Craig
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WI
Is GAMY not spelled GAMEY typically? Lot of weak clues and odd solutions. Sorry, but this puzzle was a miss.
Ice rain? Can't say I've heard that ever used here in Wisconsin! TAUTEN and WELCHS also stuck out as weird and clunky answers. Lot of proper nouns too, and having two Italian words intersect is...interesting for a puzzle in the New York Times. Not the biggest fan of this one but a Thursday with no rebus puzzle is always appreciated!
By no means a bad puzzle, often clever. But I just am not a fan of rebus puzzles. Call me a staunch crossword traditionalist or no fun or whatever else, I find it to be a cheap gimmick even when it clicks. Don't even give me a "don't do Thursdays" or "why be negative" or "you just don't like things that are different". I just like my crosswords to have a single letter in each square. I do Thursdays because I like the challenge and many of the gimmicks that aren't rebuses. I look forward to doing another puzzle from Rena Cohen, I want to reiterate I thought much of this was clever and fun...except the dang rebus squares!
Not a fan of "rewind" abbreviated as REW, have usually seen RWD or RWND. Other than that minor nitpick, good puzzle!
No, not every baseball inning starts with NOONEON. Unfortunately the MLB has a commissioner that hates baseball and for the past five years extra innings have started with a runner on second during the regular season. This crossword was already annoying with a gimmick about a musical I have zero interest in seeing (personal gripe I know) but to have just factually incorrect clues and answers makes it even more challenging.
Fun puzzle, but MAA? Can we make a rule no more "barnyard sounds" as clues? Too many variants for writing out the sound numerous possible animals make. I, like I'm sure many others, put in BAA initially.
Definitely a little much for a Tuesday as much as seasoned vets on here will tell you otherwise. A little reliant on proper nouns, and some odd clueing. Not a great puzzle imo
Wish rebus puzzles would be relegated to Thursdays only.
Obligatory "I don't like rebus puzzles and have wished them to go away for years now", but to give credit where credit is due this one at least they felt both thematically fitting and the puzzle itself made it clear they are present. Fun puzzle.
Rebus puzzles on Sunday too? Good grief, at least the clues lead you in the right direction. Was not too fond of this puzzle, found 5D and 121A in particular to be weak clues. Admit this is more or less just a personal qualm, but why don't we keep the rebus puzzles for Thursdays?
Obligatory "ew not a rebus"...but I must say this is one of the better rebus puzzles I've done. I appreciate how the puzzle indicates where the rebus squares will be located. Clever usage of the rebus as well, although I will say just knowing Hakeem had a quadruple double made it a lot easier for me than I would imagine it would be for someone who didn't know that fact. A rebus puzzle I enjoyed...never thought I would see the day. Kudos!
The clue for DIALUP had me chuckling. Fun puzzle, although I must say I found this easier than yesterday's, felt more like a Monday than a Tuesday puzzle.
Too gimmicky for me, but it is Thursday after all. Hope others enjoyed!
Rebus on Wednesdays now too? Is any day safe for just a normal, one letter per square puzzle anymore? Keep the gimmicks to Thursday. That being said, this was alright for a rebus and satisfying enough to complete. Appropriate difficulty for a Wednesday, I just loathe rebus puzzles personally
Wait, BODEGA is in fact just a corner store?? I've been told by New Yorkers for years that it is something so holy and sacred that us simple folk in the middle of the country can't even comprehend a corner store within walking distance that has groceries and a deli, something that exists all over the country.
@Erin I like doing the crossword and as a hobby occasionally construct some of my own. I usually pop in here to join the discussion, and yes I do criticize as well. I love crosswords, and I did not know that discussion about something needs to only be positive. So what if people have complaints? Let them complain! Is a comment section not meant for people to leave their comments?
The plural of Lego is "Lego", not "Legos". Do people frequently make this error? Yes, but the fact remains that they are incorrect. Minor quibble for an otherwise enjoyable puzzle.
Not a great puzzle but doable. BELA / LENAPE was a tricky intersection (perhaps a Lugosi clue would be more fitting for a Tuesday) and the theme did nothing for me (in fact misspelling EENY was the last part I had to correct to complete). Upon completion I "get" the theme, it however was of no use in solving.
