I just loved [Spanish uncle?] as NOMAS. The longer it takes for me to get it, the more rewarding it is. That's just inspired cluing. Really liked the rest of the puzzle, too. I've never heard of CANOEPOLO, but I would assume it's very tough on the horses, trying to maintain their balance in the canoe with a rider on their back. Marvelous animals, those horses. I wish I was a horse.
@Francis That’s just inspired commenting.
@Francis You're the best, Francis.
@Francis And in jodhpurs, too! Majestic animals, horses. (Spanish uncle/NOMAS was a perfect example of a witty clue, but as you can imagine, I only realized what the whole thing was about once crosses revealed it)
@Francis Ha! CANOE POLO made me think of: Lyle Lovett - If I Had a Boat <a href="https://youtu.be/TKKcNjvxhns?si=YLk3w9h9Ua6tq7-z" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/TKKcNjvxhns?si=YLk3w9h9Ua6tq7-z</a> Well, kiss my (ay ess ess), I bought a boat I'm going out to sea
@Francis Canoe golf, which I tried before settling on CANOEPOLO, is a lot more humane.
Zhouqin’s last Times puzzle came a week after Helene hit. It was like the Twilight Zone here. And what do I remember most? Everybody was out of their homes helping everybody else. “What can I do for you?” “How can I help?” “What do you need?” What I learned was that beneath a world that might feel dark at times, there lies a well of light that feels infinite. This brings me solace and hope, and reminds me of Ghandi’s words: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it – always.”
@Lewis Your consistently positive commentary and support are a gift to this community. I share your admiration for CC and her construction skills. This latest puzzle left me thinking just…wow. And Ghandi!
@Lewis Thank you also for this comment! Your closing paragraph are words I have desperately been needing to hear.
"What'd do you think of the worker bee's speech?" "It was okay. Just filled with a lot of buzzwords." ("Yeah, but you drone on yourself.")
@Mike A little typo there! Hive got to work on those.
@Mike A stinging reply. The Queen is not amused. Comb through the transcript. There may be a hex in the text. Better smoke it out.
@Mike The geyser Old Faithful has nothing on Mike from Munster. (No pun here...I DARE NOT compete with world class punsters who post here.)
@Mike I've comb for the gold, but ballroom dancing wood bee a sticky challenge. I'll just have to wing it, but I pher-o-mooney style has a limited appeal.
Others may wax poetic about the puzzle, but the pun comments are where you get the most cross-pollination.
@Mike Hive gotta say, we are avoiding stinging commentary, 'cause if you sting, you die.
If I’ve learned any 1 lesson from my 4 or so years of working the NYT crossword, it’s that a 4 letter running shoe brand is NEVER Nike.
@Wesley You weren't looking too carefully. Since today's date in 2021, 8 NIKE clues have been about the footwear brand, out of a total of 11. All 11 AVIA clues since that date have been about the shoe brand; 2 out of 8 PUMA clues have been shoe-related. For good measure, for VANS, the ratio has been 2 of 4. I think NIKE is well represented.
"Stay classy, San Diego!" Isn't that how the Will Ferrell weatherman Ron Burgundy signs off? No scenes from Delmar that I recall, but might be time to watch that again. I don't recall laughing much when I saw it. Such a sweetly beachy vibe, cabanas and scuba divers, or maybe taking a romantic walk with a single mom down by the bay at sunup, that would be a juicy play date wouldn't it? Better than putting on your Avias and taking your yoga mat to the gym in the annex next to the pool where these jerks are playing indoor canoe polo, or dating some beer snob who's such an aficionado he has his own ice bucket emblazoned with his name. Elon, naturally. Boring you to death as he discourses on the origins of wasabi mayo and why, in Japan, soy "weds" tastes together. Yada yada wawa wawa...maybe next time you'll pick a quiet type to dine with. Like mimes, for example. And while the ape starts bragging about the top speeds he's done in his boat, you ponder the question of whether a mime, if he were to become a novitiate in one of those abbeys with strict rules about speaking, would have to take a vow to yell, rather than a vow of silence. After a while, Elon notices you're not saying anything and asks what you're thinking. "I'm wondering whether any RBs have ever done a bee dance in the end zone," you reply. "Really?" he says. "Really," you say. And that's the obit on that play date. Good puzzle! Esp. liked NO MAS for [Spanish uncle?]
