Matthew

I have a streak that dates back to November of 2020. In over 1,650 puzzles during this time, this was one of the most delightful I have had the privilege of solving. It helps that I got married less than a year ago, so all of the phrases that had "plus ones" in them were front of mind! Thank you, Ruth and Hannah, for putting a huge smile on my face with it!

I solve the NYT crossword every single day, and this has to be the most difficult one to slog through that I have encountered in over a year (including Saturdays!). Took me almost 19 minutes longer than my Tuesday average. Way too much trivia, a Natick with ADOLFO and LDOPA (a bizarre word that you could never figure out if you don't know it), and words like MAW and expressions like AT A LOW EBB that I had never encountered before. Definitely one of the least enjoyable solves in a long time. Crossing my fingers for a nice rebound tomorrow!

As a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, I was thrilled to see ELLY De La Cruz make an appearance in today's puzzle! Congrats, Henry, on your debut!

I loved the clues for the Disney/Shakespeare pairing at 29A and 30A, but I'm embarrassed to say that took me just a bit longer than it should've on 29A! When I saw five letters, I immediately started thinking "Mulan" and "Moana" - characters whose actual name was the title of the movie - even though I knew there was no way either of them would be Shakespeare names. I got it once I got some of the crossing answers, and only then remembered that the titular character need not have their actual name be the title. It was a bit of a facepalm moment for me. I also LOVED 24D. It may be my favorite question mark clue I've ever encountered in the five-plus years that I've regularly solved the NYT crossword!

This was a fun Saturday, but I definitely would've included question marks in 50A and 55A! I thought those two were a little too much of plays on words to not have them. Alley oops without a question mark makes you think basketball, and Glass production of actual glass making or glass blowing. With a question mark, they're perfect clues. Otherwise, very nice puzzle!

As a professional orchestral conductor (at the collegiate level), I very much enjoyed the theme! And as Cogsworth once said, "if it ain't Baroque, don't fix it!" Though I will argue that SONATA form is really from the Classical era rather than the BAROQUE era...

I completed this puzzle yesterday, then was delighted to show up to church today to hear the story of the Feeding of the 5,000 with five LOAVES and two fishes (albeit the version from the Gospel of John). I don't know if this puzzle was selected for this weekend on purpose, but if not it was a fun coincidence!

Tuesday time: 12:46 Wednesday time: 6:32 I think Tuesday and Wednesday should've been switched this week! Nonetheless it was a fun solve, if a bit easy for a Wednesday.