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Constructor: Paolo Pasco
Relative problem: Medium-Challenging
THEME: “Terminal Connections” — 5 completely different pairs of (Down) solutions flip at proper angles (one east, one west) and their ends (“terminals”) finally meet up (make a “connection”) at two circled squares—these squares find yourself spelling out MAKE ENDS MEET. Also, the horizontal (Across) elements of every pair of theme solutions type a separate, clued reply:
Theme solutions:
- SIDE AR(M) (A)DAMAR (6D: *Baseball pitching fashion … or a weapon = SIDEARM + 24A: Old-fashioned letter opener = DEAR MADAM + 14D: *Big identify in lodges = RAMADA)
- BITEMAR(Okay) (E)TINGIER (36D: *Indentation on a chew toy = BITE MARK + 53A: Online promotions, collectively = E-MARKETING + 38D: *Light once more = REIGNITE)
- LESTRAD(E) (N)AMESRON (40D: *Whom Holmes tells “You do discover it very exhausting to deal with the information” = LESTRADE + 56A: What companies go by = TRADE NAMES + 43D: *Many a Viking = NORSEMAN)
- THOUSAN(D) (S)TONEUGUH (62D: *Grands = THOUSANDS + 89A: Rock generally utilized in asphalt = SANDSTONE + 65D: *Early French Protestants = HUGUENOTS)
- US VS THE(M) (E)ROOM IMED (67D: *Basic rivalry = US VS. THEM + 91A: Part of a lodge with décor becoming a sure motif = THEME ROOM + 70D: *”G.I. Jane” star, 1997 = DEMI MOORE)
- ANOTHER ON(E) (T)TESSAB (100D: *”Encore!” = “ANOTHER ONE!” + 122A: “Be My Baby” group, 1963 = THE RONETTES + 106D: *Actress Angela (BASSETT)
Word of the Day: Stop STREET (!?!?!) (61A: Word with simple or cease = STREET) —
: a road on which a automobile should cease simply earlier than getting into a by way of road (merriam-webster.com) [So it’s just … a street that has a stop sign on it perpendicular to one that doesn’t? Is that it? This term is baffling to me]
• • •
Well, it took me about half an hour simply to kind within the theme solutions, so I solely have a lot vitality left to offer. I’m actually torn about this puzzle. The theme is ingenious. Intricate and sophisticated and sensible. It is a kind of “feat of development” puzzles that, on this case, actually feels value it. I do not know if I *beloved* fixing it, however I at the very least favored fixing it, and I actually am impressed by all of its layers—the best angles, the separate, third reply shaped by the connecting themers, the message spelled out by all of the “Terminal Connection”—all of it, actually fairly superb. Perhaps as a result of the theme is so extremely dense and demanding, I felt just like the grid obtained in hassle in a couple of areas. And it positively obtained exterior (repeatedly, means exterior) my data base. Let’s depart my ignorance apart for a second and simply take care of the grid roughness. The iffiest a part of the grid is that REL (?!) / LESTRADE crossing. If I needed to identify 4 characters from the Sherlock Holmes tales, that … wouldn’t be considered one of them. I do not Really know who LESTRADE is. I feel I’m complicated him with the vampire Lestat. My level is that I wanted crosses to get all the “LEST” half, and that “L” was an out and out guess. “L” actually did really feel proper, and it was proper, however it appeared merciless to offer REL (which isn’t good fill to start with) a not-terribly-famous partial identify clue. Anywhere else within the grid, I would not have minded studying the identify of Lil REL Howery, however I kinda minded studying the identify *there*, in that particular place. Crossing correct nouns at a letter that I am unable to infer is the definition of a “Natick.” Now, I *may* infer it, or at the very least I pulled it out of someplace, however nonetheless, yeesh. That felt like a design flaw. Otherwise, the theme was effectively nigh flawless.
I beloved “Parasite” however confess that I do know not one of the actors names, so PARK SO-DAM was a toughie. But since her identify was largely freed from theme entanglements, I may choose it up from crosses simply effective. Not a fan of the TMNT, so “COWABUNGA” did not amuse me the way in which it’ll amuse others, however I actually Really favored seeing THE RONETTES plastered throughout the underside of my grid. Just a tremendous connector phrase for these two remaining theme solutions. TEA CEREMONY is one other beautiful lengthy reply (45A: Ritual with bamboo utensils). Biggest mistake was writing in YEN for WON (by no means watched “Squid Game,” although if I’d thought of it for half a second, I did comprehend it was Korean, not Japanese). This made the already exhausting DOOMER and WHEY even tougher. Don’t suppose I had every other out-and-out errors. Found “AS A FOLLOW-UP” actually exhausting, esp. as clued (69D: “Continuing the place we left off final time …”). I had the primary few letters and will solely consider “AS AFOREMENTIONED…” which would not match. Speaking of match, HONDA FIT, good. I imply, vehicles, boo, product placement, boo, however I believed getting the entire make + mannequin in there was at the very least authentic.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
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