Kathryn

When I SAW NBC SPORTS was airing BOSS BATTLE, I thought it was a PR STUNT, but when EDWIN and I PERUSED the LURES, we SMILEd and said SURE we’re ready for a RAP DUO doing BMX TRICKS. But then a SQUALL came up and OUR coverage WENT PFFT as did the GLITTER on our LGBTQ FLAG. “OH NO,” I said, but EDWIN said, “NAH, don’t ARGUE with fate. My ESP tells me it’s an AUSPICIOUS sign. Besides, there’s bound to be GAPS.” “OUI OUI” I said. Bored, I got thinking about my wardrobe and how I wear POLO when making BOGEYs, DKNY when PJS won’t do, FILA when AT BAT, and SUEDE when visiting the POLES, one of which is where we keep our pet ORCA, who we call ISOLA. She NESTS on the KAVA SEA BED. One day, she was DROOLing for some OREOS (something about the colors). “ARE you kidding,” I said, “the Spanish YETIs made ESOS cookie jars EMPTY, the CADS. Those ONES never BEHAVE! Would you settle for a ROMA tomato?” EDWIN APED a YETI eating OREOS to tease ISOLA and then said he’d lend her his DEBIT card to buy TEN OREOS, and SLIPped in “maybe you can even BUY A VOWEL.” YIKES, ISOLA was furious and BLAREd, f-you and the horse you RODIN on.” That caused some JOLTS and I said, SO TO bed I will go, which EDWIN thankfully ECHOed, before ISOLA threatened to SECEDE.

I’m EDIE CENA, CHAIR of the SQUARE DANCE. I’m here to brag about my fascinating guests. First and foremost, LIBERACE, freshly MANSCAPED and looking svelte from months of AVID adherence to a NO CARB PLAN. He was stunning in DIOR. I thought, “AMORE di amore!” We were graced by ALI ADAB, the most prominent of the EMIRS in attendance, along with their wives in NIQABs. Then there was Milli Ami, the life of every PARTY, who so enjoyed the XIN, (or is it Zin?) that she began chanting VIVE LE ROI, understood by no one but enjoyed by all. REN YEN was there, a Chinese diplomat and a CPA, but hardly a stick in the MUD. He GETS COMFY in any room. Our musical guest was rap group “STEALTH PERPS RPM” (no “The”), of you TUBE fame, accompanied by their pet MACAW named MINI, and their manger PAPA BEAR. Of some concern was FBI agent, TED TRENT, a sometimes AMNESIC. He REACHed INto his cold case files and saw that “YEN REN” was an international spy who he confused with our guest, REN YEN. I could go on about how TRENT SET A TRAP, BLOCKed CELL RECEPTION, but fortunately for you dear reader, there is a word limit.

Deb, Thank you for all your wisdom. Happy Trails, Kathryn

For submission to the editors suggestion box: In paragraph two, today's Wordplay author states, "I know nothing about sports..." I often wonder if this is true, or mostly true, about constructors and their editors in general. There's plenty I know nothing about, but sports is not one of them. So I find it curious that sports terms are so often mangled or down right mistaken in sports related clues / answers. Yesterday we had the bewildering assertion that a basketball ref would issue a traveling violation warning. No. Never. And then just the day before a tennis shot described as a DINK instead of a drop (shot). What? And just prior to that, the assertion that a layup could be somehow described as LAID IN. I know this has been defended as "it's okay because it's a crossword." As a sports person and sports fan, sports should be accurately represented, not twisted to suit the constructors fill, IMO.

Congratulations to Mr. Schiff on such a brilliantly constructed puzzle! Loved the theme and I loved the visual. My brain was scrambled at first with the IOs and PHIs, but it all came together quickly. Unfortunately, I entered each rebus "IOPHI" which was not acceptable. That doesn't take away from your hard work here. Hats off to you!

Yet another word I apparently stored in my brain's junk drawer: CONGEE. Recalled it with the help of some crossing letters, but have no idea what it came to mind, no idea why I "know" it, and certainly never have eaten it. Weird.

3 Down - Tennis line judge's ruling: Correct answer is "in" or "out." They never say "it's in," or "it's out." Finally entered the wrong answer correctly.

I wonder if "SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND" was another clue provided by the constructors to help find the solution to this puzzle. I saw the "confirmations" in the slants, but thought they were further confirming the confirmations I mistakenly entered as rebuses. I see the error of my ways, which I do EVERY DAY ALL DAY.

I don't understand all the no rebus complaints. Wouldn't entering the two letters have made the down answers wrong? Isn't the point of the rebus that it works both ways? Also, can anyone tell me why we were taught: "I before E, except after C, or in words... neighbor..." when there are so many exceptions?

As a Lab adorer, especially the Blacks, I was thrilled to see PUPPY LOVE cross with LAB. I also owe thanks to that LAB because, with POCO and UNIX in place and little else, LAB saved me from entering PULVERIZE. I don't play the lottery but might do so today, as completing this puzzle involved lucky guesses and heavy reliance on my brain's junk drawer. Never heard ON A HEATER but guessed it and now thinking I could be on one!?!

With just a blank space, I didn't know the answer "medusa." But once I had a few crossing letters, especially the first and last, medusa came to mind. I looked her up, was horrified by what I saw, but pleased to have the right answer. This happens to me so often. Is there a part of the brain that stores stuff you really don't know, but are words you've seen and heard here and there? Is it the equivalent of the brain's junk drawer? Hoping some neuroscientists are reading along!

As to the STRUM vs. THRUM controversy, it got me too, but not only did the dictionary clear up my confusion, but the constructor's notes made me think, "he would know!" "... I am also a pianist and musicologist working as an adjunct in music history at a local university."

I've never seen anyone waterski on the ocean, and surely not on the beach.

Yet again... For those with an in-depth knowledge of golf (me), PGA, for short, refers to The PGA of America, an organization of club and teaching professionals. Short for The PGA Tour, is "the Tour," which is an organization of professional golfers who compete on The PGA Tour. So the correct answer in the golf world to "Tour overseer, for short" is "the Tour." BTW, I have no problem arriving at the correct *crossword* answer to these mangled sports references. My problem is that I do so by thinking, "what would someone clueless about XYZ Sport think is the correct answer?" Otherwise, a great puzzle. I had no clue SNEEERY was a word, and had no idea that the was a car in 1974 with airbags. I don't even remember seat belts in those days.