Paul

Random down under tidbit, Kmart is a reimagined giant again in Australia.

Is Meccano really not better known than the American branding? Who knew peach or plum could make one 3x3 section so tricky, tried pit and pie first. Glad 17A was editor enjoyed but imo, it hits a bit… gauche?

So no one else went medieval with height stretching and solved On the rack? Which fit and I guess could have been an option for lonely knaves…

Needed some help but first 4 day stretch completed.

First 5 day, learned some things, found some solves odd options like headslap and not facepalm and a caplet is an easier to swallow tablet.

Here for the comments on 54 A… 🍿 How many seabirds have there been in puzzle? 6a is a great one though.

A fairly recent puzzle taught us Deb would be a wordplay column Emerita.

In and outside of NZ, where the Moa was found, it should be fairly well known that we don’t call any part of Aotearoa “down under”.

Good week for the averages although the Nth and clues like it got me more than some crossings. A good one for some camp fun and learning other trivia, MisterRightNow from yesterday would have fit in to this puzzle.

I enjoy making a good bechamel, starting with the Rue, but it’s important to not let it sashay away. Great for the poshdads munchies a lasagne. Got there in the end. Enjoyed Helena BCs line about Bridge in the new 7 dials series, wouldn’t play it because an American (?) invented it on a boat.

Some crunch for Monday. Haven’t heard of a movable feast? My brain went to roasts instead of baking and an incorrect cross led to Meatwaves 🙃. Offbeat but in the vein of Wordle saying my first guess of Bikie was a bold choice(?)!

The original Sophists sound like someone to avoid…. Really thought Pish was meant to be a theme answer as pish posh, and missed for a long while the Ace / As a set error I had by having “in a set”. Was good going up to about 3/4s in though. I don’t Know, the grid size seems to lead to being a bit lost by the end of a rebus is involved- but glad to do my first full week.

Short and sweet like a scoop of Hokey Pokey, National ice cream of New Zealand, unofficially. Boysenberry swirl is up there too. Finally back on a streak after some Sunday and work delays.

6d a Madmen throwback. A regular solve wasn’t as easy to spot with today’s top story clue at 14a. And a clash hit, good clean fun and no wailing for today’s holiday Monday.

I started making up bar brawl moves like face claw with a bottle because I thought the middle was break ones block, which I guess started from not really knowing the crosses of 6d.

Ok, yes, this one needed a lot of, or a little patience... and whoop-dee-doo for those easily solving but apart from 1A being held at any time but at or after a birth, 21A being a total misdirect to the creature of folklore not the animal solve, and some very specific "secret" meaning crossings or crossings that could take multiple entries, it was not bad for a slog, just a big slog. Just a story about some bones I picked: "Hi, come one in, want's some coffee?", "Got any Half-Caf", "Sorry, have you got something stuck in your throat", "What, no, but I was admiring your floors, Pine?" "No, Fir, just like my Nana's house", "Oh, where does your Gram live?", "My who? Is that some kinda of Mot?" "Wot a Mot?" and so on...

Vastly different Tuesday, next one will be a crusher for sure. Do notifications happen for a PB? Can’t imagine I’ve done faster. I’ll give my self a “ding” for solving 7D without needing a check with Euro wife and have Isla Bonita and then a series of 80s songs played for my sins.

Thought we were getting more East and West theme with MGMT... "all along the western shore".

Row based security of theming. Nearly impenetrable. This thing of naming court teams as 5’s, I haven’t noticed it translate to Australian league teams, is it modern usage in the US? Until a little bug told me so I thought the maligned relo was drunk “uncle” Keith.

Is it just me or have there been some subtle Sister Michael references recently? I might need to wise up as it could just be my love of Derry Girls. Catch yourself on those correcting 32D it to LondonDerry today 🤓

Would love some extra clues today. While nonsensical to me I’ve solved 100A without hint, I’m so stuck on some others.

Faster than two Phil’s speeding of a cliff. Bet there was more than one ground hog day esque episode on the Enterprise.

Breezy as into 30 days with nearly 30 mins average. 49 D reminded me of that great “it’s beets!” sketch guesting Jeff Goldblum on Portlandia.

Pretty recent reuse of Steve Martin’s club but I liked fundamental/s solves.

Today’s ease was some justification for feeling Monday was trickier than usual. Still pondering the way the school bus driver is fitting…

A few unknown trivia searches needed, so a learning 1st puzzle for the year. Just have to unstick a spelling error somewhere.

Quick, but with some help. Surely nerts is a mild swear or curse or expression of shock, rather than an oath? It’s not known in I imagine many parts o the world, including mine. Under the radar fliers would have been my choice of clue for 34A.

So badly don’t follow the Marvel universe I nearly misnamed the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald, a cultural travesty avoided. “Yogi, once” has to be the clue of the month vote so far.

One of those ones correcting and simultaneously uncorrecting different initialisms at the same time to find end spelling errors. Apparently Saks are in trouble as of yesterday, so just in time for the clue.

Whats the term for non-artificial unsophistication? Just feeling that midway in, because alas I can’t even, who does(?), forget subtractive notation?

SMH at self, finally recalled Selma, but still earlier than I stopped confusing Insengard and Minis Tirith.

25D and 44A clues go together like a what do they have in common joke. The clue “gap” was near laconic for my simple brain, have to continue a search for the $10 reference.

Dark Comedy over the solve any day.

That was refreshing after Saturday and Sunday dragging out. A Camry is an urban icon in Australia. If they used them, there would be a picture of it next to Sedan in the dictionary.

Another quick day two to give me that extra kick for the week, which seems like a more natural clue than extra punch?

A bit more twist for a Monday, nice. As a good pet dad I feel like it bears repeating that the association of the clue and solve for 23a is not a recommended sensory stimulation pet to toy pairing. It gives them nothing but satisfaction lacking FRAPS to quote a previous solve for pet behaviour.