Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013, Jean O'Conor

0:10:15

The beach theme was cute, but unfortunately, today is a rainy day here in the Northeast. The yard and garden desperately need it, so that's good, and I can enjoy the idea of the beach without actually having to go to it, which is really the best way to enjoy it in summer. ("Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded.")

There's tons of theme material. Seven theme answers, plus a revealer, plus a bonus answer - BURN (63A: Sunbathe too long). And you could probably have clued 15A: "Git!" (SHOO) with something like "What you might say to the horseflies circling around you while you lie on your blanket in the sun." And 31D: Explosion sound (KABOOM) could have had "Fireworks sound." What's that? Your beach doesn't have fireworks once per week? Pity. And while we're at it, 38D: Wayfarer (VAGABOND) could have been "That guy who goes around collecting returnables out of the beach trashcans." What's that? Your beach doesn't have vagabonds? Well... you win some, you lose some.

At first I thought that CORKS (30A: Red and white stoppers?) were really more brown and dark brown, but then I remembered what they were stopping up, and I liked the clue a lot after that. What a LULU (32A: Doozy) of a mistake that was! And speaking of lulus, who the heck is 33A: Singer Julius of early TV (LAROSA)? Never heard of him.

I guess I'll stop here, before I try to theme-ize another clue by making a joke about LADYLUCK and my new ECRU (24D: Beige-ish) Speedo bathing suit... Come to think of it, I think there's a chapter about that in "ARS Amatoria." ...

- Horace

1 comment:

  1. 12 mins.
    I, too, enjoyed the beach theme. Reminded me of home. Maybe CORKS sometimes float on the water, and what about the SPIN of a frisbee? There are those that LEER at some people wearing a COVERUP and I often feel that others getting too cuddly on their BLANKET should get AROOM. I guess that's enough.

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