Responder
Midwest
The only thing stolen here was my time and enjoyment. Glad that one is over.
If Will Shortz won't be able to edit (wish him the best of health) soon or any longer, please find someone else who can continue in his style. Have been doing the NYT XW since circa 1975 so not new. This cluing was dismal, uninspired and not in keeping with the typical patterns.
I thought OPENENDER was a slangy stretch. openendeD would be a descriptor.
This is my favorite type of Sunday gimmick puzzle. Just love the animation. A kid at heart.
Instructions did not work for me. Said you could enter PHII/O but only when I changed them all to PHI did it solve. Too gimmicky for me.
You know it's a complicated theme when you solve it but still have to come here to learn what those longer clues even mean.
@Serablue Abs as in abdominals. You have to lose the belly fat on top of the muscles to see them/the abs. You don't gain the washboard look solely by exercising. Hope that helps.
What kind of scout wears a VEST? Sash, yes, but never saw a vest. What am I missing??
I was stuck on people's names, which gets harder as we age. Too many singers, authors and actresses in the puzzles these days. ANI and WIEST was the final solve. I had had ANA. BELA was easy enough to guess. ASTAIRE and ANNAN are old and well known enough to pass my cognitive filters. Too many obscure names to make it great for me for a Tuesday. (and can we talk about LENAPE?)
I've never heard FOLLOW YOUR BLISS and had follow your heart instead.
@BB Agree. I had HEARTFACE for a long time. I have never heard of LAY for ballad and think it is a terrible clue for a Tuesday level.
@Jane Wheelaghan Doris Day, the actress from the 1940's-60's.
Solved it but with huge questions after. Thanks to the today's Gameplay column for explaining that the spoonerisms are in th CLUES, not the answers.
Satisfying solve today. Couldn't help but think that the British crowd must be happier with the clues today. Cheers!
48 D: Parfait topping? Hardly. I know it could be yogurt but still--it is often granola, not one ingredient in granola.
@Rhona Scoville Right, but oats are an ingredient baked into granola, and not commonly used alone. I agree with @Matt that it was a poor clue.
@Janine Same. or should I say SAME! ? I was expecting "BANG" to turn into bullet hole graphics but then with today's political climate, that would have been insensitive. The exclamation was a much better choice.
@Holland Oats Or move to the LA Times. Yeah, awful.
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