@john ezra That's...that's just great!
@john ezra Wow, that's deep! You win [the comments] by a mile. Take a bow--you're due for one. I dare not add on anything else, or else you might find me odd.
@john ezra This is brilliant, John. I marvel at your brain every time you post.
@john ezra This is pure genius, thank you! One of the best reads I've had recently ❤️😍❤️
@john ezra, Everything everybody else already said. You’ve *really* outdone yourself here today! Truly a masterpiece.
Oh, by the way, English is not CC’s* first language. I mention this to underscore my amazement over how well she has absorbed our language into her thinking, to the point where she has even mastered wordplay. That mastery is on full display in this puzzle, and I, a lover of wordplay, was dazzled and delighted by its prevalence in the cluing. My favorite was [Oh, brothers, where art thou?] for ABBEYS – never used before in any of the major crossword outlets, and solid gold. As always with CC, the grid is so clean that peacefulness and relaxation wash over me when I look over the completed grid. The grid scintillates with spark as well. Of the 12 longest answers, seven are NYT answer debuts (including the entire NW stack), and three have only been used once previously. Wow! Those debuts include a trio of answers that I can’t believe haven’t appeared before: SCUBA DIVER, WIN BY A MILE, and SINGLE MOM. Your puzzle, CC, which abounded in riddle-cracking – what my brain loves – popped with pleasure for me. Thank you so much for making it!
* CC is the name Zhouqin goes by. It's the name she took on soon after coming to the U.S. when she realized it was hard for Americans to pronounce. It is short for Chou Chin, the Cantonese spelling of Zhouqin.
@Lewis When I saw the constructor's name, I said, "Oh, yay!" -- and I was not disappointed. What a lovely puzzle.
ENE by WSW Is it too late to STAY CLASSY To do a BEE DANCE on a YOGA MAT To BOND with a ROMANTIC MIME Or play CANOE POLO with a wombat? Is it too late to WIN BY A MILE To YELL “NO MAS” at TOP SPEED To SCUBA DIVE at SUNUP Our SAWS UP, our adages DEEP? Is it too late for a SINGLE MOM To shake this PO’ BOY AWaKE AFICIANADO of “I DARE NOT” Ready for a JUICY PLAY DATE? Wonderfully juicy Friday puzzle. Thanks, CC!
I will never live down the fact that I, an advanced SCUBADIVER,, didn't get 15A. You could say it swam right over my head.
This was a tasty puzzle, what with WASABIMAYO and POBOYS. An oyster POBOY with WASABIMAYO might even be good. There was a little bit of everything in the puzzle from gentle misdirections, to fresh fill, and a modicum of general knowledge questions. I liked BEERSNOBS for those wise on weizenbocks and NOMAS for Spanish uncle (thanks Roberto Duran). I also got a smile out of seeing AWOKE above ABED. I admit I had a bit of a pang seeing DELMAR in the puzzle. My wife was living in Carmel Valley SanDiego, adjacent to DELMAR when we started dating, and although she moved east when we got married, she kept her townhouse and rented it for 10 years. Then in 2021 she repossessed her place and fixed it up. We experimented with bicoastal living until 2024, when she decided the back and forth was too taxing and that she preferred to be back in the east full time. Although I am a life long easterner, I miss California, and spent many happy hours in DELMAR, walking the beach, or hiking in the Torrey Pines reserve, and even occasionally going to the races at the DELMAR track.
@Marshall Walthew Did you visit The Poseidon?
Loved this breezy Friday puzzle and learned a couple of new fun facts in the process. Not surprising, given the talented constructor.
ELON crossed with SINGLEMOM was good for a laugh.
@Andrew Yeah. heh heh ugh.
