Petrol

Lots of commenters are arguing about whether this is a good or bad puzzle. Please let me offer an answer. My standard is this: WHEN YOU GET THE RIGHT ANSWER YOU SHOULD KNOW YOU GOT THE RIGHT ANSWER. When I look at BADTHING, all I can think is “really? Surely that can’t be right?” The clue might as well be “Death in the family “ or “Syphilis” or “An itch you can’t scratch”. All of these are bad things, just as much as a demerit, or more so. So I’m left wondering “If the answer is BADTHING” why is “Demerit” the clue?” Therefore, this is a bad puzzle.

I’m not inconsonant, just having regular vowel movements

I reckon the NYT crossword is an under-appreciated trivia educational aid. It enables Brits to learn American culture (i now know more about SSNs than I’d ever care to imagine), old fogeys to keep up with the youth speak (what on earth is NOCAP? This is the only way we’d ever hear about it) and everyone can argue about etymology (OCTOPI…. There, I said it!) P.s. my favourite etymological nitpick: “helicopter” is not heli+copter but helico (screw) + pter (wing). I hope that was uplifting for y’all!

After almost 50 years, I just got the joke in “Asterix and Obelix”.

Sam Corbin says she doesn’t like puns At least, only high-quality ones Her work must be painful If she’s disdainful For in the comments there are (usually) tons

FLEA is a respectable fill but I must register my shock at the clue which describes it as a “canine”pest. As an ardent cat lover this gave me paws and I am itching to set the record straight. In fact I am jumping up and down in indignation, ticked off and seeing red (well, small red welts in a few areas of my skin, anyway). The New York Times has a long record of bias on this issue. Clearly the theme of today’s puzzle was extremely dog-focused, with a mention of PEANUTS (an overt reference to the comic strip featuring a dog), another clue that was literally “molars and CANINES” (ugh!) and one that was about “PUPPY sounds”! (Bleeuch - have you actually met any puppies?) and a whole slew of clues that only make sense if you’re a mailman or someone putting things in boxes — a “boxer”?? oh yes, we all noticed that one! It is very important to recognize that Fleas (or by their proper name “Siphonaptera”) do not only affect dogs but also cats, lobsters, llamas, Eagles and probably succulent stars like Erma Bombeck and Stephen Rea. I demand that the NYT remove this offensive clue, if not the whole puzzle, and we start again from scratch! Meow! Yours parasitically, Claude

For those who are getting wound up in TV TAPE, please remember the creator of this puzzle is at high school! I’m not saying that to let him off the hook for a vote you disapprove of, but because at his age, a VCR looks like a Stone Age hand axe, so it’s not surprising if something has got lost in the sands of time. I think TV TAPE is actually pretty accurate. Great puzzle, kudos, keep em coming.

Lovely puzzle, especially in my loved up state ❤️(nobody knows about it apart from you) French note: Les petits morts = dead children (no VITALSIGNS!) Les morts petits = small corpses (OH CRUD!) Les petites morts = small deaths aka ORGASMS (Oh yes! Oh yes! Oh yes!) Kudos for YOYOSTRING and ANNEE! SONES were new to me.

I loved it. But I feel quite beaten up. Like I just had a really exhausting fight and emerged victorious… just! That southeast corner… A gripe about gripes: I’m afraid I have no sympathy for the complaints about names: as Brit I am constantly flying blind for at least two or three clues, because of holes in my Americana. What on earth is AP lit? Whoever heard of the AME? Who ever said “is so”, “am too”, “are not”? Can anyone name a single ice hockey player apart from Wayne Gretsky? (sp.?) What is IRA if not the Irish Republican Army? Deal with it!

The most amazing thing in this crossword is the notion that a dessert could be topped with Gummy Bears and chocolate chips. Oh, America!

THERESNOTWOWAYSABOUTIT: Wordplay was offline… should someone be sent to there SINBIN?

ARIL? ANGI? I’m not a fan, too obscure, especially on a Monday. (Not to mention AARONJUDGE (who he?) lying across ROGER ( who he?))

Extra fun for us foreigners today, trying to guess what Americans eat. AFAIK the diet includes: Oreos Rolos Oreos General Tso’s chicken Eggo Rye Aioli Eel Ahi tuna Various -ades Oreos again What did I miss?

