F-SHARP or [G-flat]? (Which could almost be a theme entry, come to think of it.) Well, Bach preferred F-sharp, probably because he was really thinking of F major, and just sticking a sharp in front of every note. But the moody, melancholy romantics preferred G-flat--a trend which started with Schubert: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM7LFeDwKiM&list=RDVM7LFeDwKiM&start_radio=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM7LFeDwKiM&list=RDVM7LFeDwKiM&start_radio=1</a> Except when they didn't: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDGHR4lj3yc&list=RDTDGHR4lj3yc&start_radio=1" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDGHR4lj3yc&list=RDTDGHR4lj3yc&start_radio=1</a> TRUE STORY: This afternoon, biking home after work, I rode through Detroit's Eastern (farmer's) Market. I was hoping to find some rhubarb. It was raining--not drizzling, raining. I was soaked. Between two of the stalls was a young musician, seated at an electric piano, which he had carefully wrapped up in blankets to protect it from the rain. He was playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, from memory. Quite well. I went up and spoke to him: "You know, every day I do the New York Time crossword puzzle, and yesterday, one long entry worked out to MOONLIGHT SONATA." "Really?" he replied, "how was it clued?" "Really a deep dive, in my opinion--clued as 'piece which was the inspiration for Chopin's Fantasie-Impromptu,' or something like that." "You mean this?" and immediately launched into the opening licks of the Chopin. I stuffed his tip jar. But none of the vendors had any rhubarb left.
@Bill I am in awe of how musically talented some people are, and appalled by how little most of them get from it, financially. Nice of you to show your appreciation with the tip jar. You've inspired me--I will be as generous as I can the next street musician I see. Karma didn't work very well though, or you'd have found the finest rhubarb in all the land.
@Bill Love stories like this in the Comments, much more than reading people complaining about a puzzle because they are just oh so fast. Which, anyone is certainly entitled to post, and I know, I could just choose not to read the Comments, but then I'd miss out on cool stories like this. Please keep them coming!
Bill, I’m looking, but can’t find an instructional YouTube video of how to play an electric piano while it is wrapped in blankets. Not sure even John Cage tried that move.
@Bill Loved this comment! I immediately thought of Joni Mitchell’s “Real Good For Free”, and had to go play it again. Thanks.
@Bill As a fellow rhubarb lover, I feel your pain. Our local supermarket had it. Planning to make a pie this long weekend. Ditto on admiring your tip.
@Bill Many of those street performers are practicing for that evening's gig, or for an upcoming audition. Others just like the vibe. Nevertheless, like you, I know when it just feels right. I will definitely stuff a tip jar. Great story, and thanks!
Gut course at the funeral director’s training? CASKET WEAVING State the bedroom is in after the teenager races off to school? COULDN’T CARE MESS Home movie viewer belting along with the 2001 soundtrack? ALTO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA
@Cat Lady Margaret "Gut course"? I'd like to see you weave a casket! Unless, of course, you mean that the casket has been made from the deceased's guts that have been woven together. In which case, please remind me to stay away from that funeral home!
@CLM Glad to have scrolled down far enough to see your entries — always a joy when you post them. That first one immediately brought to mind this story: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/04/18/nx-s1-5786831/dying-terminally-ill-casket-weaving" target="_blank">https://www.npr.org/2026/04/18/nx-s1-5786831/dying-terminally-ill-casket-weaving</a>
How nice to see a puzzle from David Steinberg, and one with such a clever theme. I especially like MISSED A BEAU and CONTACT LEOS, and I love how the changed letters spell out PLUS ONE. Today I learned about GUANACOs. Thanks, David. That was fun. So, I guess the original puzzle title derives from an entreaty to Mr. Gingrich …. NEWT, PLEASE
There are four species of South American camelids, all of them utterly gorgeous animals. Llamas and alpacas are commonly domesticated, whereas guanacos and vicuñas are wild. That's them in order of size as well. I always like noticing a little Peruvian reference, thanks David!