Obligatory "I don't like rebus puzzles" comment. Whatever. To this one's credit I clued in on it fairly quickly but I can't say I'm thrilled to see these on Wednesdays now too. Does anyone know of crossword puzzles as good as the ones on this site that do not have rebus puzzles? They are SUCH a pain to do by hand
For a rebus puzzle I thought this was rather fun
Minor quibble with the British spelling "SPIRALLED" being used when the clue is in reference to an American sport, but aside from that fun puzzle with a neat and well done theme. I do not have the issue above with "THEATRE" since the clue indicates it is British.
Interesting puzzle, I quite liked it. I was DELIGHTED to discover that this was not a rebus, huzzah! One letter to each square, simply magnificent.
@Mean Old Lady I vividly recall mine having RWD.
I know it is a Monday, but this was WAY too easy. 7:10 completion time on the website (no checking if correct while doing it). Finished it so quickly I didn't even notice there was a theme!
@B.C. It's rebuses. Know your enemy they say lol
Weak puzzle to be honest, some of these clues were really weak ("You got this" being NOPROB stands out as particularly egregious, no indication of it being an abbreviation).
I liked the puzzle but I will admit the theme did nothing for me in terms of aiding for the solve (outside the CROSSSTICH). PITCREW stuck out to me too as a very clever clue and answer. Fun puzzle!
@Barry Ancona Oh thanks, I wasn’t aware it was a crossword puzzle and that’s how they work! That’s how I solved it believe it or not, doesn’t change the fact I think “barnyard sound” is a lazy clue with too many possible variants
Rebus on a Wednesday? Ugh. Really wish they could be contained to Thursdays only (and yes I know there is precedent for them to occur on other days so no need to quote rebus stats to me. They by and large have historically been on Thursdays the vast majority of the time).
Middle of the puzzle is a little clunky, but I liked the theme.
Wednesday rebus, bleh. Didn't mind it as much as usual, the difficulty felt appropriate for a Wednesday and I guess would have been too easy for a Thursday (the only day that should have rebus puzzles if you ask me).
@Barry Ancona Yeah, I thought I made it clear but I can clarify. My stance is that crossword puzzles should have one letter per square. That’s it. Do whatever you want with structure or clueing from there.
@Barry Ancona That you have to put more than one letter in a square. It goes against natural solving instinct, it’s an artificial difficulty especially since you just have to figure out it even has them while doing it. It’s really not much more complicated for me than “a crossword puzzle should have one letter per square”.
@Barry Ancona I think I’ve been pretty clear this is my opinion throughout this conversation. I even said “call me a staunch crossword traditionalist” if you’d like. I understand they’re a thing, I still do them. I just don’t like them. Not to mention they’re a pain to do in pen.
@Eric Hougland That’s actually some good advice, thank you. I actually think I remember that one with the chess pieces when I had a phases of doing archived puzzles!
Obligatory "I don't like rebus puzzles please stop" comment. That being said, enjoyed the rest of this and the rebus itself was easy enough to figure out. I was not frustrated or annoyed, perhaps the highest compliment I can give a rebus puzzle!
ASHCAN...can't say I ever have heard that term instead of Ash Tray and I used to smoke!
Rik Smits? Haven't thought about him in ages!
@Janis Only if they are voting for Crawford, right? Why are you pretending that it is about the "civic duty"?
@Grumpy Is the New York Times not an American publication?
@Barry Ancona Acceptable but not standard. Again, this is a very minor quibble.
68 across is rather clunky in the clue wording.
Intersecting clues regarding sounds something makes is poor construction.
@Steve L Nah there are definitely some "bad" dogs, if bad means not fit for domestic life.
@Steve L Because they have on average the best standard crossword puzzles too here? I'm anti-rebus on principle, but still pay for the NYT crossword since it still is the best in the biz despite my rebus gripes. Honest question, do you know of an outlet that has crosswords that exclusively stick to one letter per box that are of the same quality as the ones from here?
@Barry Ancona Yes, I understand they’re puzzles. When you see a crossword grid, you think one letter per square. That’s my whole issue against them. You may disagree it’s cheap, that’s fine, just my opinion. The difficulty from them is less not knowing the answer than it is identifying it’s a rebus puzzle in the first place. Hence why I think it’s an artificial difficulty
@Eric Hougland Hahaha, I have a feeling that will not be the case. I’m philosophically opposed to them, but maybe since I like basketball and found the revealer immediately this one wasn’t so bad. Maybe a baseball themed one centered around triple plays could get me enthused too, but if the revealer didn’t make it abundantly clear which lines had rebus entries I’d likely have been a sourpuss like I usually am about rebus puzzles.
@B To be honest that was the one I didn't get either, but easy enough to guess "E" with "XIT" following