DYE LOT? DYE VAT? I dunno, I simply know that the entire world of DYE-related issues exist in my thoughts solely due to crosswords, why? DYE DYED DYES DYER DYERS, then DYE LOT, which I positively discovered from crosswords, and DYE VAT, which perhaps I’ve additionally seen, however sigh. To be clear, I am sighing not a lot due to DYE VAT, however as a result of it was the final straw, the reply that exhausted me earlier than I used to be even 30 seconds into this factor. OAHU OTOE EEL … it is a teeny nook and I felt like already I used to be simply getting all of the outdated repeaters flung at me earlier than I would even had time to get underway. And naturally issues did not actually enhance. I imply, the longer solutions are, after all, extra fascinating, however LIL ANI OSLO et al simply by no means let up. Are we nonetheless doing LOLCAT (singular?) within the yr of our lord 2022? OK. And as for the theme, nicely, the invention of that was event for one more deep sigh and one other screenshot:

FEE … RATE … oh boy, grindingly mundane transactional bizness-y phrases. This jogged my memory of all of the crosswordese I’ve needed to endure involving adverts (together with ADRATE and ADFEE in addition to ADMAN ADSPACE and so forth.). The dullest issues in life … was a puzzle theme. OK. I imply, there’s cute wordplay within the revealer (the “value” is certainly “proper”), but it surely’s actually simply … on the finish. Should you’d really *shifted* one thing proper, that would appear like … one thing. That is only a “like endings”-type puzzle masquerading as one thing barely extra elaborate. The solutions themselves are principally fantastic. I might take pleasure in seeing one thing like WHOLE BEAN COFFEE or “CARE TO ELABORATE” in a themeless puzzle, or beneath totally different thematic circumstances. I am much less sanguine about GUERILLA WARFARE, which is grisly on its face and is made someway grislier by the clue’s specificity in regards to the Vietnam Conflict. Absolutely there are different -FARE ending phrases on the market that would match the invoice. The theme idea is stronger than the general fill, however each are a bust for me right this moment.

Some extra issues:

• 54A: Love, with “the” (“L” WORD) — this was one of many few solutions that slowed me down. I couldn’t conceive how something “with ‘the'” might presumably imply “love”—definitely not as a verb, and never as a noun both. I actually suppose … nicely, two issues: 1, the clue wants some form of qualifier, like “it is mentioned,” maybe, as a result of I’ve by no means referred to as “love” “the ‘L’ WORD”; and that leads me to 2, which is that the “L” WORD is “lesbian.” Everyone is aware of this. They made a TV present about it and every part. Two TV exhibits!
• 49D: “The Shining” plot machine that grew to become vital when learn backward (REDRUM)— “plot machine?” I bought this due to the “learn backward” half however would by no means have gotten it with out the “learn backward” half as a result of “plot machine” simply appears like a weird factor to name it. It is no extra a plot machine than the lodge or the labyrinth or Jack’s typewriter or the axe or the elevator … like, it is *in* the e book, however … “plot machine” feels incorrect. It is too particular. It is not a “method.” It is not a recognizable factor that different plots have used. It is simply this freaky means that “Tony” signifies to Danny that some dangerous **** goes to go down. It appears cool and sounds scary when Danny says it (in “Tony”‘s voice), however “machine”? I dunno.

See you tomorrow.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld 

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