Anthony J. Caruso and Zhouqin Burnikel’s New York Times puzzle – Sophia’s write-up

New York Times, 12 12 2022, Anthony J. Caruso and Zhouqin Burnikel

Theme: GO FETCH – every of the theme solutions begins with one thing a canine may fetch.

• 16a [*High-energy person, metaphorically] – BALL OF FIRE
• 63a [*Documentation leading to proof] – PAPER TRAIL
• 10d [*Some fine porcelain] – BONE CHINA
• 33d [*”Don’t quit now!”] – STICK TO IT
• 39a [Dog command … or a hint to the starts of the answers to the four starred clues] – GO FETCH

Cute theme, and all of the dog-loving solvers will go wild for it. The windmill association of theme solutions is at all times fairly, and it’s good that the clues are starred for brand new solvers to see what’s theme materials and what isn’t. I like how effectively STICK TO IT disguises the phrase “stick” – PAPER TRAIL additionally successfully modifications the literal which means of the bottom phrase effectively. BONE CHINA and BALL OF FIRE are fantastic solutions, however neither one was notably standout to me. Their fundamental contribution is getting “Great Balls of Fire” caught in my head for the final half hour.

Given that there are 5 theme solutions, the grid is remarkably clear, as I might count on from  a constructor like C.C. There are only a few correct nouns within the fill in any respect, which helps preserve honest crosses on Monday. The hardest cross for me was IN LEAF/CASABA, as a result of I don’t like melon and thus don’t give it some thought usually, and I’ve personally by no means heard the phrase IN LEAF There weren’t too many notable bonus solutions, however some enjoyable ones had been HIP HOP and LAB RAT.

Quick hits:

• Interesting that one of many longest solutions within the puzzle, operating by way of GO FETCH, is BEAGLES, and but it’s not in any respect talked about in reference to the theme! I assume it will need to have simply labored one of the best for the puzzle….
• Panic! on the Disco’s style has simply been common pop for the final ten years, none of this EMO-POP stuff. You suppose “High Hopes” is emo?
• I actually thought 6d[[Gone … just like that!]] was “poof” and never PFFT, which made me rethink my whole high center of the puzzle.

Congrats to Anthony on a fantastic debut and to C.C. for one more nice puzzle!