Constructor: Trenton Charlson

Relative problem: Easy (very)

THEME: none 

Word of the Day: Pontiac (33A: Pontiac, for one => OTTAWA) —

Pontiac or Obwaandi’eyaag (c. 1714/20 – April 20, 1769) was an Odawa battle chief recognized for his position in the battle named for him, from 1763 to 1766 main Native Americans in an armed battle in opposition to the British within the Great Lakes area because of, amongst different causes, dissatisfaction with British insurance policies. It adopted the British victory within the French and Indian War, the American entrance of the Seven Years’ War. Pontiac’s significance within the battle that bears his title has been debated. Nineteenth-century accounts portrayed him because the mastermind and chief of the revolt, however some subsequent students argued that his position had been exaggerated. Historians right now typically view him as an vital native chief who influenced a wider motion that he didn’t command.

The battle started in May 1763 when Pontiac and 300 followers tried to take Fort Detroit abruptly. His plan foiled, Pontiac laid siege to the fort, the place he was finally joined by greater than 900 warriors from a half-dozen tribes. Meanwhile, messengers unfold the phrase of Pontiac’s actions, and the battle expanded far past Detroit. In July 1763, Pontiac defeated a British detachment on the Battle of Bloody Run, however he was unable to seize the fort. In October, he lifted the siege and withdrew to the Illinois Country. Pontiac’s actions contributed to the British Crown’s issuance of the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited any settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains to protect an space for Native Americans.

Pontiac’s affect declined round Detroit due to the siege however he gained stature as he continued to encourage the assorted tribal leaders to struggle in opposition to the British. Seeking to finish the battle, British officers made him the main target of their diplomatic efforts. In July 1766, he made peace with British Superintendent of Indian Affairs Sir William Johnson. The British consideration to Pontiac aroused resentment amongst different tribal leaders, because the battle effort was decentralized. Pontiac claimed higher authority than he possessed. He was more and more ostracized and in 1769 he was assassinated by a Peoria warrior. (wikipedia)

• • •

[“SO CLOSE / SO CLOSE and YET SO FAR“]

Nice technique to be welcomed again from the hinterlands—with a fantastically straightforward Saturday puzzle. There’s a bit extra emphasis on structure than content material (i.e. it is displaying off a bit with these pairs of 15s across the perimeter, which find yourself being the one fascinating elements of the grid), however a number of of the 15s are robust sufficient, and the grid is clear sufficient, for an total pleasant fixing expertise. Truthfully, it was going to be onerous for the puzzle to lose my goodwill after the primary bunch of 15s opened up in a means that felt like a private love letter to me. My first lengthy reply, the gimme that opened the puzzle proper up, was J.D. Souther’s crooning late-70s pop rock basic, “YOU’RE ONLY LONELY” (13A: 1979 J.D. Souther hit with a rhyming title). Such an underrated / underheralded songwriter, that man. He co-wrote most of the Eagles’ hits, together with the gorgeous “New Kid in Town” (1976), in addition to the equally wistful (and beautiful) “Her Town Too,” which he sang as a duet with James Taylor (it went to #11 in 1981). Songs about loneliness and cities—he had the market cornered on these circa 1980. I’m an enormous fan.

The subsequent 15 that felt prefer it was aimed proper at me got here proper after “YOU’RE ONLY LONELY“—it was equally straightforward, and after I bought it, I knew the trip was going to be over nearly earlier than it had begun. That reply: EUCALYPTUS TREES (3D: Bush growths). Really *actually* helped to be (presently) Down Under, the place (even in NZ) “the bush” is the time period for all wild areas. With the reply beginning “EU-” there was actually just one course it may go, and it went there. After these straightforward 15s, the brief crosses proved easy, the parallel 15s adopted, earlier than I knew it (!) I had accomplished a simple lap across the observe. I simply crammed within the lacking areas from there, no sweat:

You can see from this screenshot that I botched the ATL clue at first (21A: N.L. East staff, on scoreboards). That was simply informal negligence—I do know very effectively STL is within the N.L. Central. My mind simply glitched. It was a really St. Louis-y puzzle, what with the L.A. RAMS being clued through their former St. Louis dwelling (45A: Team that moved again from St. Louis in 2016, informally), and CST being clued through St. Louis as effectively, and … I dunno, ATL and PTL kinda dressing up like STL just a little. That error was simply noticed and stuck. I do not assume I had any struggles after the opening 1A: Ancient arts venue (ODEON), which I wished to be AGORA. I wasn’t certain what was going to observe FLY- at 6D: Casting alternative (FLYROD), but it surely wasn’t onerous to seek out out. I’m not as huge a “Mockingbird” fan as a few of y’all, so EWELL will not be in my major storehouse of literary (or cinematic) names, but it surely got here to me, finally, from someplace, so thanks, crossword gods. I forgot ROSA Bonheur regardless of having seen her … looks like only a month or so in the past … Yes! She was Word of the Day on Nov. 18! I really feel unhealthy that I forgot her however clearly I did not *fully* neglect her, so possibly subsequent time. Only different actual hassle spot (and it wasn’t too actual) got here at 59A: Takes credit score, in a means (OWES), which I had as OWNS. Not in love with “take credit score” right here, however I assume if a lender *extends* you credit score, then … you’re taking it, certain, OK. 

Explanations and what not:

• 50D: Roman emperor who overthrew Galba (OTHO) — I do know OTHO (completely) from Crosswords of Yore. I like that this clue thinks sufficient of my learnedness that it provides me Galba as a touch (I don’t know who Galba is, sorry) (LOL he dominated for one, depend ’em, one yr, however he was Nero’s instant successor, which might be why individuals keep in mind him)
• 22D: Actor George of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (SEGAL) — good comedian actor most likely greatest recognized for his position as Jack Gallo on the long-running sitcom “Just Shoot Me,” or as Pops on the more moderen “The Goldbergs,” however I like him greatest paired with the good Elliott Gould in Robert Altman’s “California Split” (1974):

• 48A: ___ Productions, media firm since 1986 (HARPO) — “Oprah” spelled backwards is …
• 25A: Edmond ___, a.ok.a. the “Father of Whist” (HOYLE) — this clue made me actually LOL (“Father of Whist,” well timed and related! Now do “Father of Euchre,” “Father of Écarté,” and “Father of Ombre”!!). No means do I do know him by his alleged title, however as a man who gave his title to a e-book of sport guidelines … yeah, I do know him.
• 47A: Letters used within the absence of a letter (NMI) — “No Middle Initial”
• 39D: “Things Fall Apart” novelist (ACHEBE) — absolute gimme. This is like cluing TWAIN as [“Huckleberry Finn” novelist]. Surprised Chinua ACHEBE will not be extra prevalent in crosswords (in each first- and last-name variations).
• 46D: Seventies-’80s sitcom setting (MEL’S) — from the sitcom “Alice.” Not to be confused with “Al’s” from the sitcom “Happy Days.”
• 57A: Symphony initially devoted to Napoleon Bonaparte (BEETHOVEN’S THIRD) — in any other case recognized by that crosswordiest of symphony names, “EROICA”—enjoyable reality, that is the document on Norman Bates’s turntable in “Psycho”!

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld