Deri

@Sam Lyons, agree completely. This was tough, I couldn't get a toehold, and then I really didn't think I would finish. After maybe a dozen shameless google queries, I got it. And enjoyed (almost) every minute of it.

@Andrzej. I’ve always thought that cabbage meaning money comes from the idea that cabbage is green and paperlike, as is US currency. PS: I always enjoy your good will and insights. I’m glad you’ve stuck around.

@DYT, same. And it was completely plausible in my (stubborn) mind that actes were part of the National Mall.

@Steve L, I honestly thought it was a Seussian creature. Then remembered the Lorax.

@Rahul, Who remembers the 1970’s hit by the Motels, Only the Lonely? Well, 16-year-old me thought the line “Only the lonely get laid” was incredibly profound and insightful, and I patted myself on the back for understanding the implications. (It was YEARS later that I realized it was “can play.)

@Michael Weiland , BANG was also used in journalism to mean an exclamation point. (Yeah I guess I’m that old.)

@Andrzej, you’re right, it’s really a half pun. If it were a full pun, ALTERCATION would have the meaning / clue of something like [editing while on holiday] (which I almost never do). Still enjoyed the puzzle, though, maybe because it’s about a substantial part of my job!

@Amanda, not to mention the SNL character from, I’m guessing, 47 years ago.

@Shaleen, hah! My first time solving with TONS of lookups. Still enjoyed it!

@Steve L, agree with all, except for den. Not the same as family room at all, but more like a study or, in today’s parlance, a home office. Imagine Ward Cleaver in the 50s, coming home to June, Wally, and the Beaver and retiring to his den to read the evening newspaper. Fairly archaic and quaint these days. (My apologies to all Non-Americans and Americans under the age of 50 for the US-centric Boomer example, but it’s all I got.j

@Steve L , Indeed. Feature, not a bug.

@replay, along with NEXTDAYDELIVERY! Diverted me for quite awhile.

@Pcraves, my first stab was KILLIONTH (and PLONKED)

@Elyse, and DEAR SANTA next to SLEIGH!

@Francis, Twister! It dates back to the 60s. My son played it (unironically) in high school in the aughts, and looks like it’s still going strong.

@M. Biggen, my streak was recently broken as well, exactly 20 days ago. I thought I had forgotten to go back and fly speck or something similar. But now that you say yours broke 3 weeks ago, I’m pretty sure it was a NYT glitch. Oh well. You’re right, it’s quite freeing.

@Sophia Jones, I also do the puzzle on my iPad, and I don’t like the app’s interface (except for the Sunday xword). So I access the NYT in my browser, with one tab for the puzzle and one for wordplay.

@Ann, Did anyone else sing softly to themself as they filled this one in? 🎶 R E S, P EEE C T …

@Teresa, four!

@Bob, I came here to say exactly that!

@Andrzej, I think you misunderstood TOTAL to mean wreck. It’s a verb, not a noun. To total a car means to be in an accident that TOTALly wrecks the car so it has to be scrapped.

@Rachel R., came here to say the same. Guess those days are long gone. Emus?

@Sue, yes, yes, yes! I’ve been waiting for someone to bring this up because it’s been driving me crazy. Sometimes the “show thread” (or whatever it is) is there (like with this post, yay!), but mostly not. Thought it was just me.

@Vincent, hah! I was THREE seconds away.

@john Ezra, what @SP said. I was thrown off as well because the first one I got was MOCKUMENTARY, so I was looking for more mashups of genres. Took awhile for me to understand that it’s just that the genre itself is bent.

@Aaron, me too. But I first had an H there. Was pretty sure the Gray Lady wasn’t loosening up THAT much…

@JJ (And those cognizant in the 70s): Oo la la!

@Steve L, I still don't get it. What do the numbers after some of the clues mean? (ie, 14-16). Maybe I'm overthinking?