Joe

I solved this in less than half my average time…something I have to say I owe to my wife, who was a horticulturist and who still starts who-knows-how-many plants under grow lights in winter, before moving them out to her small greenhouse, and with whom I watch gardening shows so she can get ideas for our (well, her) gardens. To save myself embarrassment, I’ve had to learn flower names so we don’t keep having conversations like: Me: “I like that flower there.” Her: “Which one?” Me: “That blue one.” Her: “Which blue one? There are three different plants with blue flowers.” Etc. Etc. Etc.

Honestly, I didn’t pay attention to the shaded squares while I was doing the puzzle since I was finding this sort of challenging for a Monday (though I managing to finish in around 30% under my average time). So, it wasn’t until I came to the column and read the constructor’s note that I went back to take a look. Understanding the context, I found the puzzle, itself, quite moving. Blessings on Kenneth Cortes, and on anyone who’s had to have an unnecessarily difficult conversation about who they are. I hope the puzzle opens some bridges between those who are gay or trans and the people in their lives.

I found this moderately challenging (finished around 15% under my average time) and quite an enjoyable way to start my Wednesday, having coffee, telling my dog to stop barking at the squirrels, chipmunks and birds who only want their breakfast at our various feeders, and listening to Art Blakey’s Paris Jam Session. It was only when I started writing my comment that I went back and read the Gameplay column, and the constructors’ note. I am so sorry for your loss, truly. I believe we’re supposed to make the world a better place by our being in it and it seems your neighbor Isa did that. May you and their partner find solace in your grief.

I cringed at SLEEKEN, and ever a bit at DOTER…so I got curious about if, or when, they might’ve shown up in the past. Before today, SLEEKEN (which spell check questions with a wavy red line) had shown up three times: February 8, 1981; May 8, 1960; and November 2, 1953…all clued as “Make smooth.” DOTER has shown up 37 times, most recently, before today, on December 1, 2011. As for the rest of the puzzle…I found it a decent challenge for a Wednesday, finishing a minute under my average time.

The theme took me back 60+ years to my brief, far-less-than-stellar stint in little league baseball when, after each game, we’d give a cheer for the other team, win or lose: TOO FOR SICS ATE WHO DO WE APPRECIATE? (Fittingly, then there were several baseball-related clues/fills…and I was delighted to learn that the AREA of a baseball infield is around 8100 square feet, which I should’ve known, given the distance between the bases, but never thought to do the math.) Early on, I thought I’d end up with a personal best, but ran into snags as I moved toward the south. Still, I finished around 40% under my Tuesday average. Enjoyed a number of the clues along the way: “One who might call you out if you’re home late,” for UMP. “The decline of Russia?” for NYET.

I was surprised to see that XWStats rates this as “very hard,” as I finished around 30% under my average time (though, I hasten to add, still two minutes above the median time of solvers reporting their scores to the site). There were quite a few I had no idea about but there were enough crossing fills I was able to figure things out. I am far from a fan of soccer (football) and the only one among the WORLD CUP WINNERS I knew for certain was AV[ENG]E, and only because of an episode of Endeavour set in 1966. I appreciated several clever clues, especially “Used one” for PAWN, and (as someone who has to work hard to keep my weight within a range that won’t earn me a talking to by my doctor when I go in for my regular checkups),I also appreciated that 14A was LET OUT not “take in” … and I know the latter wouldn’t fit. Despite my relative good solve time today, I have done enough puzzles not to get cocky, since I know that tomorrow the crossword could well have me tearing out what little hair I have left. .

This was quite tough…finished around 25% above my average time, but with no help, so I’m quite satisfied. Beyond that, it gave me an excuse to sit a bit longer on my deck, looking out over the woods, watching the birds, and drinking coffee before I have to get down to the day’s work…so, thank you for the challenge, Rich Katz.

This one was tough for a Monday, as I solved about 20% over my average time. Still, I admired the puzzle, especially some of the clever clues: 17A, “Device that helps you make a point in class” for PENCIL SHARPENER; 27A, “Toy likely to be found in a pop-up store?” for JACK-IN-THE-BOX; 8D, “ Soul from Seoul” for KIA. I did know what ASMR was only because last year the White House posted a video of handcuffed immigrants being loaded onto a plane in which the only sound was the clinking of chains and they labeled it as “ASMR.” Since I didn’t then know what that meant I looked it up.

I started very slowly today..the first fill I had was ANI Difranco…but once I found a toehold, I managed to pick my way through this and finished much more quickly than I thought I might. In fact, after I fixed a clumsy typo that kept me from getting the star immediately, I was surprised to see that my time was more than 30% under my average. While I didn’t need the theme to solve today, once I finished I admired its cleverness.

Count me among those who found this an appropriate Sunday workout. I enjoyed the theme. Finished around 15% under my average time…but was surprised when I got the star, as there were a couple I was uncertain about.

One of my favorite puzzles in a long while. I appreciated so many misdirects: 35D, “Acrobat’s display,” for PDF FILES; 49A, “It has a light bulb,” for DAFFODIL; 28A, “Peace sign?” for DO NOT DISTURB; 18A, “Low volume,” for TEASPOON…. Thought for a while I’d have to look up a couple but I managed to push through in about 10% under my average time.

I know a lot of people complained about how easy this was (and I solved it around 50% under my average time), but I enjoyed it. Took me a bit to find my way into the crossword and I ended up solving it SE to NW, but, hey, it’s a Saturday morning here (in the US Midwest), and there was also coffee, so a pleasant start to what will now be a hectic day.

Took me a bit to find my way into this but once I did it went fairly smoothly and I finished in around a third of my average time. Enjoyed the clueing for 12 A (“Announcements before giveaways,” for SPOILER ALERTS), 38A (“Satellite alternative,” for AMFM), and I also liked learning that the Mayan name for ARMADILLOS translates to “turtle-rabbit” and that ATARI came from a term from Go. A personal story about 21D (Tom DOOLEY): As a young kid in the ‘60s, before I ever really listened to the lyrics of the song, I thought it was about the (since disgraced) medical missionary Thomas Dooley, who’d gone to med school with my father at St. Louis University, and about whom my father often told funny stories, usually having to do with his apparent indifference to the rules, which meant he didn’t graduate with my father and the rest of the class of ‘52, but took another year. Back then, before the information came out about his collaborating with the CIA, he was a hero, in the country at large and most certainly in our household. I used to think, “Wow! They even wrote a song about him.”

I enjoyed this puzzle quite a bit; solved around 40% under my average time and loved a number of the clever clues: 54A “Deuce follower,” for AD IN; 49D “Do business,” for SALON; 34A, “Style with spotty coverage,” for POINTILLISM. As to 19A, I’d never heard of the film “Empire of the ANTS” until today, but now I have to see it.

I sincerely enjoyed this puzzle, sitting on my deck, looking at the woods behind my house, listening to the birds. I thought for a while I might end up with a PB but ran into a snag because I forgot that MARK WAHLBERG spelled his name with an H. Still, I finished at just about half of my average time.

A bit sticky for a Monday, which I appreciated, since I usually open the puzzle already missing the Thursday-Sunday challenges. I see XWStats rates it as “hard,” which seems fair, though I did finish around 30 percent under my average time..but slower than I have been more recently.