It's so strange to see FEDERAL GRANTS clued as "funding sources for many labs" this week, as opposed to last week. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the biggest funder of medical research in the world, and it is thanks to their support that many of the largest medical breakthroughs in the past several decades in cancer treatment, infectious disease, and other areas have happened. NIH grant funding is crucial. Right now, ALL evaluation for ALL new NIH grants has stopped. The sessions to discuss which grants should be funded have been canceled indefinitely and are not being re-scheduled. Job offers at NIH itself have been rescinded. Even if things get up and running again once a new Health and Human Services Secretary is named, some of this halting may take a long time to recover from, if at all. And if Kennedy gets confirmed as the new HHS Secretary, it's not clear whether there will be ANY grant funding moving forward at all in crucial areas where medical advances have to be made. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are also being hampered. As of this week, they are not reporting the number of flu cases, for example, so nobody knows whether the national rates are going up or down. This is a very scary time for all of us.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher You are not alone.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher Great, great post. I am in mourning over what's happened to the US. I can certainly see that science funding will be utterly absurd under the current administration. It's just one more reason I believe the US is not only in decline, but in steep decline. Why would talented science students from elsewhere come to a country which isn't funding relevant research? Or why would faculty come to the US if they'll likely never get funding?
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher -- Normally, I like my puzzle to be a harbor from the ills of the world, and I do not like comments that rekindle those ills in my mind. But these are indeed scary, highly unusual times, and seeing posts like yours, @Scared Doctor, remind me that I’m not alone, and bolster my vigilance to not LOOK THE OTHER WAY. And I’m glad for them. Thank you.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher UK and EUROPE (most of it anyway) feel for you all. This is a pertinent post for a LOOK THE OTHER WAY theme.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher USDA’s FoodKeeper app is no longer updating food recall information. I’m calling the DC office of the Chair of the House Ag Committee this morning to ask for immediate action on this and bird flu. It’s insane and people will get hurt.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher, scary times indeed. I'm currently grateful that my daughter elected NOT to pursue a proffered post-doc at the NIH. She isn't going into academia, so she's in an internship in Switzerland (where she earned her PhD in medical neuroscience), which she hopes will lead to a job on the clinical side of things. She was welcomed at the NIH for a brief lab stint to learn some research techniques that she took back to her Swiss lab. I share your concern for our current situation, which will surely get worse before it gets better.
@A Scared Doctor and Medical Researcher Bird flu is proliferating and we are to know nothing of its progress.This is going to be a replay of his first-term failure to deal with COVID, one that cost thousands of lives. What will it be this time, more Clorox injections and horse med?
Really enjoyed this puzzle and took my time with it, liking the fill, the phrasing of the clues, the gentle humor. Look the other way is a great revealer (I thought it was going to be LOOKING BACKWARD). And there's lovely words/phrases in this one: FEISTIER, SHOE BILL, TREE POSE, SEMESTER AT SEA -- gives this puzzle a very rich and savory quality. Good stuff. In the daily Stuff in the Puzzle That's Not There Anymore (yesterday's was EEO), today we have FEDERAL GRANTS--> [Funding sources for many labs]: the article linked below shows that such grants have all but ceased or are in limbo: <a href="https://healthpolicy-watch.news/trump-administration-halts-health-communications-freezes-research-grants" target="_blank">https://healthpolicy-watch.news/trump-administration-halts-health-communications-freezes-research-grants</a>/ And, that old chestnut, a woman's right to choose (ROE).
@john ezra I know you're talking about serious stuff, but I was waiting for someone to mention 24A - Semester at Sea. I was delighted to find that it crossed with Tessa at 13D. I had never heard of the first until my niece Tessa participated in it. And having her name appear in the puzzle the morning after her long-desired first child was born was a treat.
My unforced error was believing that the comic strip Cathy was turned into a musical. Ack. It has not. Who is gonna fix that issue?
@Red Carpet style points for Ack 😂
@Red Carpet I'm with Scott. The genius of your post was in the "Ack".
