[ad_1]
Constructor: Brooke Husic and Hoang-Kim Vu
Relative problem: Medium-Challenging
THEME: none? I feel?
Word of the Day: Gwen VERDON (45D: Tony-winning actress Gwen) —
Gwyneth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon (January 13, 1925 – October 18, 2000) was an American actress and dancer. She gained 4 Tony Awards for her musical comedy performances, and served as an uncredited choreographer’s assistant and specialty dance coach for theater and movie. Verdon was a critically acclaimed performer on Broadway within the Nineteen Fifties, Nineteen Sixties, and Seventies, having originated many roles in musicals, together with Lola in Damn Yankees, the title character in Sweet Charity and Roxie Hart in Chicago. She can also be strongly recognized along with her second husband, director-choreographer Bob Fosse, remembered because the dancer-collaborator-muse for whom he choreographed a lot of his work and because the guardian of his legacy after his demise. (wikipedia)
• • •
This seems like a kind of Friday puzzles with a stealth theme that I simply do not see as a result of I’m not on the lookout for it (it is Themeless Friday, in any case) and since I’m nonetheless IN A STUPOR from having solely lately woken up. Speaking of “UP,” what the hell? “UP” might be the first motive I really feel like I’m lacking one thing. I imply, 4 (4) “UP”s!?!?! I GOTTA SAY, beneath regular circumstances, that is about two “UP”s too many, at the very least. And it is arduous *not* to note the pile-“UP” after they seem in three crossing solutions, two of which intersect *on the “UP”* (UPON x BUYING UP x POP-UP SHOP). By the time I hit “DON’T GET UP,” I used to be undoubtedly considering “OK, what is the gag?” But I do not see a gag. Oof, you wanna know what feels terrible? Staring at a grid that you simply *assume* is hiding a theme from you. It’s dangerous sufficient once you *know* it is hiding a theme from you (as in a meta-crossword, like Matt Gaffney’s Weekly Crossword Contest). But once you aren’t even certain if the theme is definitely there … you possibly can persuade your self that numerous issues *look* thematic (“… nicely there’s this odd mirror symmetry on the diagonal, is that one thing? Is the grid an arrow pointing “UP” … and to the appropriate? RED STATE *is* clued [It’s right on a map], so possibly … meaning one thing?” and many others.). But the reply to the query “Is there a theme right here?” is a (tentative) NOPE (42A: Hit 2022 movie … or a attainable response as to whether you’ve got seen it) (nice clue there, and nice movie—learn an ideal (nice!) overview of it yesterday within the new Cinéaste … additionally an ideal overview of the nice movie The Banshees of Inisherin, however that is in all probability inappropriate).
This performed much more Saturday than Friday for me, both as a result of it is arduous, or as a result of I’ve gotten so used to the NYTXW throwing me softballs on the weekends that I’m off form or as a result of, nicely, see my IN A STUPOR remark, above. Managed to get YETI ERTE DNA (incorrect) and TAY-TAY (hyphenated??) at first go, however I wasn’t certain about any of it, and that “R” for “D” error at DNA meant parsing PRAYER MAT was powerful (after WELCOME MAT, I used to be out of concepts). PSI clue was brutal (1D: Abbr. at a pump) (not a fuel pump however a tire pump), as was the ambiguous clue on RUG (2D: Runner, e.g.). No concept re: MOSSY (7D: Lime some stream banks—really thought “stream banks” was some type of web factor. Even after I lastly received going, I by no means received that whoosh-whoosh momentum, although ultimately “APOLOGY ACCEPTED” dropped and that flowed simply into “LET’S DO THAT AGAIN,” and that was sorta enjoyable. The grid is stable however did not have as many excessive factors as I used to be anticipating. Again, this makes me marvel if I missed a theme. Lots of crosswordese in that SW nook (incl. ELENA ENERO SRO), however largely the grid stays clear and the cluing stays correctly powerful. Would’ve preferred this higher tomorrow, since I count on a slower, thornier expertise on Saturday. But the puzzle would not determine when it runs, and it isn’t that a lot more durable than a median Friday. Just more durable than most Fridays have been currently.
After the NW, there have been no particular hassle spots, simply an total really feel of toughness. Every clue appeared difficult or obscure (and thus difficult), besides the correct nouns, which (by the grace of god) I occurred to truly know immediately. All of them: TAY-TAY, NOPE, IFILL, ERTE, ELENA, and VERDON (although I misspelled her VERDUN at first). If I left a correct noun out of that checklist, oh nicely, I knew that too. I completely botched LOGOS as a result of when studying the clue (30D: Greek for “phrase”) my mind rendered “Greek” as “Latin” what the f*&$!? Seriously, simply seemed on the clue now and was startled to see that “Latin” wasn’t in there in any respect, LOL. That’s not IN A STUPOR, that is … I do not know what that’s. A ridiculous misreading. I stored making an attempt LEX… one thing. So SWAB / BOTTOM / LOGOS was a choke level that actually stopped my movement chilly. SWAB and NUDES have been each successfully hidden from me by make-up clues that I largely (SWAB) or fully (NUDES) failed to grasp. I had NEONS earlier than NUDES (46A: choices in some eye shadow palettes). Ooh, I simply seen that PEELER is a pleasant nod to NOPE, which is directed by Jordan PEELE and rated “R”, which makes it … a PEELE “R” … and now I’m again to questioning if there is a theme once more. Ah nicely, in all probability higher simply to depart it right here and let certainly one of you inform me what I missed (if something).
[ad_2]