YooperJake
Michigan
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Michigan
Congrats on your debut Brian. Since much angst has been expressed thus far, I thought I’d add another data point in the “this was a normal Monday” column. My solve came in under 10 mins without any lookups, which is almost 5 minutes under my Monday average. For context, I’ve been doing the puzzle for about six months now (the app says 298 puzzles, that must include the archive). Sure, I’m immersed in American pop culture, and I was a huge NBA fan in the Michael Jordan era; helpful. I’m sympathetic to the plight of folks without those frames of reference, but aren’t bits of trivia expected in clues? I often watch BBC quiz and/or comedy shows (such as Countdown) that are filled with British humor and trivia. Personally, I connect much better with the former, but don’t let my lack of knowledge of the latter ruin the fun. Maybe I’m just chill since it went my way today. I’ve definitely come here with a proverbial pitchfork on other occasions 😅 I still really struggle at times, and I’m, admittedly, not a purist when it comes down to looking up an obscure trivia clue when I’m really stuck (usually Saturday). I lean into the “I’m learning something new” attitude with regard to those obscure (to me) clues. Historical actors, authors, poets, and musicians are a particularly weak area for me. Thanks to you all for the banter, it’s appreciated, usually silently. ☺️ HIGH FIVE to the Polish people for pierogi. 🇵🇱🥟 HIGH FIVE to the punsters everywhere. 🤓
Thank goodness for Bugs Bunny or I never would have gotten Sapor (oh, look, iOS says that’s a typo 😅). Perhaps those who got lost should have taken a left turn at Albuquerque? p.s. @NYT folks - I really miss being able to easily switch back and forth between the column/comments and the puzzle while using the mobile app. 🥺
@YooperJake I didn’t see anyone else talking about this, so I’ll share that my struggle was in the NW corner. Did you know that LUMO is an emerging robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi? Also, in my experience, usage of the word “capisce”, is almost exclusively expressed as a question, as in, “You dig?”. I didn’t capisce until I ca-peaked. 🙄😅
Regarding the U.S. tradition of trick-or-treating, at least where I live, there are customs/rules which make the event more enjoyable for all. For example, the expectation here is that kids should only visit homes with the porch lights turned on (or other obvious decor), which is seen as an invitation to knock/ring. Also, there are specific hours designated within many areas (18:00-20:00, e.g.) which limits the disruption. There is very little “tricking”, except perhaps the candy companies fooling us all into buying irrational amounts of sweet treats. 😅 Certainly some unruly teens smash a few pumpkins, or perhaps TP a frenemy’s house, which most would say is bad form. Any of that is mischief carried out well after dark and quite dissociated from the trick-or-treating activity. I think that, in many neighborhoods, it’s really a pleasant time to walk (weather depending) around with your children, greeting your friends and neighbors with a wave from the street as they hand out treats to the kids at the door. Some even offer treats for the adults, such as a beverage or a cup of chili. Happy fall y’all! 🍁🎃👻
“Sport-ute”? I get the portmanteau-ish thing here, but here in the land of ATVs and many an SUV, I’ve never heard anyone say this. Just wondering if it’s a regional thing (and if so, where) or new (to me) crosswordese or?…
@Hugh As in the Ent Moot
@Barry Ancona I’m with Barry on this one. If/when I come to Wordplay for help, I’ll generally read it a sentence or two at a time to limit spoilers. An early line like that would have had me back in the grid, determined to find the rebus. Fortunately, as for many, the crossings were attainable for me today, so I don’t fall into that trap, hopefully others will avoid it too.
@Helen Wright Macgyver is the titular character in an 80s action/drama show in which said hero would save the day by using his scientific knowledge to improvise a solution to a seemingly intractable situation. Ergo, “Macgyvering” has become a slang term for doing thusly.
Ouchie/hooray (it’s over)! Tough one for me, 50% over my average Saturday. After my first pass I had: PHONESHOME CRESTED [wattle you know, this was wrong] AMOCO COUPE ADEN PODS The downs yielded: NEEDS CHIAPET DISS SONARS VIXENS DANK IVE It was pretty brutal from there on. Eventually established a foothold in the SE and bridged to the SW via SECONDSTRINGERS. The NE was next, complexity compounded by my Casso-error. Finally took that out and started piecing things in. When I got to the NW I thought I’d never make it, but once ANDYKIM was revealed the rest was doable. Not a fan of EPT, but, whatevs. This is a puzzle that would’ve left me fuming a year ago, but now I’ve come to accept the ZARFS as part of the fun (?). 😅 Happy weekend to all.
@H.E. As a gamer, I’m inclined to agree, but have to admit that, while I typically think of “Mods” in broader terms, I guess something as simple as a outfit or weapon change could koalafy as a modification. I’ll have to ask the kids later.