@Andrew It's kinda amazing that they're still using that Carolina college to clue ELON.
@Andrew My first impulse for 15A was similarly related. 😉
I AWOKE today in a bit of a mood... and not a good one. There are good reasons for it and also I soon went into AFib again, so bit of a rough day so far. But this puzzle and many of the comments brought a measure or two of joy into the day. And I'm so grateful for it! BEEDANCE itself makes me strangely happy. DANCE, little BEEs, DANCE! Or more eloquently by Emily Dickinson In the name of the Bee — And of the Butterfly — And of the Breeze — Amen!
Feel better, @HeathieJ!
?@HeathieJ Is this Afib thing something that happens occasionally? Is it dangerous, or just an annoyance?
@HeathieJ I remember the bee dance from intro to psychology many moons ago. Pretty funny considering all the stuff I don't remember. Well, one thing stuck out in a constitutional law class: decisions can be completely ridiculous and defy all logic I was so naive, it was an nearly fatal shock.
@HeathieJ Sending positive vibes your way, HeathieJ <3
@HeathieJ I know several folks who have had an ablation, ranging from age 35, to an age 45 marathon runner, to an 86-year-old and it's been successful for all 3 of them. Question have you had a cardio- version? It's less invasive than an ablation and that plus tweaking some meds has taken a family member out of a fib for a year now. But their a fib was mild, really no symptoms except some occasional shortness of breath during exercise. Good luck.
@HeathieJ I always enjoy your posts and I’m so sorry to hear about the health issues. I will put you on my prayer list. 🙏🏻
@HeathieJ Sounds rough, @HeathieJ. But I’m glad you are exploring more solutions next week. I hope you have an uneventful weekend.
@HeathieJ Wishing you the best of luck. What you heard about cardioversion is what we heard and what we are aware of as well. Luckily it did work for us though. Most people come home the same day after an ablation provided it's done early part of the day. I'm sure you will too!
Tough one. As a point of personal privilege, I'm in Boston this week for Figure Skating Worlds at the TD Garden. At the bottom of the escalator is a statue of a hockey player I only know from crossword puzzles...
@Steven M. Very jealous you’re in Boston and specifically at Worlds. Haven’t been to a live competition or show in years! Go Ilia, Amber, and all the rest of Team USA! My thoughts are also with the lost skaters
@Steven M. One of these days someone will put Zdeno Chara in a crossword and blow all our minds.
@Steven M. Ooh, that's so great that you're there for the Worlds! My wife and I love figure skating and we will be watching replays of the while thing on Max over the next few days/weeks. It would be so cool to see it live ❤️ We'll be cheering for everybody, but especially for Amber and Isabeu. And I'm sure Ilia will wow us (I saw a spoilery headline online today about his short program, indicating the wowing has begun).
Me, pondering aloud: “What’s the word for that bee dance?” NOMAS was estupendo.
@Heidi I first entered ant DANCE. When that changed to BEE, there was a lot of eye rolling here. Ants? Ants???
@Heidi Estupendo, tal vez, but it was the fifth time out of 12 that “uncle” has been in a clue for NO MÁS (all in the Modern Era). Probably won’t be on Lewis’s list on Monday (but you never know anymore).
Got quite a bit of this one without lookups, but couldn’t quite get to then end without them. A little irked by NO HIT GAMES (I’ve never heard them called anything but “no hitters”) but yes, before someone points it out, in the crossword world it is technically correct. [sigh]
@Cherry Strange. I've heard and read "NOHITGAMES" and also "one-hit games" many, many times. Along with "no hitters" and "one hitters", of course.
Not sure about "misdirected clues," but I did find the puzzle delightfully (!!) challenging to finish. I loved it, worked hard at it, was happy with solving it, and thought I had really gotten my money's worth when it was finished. And solving it required a lot of crosses and back-ups, so I suppose "misdirected" was a piece of my delight. It felt very fair to me, just tough.
