Matt Jones’s Jonesin’ Crossword, “Capital Letters” – Erin’s write-up

Jonesin’ resolution 12/6/22

Hello lovelies! Let’s see what occurs when world capitals are inserted into unrelated phrases:

• 19a. [“No, start with the second Japanese ‘thank you’”?] GO FROM ARIGATO B. We add Riga, the capital of Latvia, to the phrase GO FROM A TO B.
• 33a. [Sharing battle between “Quantum Leap” star Scott and family?] CO-BAKULA WARS. COLA WARS plus Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital.
• 42a. [Eighteen-wheeler obstructing freeway traffic, say?] TOO SLOW TRUCK. This time we add Oslo, capital of Norway, to TOW TRUCK.
• 57a. [Run-down version of a basic two-dish pasta meal?] SHABBY CHILI MAC. SHABBY CHIC plus Peru’s capital, Lima.

Other issues:

• 15a. [Palindromic Quebec university] LAVAL. It’s the oldest French-language college in North America.
• 72a. [Kidney-related] RENAL. Do your kidneys a favor and drink some water! Unless it’s a must to prohibit fluid consumption for some cause, that’s.
• 43d. [Seasoning associated with Maryland] OLD BAY. TIL that McCormick makes a number of kinds of the spice mix, together with scorching sauce.

Until subsequent week!

Dory Mintz’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Extreme Measures”—Jim P’s overview

Theme: Familiar names and phrases that finish in a phrase that can be a unit of measurement. The revealer is UNITS PLACE (57a, [Position just left of the decimal point, or the last five squares of each starred answer]).

Wall St Journal crossword resolution · “Extreme Measures” · Dory Mintz · Tue., 12.6.22

• 17a. [*Oscar and Golden Globe nominee for 2012’s “The Impossible”] NAOMI WATTS.
• 25a. [*Side dish at many a pizza parlor] GARLIC KNOTS. Not one thing I encounter a lot regardless that I’m not a stranger to pizza parlors. CELTIC KNOTS may’ve gone right here.
• 36a. [*Crossword game that comes in a fruit-shaped pouch] BANANAGRAMS.
• 48a. [*Home of the Orioles] CAMDEN YARDS.

Nice. The first two entries made me suppose this was a rhyming theme, however the third one rapidly dispelled that notion and changed it with the proper one. I’m undecided I’ve ever heard UNITS PLACE earlier than, although; if I’ve, it wasn’t fairly often. It’s attention-grabbing the revealer clue identified the truth that the models are all five-letters lengthy. I assumed that was odd. Why not simply say “the ends of each starred answer” as is often completed? Is it as a result of BANANGRAMS is usually seen as one phrase?

Moving on, PANDORA’S BOX is great, in fact. PACE CAR is good as nicely, and the stacked duo ATE IT UP / DETESTS make a pleasant distinction. I didn’t know SPINGARN [___ Medal (NAACP award)], however that’s on me. DISBARMENTS and ACTS UPON aren’t too thrilling, however when entries cross a number of themers, decisions develop into restricted.

I did discover Ringo STARR, Derek CARR, and Jamie FARR. Where’s Teri Garr? In the PACE CAR?

Besides them, the grid felt loaded with correct names: NATE  Robinson, Sebastian CABOT, Peter O’TOOLE, actor Tom EWELL, writer Zora NEAL Hurston, and baseballer TED Williams in addition to fictional SADIE Hawkins, PAM from The Office, and ARON from East of Eden. Some solvers might have felt FED UP in any case that.

Clues of notice:

• 30a. [Fifth of a year?]. MAY. Being the fifth month of a 12 months.
• 35a. [There are 200 in the Indianapolis 500]. LAPS. Seriously. Why is it known as the Indy 500, then? Not that I care.

Good theme. A blended bag within the fill. 3.5 stars.