@Alex And they all produce wool of surpassing softness and warmth. The epitome of luxury -- you can keep your old cashmere!
Oh, sweet to see David back after more than a year. Some marquee constructors specialize in themeless puzzles, and others in themed, but David does it all –he’s done 60 themeless puzzles and 51 themed in the Times, marked by wit and skill. I loved the trip [White bed, perhaps] took me through, where first I flipped through a mental montage of beds with white frames and covers, then confidently slapped SNOW in, but then it didn’t work; eventually, with a lovely aha, RICE became clear, and I inwardly high-fived David -- got my money's worth right there. It was fun to guess at the theme answers with as few fill-ins as possible, and it was impressive that he found theme answers that not only were of the specific letter lengths to fit symmetry, but the trick letters also spelled PLUS ONE – in order. Wow! I always feel like I’m in good hands when doing David’s puzzles, and afterward, that I coursed through high quality. Thank you for what you do, David, and for what you did today!
Great puzzle, greater name.
My first under 15:00 Sunday after years of daily solving! 14:34.
@Amy G Way to go! I ended up exactly tying my Sunday PB 🙃
First and foremost, welcome back to our neck of the woods, David! What a lovely surprise. I started the solve with a smile when I saw the byline, knowing that the puzzle would be creative, intelligent, and elegant. I ended the solve with a smile because David, as usual, delivered on all three counts. And throughout the solve I also smiled, but especially when the clue for RAIN showed up as [Common forecast for Portland]. LOL, you betcha! Right now though, it so happens to be a gorgeous, blue-skied, 70°F Spring late afternoon. That means that half the local population is elated, basking in some outdoor activity in the sun, having survived another gray winter singing along to Seal's version of "I Can't Stand the Rain" - <a href="https://youtu.be/BRIp0JCM2_8?si=uAV0El-UNGqUzfYb" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/BRIp0JCM2_8?si=uAV0El-UNGqUzfYb</a> The other half is in hiding at home, curtains drawn, or a dark coffee shop, alarmed by whatever that absurdly bright thing is up in the sky, singing along to Garbage's "I'm Only Happy When It Rains" - <a href="https://youtu.be/GpBFOJ3R0M4?si=JuNMEeulKcTcxlvc" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/GpBFOJ3R0M4?si=JuNMEeulKcTcxlvc</a> Me, I tread the middle ground, outdoors but in the shade, where I got to enjoy this most excellent puzzle that showcases so well the refined subtlety with which David executes his conceits. Thank you so much! Rain or shine, David, your puzzles are always five stars.
@sotto voce We got a shout-out for our state flag (39D) as well as our weather!
@sotto voce I do believe our weather got swapped. When I filled in the answer RAIN after a soggy night out last night, I thought yup – that one's a no-brainer! You Portlanders have a stronger constitution for the stuff than me! However, I'll take it (and of course the area needs it), especially if it means you had a chance to sit outside and enjoy a blue-sky Spring afternoon! Those are some great song references, which is no surprise from you of course. The one that comes to mind for me on a day like this is 10,000 Maniacs' "Like the Weather". But I'll spare you the depression lyrics! How about some Throwing Muses instead? Lyrics that begin, in part: It don't rain under the water It don't rain inside my heart and end just as I see you on a day like yours yesterday: My head is filled with flowers And I'm dressed in shiny gold Keep an eye on me I shimmer on horizons A shimmer on horizons Here they are on Conan in 1995. Everyone is So. Young! <a href="https://youtu.be/FsSGmee8Isk?si=7Oa3_xY0xPeRGZ5c" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/FsSGmee8Isk?si=7Oa3_xY0xPeRGZ5c</a>
@sotto voce I'm just going to guess "I Wish it Would Rain" isn't a PNW fave? <a href="https://youtu.be/DCaFf7LfaMg?si=oBdLrjz8ZkN2tOnu" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/DCaFf7LfaMg?si=oBdLrjz8ZkN2tOnu</a>
@sotto voce Here in Portland Maine it IS raining!!!
