JonathanT

I always bump on SKITS being used to describe what SNL does. I recall from my improv troupe days that the preferred term is "sketches", although making that distinction may be limited to the pedants of the comedy scene (many of whom are never seen in comedy scenes). I've been playing for less than a year, so the thrill of completing a Thursday puzzle without consulting anything but my own brain is quite the rush!

Go over the line? is SUCH a good clue! When it clicked, I nearly applauded in my cubicle

Last week I read a comment from someone on here who had learned to trust their gut when it came to entering answers to nebulous clues, and by golly it worked for me today, especially on the phrase answers. I did trip myself up by putting Euro where I should have put PESO, but still got the sweet victory of a PB with no look ups. Good STUF!

Like someone else commented, SHE! connecting to CHIPSAHOY! was where I figured out the key to this one. I knew that interrobangs are (were?) a thing, so I assumed that exclamation points were called "bangs" at some point in history. I gather I was sort of right! Also, is there a German word for the feeling when filling in an answer makes you realize what a connecting answer is and that repeats until you've solved a corner or more of a crossword? What a rush!

For 21A, I had an instinctive (and correct) guess, but I could not recall the specific name of the comic strip. All that came to mind was Tina Fey yelling "Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! ACK!", a cutaway gag in a scene in the second season of 30 Rock.

It's a good sign when your day starts with a BOOBY! I plan to give DAS BOOT to ANY flim FLAM that comes my way today!

I got 6A immediately because I am a big fan of Troy & Abed In The Morning Sometimes fake TV show bits in sitcoms are quite helpful!

A very fun puzzle to start off the day makes Mondays a little more bearable! One little nit I'd like to pick is 45A; having watched all 46 seasons of Survivor, I can only think of one season where contestants slept in a HUT, which was the season played in Gabon. Due to the risks posed by the wildlife, production built solid huts instead of having the contestants build their own structure. Otherwise the structure they sleep/lounge in has been referred to as simply "the shelter".

The only nit I want to pick is that I am of the belief that the Mini Crossword should not have an identical (or near identical) clue and answer as the Full Sized Crossword. It just doesn't seem right, but alas what can I do but state my dissatisfaction and hope the powers that be allow it to be AIRED beyond this little text box I'm typing in.