Late week puzzles are such a source of joy for me. Completing them is as bittersweet as the final page of a beautiful book. Finifugal. The *sigh* upon reaching the end of something you’d love to stretch out for much, much longer. And a Burnikel Friday will always end that way. Wishing everyone a Friday with some unexpected, lovely surprise. Stay classy, San Diego.
Somebody once quipped, "Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." After I heard that, it occurred to me that that is what BEEs are doing in their waggle DANCE.
Brothers, where art thou? ABBEYS was a nice clue/answer combo. Alas, more clues made me sigh than smile today: there were too many unknowns for me, personally, to enjoy the puzzle. Names and abbreviations, combined with my never being on Mr Burnikel's wavelength, meant I needed loads of lookups: googling the trivia was my only way to generate crosses in places, with how unlike the constructor I apparently think about the world and words. Yesterday I needed no outside help, even though I think there were more proper nouns, and the gimmick made things harder- so probably my struggle today was all about the wavelength thing... Is WAWA supposed to be what small children call water? I've just had this horrible vision of me breaking down completely over a Thursday puzzle where the gimmick would be: all the words are kid-speak 🤣. The grid also featured one of my most disliked kind of clue - direction from somewhere to somewhere. C'mon! I know for a US native that must be much easier than it will ever be for me, but still: meh. Finally, seeing the E-word in the SW, even clued decently, did *not* make my day.
@Andrzej Could the wavelength problem have something to do with CC not being a Mr.? And: The use of the E-word is wonderfully justified/transformed in the comment by John Ezra. Do read!
@Andrzej Anfrzej. As a native American, I struggle with most national and international directional from here to there clues. They almost always evoke a sigh, a groan, or a face palm from me. On a side note, I recently came across a Britcom titled Mind Your Language. I teach English to a group of mostly native Portuguese speakers and occasionally share clips with them. <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvoO1SkcEn98HAM8qFn_iXYFvcmK6o7hS&si=dsnYtNQN2TPbcEKY" target="_blank">https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvoO1SkcEn98HAM8qFn_iXYFvcmK6o7hS&si=dsnYtNQN2TPbcEKY</a>
@Andrzej My niece lives in .... ELON!
@Andrzej I am geographically savvy about the US, so sometimes the direction clues are gimmes for me. Todays? Not at all. On the bright side, there are limited possibilities. The first letter can only be N E S or W. Second letter can only be N or S. Third letter can only be E or W.
@Andrzej Yes, WA-WA is baby talk (and also, if I remember correctly, a chain of convenience stores in the Philadelphia area). I guess you managed to forget about this Sunday puzzle from a few years ago,“Toddler Talk.” I greatly respect the construction skills of both Katie Hale and Christina Iverson, but the theme answers in the linked puzzle just made my skin crawl. <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=2/7/2021" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=2/7/2021</a>
Small bone to pick: Chinese itself isn’t a single language. It’s a language family, similar to Romance languages. It would be similar to clueing “three, to a Romance language speaker” and the answer is tres. Three in Mandarin is san. Three in Canto is saam. I’m sure there are plenty of other Chinese languages where this differs even further.
@Sam I'm not sure that's really fair, it's pretty universal for "Chinese" by itself (in English) to refer only to Mandarin, in the same way that "Romanian" applies only to that one language and not all Romance languages. It's all about context.
@Sam Mandarin is the official language of China. Chinese people may speak different dialects among themselves, but they are expected to know the putonghua, or "common tongue." I spent a year in Chongqing, where the dialect is so different that TV shows produced there have character subtitles for everybody else.
@Sam I wonder if Cantonese-speaking hockey fans call a player they dislike a “puck guy.”
Nice to see C.C. Friday fun, but I found it a bit EZ. YMMV.
@Barry Ancona Yes, always nice to have a puzzle by C.C.! Feels like it’s been awhile…. After my somewhat abysmal time on yesterday’s offering, I didn’t really mind finishing one in below average time! I especially liked “Spanish uncle”.
Probably more on the editor, but I don’t think I’ve once seen mustard on a po boy in Louisiana or SE Texas. Creole or otherwise. Just saying.
