Constructor: Derrick Niederman

Relative issue: Easy

THEME: “Opposites Attract” — theme solutions include letter strings composed of two “reverse” phrases:

Theme solutions:

• ALFRED NOYES (24A: English poet who wrote “The Highwayman”) (them & us)
• POOR RICHARD (30A: Early American pseudonym) (poor & wealthy)
• FACE THE MUSIC (37A: Accept imminent punishment) (them & us)
• HEART OF ROMAINE (68A: Caesar salad ingredient) (to & from)
• FIX BREAKFAST (98A: Scramble some eggs, say) (repair & break)
• ENDODONTICS (107A: Branch of dentistry that makes a speciality of root canals) (do & do not)
• KARLA BONOFF (114A: Noted songwriter behind Wynonna Judd’s “Tell Me Why” and Linda Ronstadt’s “All My Life”) (on & off)
• ROUTINE (46D: Same previous, standard) (out & in)
• PANDORA (55D: Her title is Greek for “all-gifted”) (and & or)

Word of the Day: KARLA BONOFF (114A) —

Karla Bonoff (born December 27, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter. While Bonoff has launched quite a lot of albums, she is primarily identified for her songwriting. Bonoff’s songs embrace “Home,” coated by Bonnie Raitt, “Tell Me Why” by Wynonna Judd, and “Isn’t It Always Love” by Lynn Anderson.

Most notably, Linda Ronstadt recorded a number of Bonoff songs, together with three tracks on the 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind (“Someone To Lay Down Beside Me”, “Lose Again” and “If He’s Ever Near”), which launched Bonoff to a mass viewers, and “All My Life“, a 1989 duet with Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. (wikipedia)

 [“I got something to give you / That the mailman / Can’t deliver…”]

• • •

I believed this was a superbly respectable Sunday puzzle. It’s bought a constant and intelligent theme that delivers full of life theme solutions. The idea was fairly clear, and that transparency made the puzzle a lot simpler to unravel. The solely themer I can think about giving anybody any hassle is KARLA BONOFF, which was simply my favourite themer since, for as soon as, I Knew The Obscure Trivia Clue! Ding Ding Ding! Jackpot! I knew my quantity needed to come up some day, and at present was the day. I came upon KARLA BONOFF once I was deep into an early ’80s pop music section (one which I’m controversial nonetheless in). I began listening to the Top 40 charts, together with (and particularly) these songs that I’d by no means heard of, and KARLA BONOFF’s “Personally” (see video, above) was a kind of minor hits. I bear in mind studying that she had gone on to have higher success as a songwriter than as a performer, however since that day I examine her, I have not thought a lot about her in any respect … till at present! I had the “ONOFF” half and thought, “ONOFF … BONOFF … is that this … it will probably’t be KARLA BONOFF … [checks crosses] … omg yessssss it’s!” Ok so I spelled it CARLA at first however no matter, I knew her! Please permit me to get pleasure from my feeling of popular culture trivia dominance for one second …. OK, that is sufficient, thanks.

The different second the place I felt my particular specialised data was a form of superpower at present was a second lots of you most likely shared as nicely—it was the second my crosswordese data lastly paid off in an enormous approach with ALFRED NOYES! Does anybody outdoors of inveterate crossword solvers know that man? Not positive, however realizing previous whatshisname positive helped at present. I someway bought FACETHEMUSIC first, and could not do something with “THEMUS,” however then ALFRED NOYES went in and I remembered that Sunday puzzles have titles and … that was that. Theme sorted, proper … right here:

HEART OF ROMAINE was most likely the hardest themer for me to give you, since I simply would’ve stated a Caesar salad has Romaine (lettuce) in it. Had HEART OF and thought “HEART OF … ARTICHOKE? What is even taking place right here?” But HEART OF ROMAINE is an actual sufficient factor (although they’re presumably extra typically known as “Romaine hearts”). The solely time I balked on the theme was once I bought to PANDORA; I simply do not know if “AND” is de facto the “reverse” of “OR.” I believe “NOR” is the other of “OR.” AND and OR definitely go collectively, on a regular basis, however on a strictly technical degree I’m wondering if “reverse” is, uh, apposite. Most of us are most likely not going to blink on the pairing, and at worst it is a minor glitch. The fill on this one is kind of stable. I simply want I hadn’t ended on BEGEM! Such unhealthy luck to wrap issues up with the cringiest phrase in the entire grid. Everyone is aware of that [Deck out with spangles] is BEDAZZLE. I can not think about BEGEM in a sentence. I’d’ve torn that entire nook out simply to be rid of BEGEM, which my mind is resisting so arduous it is determined to parse it BEG ‘EM, i.e. “I’m gonna BEG ‘EM to not put BEGEM in any puzzles ever once more!”