Chris
NY
Oh man…so unfortunately unenjoyable :(( First of all, what a construction masterpiece this is, seriously one of the most impressive constructions I’ve seen. But the solving experience left a lot to be desired. I don’t mind a puzzle being challenging or teaching me new things, but the challenges here were far from enjoyable. Eg it became quite tiring trying to find the corresponding “stolen” entry from the acrosses. Why couldn’t they be highlighted like they were in the other direction? And then at the end it took me a while to find the “replaced” squares as well, because sometimes they were correct (eg mary had a little lamb) and not obviously replaced. Couldn’t these squares have been circled or something? Finally, the complex construction inevitably also needs to some proper noun crossings eg SNERD/DARIEN, which for me was impossible (I put a T at the crossing) Anyway…great puzzle spoiled by unfortunate editorial decisions for the mobile version
Easy overall, but the crossing of ETALII and NEIL feels like a no no given the plausibility of an A at the intersection
Wow…kudos to anyone who was able to solve that. After a 100 streak, gave up on this one with about 30 blank squares, and even knowing the answers I don’t see how I ever would have solved it. Completely out of my wheelhouse. Oh well
Oof, PLASM crossed with SANTERIA and LOUSEUP was a natick for me…never heard of any of those. Rest of the puzzle was fun though!
This one cost me my streak:( how did everyone get into the NW corner?? Even Knowing the answers, I just can’t imagine how I could have gotten a toehold in that corner
@Eli F Did you understand the theme of the puzzle? Or read the wordplay column? Or not think that “cloud three” was odd as well?
Couldn’t one argue that a CFA is also, sort of, a money maven? And Wang feels like a reasonable entry for 12D
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