HeidiK

Well ok now -- FINALLY a Saturday puzzle worth of being called a Saturday puzzle! Very nice. Very nice indeed!!

"His puzzle will probably be most challenging for solvers who prefer trivia to idioms", per the Wordplay column. Well, yes - but the rather lame and not very clever phrases used in abundance in this puzzle aren't really idioms. And it's not a matter of being challenging, it's a matter of being really annoying. What, I ask, did we poor hapless puzzle solvers ever do to deserve all this in just one puzzle: --"Please, we don't need the details" (SPARE US) --"That's just great," sarcastically" (GOTTA LOVE IT)" --"Our parents will kill us!" (WE ARE SO DEAD) --"Don't flatter yourself!" (AS IF) --"My word!" (HEAVENS) There were some clever clues, granted; but for me, the puzzle was indeed not my favorite. I really wish that the NYT would reverse the unfortunate trend that seems to be taking the puzzles in such a phrase-heavy direction.

That was fun! Yes it was a bit hard to tell sometimes what the active cells were, but that's ok - it was worth it! Clever and colorful - big win in my book.

8A (eight across) - really?? I would have thought that NYT would have exhibited just a bit more class. Honestly. P.S. Will Shortz - hope you're doing well and will be back soon. We need you.

Nice. Finally, a Saturday puzzle worthy of the name.

Bravo, Simeon Seigel! BRAVO, I say...!

This a WEDNESDAY puzzle, and nothing could ever convince me otherwise. Sigh.

Please tell me no one is actually going around referring to a municipal bond a "muni" (52D). Gag. (Also, this seemed more like a Wednesday puzzle than a Saturday puzzle...)