Is this the David Steinberg that draws the Far Side cartoons? (Asking for a friend. I forget his name right now.)
@NYC Traveler No, and it’s not the comedian, either.
Today marks my 1500th solved NYT crossword. Note this is *not* consecutive; my current steak is 386. Still a milestone IMO. Of all those attempted since I started solving in 2022, I currently have four remaining unsolved, which I return to from time to time: One from 2008, two from 2023, and one from 2024. If and when I clear that list, I'll attempt more from the back catalog.
Theme, movie edition: [Many monks] [The world of audio paparazzi] [Paul Newman character gives his buddy’s hat a try] [From tilling to tofu!] [Look] HOODFELLAS SOME MIKE IT HOT BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE LID SOY STORY DO THE SIGHT THING
Oops, scratch SOY STORY -- my error, it doesn't fit the theme!
It's nice to see David Steinberg back. While not a particularly challenging puzzle, the theme entries were fun to figure out, so I focused on trying to get them without too many crosses. DISSONANT CHORES was probably my favorite. The easiest for this August baby was CONTACT LEOS. So, dating to get access to a NYT subscription? That's new to me, but I get it. My now husband and I were happily together for many years before a change in health insurance status pushed us to play the game and get officially married. Yes, non-U.S. solvers, that's actually a thing here!
Nancy J., That, and being able to drive rental cars when only the other one had signed the agreement.
@Nancy J. My partner of many years and I got married to make dealing with our property purchases easier. Romantic, eh?
@Nancy J. Health insurance did it for me, too, but as domestic partners. Now that we're getting older, "upping" that contract to marriage may be in order if we ever need things like hospital visitation rights... @Andrzej A friend of mine got married because they wanted to buy a house: one had great credit and the other, a financial bonus as a military veteran. So sexy!
[Magic in the grid, as created today by David Steinberg] BO(X) WOW
Our stoical British guys here on our annual trip to Honduras are not so stoic... In fact, our CHAPS are unCONTROLLED to the max!! It's the first puzzle I have had a chance to do in a few days and somehow, despite feeling quite crazy and exhausted in our circumstances, I finished in record time. Go figure! In short, I dun did this puzz.
@HeathieJ Are you sure you’re not in Kentucky?
MISSED A BEAU Sigh…When I was a young woman in Lisbon in the 1960s I went with an older man (40s) who opened up my world. His breadth of experience and wisdom made me feel like the chosen one, learning and loving from a true master of life. About 6 months into the relationship I spotted him at a cafe kissing another young woman. I ran up to them and started yelling, and they both laughed and brushed me away. I was completely devastated. When I saw him again I broke it off and he asked why. He didn’t understand the concept of monogamy. In my youthful naïveté I suppose I walked right into that one. It wasn’t that he had cheated, it was that I had foolishly believed our relationship was monogamous, when in reality we had never stipulated that. In his world that just didn’t exist. The moral of the story is never go to Lisbon in your 20s looking for love.
@Ace This rings surprisingly familiar to an experience I also had in Lisbon in the ‘60s with a young American. She was staying in a flat off the rua das Flores with three other American friends. She loved Chopin and sangria. Is this you, Veronica? Has it been so long? How can I explain this enough times so that you understand? The woman at the cafe was Don Rickles in a Betty Buckley costume. We were rehearsing a skit that Don was to perform later that night at a charity event. I don’t know how I can make this any more clear. You broke my heart when you left, and I’ve never fully recovered.
I think this is the first Sunday I’ve solved without looking up a single thing! It took me an hour and 48 minutes, but it was fun the whole time.
