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@Adam C Apparently it's not uncommon in the hip hop community. A good reminder that one's experience, even when extensive, is not universal.

@Mean Commentator I’m not sure if you’re being facetious. You’ve never heard of popping in on someone? Or bringing your A-game? Etc…

@Grant I have no professional library or bookstore experience and knew the answer instantly. I do read a lot, which is probably a factor.

@Petrol Bread comes immediately to mind, my little cabbage.

@Cyndie Guns vs butter refers to the choice between spending government money on military vs domestic matters.

@Greg Anderson The final G in the word is “off the grid,” per the clue for 1A.

@Steve F In show business, a triple threat can act, sing, and dance, making it more likely to get awards across the spectrum.

@Drew “Is on” refers to being at first base after a hit or walk. “Is up” means currently batting, at home.

@Andrzej You could raise the same issue with any number of clues. Not all dictionaries have the name Webster on them. Not all slender instruments are oboes. Not all doors open with a knob. It’s just the nature of crossword cluing.

@Sally If you have a crush on someone, you might moon over them.

@Laura Stratton Way to persevere!

@Desert Dweller I’m confused. How is BAD EGG "not a thing”?

@Lew *A* plural of teal is teal. Another is teals.

@Tavan I think that, this being a Friday puzzle, you can’t expect the indicators you might get earlier in the week.

@Alan Parker The show The Wiz was a hit in the 70s. I believe Diana Ross was in the movie version. Phillipa Soo was in the sensational Hamilton.

@pjbfamily To the many (majority?) of us who grew up using it without knowing the origin, not so much. Many things with less than ideal origins or history can become innocuous.

@drsophila More specifically, its most common contemporary usage, as in “I feel seen,” usually means the speaker has found a point of commonality with someone else over a quality/opinion they felt alone with. You feel recognized and/or validated.

@JOSEPH F. KEOHAN Which is why it it’s referred to as a “starter.”

@Mean Old Lady According to Merriam Webster, esprit = vivacious cleverness or wit.

@Ken Burk I found it quite clear and answered it immediately. What would you have preferred?

@Sara O The puzzle is in English. Panini is a singular word in English.

@Sean What about 30 Down? A salad green is not necessarily endive. Or 54 Down? Is Etna the only Sicilian landmark?

@Jairus Are you from Minnesota?

@essay The first part of each answer is a musical term. When spoken with a second part of the answer, it's (at least close to) a common expression. Eg. CODA + SILENCE=code of silence

@Nancy I'd hardly call gaunt an obscure word, much less recently-coined. Unless I'm just missing a joke you're making?

@D "Score" is an archaic word for twenty, as in "Four score and seven years ago…"

@Barry Ancona So? I suspect some commenters expressed dissatisfaction with that. People are allowed to complain without your approval, are they not?

@Bill You’ll notice that the coins are all shown as their number value (one for penny, five for nickel, etc). So the answer for 1/4 would be TWENTYFIVEPERCENT, but as modified by 98A, there is no quarter.

@Nicole Sol is (also) correct. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solf%C3%A8ge?wprov=sfti1" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solf%C3%A8ge?wprov=sfti1</a>

@Jane Wheelaghan Both “Preach!” and “Amen, sister” are things one might say to indicate strong agreement with an opinion.

@Liana Unless the first word of a sentence, it’s not capitalized.

@SRD Officially it isn't, but in practice virtually no one refers to them without "the." From their own website: "The Eagles will be performing at the 2026 New Orleans Jazz Fest on Saturday, May 2..."

@Ron I don't think I'd call the highest-grossing comedian of 2024, who has hosted SNL twice, unknown. At least in a general sense; I guess everyone is unknown to someone.

@Daniel They both fit letter-wise, but only one is an adverb as called for by the clue.

@Bruce Maybe you're thinking of Starlight mints?

@Katie Is it not associated with brightness? Not the same as saying it's associated with worth.

@Linda Jo Fenty is Rihanna’s last name, which she also uses for a cosmetics line. Doesn’t seem to be hurting sales.

@Jamie What fun is an easy puzzle, though?

@Eva H. The circled answers are all the first word of common phrases ending in “sign.” As in peace sign, plus sign, etc. When read from the outside of the grid inward, each of the answers is pointing to the “yes” in the center.

@Vaer Sian Heder is actually a Mme.

@Jim I can only speak for myself, but I completed the theme entries based on the crosses, not on the clues, and didn’t take the time to parse out the connections.

@Charles Are blam, bruh, or yup proper nouns?

@Carole S Surely they are spelling errors for the intended usages?

@Brneyedgrrl Is merely acknowledging the existence of something shoving it down everyone's throat?

@Will You may want to a consult a dictionary.

@Captain Quahog I can't speak for B, but I say it with 3 distinct syllables.

@Patty Teague I'm a non-gamer, and it was fun for me. Several of the answers have appeared in previous puzzles.

@Barry Ancona I don't think it was the specific ethnicity that he took issue with. Just that the answer would be unknowable (without crosses) to anyone who doesn't read whatever Chinese dialect that character is in.

@Barry Ancona Perhaps because their reasonable expectation of relative difficulty was not fulfilled?

@Robert Danley I still see plenty of analog clocks in all types of locations-including schools. I’m pretty sure kids are still being taught how to tell time.