Saw proper via 1A: Launch social gathering? and so dropped NASA ARK ROCK after which OVER into the grid in fast succession, proper off the bat. Seemed like a precursor to sure success with all these lengthy Downs up there within the NW, solely … SECOND LINE was the one factor that went in clear (3D: Dance part of a 33-Across brass-band parade). AVO- appeared prefer it wished to be AVOCADO-something, however I could not work out how on the planet AVOCADOs heated something (I used to be picturing an AVOCADO-green … oven??) (2D: Option for high-temperature cooking). But the actual hold-up on this part was my absolute certainty that the reply to 1D: “You purchased it? It’s yours” was “NO RETURNS!” I imply UDDER labored, SINGED labored … so I believed perhaps there was some nickname for New Orleans *moreover* NOLA (ROLA? RULA?), and as for 37A: Introspective query … perhaps the LINE a part of SECOND LINE was flawed and the reply was “NOW?” But that is not very “introspective,” actually. *Then* I believed “oh god there’s some sort of theme involving letter switches, and the “RN” in RETURNS turns to “NM” for some cause (at *that* level I believed the [Introspective question] was MOI!?). But that did not actually make sense. And then I simply gave in to NOLA and erased every part after “NO RE-” and I noticed REFUNDS instantly. What a silly gap to step into. A silly, deep, sticky gap. “NO RETURNS!” … so certain-seeming! After that, it was again go Very Easy and whoosh whoosh everywhere, and by the point I hit GIDDY-UP I used to be (appropriately) actually flying:

There had been many robust spots at present, however my favourite second was most likely the clue on WISH LIST (good to have your apex clue go along with your marquee, dead-center reply). That clue is baroque … and ideal (38A: Noun phrase that is current good indicative). A WISH LIST … is a listing of issues one wish to obtain, so it signifies … good … presents—only a nice repurposing of the grammatical temper (“current good indicative”). The puzzle’s most important power wasn’t a lot scintillating solutions as general smoothness and topic selection. This puzzle goes a number of locations, and it goes there so deftly and unclunkily. When I take into consideration what *polished* grids seem like, that is one thing like what I take into consideration. It’s not that there are *no* repeaters or in any other case acquainted crosswordy solutions (NOLA LEIA ESME ALOE ECO OLAY … you see these on a regular basis, in fact). It’s {that a}. there are comparatively few, b. they’re propping up attractive longer solutions, that are the issues that actually seize your consideration, and c. at the same time as repeaters go, they’re actual, strong, acquainted issues. AUK is unquestionably a Crossword Bird, but it surely’s additionally only a chook, an actual factor, so it does not play as tiresome, and it particularly does not play as tiresome when it is not supplied up in a glut of different superfamiliar brief stuff. Choose your repeaters properly, unfold them out in case you can, and for god’s sake allow them to be within the service of longer, extra spectacular stuff. Today’s puzzle does all this completely.

The problem returned, a bit of, on the finish of the resolve, particularly within the SE nook, which, just like the NW nook, gave me some hassle, although this time the difficulty got here not from my making a extremely intractable mistake, however from plain previous toughness. The first situation was … properly, it was additionally a mistake: MEAL for MENU at 30A: Chef’s creation. That flawed reply gummed up the works, since these two flawed letters would’ve offered the primary letters in two of the lengthy Downs in that part. Crucial letters … flawed letters. Sigh. After that, there was a crush of sports activities trivia that I struggled with to various levels. Had to stare on the phrase “sports activities theater” some time to determine easy methods to get from there to something that may match at clean clean E. The staring labored, fortunately, but it surely positively prompted a fixing lull. Then there was TIM Anderson, whom I do know very properly, however someway, out of context, and with such a plain final identify, I blanked on him. Then there was KAY Adams, whom I did not know in any respect as a result of soccer shmootball (57A: Sportscaster Adams who hosted “Good Morning Football”). Thought she could be a FAY. Anyway, between the inaccurate MEAL and the correct noun sports activities solutions, issues had been slower stepping into right here. Other points on this part: an owl says what now? (“WHOO!”). Is that … canonical? I had the “W” after which no concept. That looks as if a stretch, and likewise like a clue that is *designed* to make you write in a flawed reply, specifically HOOT. Not thrilled about that. I really like SMOKEY EYE as a solution but it surely nonetheless took me some time to choose up. Also, the one affiliation I’ve with the idea comes from a very silly controversy involving an harmless joke a couple of putrid right-wing politician … so I prefer it as a solution although it forces me to recollect stated putrid human being (by no means enjoyable). 

Just just a few different missteps. Empty NETTER earlier than Empty-NESTER (66A: Empty ___). PRESS OP (?) earlier than PRESSER (11D: Event for journalists, informally). Overall, this was a enjoyable, flowing Friday, simple however with sufficient spice and kick to make issues fascinating. See you tomorrow.