Bummed that I solved the puzzle without noticing the cleverness. I need new glasses: Using my phone to solve I didn’t even see the circles. 🙄
Heat wave here - it's 29C, and 32C (over 89F) tomorrow. Hotter than many midsummers. Oh dear, I missed yet another clue for TSA. But "may request"? We all have to take off jackets and coats. I ambled through this one in about 50 minutes. I found getting the theme clues the hardest, I had to get most of the crossers. I didn't realise there was a theme, and forgot to check the circles. I looked up and found out about 'pink slips'. A long time ago, we used to 'get the sack' ie get your sack of tools and go, a term still used today. Then it was 'get your cards' - employers paid into the National Insurance scheme (welfare) by buying and sticking a stamp on a card for you every week. When you left you took these cards with you. In Scotland we said 'get your jotters'. Nice for a this hot Sunday.
@Jane Wheelaghan Thank you! I always wondered why Brits said "get the sack!"
My favorite answer --> dissonant chords. I love playing them, especially the SUS2 and SUS4s. They create great tension, and the musician chooses if and when they resolve. A well-placed dissonant as an opening or final chord sounds so sinister. Think... opening chord in Hard Day's Nig ...
@Jerry -- Nice one, a SUS4 with an added 9th and 11th. Thanks for bringing that up, haven't thought about it in a long time!
@Jerry I always considered music to be pretty straightforward – you play some notes and out comes a tune or symphony or something. After reading some of the comments on here about music theory, it turns out there's wasaay more to it than I thought. Terms for everything, most of which I've never heard of. You can learn a lot on this forum.
@Jerry I love me some sus chords too. Joni Mitchell called them " chords of inquiry". But I don't think of them as parricularly 'dissonant'. e.g. Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage
@Jerry I had a music teacher once who had started out as a classical pianist turned jazz musician. He maintained that Beethoven was full of jazz chords that people didn't recognize because they were broken. He had me go through the Waldstein Sonata and circle and label all of them. Looking back at it now, I see I identified a heck of a lot of F-sharp diminished 7ths. I thought there were some 13ths in here but don't see them now.
"Thatssonotolay" too funny. Enjoyed today's puzzle. Thx
Tootsies are toes, not feet. The singular is tootsie, I believe. Has anyone pointed this out? Am I wrong? Also, I don’t see how loading and unloading a dishwasher is dissonant. These are just 2 tiny quibbles about clueing, though. GREAT puzzle!
@Brad according to Miriam Webster, the OED, and Dustin Hoffman himself, tootsy means “foot.”
@Brad they are dissonant in the sense that they clash with each other. They don't go together, you cannot load and unload the dishwasher at the same time (or at least not without creating a non-harmonious dishwasher)
There was a very funny answer about "dissonance" earlier...
Emojipedia? Gag me.
Great to see you here again, David! I gather your girlfriend is here as your PLUS ONE.
It’s been awhile since we’ve seen you David—welcome back. Really my favorite type of puzzle. I hope people checked out the title because it helped (even though there was a revealer of sorts ultimately). But a fun punny theme, one that was enjoyable even after you figured it out, and actually helped the solve (but didn’t give it away). DISSONANT CHORES was the only one that didn’t strike quite the right note for me, but the rest were fabulous! Reasonable challenge in the rest of the puzzle, with clever clues and some great accessory fill—LIPREADERS, EMOJIPEDIA. And JERI Ryan. Note to future constructors—You have my permission to remind me of Jeri Ryan every puzzle, every day. I promise I will never complain and it will never get old.
@SP She is under-represented in all things and at all times, it's true.
One of the rare Sunday puzzles I could actually complete.
Meh. I was going to leave that as my one-word comment of the day, but I hate it when other do that, so a brief explanation. Too many uninspTired three- and four-letter words. A theme that was not terribly clever and produced not terribly amusing themers. Nothing to get excited about. A general lack of "INSPO". TIL that there was such a thing as EMOJIPEDIA, which I would have preferred to remain ignorant about. [Feel free to comment with the "prefer to remain ignorant" emoji.] My favorite part of today's puzzle: The Buddhist mandala illustrating the answer SAND ART. A nice reminder that Beauty can come from the simplest elements and that everything in this world is ephemeral. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBrYUlOYK0U" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBrYUlOYK0U</a> "Let it go. This, too, shall pass."
