Emteesee

Steve L. already said it but I feel compelled to add my opinion about a crossword so hotly debated in the Comments. A vote, I suppose. This puzzle was a masterpiece. I agree it should absolutely be a contender for puzzle of the year. I've personally liked rebus puzzles since my first encounter with one. If you don't like them, you don't like them. You have every right to hate them in general. This puzzle was a masterpiece.

I haven't posted to this board in quite some but that was my least favorite puzzle in quite some time. I confess to being a bit of a brat about Sunday puzzles; it's one of my favorite hours of any given week. So when the Sunday puzzle is full of trivia, poor cluing (just my opinion), and is generally a joyless slog it gets my goat, so to speak. I understand mileage varies. Just saying that for me, that was really not pleasant at all.

I'm a little surprised that so many people disliked this puzzle. I don't comment much, but I'd like to throw a vote into the "loved it!" column. I truly have no clue why anyone would have thought it was a rebus. I got through it too quickly, but it was constructed well and a joy to solve. Thank you, Adam!

I try to be sure and post when I particularly enjoy a puzzle. This is easily one of my favorite Sunday puzzles for quite some time. Loved that each rebus had a different "gimmick" and many of the clues were quite clever. Just very well done in my opinion. Thanks, Kareem!

Yes, a bit easy for a Thursday, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. Folks sure get a little bent out of shape in the Comments section. Not every puzzle can live up to your own personal idea of a "perfect puzzle". That's a ridiculous expectation to have. Perhaps "personal constructor" will someday be as viable an occupation as "personal chef". Congratulations on the publication of your first Thursday puzzle, Royce!

I try to make sure I comment when I believe I have just completed a particularly notable puzzle. Crossword puzzles, when constructed well, are (to me) a particularly satisfying blend of technical precision and artistic sensibility. The result of that adeptly crafted blend? Joy. In this case, a quiet and peaceful Sunday morning of appreciative smiles throughout the grid. Thanks, Jeffrey and Jeff!

Wow, a lot of complains about 1D. "The Governator" is a nickname. "Ahnold" is a nickname. The answer fits the clue. "Arnold" would not have fit, as it is not a nickname! When I saw the clue, the first thing that popped in my head was "Ahnold" - in the form of "Ahhhhnold". I entered it confidently. It was a fine piece of clueing, as were many others. I would describe the whole as clever, enjoyable, and on the easier side. It was a great start to Fathers Day, in my opinion. Thank you, constructors!

What a masterpiece. The most fun I've had solving a Sunday puzzle in quite some time. Amazing puzzles have always stuck with me. I will randomly see or hear something that takes me back to a puzzle I enjoyed ten years ago. Thankfully, there are so many talented constructers that my mind is blown several times per year. But the last time I felt this awestruck was June 27, 2024. I have no doubt I will look back on this treasure of a puzzle for years to come. Thanks, Dylan! Just spectacular.

Feel the need to add to the posts from the folks who liked this one to help balance out the board a bit. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised to be challenged again on a Friday. I found the last handful of Friday puzzles to be fun enough but lacking the level of difficulty Friday's deserve. Finished it clean about 7 minutes above my average. I thought that was perfect. The clueing was misleading and creative; I have no idea where people are getting "dark" from, but to each their own. Anyway, thanks for the tough but fun Friday, Adrian. For me, it was a great start to the day.

Yesterday was a bit of a wrestling match. Today was barely a thumb war. Still, I laughed at a few of the clues and enjoyed solving it. I had hope when I first saw the grid but wow that was some gentle cluing today.

I have to chime in when I enjoy a puzzle this much. The cluing was just right for a Wednesday and the "aha" moment with the dashed clues was very fun for me. I also loved that the trick began with the first clue so one wondered where it was going from the start. Unlike Sam, I first put in "mesan", even though "chicken parmesan in fat" doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Clever, and very well done. Great puzzle. Thank you, Jesse!

When opinions are so divided I always feel compelled to cast my vote. I enjoyed this puzzle (happen to be a fan of the trickier ones), but I can understand people's frustration. I can't put my finger on it, but there was a lack of cohesion that left me a little unsettled. I guess, for me, the trick just didn't seem "tight". I do think, like many others, that this puzzle would have been a much more enjoyable solve using Barry's stone tablet. However, as I said, I had fun working it out. Thank you, Dan!