@N. Hornblower Agree. It's mayo and hot sauce, never mustard that I've seen. I guess the constructor hedged it enough with the "might" in the clue.
I was today years old when I learned that my dog isn't super excited to see me get home, she's just trying to alert me to a nearby nectar source.
No junk in the grid? NOHITGAMES — technically correct, but no one has ever, ever said that. NOHITTERS is what you’re looking for. SAWSUP? What does that even mean? Has anyone ever, in the history of English, said they “sawed up” a piece of wood?
@Ed I'm guilty of sawing up wood for the fire place
@Ed I agree. It’s supposed to be No hitters
@Ed Hi other Ed. Sorry, but I have to disagree on both points. I think no-hit games is reasonable misdirection for no-hitters and I'll admit that curve threw me off course for a bit. And, as I've said on another post here, you have to saw up a tree into smaller chunks after you saw it down.
@Ed sawing up a tree sounds perfectly normal to me? Might be regional, I'm from the U.S. southeast and also speak Australian English, so I sometimes can't remember which is which.
@Ed It's not usual to hear that someone has pitched a no-hit no-run game. Throw in some walks and errors, and there you have it. Otherwise, liked BOW after JAPAN.
@Ed "No one has ever, ever said that." <a href="https://tinyurl.com/ycyp874j" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/ycyp874j</a> Wrong! Obviously, "no-hitter" is much, much more common than NO-HIT GAMES, but if there is recorded usage of it--and as you see above, there is--it's fair game for the puzzle. There's no rule saying that the first thing that comes to most people's mind has to be the answer. That's just what makes a crossword puzzle a puzzle.
Proper Friday. Great cluing, many “aha!” Moments. Can’t really see any weak spots in the whole grid. Nicely done. TIL what aficionado really means. Clever misdirect on what typically shows up as “ole” - liked that.
Another great Friday puzzle from one of the best constructors in the game.
So much fun! This has been a great week. I think I liked this one the best. I just had to keep plugging away. Thanks!
Anyone else notice the night/sleep mini-theme? AWOKE, ABED, SUNUP, and NAP!
Great clues for ABBEYS [Oh, brothers, where art thou?], XMAS [Short day soon after the winter solstice] and especially, NO MAS [Spanish uncle?]. It was on the easier side, but it was so peppy and fresh that I found it a pleasure to solve.
After perusing the puzzle a bit, I got a foot in the door at SELSUN Blue. From there it was a fun and pretty steady solve aside from the occasional clever misdirect. But I never cried uncle, even though it took me a while to get NO MAS. Who says a Friday puzzle can’t be fun? It can be done!
Unlike many other New Orleanians, I’m not a stickler for food traditions, but 33 across stumped me for a while because I have never seen anyone put Creole (or any) mustard on one of these “food specialty” items. Crystal hot sauce, yes, for sure. I may try it, though!
@Robyn I am originally from New Orleans and also don't think food traditions are sacred. I don't think I've ever seen a POBOY dressed with any type of mustard. Mayo and hot sauce, Crystal being the one, are the condos of choice. Maybe creole mustard on a soft-shell crab po' boy, that sounds like a nice pair.
@Robyn It confused me so much too. I have never, in my entire life, seen mustard on a poboy. It's hot sauce, mayo, and ketchup.
@Robyn I'm guessing the constructor has confused the PO'BOY with a Cuban sandwich, which looks similar, and definitely has mustard. Also, Creole and Cajun are not the same thing, as I'm sure you know, but they are to us Yankees.
@Robyn I always put mustard on a beef poboy, but then I'm a Brit. Beef needs mustard and/ or horseradish.
I liked the puzzle and appreciated lots of witty clues (like others have noted SINGLEMOM and ELON crossing gave me a chuckle). I really struggled with “NO HIT GAMES”….Nolan Ryan had a legendary 7 NO HITTERS.
@Em No one has ever said “No Hit Games” instead of “No Hitters.” Ever. Also I’ve eaten a ton of po-boys all across New Orleans with many other people and can’t recall anyone ever putting Creole mustard on one.
