Jonathan

i phi had a dollar for every rebus in this puzzle… I’d have $8. T-phi-p puzzle, Mr Schiff

I was moderately annoyed that some of the HORSES only worked across or down, but not both. Upon reading the column, I realized that ORC(H)EST isn’t a word on it’s own, and that while PAS(S)ING is a type of hit, the full name is PAS(S)ING (S)HOT is even better. My annoyance is gone, and I’m in awe of the brilliance and complexity of this construction. It was an enjoyable solve too!

The three long answers in the middle are a tragedy in three parts of a gambler down on their luck PLAY IT COOL DOUBLE OR NOTHING ROCK BOTTOM Very evocative. The stacks in the top and bottom tell a story too. Top stack: two friends preparing to go out “Easy TIGER, you might want to DIAL IT BACK.” “What, you want me to be ANTISOCIAL?” “No, I’m just saying BARBIECORE might be a bit much for a trip to the LONDON ZOO.” And the bottom tells the story of an agreeable quarterback open to suggestions from his coach on how to speed up the game.

When I was 13, I was doing… not this. Impressive solo debut!

I think I might have to save WEIRDFLEXBUTOK for the Thursday comment section the next time someone says something like: “I haven’t done a Thursday puzzle in 5 years, and this is my 40th week in a row telling everyone in the comments.” Great Friday puzzle!

Phew! I managed to catch on to the trick pretty quickly and ended up racing through this puzzle, but it definitely required more brainpower and focus to get the job done. A great use of the creative freedom offered by Thursday!

Impressive puzzle. If you didn’t like it, I recommend checking out the revealer. (Also appropriate advice for those who rage about rebuses on Thursday)

On my first pass though, I was concerned that if (left TO) my own devices, I wouldn’t get anywhere. But once I got (down TO) the theme, it all came together. Let’s get (right TO) it, this was a lot of fun. What’s everyone else (up TO) later?

UNCANNY VALLEY is not to be confused with the UNCANDY VALLEY, a summer camp between the hills for sugar-addicted children.

Did you like the puzzle today? I was very much on the same wavelength as the constructor. IS THAT A YES OR A NO? It’s a yes from me! Lots of fun today

For me, the best puzzles, and especially the best Thursday ones, make me, as the solver, feel clever when I pick up on the theme. I loved this theme. The right amount of challenge, subtlety and obscurity.

I was sitting on an airplane, waiting for maintenance to fix it, when the puzzle was released. I think I audibly gasped when I saw the two triple stacks. Not unlike my flight, this crossword took a lot longer than normal for me, some outside help was enlisted to get to the destination, and I got there eventually. And ultimately, the journey was difficult, yet satisfying.

Fast and fun! Rhyming crossers? I’m very here for this. Some delightful phrases in this puzzle that are not only evocative, but also very fun to say.

I really enjoy Friday puzzles, and Adrian Johnson is one of my favourite constructors. I found this one considerably tougher than his usual puzzle, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Clever cluing, pleasing and lively stacks, and a nice mix of (for me) gimmes and brain busters.

Adrian Johnson is one of my favourite themeless constructors, and while I’m not always on the same page as Ryan McCarty, I’ve learned to appreciate and respect his Saturday puzzles. This felt like a spiritually pure Saturday puzzle. Challenging, and very satisfying when I got it finished. Well done

I figured out pretty quickly that the black square hid “BACK”, and my general thought was ‘meh’ as a theme. And then I realized all four clues fed into BACK, and I saw how much more fun and more impressive the theme was! Awesome! Also, I was so, so confident that “Check for a flat?” solved to TUNE, going down the musical path. That tripped me up for a while.

Perhaps appropriate for this puzzle, out of ANY corner, I found the NE corner the most challenging. This was a great Thursday puzzle in my books, if NE -one care.

Don’t want to get too far over my skis this morning, but this puzzle gave me a lift! Seems like I might be in the minority today.

I said to my family when I saw the byline this morning “Well, there goes my streak.” However, this ended up being one of the faster Saturday puzzles I’ve ever done. Reading the Constructor Notes, I’d say Sam nailed his goal. Challenging, Clever and ultimately doable. When I got DARNIT, I broke into a grin. That was my favourite clue today.