As others have said maybe just a tiny touch on the easy side but loads and loads of fun. Like many folks I'd wager, solving the Sunday puzzle with a lazy cup of coffee on a quiet morning is one of my favorite times of any week. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Thanks, Ralph and Doug!

Sunday mornings with a crossword, a snoring hound, and a delicious cup of coffee are absolutely precious to me. When a constructor presents a puzzle that is as enjoyable to solve as this one, I feel compelled to thank them for the icing on the cake. Thank you, Dylan!

Just chiming in with the rest in congratulating Landon for constructing a very fun Wednesday puzzle. Tight clueing, clever gimmick, and just an overall enjoyable solve. Thank you, Landon!

It's been a bit since I've enjoyed a solve this much. A particularly fun puzzle and a tasty cup of coffee. What a great start to the day. Thanks, Simeon!

I've got to join in on the love fest; impossible not to express my appreciation post-solve. That was the most fun I've had wrestling with a puzzle in a long time. Just perfect. Everyone else has articulated what was so wonderful about it so I will leave it at that. Top 5 favorite constructor notes, also. Just an amazing start to the day! Thanks so much, Katie!

Count me in with other solvers who's reading comprehension let them down. I solved the puzzle without realizing the first two letters of each down clue were the first two letters of the answer. I just knew they were missing. I tediously slogged through considering what each down answer could be, cycling through word after word in my head until one fit. Some were obvious; others required a little brain power. I finished it a couple of minutes above my average. And you know what? I loved every minute of it! What a fun puzzle! I think it would have been less fun (a little too easy) if I wasn't too dense to read 52A properly. In my defense, I solve at 4:30am before coffee. Thanks, Jesse! That was a great start to the day.

I certainly don't want to start another debate, but I spent yesterday with the family and didn't get a chance to check the replies to my post about "Ahnold". Just a quick thanks to Barry and Steve for a more accurate representation of what I was trying to say. I did mislabel Ahnold as a "nickname"; "variant" would have been a much better way to put it. I stand by my original assertion with that substitution, however. Just wanted to give a quick shout-out to those two; hope I'm not stirring up the pot again. Thanks to Jill and Michelle for a quick but very enjoyable Monday puzzle!

Strong enough debut that a shout-out is in order. I did not find it as challenging as some (we all know how that pendelum swings among us), but it was a puzzle I enjoyed thoroughly from start to finish. Perfect Tuesday, methinks. Thanks, Jonathan!

I've disliked so many recent puzzles that I'm compelled to express how much I enjoyed this one. Like many others, apparently, I was immediately optimistic when I saw it was a Curry/Zhang collaboration. It did not disappoint. Clever clueing, reasonable trivia, fun theme. Every older Gen X-er remembers CB's - it was nice to reminisce for a minute. For me, it was a perfect Wednesday puzzle, and with a nice cup of coffee, a really wonderful start to the day. Thank you both!

This comment probably won't get by the emus but I quit as soon as I saw a clue that referenced Kobe Bryant. I was very good friends with a deputy in the Vail police department so I was privy to a lot of inside information. I'll leave it at that.

Agree with most that this was pretty easy Friday. Just out of curiosity, do most people who do crosswords monitor their solve times consistently? I couldn't care less how long it takes me (and certainly don't care how long it took others, but post it if you must), and have no idea what my average times are. I'm certainly not saying there's anything wrong with it at all. To each their own, absolutely. It just seems like I am in the minority. Does pretty much everyone keep track of their times?

I had to put off the crossword until the afternoon today. Aargh. Love my 6am Sunday morning crossword but can't always make it work. Thoroughly enjoyed it, although there were definitely a couple of stretches in there. I did happen to get the theme after litterbug so figuring the rest out was quite fun. Thanks, Dylan and John!

Like many others, I saw Sam's name and thought I might be in for a bumpy ride. Instead it was smooth, all downhill, and over much too quickly. I did find the theme to be amusing, so i guess there's that. Tomorrow is another day. Fingers crossed...