Always glad to see C.C. - Typical tough Friday for me, but an enjoyable workout. Lots of nice 'aha' moments when I finally had enough crosses for something to dawn on me. Eight debut answers, and a couple of them unfamiliar to me, but at least four of them quite familiar terms or phrases. That's surprising and quite an impressive piece of construction. Of course I have a puzzle find today. I'll put that in a reply. ...
@Rich in Atlanta As threatened: A Sunday from October 16, 2016 by Tom McCoy with the title: "Emotion." Really clever - don't recall seeing another like this. Some theme clue/answer examples: "Goodyear's carefully guarded secrets?" TRICKSOFTHETREAD "Revision that satisfies both author and publisher?" BALANCEDEDIT "What a pianist uses for triple-time pieces?" MINUETHAND "Result of a Morton's factory explosion?" GREATSALTLEAK "Skater boys?" MALESONWHEELS "Color used by teams from both San Jose and Jacksonville?" ATEALOFTWOCITIES And there were more. Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/16/2016&g=52&d=D" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=10/16/2016&g=52&d=D</a> I'm done. ....
Started slow and then all of a sudden it was done. But SAWS UP for "Sinks one's teeth into"? I got it, but it still doesn't work.
@redweather Yeah, that was one of the last ones for me too. I guess the idea is that a saw has teeth so when you saw something up, you sink your teeth into it.
@redweather agreed. I got saws right away, and kept going back and forth between saws at and saws on, neither of which I loved, and i liked saws up even less. Just not a recognizable phrase.
I loved today’s trifecta: great puzzle, excellent column, lively comments. Thank you, CC, Deb, and all commenters! Special credit so far to @Lewis, @johnezra, @Puzzlemucker, @Francis, and of course @Mike, plus the many wonderful regulars here today.
A lovely puzzle. [Spanish uncle?] was just brilliant. Also loved [Day break]. [Append] next to [Append]. And AWOKE above ABED. I don't completely agree with Deb regarding "no junk in the grid at all" but I'll happily tolerate WSW and ENE for a puzzle of this caliber. I had "one hitter" at first for 61A, which led to AREO___ for [Entertainment centers] and led my mind immediately into the gutter. I hope I never have to grow up.
@MikeW why Spanish Uncle is NOMAS? And don’t get me started on Spanish for Amateur…. Not even close.
Nice one! Smiling at all the solving honey in each filled square! Now for a deserved apiarist - Beeunas noches, my crossword compadres. Buzz, why don't you play us out . . . <a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hnVnrn4zVF4" target="_blank">https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hnVnrn4zVF4</a>
@Whoa Nellie LOL! That song has more double entendres that a Marx brothers movie. I gotta admire any bee that can "buzz all night long".
@Whoa Nellie Double entendres all through the lyrics, euphemisms, and even the album cover looks like something other than rain. Great music, too.
Very good puzzle. I spent way too long figuring things out in the upper right and also the upper left. In the end everything was fair and pretty clever. But a "workout" for me. At least Selsun Blue and yoga mats were gimmes (the latter having become a bit of an oreo lately). Stay classy helped me straighten out the bottom right pretty quickly. A fun, challenging exercise that took me longer than I'd have liked. Did you know submariner and scuba diver are equally long? That six AM and sunup have the same number of letters? That sommeliers spelled with one M is as long as wine and beer snobs? I didn't. ;) I think the only weak clue was "sts" for go around the block. I may be missing something but hardly any streets do that? ____________________ Jesse Goldberg 8/28/2024 for Puzzle of the Decade (emu filler)
@B Four STS go around a lot of blocks.
@B NW was the last to fall for me because I stubbornly held onto SUBMARINER until the bitter end. Once I corrected that, the rest fell into place quickly.
@B Your comment regarding streets going around the block, reminded me of this Steven Wright joke: One night I couldn't sleep, so I got up. Then I got hungry so I went down to the store that I know is open 24 hours. When I got down there, there was guy outside, locking it up. He said sorry, "We're closed." I said, "what do you mean you're closed? The signs says open 24 hours." He said "not in a row".