@Red Carpet I'm not much of a Broadway shows person -- but "Cathy, the Musical" would definitely be on my must-see list! (I mean, if Jerry Springer can have an opera... I did see the musical based on the work of crossword stalwart Estée Lauder, so why not lovely, beleaguered Cathy?)
My five favorite original clues from last week (in order of appearance): 1. Playground pathogen (6) 2. Number at filling stations? (9) 3. In the 80s or 90s, say (4)(3) 4. Consumed with grief? (6)(3) 5. Got online, say (7) COOTIE NOVOCAINE OVER PAR STRESS ATE ORDERED
This was an okay Monday imo. I enjoyed seeing TESSA Thompson on the grid. I wonder if finding their names in a NYT crossword puzzle feels surreal to SASHA and Malia Ann Obama 🤔. It seems as if 16A [Suitemate, e.g.] might have needed a qualifier like “informally” or some such because ROOMIE is a relaxed word for roommate. I wonder what others think about it. FEDERALGRANTS may soon be a thing of the past and, yes, I’m in mourning about it. So much research, creativity and entrepreneurial success emanated from these various federally funded programs. It would be an unthinkable loss. The whole situation is getting DIRE. I worked myself into needing a TREEPOSE! Have a good week to everyone except… well, you know 😁.
I hope all of the newest solvers enjoy this pleasant Monday diversion with an easy to see theme that adds to the solve but is not needed to fill in the letters. Nice one, Alexander.
This puzzle sure made me feEL GOod. I think I’ll pick up a snack at the chucK WAGon. Et tu, emu.
"That's not the correct way to write 99 in Roman numerals, though." "IC." (I'll have to sight my sources for this one.)
@Mike Great comment for the column. You might even say it is Ionic, a Door I can see opening a Core in thin air for a terrific musical. Think of the numbers!
@Mike You've earned a 10, since you're X actly right.
I wish I was there when Alexander saw the phrase LOOK THE OTHER WAY and this theme hit him. What an OMG moment that had to be. It was a big enough moment for me – a jaw-dropping feeling – when I uncovered a few letters of that revealer and it hit me. “Oh, perfecto!” I thought. I actually spontaneously fell into a moment of silent appreciation over the wit and beauty of it. There are lovely backward-reading theme echoes in the grid as well. Three palindromes (ALA, SMS, and EYE) and at least eight semordnilaps (STAR, MADE, GAS, ERA, RAG, ANTE, NOR, and TESSA). Not to mention “look” synonyms in I SPY and EYE, the latter especially because even backwards it means to look. I also liked the non-theme-related O-cluster in the NE, all in and about the word ROUNDS. Ain’t that sweet? At one point in my life I taught elementary school, and when the kids would get overly wild, I would stand them up and have them go into Tree Pose. It never failed to calm the room down. Not just a quick throw-away solve for me, Alexander, more like a rich bounty in the box today. Thank you so much for making this!
@Lewis After getting the first two themers, I was expecting the revealer to be "backwards glance."
Seeing 59D (OSLO) reminded me of a short “promotional” video presumably created by the city of Oslo encouraging potential visitors to stay away: - <a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=8vhD59ac7nw" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/watch?v=8vhD59ac7nw</a> Very funny, and I love the deadpan delivery of the guy featured in the video.
@RichardZ That's really funny! Thanks for sharing!!
@RichardZ Hilarious! I laughed out loud at "if you don't have to stand in line for two hours, is it even worth seeing?" Thank you for posting it.
@RichardZ Love it! Here's Scotland's version: <a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=uFubsxHTApw" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/watch?v=uFubsxHTApw</a>
@RichardZ Absolutely brilliant. Until the final line I thought he was actually dissing Oslo. I kept thinking "No, no, no, I'd give my right arm to emigrate to Norway".
@RichardZ Loved the Oslo promo! So funny. I liked the Scotland one posted by @Alex, too! Humor!
