EnglishRose

Loved this. And although I completed it under my average time, I don't think it was because it is 'easier', it was just that I didn't have to struggle with US sports clues or geography (although I'm gradually getting better at these...). Took me while to realise it was ASH not ant....

bald, then soft, before SORESPOT SKImSTONES before SKIPSTONES SARee before SARAN (we call it clingfilm) Didn't know MANIOC or EARLAP (how is it not flap?!) Definitely a challenge for me this morning. Good Friday!

I needed a lot of help with this one. I had so many false starts: never for GODNO, class for CASTE, nets instead of EELS. I just made it harder for myself and got very confused. It's good for me to remember that we don't all make the same connections in our heads. It all made perfect sense once I had finally completed it, but some of the US specific clues (schools, sports etc) made it difficult to just guess a letter. I am still in awe of anyone who can compile these crosswords (any day of the week). Wakes my brain up every morning.

Not American, but got the idea fairly quickly (after forgetting rebuses exist). Just had trouble with unfamiliar names etc. My only complaint is I will have 'Sloop John B' going around in my head for the rest of the day. Remember learning it in school.

This was so fun. I think being british helped a little though. Also, as much as I am familiar with the Sean Connery Bond films, it's always Eddie Izzard's impressions of him in his early stand up shows (1990s) that stay in my head. Maybe the humour has dated a little by now, but Noah (as voiced by Sean Connery) speaking to God (voiced by James Mason) about turning the ark into a shpeedboat is hilarious forever. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3LU2Ilx1GE" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3LU2Ilx1GE</a>

Feel like I might have been the only one to put in LaPdancERS before LIPREADERS...

Didn't have any of the PC format issues others are commenting on - maybe because I use Firefox and possibly it was sorted out before I started? Love the puzzle today - only took a bit longer than usual because I forget the differences in spelling words such SOMBER (sombre) and PROGRAM (programme, unless its a computer). Silly mistake, as I've been doing NYT crosswords for a long time now.