There were definitely some highlights today, like the cleverly clued JABS (52D: Ring exchange) and ETTU (35D: Response to an attack by a group of senators), and the amusing TAKEABATH (34D: Lose one's shirt), TRAP (10A: Pie hole), SWAMI (15A: Know-it-all?), JUMBOTRON (52A: What might make you a big fan?), and AFFLUENZA (1A: Woe that's the result of extreme materialism).
The solve went along pretty smoothly today. I'm particularly proud of knowing FERMI, GIGI, and GANESH without crosses, but needing every one for ANWAR and TEK. That's just who I am, I guess. Take it or leave it.
I liked the interestingness factor of LYDIA (4D: Girl's name derived from the name of an ancient Anatolian kingdom). It seems we just saw GILPIN (28A: Peri of "Frasier") (clued in the opposite way last time, I think), but I still couldn't come up with it. And OMAGAZINE (19A: Hearst publication since 2000) has been in at least a few times this year, so that wasn't as hard as it might otherwise have been.
In fact, the whole thing seemed a little on the easy side. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The NYET/NEIN (European refusal) was fun. I also enjoyed the "It's true!" pair (AMEN/BELIEVEME), but for some reason I didn't go for the "What ____?"/"What ____!" (ELSE/ADRAG) quite as much. But hey, maybe that's just me, and hey, they tried to bring it together with 29D: "That ____ true" (ISSO), but maybe it's just trying a little too hard.
I don't know if you'll end up saying I WENTEASYON this one or not, but I am forgiving the WEAK DRIBS like ODEA, NOHO, and NOLO, and giving it a thumbs up overall.
- Horace
31:30 (FWOE)
ReplyDeletePlayed much harder for me than you! Nice time. My mistake came at RIZZO/SWAZI. I had put in RatsO at first, and it took a long time to figure out each mistake. I like TWIZZLERS, the answer, not the candy, which tastes too plasticky for me. ETTU is well clued.
Interesting game to play: I knew FERMI and FLAGG with no crosses, and ISAAC and CYD with only one cross each. I did not know BRASI at all.
DNF
ReplyDeleteI was stuck in the middle because I couldn't part with the incorrect veTo at 35D Response to an attack by a group of senators. Everything else went pretty fast. I loved 65A Stinko (SNOCKERED), but I'm surprised that Horace didn't mention 50D More like Paree (GAYER). A very nice Friday.