Sunday, August 24, 2014

Sunday, August 24, 2014, Patrick Berry

SECOND SHIFT

We enjoyed this puzzle. A full review will be posted on Monday. Sorry for the delay.

- Horace


We have come to expect big things from Mr. Berry, and he delivers again today. The theme is beautifully done and often hilarious. Frannie's favorite was LEIDETECTOR (28A: Device that can tell if someone's recently vacationed in Hawaii?), and mine, I think, was the ridiculous CLODCEREAL (58A: Honey Bunches of Oafs, e.g.?), but CROONERSINQUEST (113A: What might determine if the moon hitting your eye like a big pizza pie is truly amore?) puts up a good fight in the "ridiculous" category. Fannie also wants to point out that SATINLESSSTEEL (89A: Novelist Danielle without her glossy dress?) (look at those Ss!) is quite a transformation - from stainless steel to satin! How does his mind work?!

Enjoyed the pair of AVAST (49A: Nautical command) and BELAY (14A: Fasten, as rope), and that's quite a clue for ADS (94A: Channel-surfing catalysts). I also enjoyed the straighforward, yet tricky clue for AXIOM (112A: Given). And it's fascinating to learn the original definition of SCUTTLE (118A: Send to the ocean bottom). It seems that it's really the act of cutting a hole in the ship, but the purpose is to sink it.

It just oozes interestingness and cleverness, and those are two very good traits for a puzzle to have. 11D: Last thing bid? (ADIEU) and 48D: Garbage collection? (FLIES) - clever. 38D: Bugs that weigh tons (VWS) - fun. 92D: "It's true whether or not you believe in it," per Neil deGrasse Tyson (SCIENCE) - awesome.

He is and remains our favorite constructor.

- Horace

3 comments:

  1. 51:20
    I enjoyed it, too. The theme was a good one. I especially liked 73A "Hee Haw" heyday, say? (ERAOFCORN). 24D Take a shot? (IMBIBE) was excellent, and 120A Cells displaced them (PAGERS) was tricky. For Huygens fill, we have 44A Item from the Victoria's Sweetness catalog? (BRAOFCHOCOLATE). Any mentions of DEFOE (116A "A Journal of the Plague Year" novelist, 1722) and Ovid (22A The Roman poet Ovid, once (EXILE)) are welcome. Lots of good stuff in here. Something I'll probably never see? ROADEOS.

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  2. I did not finish it, due to being tired after the Nationals game, but I thought you might mention 1A, as it's an old Frances favorite (ASARULE).

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  3. 31:19
    ERAOFCORN. Ain't that a great descriptor for when Hee Haw was on? Yeah, a lot of good stuff in this puzzle.

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