Swiss roll without cracking: 1. Use parchment paper in pan for easy removal from pan. 2. Make sure you cake is even before putting in oven. 3. Do not overcook. I slightly undercook. When inserting toothpick make sure that not completely clean. 4. Cover with slightly moist towel while cooling. Which prevents it from drying out and adds a slight bit of moisture. 5. Roll before becomes completely cool. Make sure filling is also at room temperature. Pipe on vs. Spreading so don't press into cake. 6. Use towel in step 4 to help roll.
@Janis: thank you for the suggestions. Could you please clarify: In step 5, should we roll it with the towel BEFORE rolling it with the frosting? In other words, should it be rolled while still slightly warm to set the shape, then allowed to cool in the rolled shape, and finally unrolled and frosted once completely cool? Wouldn’t it be better if the frosting is somewhat chilled when piped so it doesn’t ooze when it’s sliced? Thanks in advance :-)
@Janis I love you avatar (isn't that what you youngsters call the little picture?). But I REALLY love your location. Thinking of changing mine, just so the empire won't have as much trouble tracking me down.
A panicky moment when I got to the end of the crosses and had hardly anything filled in 😳. Lots of tricky clues on that first pass but it filled in pretty quickly on the downs. A nice simple theme with a surprise when you bite into it. Fun idea and really nicely executed.
That was fast and fun and maybe just a bit FEISTIER than normal. I was moving through so furiously, I never contemplated the theme until I got to the end but then I fully appreciated it! My only slow down was entering researchGRANT on my first round, before realizing it didn't work for the crosses and noticing the plural in the clue. The problem with trying for speed, which I only do on Mondays. I like that the theme included LOOK(ing) and the puzzle also included, AYES, EYE, I SPY, and CEE. But, there is still no I in TEAM!!
Am I the only one that got saw the asterisk in 1A, and skipped it thinking it was part of the puzzle theme? If so, my two cups of coffee aren't working yet...
@John Me too. I went to the column looking for a clue and didn’t find it. So I began doing the downs first ands it finally clicked.
My fist comment ever…. TREE POSE is not really a beginner yoga pose
@Mindy you mean like it's not really a yoga pose?
@Scott Yes, it’s a real pose and most classes include it. It tests one’s balance and knee mobility but is easily modified.
@Trish okay so is the suggestion that it's not for beginners then?
@Mindy for the record I think tree pose has a reputation as a beginner pose because it is often used with kids. I get the sense that maybe the balance aspect makes out more difficult for adults just starting but elementary school teachers like it because it forces kids to concentrate and it's easy to explain.
@Mindy Welcome to the wacky world of crossword commenting!
@Mindy I came here just to see if anyone else would comment this. I’ve been doing yoga for 20+ years and agree tree pose is quite challenging when done as usually instructed (I.e., without modifications)
@Mindy I didn't know what TREEPOSE was -- I got it from the crosses. Not a yoga person. So looked it up. There is no way I could do that! But I'm 75 years old with a bad left foot and a bad right knee. Balance not so good..... I can see my grandchildren doing it easily.
I don't think this would fly in a Monday, but the constructor notes describe looking for an answer with E-C-N-A-L-G, so I came up with one: [Bar staple at Burning Man, perhaps] TRIPLE SEC NALGENE
CEE for “2.0” is a bridge too far, especially on a Monday.
@Shimmer considering I don't understand the clue even after getting the answer from the crosses, you're probably not wrong. I will say though that I literally didn't notice it because it filled itself in. So it could have been worse
@Shimmer Yeah. Not only is there the need to see it as a GPA, as opposed to a version number, there is the need to convert the letter "c" into cee.
@Shimmer The clue solved itself with crosses - and I'm glad it did! Otherwise it would be ungettable for me, beyond Saturday-level in difficulty.
@Shimmer, I'd agree, unless you were educated here in the US, which of course I cannot know. But through high school and college here, most schools use a four point scale: A=4, B=3, C=2, and D=1. I'm not surprised by all the inquiries from various other countries!