If you knew 11D without the crosses, I salute you.
@Mr Dave 😀 Every now and then I hear about someone having memorized pi to some number of places. I don't know why. Seems like a weak pickup line to me.
@Mr Dave I did, but not because I memorized it! I figured it wouldn’t be an actual number (one, two, six) since the clue started with “like”. So it is some property of digits, hence odd or even are likely choices and only ODD fit.
@Mr Dave I knew someone would come here to complain about this. But in fact it was a gimme for me, and the very first down clue I managed. (It was only likely to be EVEN or ODD and only one of those is three letters.)
@Mr Dave Did I *know* it? No, but it was easy to surmise, especially because OBIT was the first word I had filled in.
@Mr Dave Salute accepted. Rajeev explained exactly how to get it, and that’s how I did, too. Crosswords are about figuring things out logically as much as they are filling in stuff you already know.
@Mr Dave I have synesthesia, so I confidently entered RED.
@Mr Dave it was a gimme because 2 is the only even prime--every one after it is divisible by 2!
Good n knotty! NOMAS brought to mind Roberto Duran, and “Day break” for NAP made me smile.
@Joe P I originally had tOMAS there, thinking that Tio Tomás might be the Spanish version of an Uncle Tom. The cross cleared things up for me in good time.
A big thank you to whoever it was that recommended "Ludwig" on BritBox. I watched the first episode last night, and loved it. For everybody who missed that conversation, the show features a reclusive puzzle solver/constructor who finds himself suddenly (I'm studiously avoiding spoilers here) involved in a murder case. Sadly, only three episodes are available as yet, so I'm pacing myself.
@Grant That was me! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it! We watched the third episode last night too and were very sad that our need for instant gratification went unfulfilled. MAS!!
@Grant i watched it too. Very fun. Good show.
@Grant David Mitchell is a treasure.
@Grant There is also Astrid on PBS. The star character is an autistic puzzle solver working in a French crime lab and police archives. This was a British show (in French) developed from a French-Belgian one. It is being redone with an autistic actress in the lead, with presumably new crimes to solve.
In a post yesterday, I mentioned "false friends," and today we have "AFICONADO," which, if not exactly "false," is a friend that you might think twice about lending your favorite sweater to. That NW corner almost did me in. Sheer will power kept from running to the Rand-McNally Road Atlas, to get at least three sure squares.
@Bill Any reason is a good reason for a little Kate Bush: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8RE2NyAiJg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8RE2NyAiJg</a>
@Bill I almost always have trouble with the directional clues, but I've done that drive a few times so for once I knew it was WSW!
@Bill False friends are fun. I'll try to remember what AFICIONADO means--if I made a mistake, I'd be muy embarazada!
@Bill Wait, isn't "amateur" the false friend in this equation? The literal translation would be "lover," but we take it to mean not professional, while a correct interpretation would be playing for the love of the game. An amateur golfer may get a nice paycheck in a pro-am tournament. Not arguing with you, just trying to get my head around the "false friend" concept, which it fairly new to me.
Imagine me, in my bathrobe, so disheveled that my phone can't recognize me, sitting in my bathrobe at 5 AM and looking over the mini puzzle, wondering if AT EAT is yet another current phrase that I was ignorant of.
This is what I call a perfect puzzle full of delightful puns and word plays.
I was referred to this site by individuals outraged by my frustrated comments which, taken together, were a declaration of war against the makers and lovers of crossword puzzles. Now I see that the very thing that inflamed my passion against these puzzles is precisely what is most prized by those who love them. Nothing is "on the nose". I could spend my life trying to figure out these clues and I still fail. I would go back to trying to counteract the effects of disease in babies who can't breathe, if I was not chronically ill myself. So, let me take up alcohol or narcotics. If I am successful at those I may qualify for a position in the Trump Administration.
@Nancy Sculerati MD Yes, bitter sarcasm is my jam.