I’m sure I’m not the only one who started with Napoleon’s big HAT, and went marching off in the wrong direction.

The porcine theme reminds me of possibly the greatest newspaper correction of all time… <a href="https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2951" target="_blank">https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2951</a>

Brag time: I finished it in 32:41 without looking at any of the Down clues. I only used the Acrosses. First time I’ve managed this on a Friday. AT LAST! RARITY! Great puzzle!

I’m afraid this fails my test, formulated when I was doing cryptic puzzles: you should know when you’ve got the answer right. APPLYTO? PLOYS? This puzzle had some tenuous linkages between clues and answer, in my view.

Adding my voice to the many many comments from people who are unhappy with this and the recent run of crosswords. A hard crossword is not necessarily a good crossword. I got BADTHING and a bunch of other clues and I repeatedly thought “surely that can’t be the right answer!?” After a while I gave up and checked. I had them correctly, but they didn’t seem right. There’s no joy in solving a bad crossword. I hope Will Shortz will be back very soon!

UNDIERUN?? More of a mis-sprint than a mara-thong?

Brit here. Struggled in SE corner. NEVER EVER heard of PANLOAF. Not a thing. Sorry.

Message for the “it’s all getting easier” club: This was not easy, in my view! Nice puzzle though.

I may be in the minority but this puzzle fell into place beautifully for me, so I loved it! This, despite my betting everything on Quantum of Solace being the 23rd movie in the series (it is 22nd, if you discount Never Say Never Again) because it has the same number of letters as AVENGERSENDGAME. TIL that TARE is derived from the same root as “tarot” and that TURBAN is etymologically then fraternal twin of “tulip” - they both spring from Turkish tülbent "turban, gauze, muslin," and from the Persian dulband "turban" which got its name because the hat looked like the flower. Tulips were introduced to Europe from Central Asia and were the symbol of the later Ottomans. Who knew?

I quote: “Features of deerstalker hats” are EARLAPS. And what’s an earlap? It’s an earflap, with the F gone who knows where. Sam Corbin, a great journalist anticipates the reader’s question and answers it. You delivered. And made me laugh. Thank you!

I shall return later to the comments to φnd out who won the φght between “it was horriφc” and “it was magniφcent”…

Where is the punster Mike?? I hope he’s just on holiday and hasn’t been scared away by that meanie who asked him why he bothers with his almost daily puns… Come back Mike!! I miss you!

Good luck Deb, and have fun! I wish you many more crosswords but never any cross words and I hope you never cross swords! Thought for the Day: A gimme and a natick make for a natty gimmick. (Sorry for my crazy posts recently, I’ve just fallen in love and I’m head over heels!)

This was a brilliant crossword. And I’m grateful to the setters for turning my attention to RILKE. What a beautiful mind he seems to be. Some quotes from the poet: “Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading” “It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart” “Love consists of this: two solitudes that meet, protect and greet each other.” Rilke (1875-1925) has touched my heart.

This was cheeky magic. A totally ordinary and doable puzzle and right at the end you find there has been a unifying theme, or at least a unifying L-ement, if you will, that you had failed to notice. I feel quite cleverly out-clevered.

A comment on the good puzzle/bad puzzle debate: From the perspective of a non-American, there are ALWAYS clues I can’t understand, or that I have to swallow without complaining. So before criticizing, I suggest that solvers make allowances for the richness and diversity of the English language, and accept that a few headscratchers will have to be resolved from the crosses, and then explained by the Wordplay notes. (And pulled to pieces in the comments by all of us sore, sour solvers who haven’t yet had our morning coffee…) On that note, what the hell is a SKOSH?

SWIMS is so good I’m tumbleturning in delight. Kudos!

Today I learned about the Osage Nation! Starting with the fact that their name comes from the French “eau sage”, or “calm waters”. I consider myself a fairly well-educated European and five minutes on Wikipedia has reminded me that I remain deeply ignorant of many things, including Native American tribes!

YAY!! I did it without looking at any of the down clues! Only used the crosses. Phew! Never managed that on a Sunday before. Finished in 59.20… a long breakfast!

Solomon? JUST ONE (Loved today’s puzzle, loving the comments, couldn’t resist joining, but too lazy to count above 1, and “ABSOLUTE ZERO” was hard to clue - maybe “lack of vodka”?)