Crossword Revolution Day 6: SHOEBILL The official bird of the crossword revolution: <a href="https://defendthemall.org/blog/2021/7/29/species-spotlight-shoebill" target="_blank">https://defendthemall.org/blog/2021/7/29/species-spotlight-shoebill</a> * This is a Crosswords Saved the Day ™ production. (Given the presence of CONS over LOOK THE OTHER WAY, not to mention HARM, FIRES, FEDERAL GRANTS for scientific research (remember them?), I was briefly stymied, but if a bird can eat crocodiles, there is hope . . .)
@Puzzlemucker Thank you for the link! This was one of the last spaces I filled. I’m familiar with Hornbills and Spoonbills, but this was a new bird for me.
@Trish I was certain it was hornBILL. I wrestled with that one.
Enjoyed it. I almost panicled right off the bat when I thought I'd found an unresolvable NATICK, with 20A and 18D. I don't know Spanish, and I certainly don't know emphatic Spanish, and I also know absolutely nothing about cotton. I would have been a huge blow to my ego, as I'm become insufferably arrogant about my Monday solving abilities.
@Francis Agree that this was the weakest fill of the puzzle. Those double As were the last letters I filled in.
@Francis My Spanish vocabulary is about 10 words (and half of that is the numbers 1 through 5), but after seeing SISI in puzzles every so often over the years, it's now a gimme, worth remembering, you'll see it again.
Annnnnd Monday's puzzles are done. Dagnabbit, the coffee is gone, too. Back to the salt mines!
@Amy I do so love being retired.
@Amy speaking of salt mines…you can visit one in Hutchinson Kansas. Don’t get the second half of the tour…spoiler…there is more salt. Also in Hutchinson is an air and space museum where you can see the actual Apollo 13.
This puzzle was quite enjoyable. A simply constructed theme that was subtlety clever. I even learned a couple of new words! If PIMA ever comes up in a crossword again, I'll be prepared. 😄
@Janine Hope I will be prepared! I encountered it in a 2023 archived puzzle very recently. Recently enough that I knew I knew but couldn't access it. Fortunately, the crosses did their trick! :-)
@Janine Be careful, PIMA and Giza are both high-end varieties of cotton, prized for both softness and durability. I could see that as a Kea/Loa conundrum.
Puzzles like this, with words within phrases, never cease to amaze me. This one was the epitome, with the words spelled backwards. Wow. Congratulations and thank you, Mr. Liebeskind. Well done! SWISS ROLL reminded me of a time when I was known for mine, and was expected to turn up at every party with at least two. I made them the Brazilian way (known as "rocambole"), with a filling of creamy dulce de leche ("doce de leite" in Portuguese) and a sprinkling of fine crystal sugar all over the top. I had it all down to a science and could make them with my eyes closed, but it's been a few decades so I have no tips to give. That said, @Janis's comment has sparked some of my memory and I agree with all her tips, especially making sure the batter is even (i would bang the pan on the counter for that) and using that moist dish towel to help roll. Something else that took me way back was DELTA at 53D. Here is The Blessing with Delta Rain: <a href="https://youtu.be/HMNlQesC7Mk?si=kGMWq0nQF2n_QrF1" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/HMNlQesC7Mk?si=kGMWq0nQF2n_QrF1</a> Hope you enjoy the song as much as I do and also as much as I enjoyed the puzzle, i.e., a lot!
@sotto voce Great song! Thank you for sharing. Also, my sister-in-law is from Brazil and has blessed our family the best holiday desserts. I’ll have to ask her about rocambole.
@sotto voce Nice song. Thanks for sharing it. If you ever get back to making rocamboles, I'd be happy to do some quality-control testing. That sounds fantastic!
Actually much longer than my best time and a tad longer than my average, but I had fun with this one - thanks to Alexander from Alexander! Is there really such a thing as a "semester at sea"?! Why wasn't I offered that?!