@Fritz BLACKHOLES also fits. Ask me how I know! 😅
@LBG Wasn’t there an Eminem clue? Maybe Midi? 🧐😅
@kilaueabart I’d guess it’s the newish-ness of those terms. SIMulation (which can be run) And, as I understand it, “swiping” (right=good?) on profiles is how users give feedback and express interest (or lack thereof) in further engaging with the person.
@Grumpy I with you in this all the way. Also, good luck to the boys tonight. 🍁
@Andrzej Common treat (perhaps mostly in the NE and Midwest US?) from a vendor at a carnival or county fair. Around here, “saltwater taffy” is used most commonly to describe these bite-sized treats wrapped in waxed paper. People enjoy choosing their favorite flavors from a wide variety. IMO, they are best enjoyed fresh (before they harden through drying), like one would purchase from a carnival booth. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taffy_(candy" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taffy_(candy</a>)
Also, sometimes the mini gets me too, just one of those days. ☺️
Bonfire night sounds like a hoot. In this region, the night before Halloween is known as “Fox Night”, a time for mischief (and occasionally mayhem in locales). This tradition is odd and, in my experience, really only for teens looking to stir up a bit of trouble. I recall arson being a concern in the Detroit area in the 80s The potential connection to “Fawkes Night” never occurred to me before.
Enjoyed the puzzle, was stuck on BETATRON/TAMED for a while, not being familiar with the former, and reading wordplay where there wasn’t any into the latter (I had SATED until …RENOIR yielded the N for MEANIE. In Michigan, the YUGO was infamously known as the car that was blown off of the Mackinac Bridge by a gust of wind into the water below. Anyone else remember that rumor(?). I guess it’s time for me to “research” the topic.
Enjoyed the puzzle, though, I was hopelessly stuck without the happy music and finally succumbed to the temptation to peek at the answer key only to discover that the issue was with 47. I had OUST/OIRE, which I’m still certain is the better answer 😅. Why, oh why, would DUST be only tidying up, “in a way”?! To dust is to tidy up, quite literally, no? Whereas, to OUST someone can be said to “clean house”. With my grid completed, I looked up the confusing OIRE only to see that it means an OMEN in Finnish and “edge of a cliff” in Scottish Gaelic. Both of those seem fitting to presaging disaster, no? Certainly, I know the meaning of DIRE, but having OUST and seeming confirmation of OIRE, I was hopelessly stuck. Anyone else fall in this trap? Dying to hear your BENT.
@Steve L Perfection! 😭 I was thinking I should look this up and add to my post, but didn’t have time. #Chef’sKiss
@Barry Ancona I don’t see how this impacts @Grumpy’s point(?). Anyway, I was also disgruntled by the clue. As usual, I should have just put soda in and it would have been fine. Hesitancy pushed my time over my typical sun-minute goal.
@K I understand (I think) and agree with you 🙂. Unless Rebecca or Adam chime in, I guess we’ll never know for sure. 😅 Hope that you all are having fun hosting EuroVision! 🧑🎤🎶
@RF FWIW, I struggled a bit in this corner for the same reason(s). Seemingly plural clue, paired with the Marx brother I’m least familiar with. I was not familiar with the definition or etymology of the clue, but could IMPly it from similar terms. In the end, I had to admit that it was my failing on the 11D cross which was the real barrier to a complete and easy solve.
@slowlearner It’s another tennis term. A let is sort of a foul that stops play without penalty (or fault, in tennis parlance). In my experience, this is most common when the Serving player strikes the net with the ball, but the ball continues into the opponent’s court. If the ball hits the net and drops to the server’s side, or goes out of bounds, that would be a *fault*.
@Rich in Atlanta Neat, thanks for sharing! I’m in the Keweenaw myself. “Research” results: Apparently it was only a rumor, at least the wind being the cause, but a powerful enough one that the bridge authority has a webpage dedicated to the topic: <a href="https://www.mackinacbridge.org/ufaqs/can-vehicles-blow-off-the-bridge-during-high-wind" target="_blank">https://www.mackinacbridge.org/ufaqs/can-vehicles-blow-off-the-bridge-during-high-wind</a>/ So, a YUGO did go over, and, tragically, the driver died, but the authorities concluded that it was primarily due to excessive speed.
@K I’m curious, are you suggesting that you, or anyone else would(/did?) dismiss SOMM as an answer due to your knowledge that there are 4 related films? I hadn’t heard of the films, but I am now interested to watch one (or more). Anyway, I agree with your suggested interpretation and would cede the point to the constructors. Ergo, IMO it’s accurate to refer to the first 3 as a “2010s…trilogy”, even though there was a later release (after the 2010s). Personally, I got this one from crossings, saw “wine” and the connection to sommelier seemed fairly straightforward, but I am a bit of a foodie.
@DF I’m Al’s confused. Don’t want to peek yet, but I don’t think I have errors and no music yet. 😖
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