March 19, 2011
Frederick J. Healy
Theme: None
Crosswordese 101 Round-up:
Everything Else — 1A: Jags of the past (XKE'S); 5A: 32 ounces at Long John Silver's, e.g. (MEDIUM SIZE); 15A: Actress Thompson (SADA); 16A: Good time for criticism? (OPEN SEASON); 17A: "__ of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world": Emerson (A RAY); 18A: Brains (MASTERMIND); 19A: Merrimack River city (NASHUA); 21A: __-Z: Camaro model (IROC); 22A: Ref's ruling (TKO); 23A: "Singin' in the Rain" co-director (DONEN); 24A: Caspian country (IRAN); 25A: Refuge (LAIR); 26A: "Works for me" ("OKEY-DOKEY"); 28A: They may be held up by fans (SIGNS); 29A: Wkly. message (SER.); 30A: Lea ladies (EWES); 31A: Easy mark (STOOGE); 32A: "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" screenwriter (URIS); 33A: Kinkajou cousin (COON); 34A: Color on the Irish flag (ORANGE); 37A: Group that offers free memberships to spouses (AARP); 38A: Mauna __ (LOA); 41A: Baccarat call (BANCO); 42A: Trying to be quiet (TIPTOEING); 44A: Dominates (OWNS); 45A: Villain named Julius (DR. NO); 46A: Bubblegum pioneer (FLEER); 47A: Chemical ending (-IDE); 48A: San Francisco's __ Tower (COIT); 49A: Eminent (OF NOTE); 50A: Starts an operation (SETS UP SHOP); 53A: Jazz singer Anderson (IVIE); 54A: One who gives things away (TATTLE-TALE); 55A: Marlinís lost son (NEMO); 56A: Half-awake (SLEEPY-EYED); 57A: Opera conductor Daniel (OREN); 1D: Romantic writing? (X'S AND O'S); 2D: Bar staple (KARAOKE); 3D: He won comedy and drama Emmys for the same role (ED ASNER); 4D: Nickname for an athletic "kid" (SAY HEY); 5D: Home of A. Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans" (MOMA); 6D: 1972 DDT banner (EPA); 7D: They may be fond (DESIRES); 8D: Work basket (IN-TRAY); 9D: Apply to (USE ON); 10D: Cougar, e.g., for short (MERC); 11D: Rickís pianist (SAM); 12D: "Did we get the nod?" ("IS IT A GO?"); 13D: Nodding, with "out" (ZONKING); 14D: Give the nod (ENDORSE); 20D: Have (UNDERGO); 24D: Clanton and a "South Park" sibling (IKES); 25D: Royal Arms of England symbol (LION); 27D: Scrape, to a tot (OWIE); 28D: Rest, as at an inn (STOP OFF); 31D: Database command (SORT); 32D: Family nicknames (UNCS); 33D: Pitching device? (CAPO); 34D: Some winds (OBOISTS); 35D: Unfair treatment (RAW DEAL); 36D: Warren's "Bugsy" co-star (ANNETTE); 37D: Bears no resemblance to peanuts? (AIN'T HAY); 38D: Be postponed (LIE OVER); 39D: Previous (ONE-TIME); 40D: Get together about (AGREE ON); 42D: Sad, on the Seine (TRISTE); 43D: Current event around Christmas? (EL NIÑO); 45D: Stupid (DOPEY); 48D: Star of TV's "Trackdown" (CULP); 49D: Personal column? (OP-ED); 51D: Abbr. in Québec place names (STE.); 52D: Triumphant cry (OLÉ).
15 comments:
Ah, America!. The recommended serving for a portion of meat in a meal? 4oz. A Medium portion at Long John Silvers? 8 times that.
The 32oz refers to the size of the drink.
Very difficult today I was only able to get about two thirds on my own. Definitely a challenge today
Off the wall clues for far out answers.
Hopeless for me today. I actually got 11 clues on my own but that wasn't remotely enough to help. I Googled a few things and finally managed to get the NW corner, then gave up, which is rare for me. I did enjoy OKEY DOKEY, hated X'S AND O'S.
No doubt one of y'all today will say it was easy - my hat is off to you!
How does "bears no resemblance to peanuts" become "ain't hay"? I don't get that one and "Some winds" might be oboes but not "oboists". Difficult puzzle because of obtuse clues!
Yeah, tough. I got most on my own, but it took way too much schweres Denken! My downfall was the SW corner. I just couldn't get off OBOE SET, altho knew it was wrong...
Tough puzzle. Have to report a "did not finish" on this one. I had ONE EYE OPEN for 56A and wouldn't give up on it.
I think a CAPO is a device that attaches to the neck of a guitar and changes pitch, chords, key, etc.
DNF for me today. Had everything going for me then the SE corner would not unravel for me. The opera writer clue and the Marlin clue wouldn't come to me.
Ah well, time to start a new streak anyways ;')
I think the above comments are enough to confirm my feeling that this puzzle was poorly constructed. A few examples: 33A, besides the kinkajou being so obscure, there is no indication that the answer is an informal variant. As noted above, some winds may be oboes, but oboists? AINT HAY may be slang in somebody's neighborhood, but not very generally. STOP OFF does not mean rest, LIE OVER does not mean be postponed. The generalized clue "Family nicknames" answered by a specific example UNCS bothers me. If "Mom's bros" is too easy, at least use a clever clue. A CAPO is to change key, not pitch. Much more could be said. Not a happy puzzler today. Moral: If you're going to make it hard, you better make it right, or you annoy the people you want to please.
Agree with all the above. Top half came together fairly easily but the bottom killed me. Not a fun day.
With you all the way Larry. An argument for oboists as a wind goes, I can see this conversation: Are you a wind or a reed asks the conductor to the oboist.....Well sir I am a wind,,hmm a real stretch...The peanuts/ain't hay thing just plain sticks....Cluing sucks for STOP OFF and many people LIE OVER at a place for reasons other than a delay. Even the nod/zonk thing is a mess. To me if you zonk out, you are flat out bushed and go right to sleep...nodding on the other hand is a more gentle process.....Maybe I am missing something here but if you "get together" about something does it really mean you agree? The list goes on but suffice it to say DNF on SE corner...
Another impossible to solve (with normal intelligence) Times puzzle. Benn doing Xword puzzles for 50+ years in the Times and lately can't solve any. What's the point??
DNF on this one which is rare - and I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought the cluing was very poor.
Move on, I guess
I finished it with lots of Googling and a few lucky guesses, like "xsandos" and 'setsupshop", but it was not enjoyable. Agree, poorly constucted clues!
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