Mike C.

This was a fun, breezy Sunday for me. I quite enjoyed the wordplay of the themed clues and had a ton of fun solving! Pretty big quibble with 14D, though. An OPIATE is naturally derived (e.g., opium or heroin), as where an opioid is synthetic (e.g., fentanyl, oxycodone, etc.). One would not prescribe an OPIATE after surgery. I realize this may not be a commonly known distinction, but it’s a big one that matters.

Haha, NERTS certainly threw me. Guess I’m too young to appreciate 1930s college slang… or maybe I need to read more or something. At this point in my life, I will relish learning little tidbits that make me feel young. Thanks for the clarification, Sam. And thanks to Mr. Gard for an enjoyable Tuesday solve!

Like many others here, today was a personal best for a Saturday as well. And while I was shocked it was so easy, I really enjoyed it! Great, clever clueing! Kudos to Ben and Julian!