Elaine

@KC This is surprising to me. There was almost no trivia/proper names. What did you find to be exclusionary about it? The theme?

@James I had literally four fills after two runs. I’ve been doing the NYT crossword for almost a decade. You said what I didn’t know I was thinking.

@rajeevfromca I believe the nod in each clue is the “I thought I saw…” type ending. Did you really see Big Foot? Or was it actually BICFOOT, which is nothing really?

@Francis this comment made me chuckle. I managed with only two lookups (Zapata and Howard, both before my time and sadly not part of my education). But it was doozy. Proper Saturday it was!

@Richard It was my last corner, but I disagree— I thought it was in keeping with a Saturday NYT puzzle. I guessed churros—I’m from Tucson, Arizona and I’ve had my share. I picked away at boxes based on tense/agreement, and I looked up Howard. Then it dropped. I knew the breakfast spread was going to be a play on “spread,” but I didn’t know whether food or blanket. No bones needed ;)

@SP For what it’s worth, I agree with your first sentence. Some of the great fill that the constructor said was cut should have remained! This was technically brilliant, but didn’t have the wit I suspect it started with.

@Striker THANK YOUUU I was stuck looking for my mistake for ages. Something felt off with pOSEE but I had no idea RAp was wrong.

@Jonathan Baldwin Have to agree with Arthurs … the clue feels off either way. Chicken and egg, I think.

@Mos My natick thank you for helping!!

@Tim Indeed. Had to come here to find out what it needed to be. Two acronyms crossing was definitely a Nattick, and I’m a Gen X American! (In the Great Level of Difficulty War, I fall on the “keep it challenging” side, so this didn’t bother me one bit. But for a Monday I’m sure several folks will be a bit tweaked.)

@Steven M. Same

@Gregg Gregg I was looking for my mistake for ages! Thank you!!!!?

@Tim AND I just realized I read the clue wrong which is why I missed it! “Or” not “FOR” 😭

@Isabeau maybe you’re in a test group… it looks like it always does for me? What has changed? Do you mean that we have to tap into it in app instead being taken to the website?

@Astro prof This I did not know, and I would have lost my gold star streak had it not been noted. I learn something everyday.

@Susan E I can see my average and best times over the years they track it. Not only have the puzzles “felt” easier, they are verifiably so. It is great that you enjoy the easy puzzles. The puzzles will continue with a robust audience.

@Kit I did. I read “for BB” instead of “of BB” so my brain just thought RCA.