Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Constructor: Invoice Pipal and Jeff Chen

Relative issue: Simple

THEME: CUT (CORNERS) (69A: With the circled letters, a touch to fixing seven Throughout clues) — seven Throughout clues flip (Down) and on the “nook” the place they flip is a sq. that will get “reduce” out (or skip); these “reduce” letters spell out CORNERS (you choose up the letters in CORNERS from the downward-headed a part of the Throughout reply, which is clued as a daily Down). So for all seven theme solutions, there’s the cut-corner model (the reply that is clued), then the Down section of every reply (clued as a daily Down), after which the *uncut* Throughout section (which is its personal unclued reply, e.g. ANTIC, ADO, HOMER, and many others.):

Theme solutions:

  • ANTI-(C)AGING (1A: Like some face lotions and serums, supposedly)
  • AD(O) RATE (6A: Value for a industrial) 
  • HOME(R) EC (9A: Class now often called Household and Shopper Sciences, informally) 
  • “HAVE(N) ONE” (28A: “Go forward, do that!”)
  • DON(E) KING (35A: Rumble within the Jungle promoter) 
  • LIVE(R) AID (47A: 1985 profit live performance watched by practically two billion individuals) 
  • AS(S) WELL (53A: As well) 

Phrase of the Day: LIVE AID (47A) —

Reside Help was a profit live performance held on Saturday 13 July 1985, in addition to a music-based fundraising initiative. The unique occasion was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to boost additional funds for aid of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia, a motion that began with the discharge of the profitable charity single “Do They Know It is Christmas?” in December 1984. Billed because the “world jukebox”, Reside Help was held concurrently at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, attended by about 72,000 individuals and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, US, attended by 89,484 individuals.

On the identical day, concert events impressed by the initiative have been held in different international locations, such because the Soviet Union, Canada, Japan, Yugoslavia, Austria, Australia and West Germany. It was one of many largest satellite tv for pc link-ups and tv broadcasts of all time; an estimated viewers of 1.9 billion, in 150 nations, watched the reside broadcast, practically 40 p.c of the world inhabitants. (wikipedia)

• • •

This puzzle misplaced my love rapidly due to the hyphen in ANTI-AGING. I received the entire missing-letter factor quick, however that first lacking letter (“C”) is sitting The place A Hyphen Ought to Be, and I assumed this was going to be some intelligent a part of the theme—making use of hyphens, which (like all punctuation) usually do not get represented in crossword grids. Cool, let’s do a hyphen-based theme, let’s go! Thought for a bit about what having a “C” within the hyphen sq. may imply. Was excited to seek out out the place this hyphen-replacement idea was gonna go. However then AD RATE … would not have a hyphen. And neither does HOME EC. So the idea I used to be trying ahead to by no means materialized *and* I used to be left to ponder the jarring inconsistency of ANTI-AGING … for those who give me empty house between phrases, superb, it is empty, but when that house is generally full of a hyphen I Am Going To Fill Your Empty Area With A Hyphen Or Count on The Hyphen Be Related Someway. However no. This did not gradual me down in any respect. Simply massively disenchanted me. After which, with the “C” and “O” in place and with out ever trying on the revealer, the “CORNERS” gimmick grew to become instantly apparent, a lot in order that I may undergo and write in each single theme reply, no downside … nicely, one downside: I wrote in FARM AID as a substitute of LIVE AID (did not but grasp that the uncut Throughout section needed to make a phrase … LIVER is a phrase, whereas FARMR will not be). 

So the theme wasn’t as cool as I assumed it was going to be *and* the puzzle ended up being depressingly straightforward (esp. for a Thursday). All of the architectural gimmickry right here did nothing to create an entertaining fixing problem. Ended up being about as a lot enjoyable as connect-the-dots (which I beloved as a four-year-old, however … much less in order a six-year-old). When you take the entire hyphen shenanigans out of the equation, the concept I, the solver, “reduce corners” to make the themers work is certainly a cute thematic idea, and the truth that these corners *spell* corners is a pleasant revelation. However it all reveals itself so early and so simply that there is no battle, no actual aha on the finish while you hit CUT, no … simply no Thursday enjoyable. Or, there’s Thursday enjoyable, however it exhausts itself one meager burst instantly, and all that is left to do thereafter is programatically fill within the grid, which has no extra surprises or treats.

I had no downside with any a part of this puzzle, however there are two title crosses that gave me slight pause. I feel they’re OK, however … it is gotten in order that correct noun crosses actually set off warning indicators in my head now, since they’re the premise of so many Naticks. ADUBA / DIANA is unlikely to flummox too many individuals, since even for those who routinely misspell ADUBA’s title (for me, at this time, ADUBO, sigh, sorry), DIANA is actually the one cross that makes a lot sense there, although LIANA and TIANA are, actually, names one might need. ANGUS / UNGER additionally appears barely harmful, particularly if in case you have no concept who the Odd Couple are (as many youthful (than me) solvers will not). However once more, ANGUS is a well-known Scottish title, and nothing else however the “G” is sensible there. Ooh, but when you do not know SITKA (wasn’t I simply speaking about Alaskan crosswordese lately…) you then will not have the “A” in ANGUS both, after which issues may get dicey. It is bizarre attempting to think about how others may go flawed. Anyway, I feel this grid AVOIDs true Naticks at this time. This has been a take a look at of the Emergency Natick System. This was solely a take a look at.

Couldn’t get the HOGS a part of BEDHOGS for some motive, as a result of hogging the covers and being a BEDHOG look like barely various things. BEDHOGS take up extra house, whereas cowl hogs (like my spouse, or, in her opinion, me) don’t, essentially. However I just like the phrase, definitely probably the most colourful factor within the grid (moreover perhaps DON KING). What else? SALLOW is a humorous phrase. I am conscious of it, however by no means use it, which is odd, as [Opposite of ruddy] certain sounds loads like me. Hmmm, appears to be like like SALLOW means “having an unhealthy yellow or pale brown coloration”—nicely that is not me both. I am simply straight up pale. With freckles. If you’re SALLOW and experiencing ASS SWELL, seek the advice of your physician. That is all for at this time. Again right here tomorrow, after which, after a journey day (Christopher Adams fills in for me on Saturday), I will be running a blog the puzzle from the blissful shores of Lake Michigan. Unhappy to go away the kitties, however our home sitter is beautiful in order that they’ll be superb. Bye for now.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]



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