Alex, Yes, there is, and it's been around for decades. <a href="https://semesteratsea.org" target="_blank">https://semesteratsea.org</a>/
@Alex The son of a friend did the Semester at Sea program many years ago. It’s the only time I’ve ever heard of it. Sounds awesome, though not particularly well advertised? Maybe it’s just a really well kept secret. If you know, you know.
@Alex My friend did Semester at Sea back in the 80's. I'm still a bit jealous!
A bit of eyebrow exercise at the notion of TREEPOSE being a “stance for a yoga beginner,” but otherwise enjoyable and smooth for my part, I’m always impressed by people who can create crosswords. Y’all have a lovely day and be kind to one another. As St. Deb says, “Your mileage may vary.”
@Barbara Prillaman I expect a beginner should attempt the tree pose, but it's not really FOR a beginner, if the full post is meant!
@Barbara Prillaman Well ok. TREE POSE may not be the hardest one in the book(or out of it:) but there’s a lot you can do to embellish on it, i.e, with your arms behind your back looking up at the ceiling, or just arms straight with up in the air with eyes closed.
Opened the column just hoping it would explain why 2.0 solved as Cee. Not disappointed!
@Matt Yes! I needed Sam’s explanation too.
Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you. -Satchel Paige
@ad absurdum Don't look back in anger... -Oasis
Will never understand why North Americans are the only place in the world who continue to refer to mains as entrées. While yes, I understand the history and how it came to be, dining has changed. Entrée is from the French entrer which literally means ‘to enter’. In this case, a dish serving as the entrance to a meal. We often now have appetisers as well but the rest of the world generally agrees upon apéritif > appetiser > entrée > main > dessert > digestif.
@Sam Perhaps this short, informational video will help explain it. <a href="https://youtube.com/watch?v=JYqfVE-fykk" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/watch?v=JYqfVE-fykk</a> ;-)
@Sam it’s the New York Times crossword. New York is in North America. And there are 400 million people in the United States
@Hi hi NYT sells itself as an international paper. <a href="https://nytimes.com/international" target="_blank">https://nytimes.com/international</a>/ and part of that is the crossword.
@Sam Hey, we must be right because you're upside down down there and all the blood is running to your head. And heads work better with less blood, I decided.
@Sam If you're OK with the entree coming after the appetizer, then it really doesn't matter where it goes. It's either the entry to the meal or it isn't, and it seems that we're all in agreement that it's not the entry.
Although this sporting goods manufacturer primarily distributes hiking boots, I'm sure the loyal (and thirsty) customer could purchase a swag Hi-TEC NALGene water bottle: <a href="https://hi-tec.com" target="_blank">https://hi-tec.com</a>/
Don’t know if I’m just slow today but that one presented a little more challenge than a typical Monday. Over 7 minutes to solve! Usually under 5.
When a crossword makes you think it’s later in the week than it actually is.
That was fun. Definitely not a CEE, more like a SULPA
Such a fun Monday solve! Thank you, Alexander. Truly enjoyed the theme and fill. Happy Monday, everyone!!
66 across "Main dish" being entree? Only in America.
@Max Nicks I'll reply as I did below, because I think it's funny and it might not get seen as other than the first couple replies. I'm sure we're right up here in America, because you're upside down down there, and all the blood rushes to your head. And heads work better with less blood, I decided.
"Only in America." Max Nicks, This is an American crossword. P.S. Are you German?
TREEPOSE is not for beginners. Had “mountain” at first but realized it didn’t work with the down clues
Fun Monday puzzle and a cute theme. A bit on the slow side for me, but just lots of nice 'aha' moments when something dawned on me from the crosses. And of course another nice moment when I finally tumbled to the theme. A kind of cute puzzle find today - a Wednesday from July 10, 2002 by Richard Silvestri. This one was all in the clues. Here are the theme clues and answers: "Twelve inches of supply boat? :" TENDERFOOT "Three feet of basketball floor? :" COURTYARD "Three miles of climbing vine? :" IVYLEAGUE "39.37 inches of stream? :" WATERMETER And here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/10/2002&g=33&d=A" target="_blank">https://xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/10/2002&g=33&d=A</a> I'm done. ...
