Sam

This puzzle was really cool. Since Thursday puzzles are known to be tricky, having this puzzle on a Wednesday is an excellent way to introduce a new solver to the rebus function since you can see the letters in STAR disperse throughout the grid. It was also neat how they worked in a few other space-related entries. Awesome job -- really enjoyable solve :)

Sometimes when I'm struggling in a section that the Wordplay column does not have many revelers for (the NW corner for me today), I glance at the comments for extra help ... and I always *dread* looking. It seems like the comments are so often full of solvers bashing the constructors or the editors, complaining how easy the puzzle was for a whatever day, complaining about too many gimmes, not enough gimmes, complaining about the cluing, lamenting the "declining quality" of the Times crossword, and attacking each other. Thankfully today was not like that. Hopefully the amount of complaints and hostility will decrease in the future so people don't dread peeking in here