general (boo birds and one all). Combined with stank, reek and jello shots it was one big party!
TIL EDGEWORD, thanks Deb! (Back in my day, we called them trolls, and some sound advice from that era that's still relevant - don't feed them!)
Atted and edgelord had me looking for the adit…
@Joe Today I learned “adit”. The emus probably already knew it.
@Joe Which I don't think is acceptable in Spelling Bee, along with ALEE, much to my consternation.
Anyone else confidently put down OBOE for musician's pitch? Too many years in orchestra I suppose.
@Bob I wasn't in orchestra, but somewhere along the way I picked up the tidbit you are referring to. For those wondering what Bob is talking about: <a href="https://www.rockfordsymphony.com/faqs/why-does-the-orchestra-tune-to-the-oboe" target="_blank">https://www.rockfordsymphony.com/faqs/why-does-the-orchestra-tune-to-the-oboe</a>
IMHO a cue is non-verbal, like a nod (my original attempt). I guess I'm thinking of stage work where the actors receive silent indications. Also thinking of cue cards, which are read. An actor backstage could get a "you're on next" whispered verbal cue, but more likely it would be a tap and a point. Yes to me is not a cue, it's an affirmative response. The NW corner was the last to fall for me because I stuck with "nod".
@Jim I had 'nod', too. But as I wasn't 100% sure (I can never be completely sure on a Friday), I checked 10D on my favorite cheat site. I was mostly certain "NOD" would be right, for the reasoning you give.... Checking saved me a lot of time!
@Jim FWIW the audible idiom, often said with some oomph, "Lights, camera, action!" is frequently defined as a "cue."
I haven’t read The Broom of the System, but the array of book cover designs that came up when I Googled it makes me want to. (Yes, I Googled, and apparently am also judging a book by its cover. Whatever, it’s Friday.)
@Justin I found it had strong echoes of Pynchon. Big jump from Broom to IJ.
@pmom I did think of CAT WOMAN , but the BOO was already in place, so I was redirected. I had no clue about either, really.
Crossing OUTKAST with STANK was a highpoint for me! Otherwise a great puzzle.
@Vincent And if you look below STANK, you’ll see the IA in WASTEDPOTENTIAL, so this puzzle also has STANK on IA
I somehow managed to put in DIEHARDS and HOTHEADS for 31 down, before finally getting BOOBIRDS. All of the these fit and seemed to make sense. Fun puzzle, always love stacks!
Gretchen, stop trying to make “boo birds” happen. It’s not going to happen!
@Zintis Who is Gretchen? And why is she trying to make boo birds" happen? (These words are for emu prevention insurance. Short comments made by frequent posters are more likely to get stuck in the emu's spam filter.)
This puzzle was mostly a slog for me, though I completed it without any lookups and in a relatively short period of time. A few gimmes thrown in, like LASSIE and ELIE and ARF, didn't give me a great first pass. I did like the clues that made me think outside the box - CON ARTISTS, SECRET MENU, AND JELLO SHOTS, though I don't think those existed in my occasionally hard-drinking youth of decades ago. But there was way too much slang, and too much sports slang. BOOBIRDS and EDGELORDs and ATTED and SINBIN. And a football coach, Andy REID thrown in for good measure. And what the heck does ANTE have to do with blinds??? Is GOES DEEP a sports clue, too?? Aside from those few brain teasers (and add PASTA, because I love it), the puzzle was a downer. 8D specifically: WASTED POTENTIAL sums it up best.
@Times Rita ANTE and BLINDS are both poker terms for betting.
@Times Rita A “bomb” is a football term for a long pass, so the receiver GOES DEEP to prepare to receive the pass. PS: I did not know this either, so while I got the answer from crosses, it did not feel satisfying.
SW corner was definitely a struggle for me; the one-two punch of BOO BIRDS and SECRET MENU (loved that latter once I finally got there) really reduced the amount of possiblities. On the bright side, it's always nice for years of being a comics geek to pay off with BATWOMAN (even if more people might know from the short-lived TV show).
@Greg Hand up for being a comics geek. I was pretty certain it had to be catwoman or batwoman, and with the first name as KAThy, I was leaning towards catwoman. But boocirds did not look right, and then I remembered boobirds from a few days ago.
As usual on Fridays, my first pass through today drew largely blanks. Then, having gone "deep" so many times as a kid I guess, it all came together pretty quickly for me. Now I'll probably have to say 50 "Hail Mary's" as penance on Saturday just as Father Judge used to order!