@Rich in Atlanta Oh... and one more puzzle find. This one was just a bit unusual as there was no 'reveal' or hint to the theme, and all of what I 'think' are the theme answers were just clued quite straightforwardly. Here are what I believe are the theme answers: AMERICANME DELTADAWN SOUTHWESTAFRICA UNITEDWAY PANAMGAMES And here's the Xword Info link if you want to go take a look: <a href="https://xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/9/1997&g=23&d=A" target="_blank">https://xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/9/1997&g=23&d=A</a> ...
Nice theme, and a solid Monday puzzle. Not familiar with PIMA, but AAH/PIMA seemed more likely than HAH/PIMH. Especially as an exclamation, don't think "I see!" is really a Monday clue for AAH. But the same clue is used for 54D, I suppose because both resonate with the puzzle's theme. Still, both AHA and HAH come to mind before AAH when I see "I see!".
A slightly crunchy Monday for me; couldn’t understand 2.0 solving to CEE til I read Sam’s column. Thanks Sam. Obviously a specific US education thingy. An enjoyable theme that still made me ponder a few answers. A nice way to spend yet another wet and wild day whilst named storm No8 roars through. What is going on with the weather??
@Helen Wright The same storm front that gave Atlanta its first double snow days in the current century and at least one day when we had lower temperatures than McMurdo Station in Antarctica has crossed the Atlantic and is paying you a visit.
Sam - My kid uses the Joy of Cooking recipe for Buche Noël and following it very carefully it comes out, always makes a beautiful one. If you don't have access to the recipe, email me and I'll copy it out for you. - Meg
@Meg Fitch Thanks, Meg! I know that book is at my parents' house somewhere, so I'll look for the recipe. (I admit I've been making a vegan version, which may be why my hold on the art of the roll is so tenuous)
51 ACROSS, not much longer under the new administration
@Dave Oh, I don't know. I can see lots of grants to prove that vaccinations are extremely dangerous, that guns really do save lives, that Greenland was actually one of the original colonies, the lost 14th colony. What other kinds of research might be funded? Well, certainly anything that "proves" climate change is a hoax, and that we need to shut down all forms of energy other than fossil fuels.
Some reaches there...did not enjoy the cotton/spanish crossing. But SEMESTER AT SEA was delightful, particularly as a went-on-study-abroad-and-made-it-my-whole-personality person.
@Sanjana "as a went-on-study-abroad-and-made-it-my-whole-personality person." Ha! I was definitely that, too! And being "that person" truly shaped the rest of my life. I love your turn of phrase, thanks for that!
Holy cow! This Monday gave me fits. It wasn't just my reluctance to give up the HORNBILL perched in the center of the puzzle. There was the SUMMER REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) that I wanted to shoe-horn into that space one WAY or another. And adding MALIA Obama to the mix, along with a JELLY ROLL. Tough old bird that I am, I got GRITTIER and tougher until forced to reconsider... SHOEBILL, eh? I'll tell you about SHOE BILLs! Have you shopped for new SHOEs recently? Wow. Got the puzzle in the end, but not without pain (much of it self-inflicted, as I misread the numbers of the clues/spaces after my a.m. eyedrops.) sheesh!
@Mean Old Lady I'd never heard of a SHOEBILL, because it's an African bird, and therefore not in my copy of Sibley's Guide. The roseate spoonbill was my first thought, but that was too long. Shoveler, then? (It's a duck.)
Very nice puzzle with a little extra chew for a Monday morning. Extra points for making LOOK THE OTHER WAY play in my head: <a href="https://youtu.be/KLqO3Yx8eYA?si=fdlOpAwGlaa2Vj8r" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/KLqO3Yx8eYA?si=fdlOpAwGlaa2Vj8r</a> Justin Townes Earle RIP, gone too soon.
I admit that I've never had a SWISS ROLL that wasn't made by Little Debbie, much less tried to bake one, so I'm no help with that. She also makes Fudge ROUNDS and a STAR Crunch, by coincidence.
