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Hello, everybody! It’s Clare for the final Tuesday in September. Hope everybody has had an amazing month and has been staying wholesome. I spent this previous weekend crying as a result of Roger Federer performed his closing skilled tennis match on Friday (a doubles match with Rafa Nadal — Team Fedal ceaselessly). Federer will ceaselessly and at all times be the GOAT within the males’s recreation. I’ve been preserving busy doing plenty of mountaineering and bouldering nowadays, and I’ve obtained the bruises and sore arms to show it. “Climbing gym” was really within the puzzle yesterday, and Rex stated he didn’t know what it was?! I’ll need to take him to mine if he’s ever in D.C.
Anywho, on to the puzzle…
Constructor: Peter Koetters
Relative issue: Pretty straightforward
THEME: MONTH (69A: Any of 12 represented on this puzzle’s shaded squares) — The first three letters of every of the twelve months of the Gregorian calendar are offered in sequential order
- JANet (1D: Treasury secretary Yellen)
- FEBreze (5D: Air freshener model)
- MARianas (9D: ___ Trench, deepest place within the 10-Down)
- APRes (24D: French for “after”)
- MAYan (25D: Chichén Itzá builder)
- JUNta (26D: Postcoup group)
- JULes (32D: Verne of sci-fi)
- AUGie (36D: Hanna-Barbera’s ___ Doggie)
- SEPia (38D: Photo filter for a retro look)
- OCTet (53D: Duo occasions 4)
- NOVel (54D: New and weird)
- DECor (55D: Interior designer’s concern)
Word of the Day: ULEE’S GOLD (39A: With 70-Across, 1997 movie wherein Peter Fonda performs a beekeeper)
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Ulee’s Gold is a 1997 American drama movie written and directed by Victor Nuñez and starring Peter Fonda within the title position. It was launched by Orion Pictures.The movie was the “Centerpiece Premiere” on the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. Fonda gained a Golden Globe Award for his efficiency and was additionally nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and a Screen Actors Guild Award. The movie’s title refers most concretely to the honey Ulee produces as a beekeeper, significantly that created from the nectar of the tupelo tree. Van Morrison sings “Tupelo Honey” (the title track of his 1971 album) over the tip credit. (Wiki)
• • •
Was this the crossword puzzle of the 12 months? Technically, sure. Otherwise, probably not. The puzzle was well-constructed and type of enjoyable, however when you notice whereas fixing that the shaded squares are months, there’s not a lot left that’s attention-grabbing concerning the remedy and you’ll simply put the beginning of some solutions in with out there needing to be any thought. The revealer of simply MONTH (69A) additionally left a bit to be desired.
I found out what was occurring with the theme after three months (JAN, FEB, and MAR), which made the puzzle usually move properly for me. I did really discover the highest half of the puzzle a lot simpler (once I didn’t know the theme) than I discovered the underside half of the puzzle (once I’d crammed in the entire shaded packing containers). I actually was simply blasting by means of the puzzle till I hit a snag someplace round ULEES (39A) and CSPOT (30D).
That this puzzle was launched at this time is a bit attention-grabbing. Today at sunset is the tip of the Jewish New Year, which is possibly why a puzzle referring to a calendar was launched on September 27. Wikipedia tells me that Rosh Hashanah is the “first of the Jewish High Holy Days, as specified by Leviticus 23:23-25,” and LEVITICUS (64A: Exodus follower) was within the puzzle, which means that the timing might be not a coincidence. I want, then, that the payoff was one thing concerning the Jewish New Year, despite the fact that the names of the months within the puzzle are clearly English and from the Gregorian calendar. Yes, I do know the tie-in would have been difficult, however, with out it, I feel this puzzle would have been extra apt towards the tip of December or in early January.
The development was spectacular, because the constructor labored in 12 theme solutions plus a revealer, however a number of the fill positively suffered because of this. I compiled only a miscellaneous record of solutions that felt regular/boring to me, and I might’ve written down much more if I’d wished to — ALDA; EDEN; VIA; UNA; CFO; EMU; RUN; ATE; VERY; EMIT; AGO; INN; IPA; UPA; ENS; and LOTSA. There was a lot crosswordese, and I don’t assume the clues had been all that spectacular, both. I actually dislike I MUST (56D: Possible reply to “Do you need to?”), as a result of nobody talks like that (inform me you possibly can’t think about a scene in a Shakespearean play the place somebody says “I must go posthaste”). Anagram clues really feel boring to me (27D: Surname that is an anagram of NO LIE with ONEIL), although I do perceive this one may’ve been there to assist individuals who didn’t know MEAN JOE (25A: Nickname for N.F.L. Hall-of-Famer Greene) or ASNER (37A: Ed of “Up”). Oh, look, there’s JANET Yellen (1D) in one other puzzle. And, if we actually need to get nitpick-y, don’t jelly doughnuts technically have a gap in them the place the jelly is inserted? I do know that’s not the kind of gap the clue is referring to, however my level stands. (I’m a lawyer, in any case.)
I didn’t know or perceive the clue/reply with CSPOT (30D: Bill value 100 bones) in any respect. Apparently, it’s slang the place the “c” is for hundred and spot means invoice? I’m nonetheless a bit of confused. I didn’t know STOOLIE (52A: Informal informant), which is extra previous slang. I’ve by no means seen (or heard of) the film ULEE’S GOLD (39A/70A). Apparently, Peter Fonda was nominated for an Oscar for it, and constructors just like the double “e” in there (e.g., OGEE (67A: Curved molding, in structure)), however not realizing the movie brought about me some severe issues with 40D:
Marine swimmer with a tall dorsal fin. I didn’t know if it was a jailfish, bailfish, SAILFISH, and so forth.
Misc.:
- As lengthy as I’m on the subject of the best sports activities metropolis within the nation… MEAN JOE Greene (25A) is without doubt one of the best soccer gamers ever. I grew up listening to tales about him and the way he modified the trajectory of the franchise — my Dad grew up a Yinzer (and a diehard sports activities fan, at that). Before Greene was drafted by the Steelers in 1969, the crew had the worst cumulative file in skilled soccer. Since he was drafted, the Steelers have one of the best cumulative file. Also, Jaromir JAGR (32A) spent the most efficient a part of his profession with the Penguins, successful two Stanley Cups. He’s possibly a top-10 participant of all time, and he’ll go down in historical past because the third-best Penguin ever (behind Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby). He went on to play for lots of groups after the Pens and is definitely nonetheless taking part in at 50 years previous within the Czech Republic!
- Fun reality of the day: The official time period in kpop for large celebrities is IDOLS (6D: Paparazzi targets). So, for instance, all seven members of BTS are IDOLS. Now, we don’t love them (or anybody) being focused by paparazzi, however some corporations will permit official photographers at occasions, so I’ll simply put these pictures right here. (Have a protected flight, Yoongi!).
- I’ve a good friend from legislation faculty named ALEXA (2D: Whom you may ask to show off the lights, these days), who advised me that the variety of jokes she’s gotten in the previous few years, like, “ALEXA, play me a song,” or whatnot is incalculable. There had been occasions I’d say her identify whereas on the telephone with somebody, and the ALEXA in my condo would mild up and begin speaking to me.
- “Up” (37A) is the only best film ever created. That is all.
- ALOFT (33D: High within the sky) makes me consider how, yesterday, NASA collided a spaceship with an asteroid to see if it might knock it off its course, which is loopy and funky. Also, this tweet sums up how I felt watching the Cowboys-Giants Monday Night Football recreation:
And that is it from me! Have a ~spooky~ October.
Signed, Clare Carroll, ceaselessly a Federer fan
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