Michael Paleo’s New York Times puzzle – Sophia’s write-up

Theme: MAIL IT IN – the final phrase of every theme reply is a part of a letter.

New York Times, 01 16 2023, By Michael Paleos

• 16a [The “e”, but not the “B”, of eBay] – LOWERCASE LETTER
• 25a [Traveler’s proof of entry] – PASSPORT STAMP
• 41a [“Madam President” or “Your Honor”] – TERM OF ADDRESS
• 55a [Test boundaries] – PUSH THE ENVELOPE
• 35a/37a [With 37-Across, perform perfunctorily… or a hint to the ends of 16-, 25-, 41-, 55-Across] – MAIL/ITIN

I wasn’t certain of the theme as I solved this puzzle, and searching again I believe that’s as a result of I’m not acquainted with the revealer itself. I’ve heard the phrase “phone it in” rather more than MAIL IT IN – I determine they can be utilized interchangeably? Anyways, the theme is sweet if not notably groundbreaking. The 15/13/13/15 plus revealer sample is hard to do cleanly, however it works effectively right here. PASSPORT STAMP stands out a little bit because it doesn’t disguise the letter phrase in addition to the opposite solutions, however it’s not a significant sticking level.

Other notes on the puzzle:

• For the quantity of theme materials within the puzzle, the fill could be very clear. Standout entries for me had been RED HOT, TIKTOK, and TOP OFF.
• I solved this puzzle with my DnD loving mates, who after I gave them the clue of [Self-description for a D&D enthusiast], instantly appropriately answered “NERD”. They had been additionally very useful with MOTHRA, which I didn’t know.
• The half I received most caught on within the puzzle was the highest left nook, the place I didn’t know AMOI and had “gape” as a substitute of GAWK.