Geoff Brown’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Business Liquidity”—Jim P’s evaluate

Theme solutions include two-word monetary phrases the place the ultimate phrase can be a physique of water.

Wall St Journal crossword answer · “Business Liquidity” · Geoff Brown · Wed., 9.21.22

• 20a. [Cash generated on a regular basis] INCOME STREAM.
• 26a. [Business’s ability to maintain a competitive edge, per Warren Buffett] ECONOMIC MOAT.
• 46a. [Backing for some securities] MORTGAGE POOL.
• 53a. [Retail stores or online marketplace, e.g.] SALES CHANNEL.

What higher venue for this puzzle than the Wall Street Journal? That mentioned, I’ve solely ever heard of considered one of these phrases (the primary one), so I personally didn’t get lots of pleasure from it. But I can admire the tightness of the theme. I simply don’t know what number of solvers know these phrases.

I just like the pairing of SOCRATES and TEMPESTS in addition to the formal “I CANNOT,” CELESTE, and “LET’S GO.” I wasn’t too eager on the crosswordese sprinkled all through like ENIAC, SSR, plural OLINS, and peculiar NAMER [New parent, e.g.]. It took only a few minutes for me to switch that entry with NAVES and SLOPE with SLINK to get crossings AVIS, KENT, and ASKS. Similarly, the SE nook could possibly be cleaned as much as take away SSR.

CELESTE from Animal Crossing

Clues of notice:

• 1a. [Winner of the Ballon d’Or seven times]. MESSI. I used to be pondering this was an award for filmmaking, not sports activities.
• 10a. [Conciliatory gestures]. SOPS. Meh. Who makes use of this on this method?
• 16a. [Michael R. Jackson won one for “A Strange Loop” in 2020]. OBIE. He additionally received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for that musical.
• 44d. [Babar’s spouse]. CELESTE. We additionally would have accepted [Stargazing owl in “Animal Crossing”].

Overall, I didn’t really feel like I used to be within the target market for this grid although I admire its consistency. There are some good bits of fill, however different areas may’ve used some tidying up. 3.25 stars.

Matthew Stock’s New York Times crossword—Amy’s recap

NY Times crossword answer, 9 21 22, no, 0921

Theme revealer: 60a. [Accept defeat, informally … or what the last words of 19-, 24- and 49-Across do vis-à-vis the first], TAKE AN L (loss). I’ve solely seen take the L. The three themers are 3-word phrases the place phrase 1 takes an L to turn out to be phrase 3:

• 19a. [Innate response to a threatening situation], FIGHT OR FLIGHT.
• 24a. [Ante up for participation], PAY TO PLAY.
• 49a. [AC/DC album after “Highway to Hell”], BACK IN BLACK. I like that phrase 2 is totally different in all three.

Learned this Spanish vocab, glad to study it: 51d. [Abuela’s grandchild], NIETO.

Never heard: 41a. [“No ____, Bob!”], PROB. Regional factor? Generational?

3.75 stars from me.