[ad_1]
Constructor: Katie Hale
Relative issue: Easy (very very)
THEME: “Because I Said So!” — themers are simply issues mother and father say to their youngsters (largely disciplinary); these are clued wackily (“?”-style) as varied occupations’ “go-to parenting phrase”s:
Theme solutions:
- “I’LL TURN THIS CAR AROUND!” (22A: Mechanic’s go-to parenting phrase?)
- “SIT UP STRAIGHT!” (37A: Personal coach’s go-to parenting phrase?)
- “DON’T USE THAT TONE WITH ME!” (55A: Conductor’s go-to parenting phrase?)
- “I TOLD YOU A HUNDRED TIMES!” (79A: Mathematician’s go-to parenting phrase?)
- “YOU’RE GROUNDED!” (100A: Air site visitors controller’s go-to parenting phrase?)
- “LET’S PLAY THE QUIET GAME!” (117A: Librarian’s go-to parenting phrase?)
Word of the Day: Jardins d’enfants (60D: Jardins d’enfants, par exemple = ÉCOLES) —
nursery college [noun] a faculty for very younger youngsters. (dictionary.cambridge.com) [so basically it’s the Fr. word for “kindergarten”]
• • •
Wow, actually thought “Jardins d’enfants” was gonna be some well-known college, however it’s only a literal French translation of “kindergarten.” Bizarre … why did not they do what we did and simply steal the German phrase? Annnnyway, that reply and HUDDIE (what within the precise heck!?) and RENI (identical!) had been nearly the one solutions to provide me even a second’s bother on this in any other case absurdly straightforward Sunday puzzle. I see how the theme clues are attempting to show this puzzle into one thing extra than simply “Things Parents Say,” however the issue is, when you understand the solutions are simply gonna be “Things Parents Say,” not solely do you not want the theme clues, you are nearly higher off with out them. I did not trouble taking a look at any of them after I acquired the primary couple of theme and solutions, and I’m actually glad I did not, as a result of they might’ve been extra distracting than useful. What the hell does a “mathematician” should do with “I’VE TOLD YOU A HUNDRED TIMES!”? Like, as a result of there is a quantity in there, unexpectedly it is a part of the maths career now? Like on a regular basis abnormal human beings do not use numbers? Baffling. And “DON’T USE THAT TONE WITH ME!” feels extra apt for an artwork trainer than a conductor. I affiliate a conductor extra with NOTEs than TONEs. Further, I actually wished that phrase to be “DON’T TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME!,” which feels far more on the nostril (twice as many hits for “DON’T TAKE” vs. “DON’T USE,” per google). I sorta favored turning up all these disciplinary clichés, however this felt extra like $100,000 Pyramid (“Things Parents Shout At You!”) than a crossword puzzle.
PINK PANTHER and (esp.) TWO LEFT FEET actually give this grid some oomph, for certain. Other than these solutions, although, there’s not a heck of quite a bit to touch upon, good or dangerous. The grid within reason clean, which is all the time good. There are bumps right here and there, however none which might be that jarring. Beside the aforementioned names, which had been from outer house so far as I used to be involved, the one half that prompted me something shut to bother was the SW, and that was due nearly solely to the truth that I acquired the “T” in 125A: GPS calculations (ETAS) and wrote in RTES (this regardless of feeling, accurately, that I had already written ROUTE within the grid (40D: Road journey dedication)). Because of that error, I could not see TEA (118D: Hot spot in England?) and I could not see “TELL ME!” (98D: “Spill it!”). Plus STARRY would not stretch to fill the house at 92D: Like a transparent night time (STARLIT), and LAPIS shouldn’t be a phrase I ever consider as a standalone factor (do not suppose I’ve seen it a lot with out LAZULI in TOW). So yeah, there was some sputtering down in that nook, however there have been sufficient straightforward solutions to assist me get well with out an excessive amount of effort. I believe that is it. Hope you loved the breezy cuteness of the idea, and hope you bought greater than 8 minutes enjoyment out of your fixing expertise (I did not time myself, however I am unable to think about I took that for much longer than 8; definitely not more than 10).
[“Don’t you worry ’bout TWO LEFT FEET!”]
It’s time as soon as once more for the Boswords Fall Themeless League—a ten-week crossword-solving competitors / extravaganza. Here’s match organizer John Lieb to clarify:
Registration for the Boswords 2022 Fall Themeless League is now open! This 10-week occasion begins with a Preseason puzzle on Monday, September 26 and options weekly themeless puzzles — clued at three ranges of issue — from an all-star roster of constructors and are edited by Brad Wilber. To register, to resolve a apply puzzle, to view the constructor line-up, and to study extra, go to www.boswords.org.
I do not compete in these, or I have not up to now, however John all the time sends me the puzzles as soon as the season is over and so they’re all the time extremely imaginative and of a really top quality. If you are searching for some fairly low-key aggressive fixing expertise, all from the consolation of your individual house, it is best to undoubtedly have at it.
See you tomorrow (or subsequent week for you Sundays-only folks),
[ad_2]