Rob D (Côte d'Azur)

BELL LAP? (Fine for track and field. White flag is in Nascar - no bell.) SEEPY? No, just no.

All 10s and 4s. Can't even imagine trying to build something like that - and that on a Sunday scale. Well done!

OK, fine puzzle. Just one quibble. There’s colloquial, and then there’s just made up. DONEZO is the latter. Too long a stretch, even for Saturday.

I live in France, and even I have to say that using a word ("avec") buried in the SIXTH verse of the Marseillaise is close to unreasonably obscure. I mean, I don't know a single French native who would know that reference, and it's their anthem for crying out loud! Having said that, I was stumped, completely, at about halfway. Then, once I pulled the reveal lever, I thoroughly enjoyed the various wordplays and cleverness. I love the fact that sometimes it's not solving it but appreciating the creator's skill that's the point. Great time!

Puzzles are about fun. Smart fun, sure. But fun. If you're trying to help someone be a better constructor, send the criticism privately. If you do it publicly, you don't end up looking helpful, or smarter than them - though it seems like you might have been trying to do that. Instead, you just sound old and cranky - maybe even a little mean - which seems a little early for you.

Seems to me the best puzzles challenge the solvers enough to feel like we really accomplished something (and yes, make us feel clever with you). That's a fine line, and you did it very well. Thanks so much.

It's a cold, rainy Sunday morning in Paris - and a perfect time for this charming puzzle with a café au lait. Thanks for a fun 39 minutes!

Good stuff. SW stopped me briefly (as others have noted). But BEERMAT was just annoying. I guess I just need to go to my local pub and ask the bartender.

Marvelous. Just marvelous. Thanks for a real Sunday morning treat.

Thoroughly enjoyed. A little sad to hear of CD's "short lifespan" in commentary (made me feel old as I remember how excited we all were about them). At the same time, learned some new words/phrases: squircle, dope sheets, Lomé. I always like that. Reinforced "Kent" which was new to me a few days ago. A pleasure. A little easier than most Saturdays, but that was fine for me after the workouts on Thursday and Friday. Nice job.

I had no idea that "ship" was used in this way - I got it from the crossings - but it was delightful to learn something new. Short for "relationship," I now have to practice with the person I've been shipped with for more than 30 years.

Lots of fun. I had never heard the word "japan" used as a verb before. I checked dictionaries, expecting to be able to give you a yellow card (ah ha! gotcha!), but no, there it was. first thing, right in the good ol' Merriam Webster. A transitive verb meaning to give a shiny coat of lacquer, etc. Impressive!

Breezy, light and fun. But “OPUSES”? No. No, no and no.

"Escalator clause." Increasingly delicious.

Fun, but surprisingly easy, especially for a Saturday. I was intimidated by the grid structure at first, but it broke open very quickly. 3 down is a complete mystery to me. Solved it by crosses, but I still can't seem to get it.

I'm just having a terrible time getting how "A pop" solves to EACH. I got it because of the crossings, but still. Help!