@The X-Phile That was my reaction exactly - this was like plain oatmeal. Not sure how GUANACO made it through the blandness filter. A perfect puzzle for all those who complain about "Too much esoterica/foreign words/obscure proper names." Next Please!
Well, cute theme but a tough one for me of course. Even beyond the theme answers there were eight down answers appearing for the first time. But... finally tumbling to the trick was a big turning point and that's always a nice touch. And of course a puzzle find today. A Wednesday from February 5, 2014 by Tracy Gray. Four theme answers and I'll highlight the letters related to the trick: hellorhigHWATEr THEWAltons grEATWHiteshark soWHATElseisnew And the reveal: "Breakfast cereal, or a hint to what's found in the answers to the four starred clues." SHREDDEDWHEAT Here's that link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=2/5/2014&g=59&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=2/5/2014&g=59&d=A</a> See you tomorrow. ...
@Rich in Atlanta And, another puzzle find. A Monday from December 18, 2006 by Donna Levin. Three 15 letter theme answers in that one, and - a bit surprised that each of them was making their one and only appearance in any puzzle. And they all had the same clue: "Holiday decoration." Those answers: CHRISTMASWREATH KWANZAAUNITYCUP HANUKKAHMENORAH Here's that link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=12/18/2006&g=35&d=D" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=12/18/2006&g=35&d=D</a> ....
I laughed out loud at 37A. What a puzzle!
Foiled by the crossers EMO(T/J)IPEDIA and (T/J)ERI. It feels like an EMOTIPEDIA might be a thing.
Once again, Star Trek does me in: Teri for Jeri.
I didn't know the first name of the 88 Across actress either, but 69 Down made the first letter of it quite clear to me.
I don’t get the entry about dishwasher chores, but otherwise, what a great theme! It’s one of those themes that had absolutely zero effect on the solving process, and didn’t even click for me until a post-solve review…but now that I’ve grokked it, I absolutely love it, circles and all.
Did you not deem the clued chores to be dissonant, or did you not recognize "dissonant chords" as a thing?
If any of us were wondering what he's been up to since finishing HS and university, this may be a partial answer.... This took me a good while (the coffee was late; then it got cold...) what with MOLE MAN and McDAVID and YOGA BALLs.... The only truly painful, really cruel entry was EMOJIPEDIA, but eventually I GOT 'er DONE. I question a couple of spellings, such as TOOTSY vs IE.... and then we have GRODY vs GRODDY (neither of which deserves to be A Word.) Balanced against SEVEN Themers, though, one must concede that this is quite an achievement.
@Mean Old Lady Merriam Webster disagrees with you on GRODY...
A crossword that was both fun AND clever, I found it immensely enjoyable. I had mistakenly typed in "Teri" instead of JERI, and EMOtIPEDIA looked correct to me, so it took me a lot of fly-specking to find my mistake. As a Star Trek fan, I am appalled by this error!
@Janine Same Same
My weekend was full of DISSONANTCHORES, so I'll drink to that! The trick became clear after CONTROLLEDCHAPS, the circles no doubt gave it away easily. As always, was an enjoyable solve.
Is this the David Steinberg that is a big fan of Gary Larson?
@Francis I’ll ask Sam Donaldson to find out. (Not the newsman.)
@Francis it’s also not me either
I should really go back to skipping Sunday crossword puzzles at the NYT. Easy ones like today's are just boring - it feels relaxing to do a fast, straightforward grid on Monday, but an equally unchallenging Sunday just isn't doing it for me - typing in 130 mostly obvious answers brings neither joy nor satisfaction. Conversely, hard Sundays just tire me out, and they are also a nightmare to flyspeck if guesses were involved and I didn't get a gold start. I used to eschew Sundays and it felt great. I guess I have this naive hope that some Sunday will finally be the one I'll enjoy - but experience appears to prove it's just a pipe dream. Hopefully I'll remember my own advice next week and spare myself another meh moment.
@Andrzej Honest question: Since streaks are irrelevant to you and on a given day you finish without the gold star, why do you flyspeck? Why not just look at the finished grid whose link is available at the very bottom of wordplay to see where you erred and be done with it?
