0:06:00
This one seemed a little flat to me. Not bad, really, but not terribly exciting. And the theme is NBA (54A: Org. found in the answer to each asterisked clue)? Really? I guess there are a lot of them, but why? And furthermore, TINBADGE (17A: *Sheriff's insignia, in old westerns)? I've never heard them called "tin" before. Was it really made of tin? Couldn't some of them have been brass? And 46A: *Tangy breakfast item (ONIONBAGEL)? I see at least two things wrong with that clue...
And that whole GES (26A: Some appliances, for short) (ugh) / SPITON (37D: Show disdain for, in a way) (gross) / STENT (53A: Surgically implanted tube) (also gross) area was distasteful.
Lots of abbreviations (ACADS, SATI, PHD, APBS, KNT, GES, DEM, DELT), and not a lot to latch onto. At least for this solver. Perhaps you had a better experience.
The most interesting thing today is the information that ULA is a "9D: Suffix meaning 'little one.'"
- Horace
14 mins.
ReplyDeleteI didn't mind it too much. How could you be mad at any puzzle containing adorable KOALAS? TINBADGE is a description regularly used in westerns. I thought that the clue for HOS (52A Sounds from Santa) could have been more, shall we say, risque. So, I guess, could have the clue for RAINHAT (2D Galoshes go-with). And everyone likes an OPENBAR (44D *Feature of many a charity gala). And finally, this wouldn't be a Huygens comment without mentioning the possibility for a different clue for ORALLY (47D How some temperatures - and tests - are taken), but I won't go into details since this is a family blog.
5:50. I agree that the theme is, while interesting (how many ways you can put NBA in the middle of an answer), sort of out there. I liked ITLLDO for the weird way it looks in the grid, and the crossing of ELAINE and ANISTON brings back fond memories of "Must see TV" on Thursday nights (and the STENT would fit in with the 10 PM show, ER). I agree with Huygens that TINBADGE is definitely acceptable. But ONIONBAGEL seems poorly clued. Tangy? Doesn't make any sense.
ReplyDelete