@Nancy Sculerati MD The NYT crossword is considered the gold standard of crosswords. They're like the Augusta National. They're hard to figure out. They stretch your mind more than most other puzzles, although lately, some of the masters are showing up in other reputable outlets. Since it appears to me that you're new to the game, let me suggest you start with Mondays and maybe Tuesdays and work on the Archives as well. The trickier ones and the straight but hard ones (i.e. Thursday through Saturday, with an occasional Wednesday and Sunday) will seem easier when you're ready for them. Just don't give up because you don't have the knack yet. If you're capable to get an MD degree, you can figure out the puzzle. Happy solving!
@Nancy Sculerati MD your comment literally made me laugh out loud! 64 across answer which was ELON made me feel BLAH. Anyways, I hope you have a Fantastic Friday and Namaste!!
@Nancy Sculerati MD If you enjoy doing challenging crossword puzzles, this is a good place to be. If you're having difficulty understanding the clues and the relationship between the clues and the solutions, this comment section is a good place to ask and learn. If you want to get better at solving these puzzles, I have no doubt that you will improve. It's unlikely that you will "spend your life" trying to understand them and still fail. If, on the other hand, you'd rather spend your leisure time elsewhere, that's your choice. I'm sorry that your illness prevents you from doing such valuable work. I have a friend who is currently working on the engineering aspect of creating CPAP machines for neo-nates (globally). I wonder if you and he ever bumped into one another. And if, in the end, you choose the path of alcohol and narcotics rather than crosswords, tell us how that has worked out for you.
@Nancy Sculerati MD I understand that unwavering determination must have been key to your career but maybe just take things a little easier. These are just puzzles. They're fun. They're often challenging. And they mean just about nothing other than that. If you like them, great. If not, maybe find something else that makes you happy... I hope your illness improves. ____________________ Jesse Goldberg 8/28/2024 for Puzzle of the Decade (emu filler)
@Nancy Sculerati MD You are very welcome here and I hope that you will learn the ways of the grid, if it comes to bring you joy! I find the puzzles a soothing comfort and diversion in difficult times. I like knowing that there is always an answer and it will always work. It might not be the answer I expected but it's there if I just keep my mind open enough and twist things around. I appreciate that certainty when nothing else feels certain. As a relative newcomer, myself, there is a lot to learn about how to do them, and I've appreciated the help from the columnists like Deb and fellow commenters out here. In fact, here is a great article from the delightful Deb herself that gives you some good tricks of the trade. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-solve-a-crossword-puzzle.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/article/how-to-solve-a-crossword-puzzle.html</a> One thing, which you've already noticed, I think, is that many of us are pretty fiercely protective of constructors and will speak out against unsubstantiated accusations attacking them. That said, opinions and bitter sarcasm are perfectly acceptable.
@Nancy Sculerati MD Many word games are not "on the nose." Cryptic and variety word puzzles are worse, I think, than the NYT puzzle. It helps to solve with a partner some times because they may figure out how the clue works. It also helps just to have fun. That sometimes means resisting the urge to go back and look at the confusing clues (coming here helps). But it can be fun to come back years later to a puzzle. Personally, my mind has been rewired by crosswords a bit (like always looking for the uncommon definition/usage of a word). Much is now obvious to me that was not so in the past.
@Nancy Sculerati MD Love the sarcasm at the end. I learn so much from the comments section. When I started puzzling as a kid, I struggled. By college in the 80s, I graduated to the NY Times puzzle, as they sold it on campus and I had a NY Times crossword puzzle dictionary to guide me on those toughies. There were no commenters to help explain things. I came back to puzzling late last fall, for the first time online and I am finally GETTING it! You will, too. As in life, give yourself grace and never be afraid to Google a touch clue. That is how we learn!
Well I was happy to finish this with no help. Was tempted to check words at first but didn’t. Thank you, Zhouqin Burnikel, Deb and commenters. Have a great weekend!
@Convoid-04 You too, Convoid-04!
If I can’t have a theme, then CC is the constructor I would chose as her entries are alway fun and well clued. I hope she doesn’t stay away as long again.