@Andrzej You were the one who inspired me to give up flyspecking (which even *sounds* unpleasant), and it’s been liberating. Once I freed myself from the tyranny of the gold star, I no longer had the all-too-frequent frustration of searching for that one fat-fingered letter. I know when I’ve finished a puzzle. I don’t need an app to praise me, any more than I need an emu to give me a scolding. (Note to other NYT games: you can keep your stinkin’ badges, too. What am I, a toddler?) So come back, Andrezj, to the land where blue and gold stars twinkle together in harmony. It’s very relaxing here, and you can use that extra time to enjoy more important things, like scratching a fuzzy dog behind the ears.
@Andrzej Although a little flyspecking there might have been helpful, as I just transposed two letters in your name. 😆 Sorry about that. I stand by the rest.
I should elaborate on the flyspecking thing. What I meant was more complex than I managed to convey. First, as a rule, I don't flyspeck. Typically, when I get the "so close" pop-up, I just check the puzzle, even on Tuesdays. Second, I enjoy the occasional challenge and "clean solve". On some Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, if I find the grid very hard but enjoyable (like yesterday), I push myself to get a gold star for a bit of extra satisfaction. Now, I would never consider flyspecking a Sunday. It's simply unthinkable for me given the size of the grid. Thus, I find it impossible to solve and enjoy a hard Sunday as I might a challenging Saturday. The bigger size has no added value, for me. All it breeds is annoyance or boredom.
@Andrzej You'll be back, you glutton for disappointment and punishment!
Feel like I might have been the only one to put in LaPdancERS before LIPREADERS...
I usually have to look at the answer key for majority of the answers. This time, however, most of them I didn’t. At first I peeked in on the themed answers and tricky clues. Most I was able to fill in on my own before needing to look at the key near the end of the solve. This was possibly one of the most enjoyable puzzles I’ve solved. (Incidentally, I think it’s nice that the writer of today’s puzzle shares his subscription with his girlfriend for the Mini. What a sweet guy!)
@Frank Sartori Congratulations on that solving milestone! On a puzzle with so many short answers, that's no small feat. Sometimes it seems if I start "not knowing" answers, it kind of snowballs – and soon I'm not getting even [Richard of "Pretty Woman"]. That was a head-slap moment-! Incidentally, I grew up in MA with a family of Sartoris in my town. Whenever I see a post of yours it reminds me of my friend!
@Frank Sartori, fewer look-ups means you're getting better at solving! Huzzah! 🎉🎉🎉
Lots of fun David -- well done. I had to fly speck for ages cuz I thought EMOTIPEDIA sounded as good as anything. Teri, Jeri, finally got it right. Whew...
@Down_Home So far, nobody has fessed up to iMagIPEDIA to go with gERI. Just me, then? Oh, OK.
Fun and breezy. A nice change of pace compared to yesterday's brutal fill.
wonderful Sunday you gotta be a real Grinch if you're unable to enjoy this gem - it gets better upon reflection that's the mark of a classic puzzle bravo David
It was a pleasant enough puzzle for a lazy Sunday afternoon, but I had absolutely no idea what the theme was until I read this column.
Scott, Regarding the theme: I assume you solved online. Did you read the puzzle title? Could you see the circles in seven squares?
The photo accompanying the Wordplay column shows a technique of making beautiful "paintings" out of sand art. The monks create these masterpieces with such care and precision. Here is a video that shows their unbelievable skill andmastery: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBrYUlOYK0U" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBrYUlOYK0U</a> (It reminds me of some of my paint-by-numbers painting efforts, with tiny little areas to color in different colors!) But then the sand art is blown away and destroyed--I guess to remind us of the impermanence of life. This reminds me of the story of Penelope, wife of Odysseus. When he was gone for many long years, other suitors approached Penelope to wed a new ruler. She only wanted to wait for Odysseus and promised them that when she finished weaving the tapestry she was working on, she would choose one of them. So every day Penelope worked on her tapestry, and every night when no one could see, she unraveled it, sacrificing her sleep.
