Bret
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NJ
Fun puzzle, inventive theme, and just the right amount of grit for a Wed puzzle, thanks Greg! I did get a little hung up in the SE corner, trying to cram "SWORD" into 52D. But was fun working out my error and finally getting "STEED". Though I proudly did NOT try to cram "BRADY" into 6D, like I'm sure a lot of folks did. You know who you are :-) Happy hump day!
I'm going to agree with the rest of the pitchfork wielders on this one, unfortunately. The clueing was a stretch on multiple entries (NERTS, really?), and some just plain wrong (Jung, SSGTS). The advent of Google has not been a friend to crossword creators and solvers alike, as I'm convinced it makes it easier for creators to find any feasible clue for whatever mess of letters may be left in a tough spot, no matter how obscure. Creators should abide by the same unwritten code of honor that solvers live by...if you used the internet to create (or solve) a crossword, it's not a true win. Some might disagree with me on this, but you know it's true ;-) Anyone can Google their way to a gold star completion. And for the "Stan" answer, I'm young enough (or old enough, depending on perspective) to remember when this song came out. I had the album, and am very familiar with the song. Still didn't get the answer, because it was a bad clue...plain and simple. The thought that it might be "Stan" crossed my mind for a split second due to the cross answers, but then I said to myself "no way they'd reference a 24-year old obscure song without any reference to Eminem, music, or even a question mark. Especially for a Tuesday.
Playfully tricky and fun puzzle, thanks Brad! I love Wednesdays because they're usually gritty enough to get me stuck in a few spots, but surmountable enough to give a great swell of satisfaction when I get unstuck. And this one was a perfect example of that for me. Cheers!
@Penelope True, but everyone does commonly say, "He has 100 RBI's this season". I've never heard anyone say, "He has 100 RBI this season".
Great puzzle, and as many, multiple other people have already repeatedly said below, very enlightening, too! I wonder if other languages have many instances of tautology, or if it's strictly an English thing? Seems like a decidedly American thing to do, at least. I can't help but think the files got shuffled, and this was supposed to be the "Tuesday", while yesterday's was the "Wednesday".
@Jess I wholeheartedly agree, Jess. I think some folks have solved so many crosswords that they forget some of these words are actually obscure or purely crosswordese, even though they may appear in a lot of puzzles. Others just like to belittle others (under the guise of mentorship) as a way of making themselves feel accomplished. Then, of course, there are those that do both, and even sprinkle in for good measure some copy/pasted web links to show you their source material and give you a good place to start your research so you can be as cultured as they are. I find that those folks tend to solve earlier in the day, so the comments section tends to be a little friendlier as the day goes on. But those types do seem few and far between. I'm not a regular commenter, but I am a daily solver and reader of Wordplay. Most folks are very nice, helpful, funny, and positive. And smart...man, some of these people are SO smart. One puzzle at a time...each week gets a little easier. Good luck!
I also tried to make kebab work in the NE corner for way too long. Finally, memories of my Italian-speaking bartender friend came back to me, saying "Prego" when I'd say "Grazie" after getting a drink, and it all fell into place. The theme was also fun, and was quick to figure out (except E#, in the NE corner again). Fun and engaging puzzle, with a nice lil crunch in spots. Thanks!
@Janine Haha, I also groaned out loud (with a smile) when I finally got the theme. For some weird reason, I enjoying successfully solving the puzzle without any hints, while also not getting the theme at all. Makes me feel like I really nailed the crosses and progressing in my "journey to Saturday".
Fun, brisk puzzle to get the juices flowing Monday morning...thanks!
Fun and breezy Tuesday with a cute theme, thanks Nate! Can someone explain these "emu" comments like the below, that some of the dedicated regulars always place at the bottom of their posts? I read/comment on a ton of various forums, reddit, discord, etc, and never see anyone regularly making jokes (jabs?) toward the moderators. I know it's a funny crosswordese thing related to moderators, but I see the same thing every day from some folks, and the humor goes right over my head. --------------- Emu ---------------
@Jill from Brooklyn I wouldn't say "general lingo", since I feel only a very specific age group (ages 30-50?) would have any clue about this song. But that wasn't my point. My chief complaint was that it was just a lazy clue. Especially for a Tuesday puzzle, it should have been "Eminem super fan" or something like that. Going back to my anti-google comment, it reeks of the constructor just googling "Stan", and using the first interesting result that came up as the clue.
@Lena wow! I don't think I could type random letters into the app that fast! I also had my best Tuesday time, at 8:28. Congrats
Dear Tracy Bennett, Did you hide "harlet" in the Strands grid on purpose, or was that just a happy accident? I hope it was the former, bc that's hilarious 😂 TY
@Jamie I noticed that also, but am used to it these days. Most constructors don't come up with these clues on their own, and often just pull them from databases like xwordinfo or wordplays that fit their fill words. I don't think much thought goes into nuances like this, especially with non-English words.
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