Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Constructor: Patrick John Duggan

Relative problem: Easy to Easy-Medium

THEME: none 

Word of the Day: META (59A: Like casting Michael Keaton in “Birdman” as an actor who used to play a superhero) —

  1. (of a inventive work) referring to itself or to the conventions of its style; self-referential. (google / Oxford Languages)

• • •

So far the principle factor this puzzle has completed is drive me loopy making an attempt to recollect the pop music I do know that incorporates the lyrics “All good issues are wild and free,” which I solely simply realized, from this puzzle, is a Thoreau quote. There’s one other music in my head blocking the music I wish to bear in mind. That ever occur to you? You wish to bear in mind a music and also you attempt to say the lyrics to your self however then swiftly no matter tune is in your head segues into “The Macarena” or one thing? It’s terrible. Anyway, I’ve obtained “The High Road” by Broken Bells in my head and it will not depart, and I don’t know why. I feel I heard it as soon as in a brewpub in Los Angeles final week, and I have not thought of it since. And but right here it’s, blocking the music I wish to bear in mind. Anyway, no matter music it’s, bizarre to search out out lyrics you simply thought have been lyrics have been truly a well-known literary quote. I additionally forgot that OVID wrote “Fasti” regardless of having taken a whole course on Ovid and having written on him and every thing. It’s true that “Fasti” is minor work for him, however nonetheless, I ought to’ve recognized, and as a substitute I used to be like “… RUMI?” My literary mind is BATting .000 as we speak, for actual. I imply, I get one bookish factor immediately and it is RAND? Yuck.

This puzzle has two very worthy marquee solutions. The relaxation is simply OK. I’m wondering what the age cut-off is for “SMOOTH MOVE, EX-LAX” being a super-familiar “putdown to a klutz.” Ex-Lax nonetheless exists, so there is no actual cause the slang needs to be “dated,” nevertheless it positively is, so … I’m fairly certain Gen-X (and older) people comprehend it effectively. If you are youthful, chime in, please. It’s a superb slangy 15, imho. “I WON’T MINCE WORDS” additionally has a pleasant colloquial high quality. I no-looked the reply, having crossed it a bunch of occasions earlier than ever bothering to take a look at the clue. Still good. Clue shmue. Outside the grid-spanners, although, this one is a bit limp. “I’VE HAD IT!” retains a few of the identical vitality because the longer solutions, however the remainder is usually simply enough. The solely actual objection I’ve is (and continues to be) to TASE, which I discover more and more (and aptly?) jarring. I obtained an e-mail from reader Arjun Byju the opposite day about this phrase, which I’m going to cite at size, as a result of it is so clear and good. I do not like TASE as a result of it evokes police brutality particularly, however Arjun’s e-mail will get into larger element concerning the time period:

I’m writing as a result of, such as you, I used to be troubled by as we speak’s inclusion of TASE, which I’ve seen come up a time or two within the puzzle. You might already concentrate on this (so apologies prematurely) nevertheless it was solely lately that I realized that the corporate that produces Taser — Axon International — has a reasonably shady historical past of involvement with regulation enforcement, the courts, and medical experts. This Reuters investigative piece examines a lot of Taser/Axon’s connections to physicians and researchers who’ve advocated for the stun gun’s security and the stress medical experts have felt from the corporate. 
Last 12 months, I wrote an article about Excited Delirium, a extremely questionable “analysis” that’s usually invoked when folks die in police custody and has been supported by Axon/Taser as a technique to shift blame away from their units. Eg: “No, this particular person did not die from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a number of shocks from our gun. They died from excited delirium.” Axon has used this protection fairly efficiently in courtroom.

So yeah, there’s so much to really feel icky about once I see TASE within the NYT Crossword, and I believed I’d share a few of the explanation why—past the fundamental unsavoriness of surprising civilians, it’ tied up in a broader medico-legal controversy that permits police to keep away from culpability for what would in any other case be thought-about homicide. 

So even when you love seeing TASE in your grid, now you already know have some extra context for why others may not be so comfortable to see it.

I obtained into this grid simply. Wanted GUAM at first for 1A: Former British colony whose nationwide flag contains the Union Jack, however that is simply because it is a four-letter colonized place. FAST (1D: Unfading) put me on the observe to FIJI after which ANEW and IWO JIMA and off I went. Wanted ZOO for ADO (7D: Big scene) and had TIVA earlier than TEVA there on the finish (38A: Big identify in sandals), however in any other case, no actual struggles. 

Add’l notes:

  • 46A: Member of excessive society? (POT USER) — certain, OK. Mostly what I see once I have a look at this reply is that it incorporates “POTUS.” Can one president be POTUSER than one other? 
  • 39A: One in a state of disbelief (ATHEIST) — I like the juxtaposition of this reply with ST. PETER (42A: Bigwig within the admissions dept.?). Great thematic opposition. (“admissions dept.” as a result of ST. PETER is the one who “admits” you (or not?) to heaven)
  • 20A: They’re open to alter (TIP JARS) — smiled at this one as I roared previous. A really good clue.
  • 29A: Opera daughter of Amonasro (AIDA) — wished AIDA however the identify within the clue sounded Italian, so I waited for crosses. I see now that it incorporates “Amon,” as in “Amon-Ra,” the preferred Egyptian deity in CrossWorld. “Opera daughter” is a weird, crosswords-only form of phrase.
  • 38D: Russian ___ (iconic restaurant close to New York’s Central Park) (TEA ROOM) — I ate right here as soon as with my mother and sister in the summertime of 1983. It’s the place I first had Chicken Kiev. Family lore has it that my father apparently as soon as barfed within the planters exterior the Russian TEA ROOM. I want there have been a zany, drunken story to go together with this truth, however I feel he was simply sick. Sorry for breaking my very own guidelines and bringing vomit on stage. Won’t occur once more.
  • 4D: Literally, “sulfur island” (IWO JIMA) — learn this as [Literally, “surfer island”] and thought “wow … that’s *not* how I do know it.”

[me and my [Striped cat] Olive]


Explainers: 

  • YOLO = “You solely reside ONCE
  • “Green” in 30A: Green kind (INGENUE) means “inexperienced” or “naive” 

Good day.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]



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