@lucky13 There's a 2011 movie called "Samsara", which was the first I'd appreciated that art.
Here's a more thorough demonstration of how the sand art is created. This takes place in Nashville! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WFOh0v1EzI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WFOh0v1EzI</a>
@lucky13 When I lived in Cleveland, the city hosted a creation of a Buddhist sand mandala, created on the marble floor of the atrium if City Hall. It took several weeks to create, and was open to the public. At the end, the monks swept the sand into a pile, and processed it down to Lake Erie, and dumped it in. A perfect metaphor for the vanity and impermanence of existence. I should add that the process is not "big-C Creative," as the pattern of the mandala is entirely dictated by tradition
@lucky13 Thanks for putting us onto this video. I've seen videos like this before, and they never get old. Fascinating skill and patience.
@lucky13. Really looking forward to the upcoming Odyssey movie by the great Christopher Nolan! Inspired by that, I tried my hand at an Odyssey-themed Sunday puzzle a while ago. But got rejected with the dreaded “ theme did not rise to the top”. Well, as Samuel Beckett (and Stan Wavrinka’s arm) said: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
@lucky13 Thanks for the reminder of the story of Penelope. At the risk of making light of her travails, it's surely a case of DISSONANT CHORES if I ever saw one!
69D/88A stalled me. Before we had EMOJIs, we had EMOTIs, which were ASCII character faces :) Without knowing 88A, TERI or JERI can fit that crossing
@Bill There can be only Jeri. It is only and ever Jeri. Seven of nine is number 1.
@Bill That was what got me, too... A bit rough!
@Bill Yeah that was a streak killer for me on a supremely easy puzzle otherwise. Oh well.
@Bill Yep, that square was my personal Natick too. EMOtIPEDIA made perfect sense, as did tERI. Lucky for me the column mentioned it. Other than that, I finished the whole puzzle without a single lookup.
I had never heard of EMOJIPEDIA, but that emoticons would have needed a -PEDIA never crossed my mind because they are ASCII characters.
Good Sunday solve! Enjoyed getting the theme answers enough, that I missed the trick until reading Wordplay. Got to go back to get the aha pleasure after. And that was ok for me. Liked learning the term emojipedia.
Thanks to David Steinberg for archiving!I’ve been going backwards working only on Friday/Saturdays, halfway through 2016, so quite aways to go . . .
Polling the Commentariat on their preferred pronunciation of ESCHEW. ESCHEW is a word that an educated person ought to know [IMHO] and be able to use in writing. But to say it out loud almost always seems pretentious. And so, one seldom hears it. Do you prefer "ess-CHOO" or "e-SHOO"? Or do you have some other pronunciation?
@The X-Phile I usually pronounce it "ab-STANE" or "shun." But, on a rare occasion, "e-SHOO." Although it feels like it's somewhere between "ess-CHOO" and "e-SHOO." Good question, curious how others would answer.
@The X-Phile I'm no authority here but I have always thought it sounded along the lines of e-shyoo (that's an e like in egg)
@The X-Phile Ess-choo here. And... somehow that popped into my head one of my favorite song lyrics jokes. "Pardon me Roy, is that the cat that chewed your new shoes?" ...
@The X-Phile, 🙋🏻♂️ for ess-CHOO
@The X-Phile Whenever I hear it I always say gesundheit 😁
@The X-Phile Ess-cue (like a pool cue: ess-kyou) As Merriam-Webster writes it--"also e-ˈskyü"
@The X-Phile I pronounce is just as it is spelled: es-CHEW. It never occurred to me that people pronounced it any other way.
Got through the puzzle after a slow start and finished with a minimum of look ups, but didn't get the "win". Had a couple of entries that fit, but were incorrect, DIBSONTHECHORES (instead of DISSONANTCHORES) being the one causing a few crossings to be wrong. The connections on the theme answers was too nuanced for me.