The theme made me smile when I figured it out, and while I probably didn’t need it to complete the puzzle, it sped up the SE corner by helping me complete QUEEN OF CARNIVAL. I had been looking for a trick that give me enough room for QUEEN OF BOURBON ST or QUEEN OF MARDI GRAS earlier, and when no tricks were to be had, figured I would need to come back with the crossings. For me, a nice, pleasant, gentle Sunday puzzle, after a long and tiring day!

That was both thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly stressful! Well done.

So many companies. My head hurts. I think I need a Brand-Aid. I quite enjoyed the theme. Quite clever.

Not quite my best Saturday time, but close. After the last couple dastardly Saturdays where I made liberal use of Check Answer, I was very much on the same wavelength as the constrictor today. PHANATIC and POLYMATHS came immediately, followed by CHOCOLATEMALT, WINDOWWASHER and ANYTOWNUSA, and I was off to the races. Not going to happen all the time, but it was nice to feel extra clever today and get my Saturday confidence back up :)

My goodness. If your sneezes sound like that, please see a doctor 😆 Fun puzzle!

The black squares in the graph reminded me of Space Invaders. Anyone else? No? Just me then.

I loved this theme! Full marks for creativity. I had the joy of figuring out almost right away, and excitedly filled in a few of those downs right off the bat. Does that make me better than anyone else? Definitely not. Does it mean I’m smarter? Nope. Could I unknowingly share a hive mind with the constructor? Undoubtedly!

Certainly a “light and breezy” Friday for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Some incredible stacks today. I love the stories hidden inside. The NW is Adrian Johnson channelling his inner John Le Carre. The story of a spy in the SOVIETBLOC, (IM)ALLALONE as they RANLIKEMAD to find the INSIDEDOPE to bring back to their handler. And the SW is the trailer for a new version of The Infredinle Hulk starring AYOEDEBIRI. I can picture the scene of two dumbfounded cops, shocked after the Hulk, hopped up on Gamma Rays and CARBOLOAD(S)Ed, LUMBEREDIN so fast that it triggered their SPEEDTRAPS.

Oh boy… I saw “Minor menace” and PE__ and thought “Oh no” I guess the Epstein files have been in the news too much. I enjoyed the puzzle though

Not quite stacks, but the staggered long entries both vertical and horizontal (cascades?) evoked a nice story for nice. This is my favourite type of themeless puzzle, hands down. DAISYCHAINS KOOPATROOPA TOURDEFORCE A floral prize for someone who just beat a Super Mario game in record time. No ASTERISK required. SANTATRACKER SEALEDTHEDEAL CAMERALENSES The story of a smug kid who managed to catch of early glimpse of their Christmas presents ny spying on Santa’s sled with their homemade telescope.

Full marks for the theme! Creative and inventive, and as mentioned elsewhere, I loved that each “piece” of the theme made a word on its own. I didn’t love some of the fill, but overall I still found it an enjoyable and challenging puzzle.

Story stacks: Martha the WHITERHINO had a need for speed. After years of struggle, an ACTIVEWEAR sponsorship with Lululemon gave her the resources to go SUPERSONIC. *as a hotdog content commentator* “You can see from the MEATSWEATS on Chestnut’s forehead that he’s struggling out there. HOLYSMOKES, Kevin, Chestnut might lose. UPSETALERT!”

I always find I’m on the same page as Adrian Johnson. If I have a hunch or an impulse about the response to one of his clues, more often than not my instinct is right. That doesn’t happen with other constructors. In his Constructor Note, he mentions wanting to be great in this industry. In books, Adrian, you are! When I see your bye line, I know I’m in for a fun solve. Thank you!

Today’s Stack Stories: An overconfident office work brags to his co-worker about how he noticed the EMAIL SPAM thanks to his strong BUSINESS ACUMEN. His co-worker responds with a roll of her eyes: “Sue, BUSINESS ACUMEN. Or something LONG THOSE LINES.” A veteran, exhausted gumshoe working the night shift still has to MADE A STOP on their REVERSE COMMUTE to the DETECTIVE BUREAU.

I caught onto most of the trick and really enjoyed the solve. I totally missed the L and R components of the blinker squares though unt reading the column, which only increases my level of awe about the theme!

I found this one to be relative light and breezy for a Thursday. I enjoyed the theme, and agree with what some other commenters have said about the clues being a bit too obvious. Personally, I think no indication would have been too subtle for my taste. Maybe I’d go with something like a * in the clue of our special entries. It certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment though!