Well done and fun! To me a bit hard for a Monday.How come I've never heard of a sloe?
@David Gropper sloe gin, a favorite of teenagers in the '60's
@David Gropper I only know it from old references to a drink called a sloe gin fizz - and crossword puzzles.
@David Gropper I've learned the word SLOE from NYT puzzles. In Polish it's "tarnina". It's a very common bush over here, which forms impressive, tangled copses on the edges of forests and on field boundaries, home to many small animals. The myriad tiny white flowers attract countless birds in spring - you know you are approaching a tarnina bush even if you can't see it yet when you hear hundreds of chirping calls. The flowers can be used medicinally, apparently, and the extremely sour fruit may be turned into jam, but I've never seen any sloe products in the real world in Poland - not even the sloe-flavored gin that's been haunting these puzzles. Poland actually makes cheap but decent gin under the Lubuski brand, but for decades it was flavored by juniper only. Recently more variants have been produced, but I cut down massively on alcohol consumption so I'm no longer up to date on that stuff.
25 down: The clue is 'A pop' and the answer is 'each'. Would someone please enlighten me, as I am still in the dark regarding this one. Many thanks!
@Jay Werba I bought five cakes, 20$ each. I bought five cakes, 20$ a pop. "A pop" is a synonym of "each". It is also a quite common NYT crossword clue eo worth remembering 🙂
@Jay Werba Thanks, I had the same question! And thanks to Andrzej for the explanation.
I had never heard of a SWISSROLL. I am assuming there are no fish involved. Nice one Alexander, thank you
@dkWatch The Great British Baking Show.It seems like they make Swiss Rolls every three days.
Didn't know TESSA or SOO, even though I recognize that at least the latter name has shown up before, and probably both of them.. I've never seen a Creed movie; the majority of Stallone movies seem to be rehashes of either "Rocky" or "Rambo," so was never really interested, and Broadway is a long way from Atlanta. I've never played tennis, and I'll never stay at an OMNI, because neither are things I can afford to indulge in. A RIDGE can be the crest of a mountain, but not necessarily, so it was enough of a stretch to elude me. ROOMIE seemed likely, but I had so few crosses that I was unsure of it, and I entered and deleted it several times. So the northeast corner tore me up. I spent more time there than all the rest of the puzzle, and finally had to look up the actors' names before I could crack it. Considering this was a Monday puzzle, it was a little embarrassing
Delightful today and very fast, for me. Only clues I didn't know were the film stars and the infamous CEE, and OMNIS but I got from crossers. I'll have to look up SMH. (I text in proper words, with punctuation).
In the world of crossword constructors, I guess there isn't much difference between "clever" and intentionally obtuse or deceptive. Such was the case with 61D (2.0) today. Double mis-direction here, insofar as "2.0" as an isolated clue could be a LOT of things, but then to add to the conundrum, the solution is to use the phonetic spelling of the answer as well. P.S. to Sam...The AP classes I took in H.S. were awarded an extra point in our GPA (i.e., an A was 5.0 instead of 4.0, etc.). Virtually all of the top 10% of our graduating class had a GPA above 4.0. Some college admissions offices might have thought they were looking at typos on our transcripts.
@MarkInTheMountains Nowadays grade inflation has created many GPAs over 4.5 at my local high school! I think universities have a way to account for it, though.
@MarkInTheMountains FWIW, this exact clue/answer pair has appeared before about ten times in its singular or plural form. [#2] has also appeared numerous times, cluing a variety of answers.Just this month to pencils. Seems like fair wordplay to me.
@MarkInTheMountains I hope that everyone breezed right into their top-choice schools with those 5.0s!
@MarkInTheMountains I'm sympathetic your comments on the "2.0" clue. It never occurred to me it meant a Grand Point Average until I got the "C" with a cross. But as far as "intentionally obtuse or deceptive"...well...it is a puzzle, and you have to learn to hit the metaphorical curve ball. It's really diffcult at first, but becomes second nature after a while.