David
Chicago
Rebus puzzles often end up with users trying to guess how it needs to be entered. That's a failure of the Times. If they can't sort it out to a consistent input they should not run rebus puzzles.
@John I agree entirely. Clues that solve to words that are inaccurate or don't exist should have question marks. Several clues and answers here failed that basic rule. It was an unsatisfying solve realizing that some of the full was just sticking letters in. No aha moment, just a slog to the music.
It's possible to be clever but not very interesting. That is this puzzle. If you need to explain the tumbler mechanism as many times as it was here, the idea is not good.
The state motto of Texas is "Friendship." A misdirection is fine, but state motto means something different from "a thing on bumper stickers." That's an editor's problem.
The puzzle was fine. On Android there's a programming issue in that the puzzle is only considered finished *without* the rebus answers. Which kind of defeats the purpose of the rebus.
The puzzle was fine. Not too hard. I cannot get the rebus yes/no squares accepted, which is ridiculous. Oh well, fortunately I don't value streaks very highly.
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