Going Off Script
Generally, it's do a puzzle, review a puzzle, forget a puzzle, but today, thanks to Mr. Trudeau (and Sir Elton John and Tim Rice), I can't get HAKUNAMATATA out of my head. Fortunately, I'll be seeing a production of "The Pirates of Penzance" this afternoon. I'm hopeful that will force a reset.
Today's theme answers come in pairs that feature signature quotes from movies and a companion noun formed with the name of the actor that speaks the quote plus the word LINE. So, the aforementioned Hakuna Matata is a LANELINE because Nathan Lane (among others) says it in "The Lion King." Once you discover the pattern, the theme answers are easy prey. My favorite is SHOWMETHEMONEY and its partner CRUISELINE. This one's a little more interesting because Carnival has a number of possible meanings, especially with the hidden capital. But, I don't have to tell you that.
I love the word VAPID (69A) but I found the clue Uninspired. :) TOKEN and CALICO are both nice. (73A and 86D). Small beam (90A) for GRIN was cute. I am sucker for your language-related clues, so I enjoyed 110A "Language in which the first four cardinal numbers are ane, twa, three, and fower (SCOTS). So like us.
Is it my imagination, or is there a sci-fi/space theme with ORION, PHASERS, LTSULU, and REDSTAR?
via GIPHY
I typed in LEHI (Where Samson slew the Philistines) shortly after I input its anagram, ELHI, everybody's favorite designation for the K-12 school years. Maybe a constructor could try "Greeting in Franglais" to squeeze in LEHI. In any case, both combinations are in good company here with such old chestnuts as ASTI, ESE, AGT, ADA, ERS, ETNA, YUP, ALE, EPEE, FED, ONEAS, etc. :)
Hakuna matata.
~Frannie.
26:09
ReplyDeleteI was surprised, but pleased, to get the happy pencil congratulating me after entering a "C" at the DRACO/ACC cross since I was unsure of either. Though a bit fast for a Sunday, I enjoyed the theme, and the puzzle in general. SENESCE is a nice word, adding to Frannie's list above, although it's not that nice of a process. I entered adelE at 6D Singer with the 2012 #1 hit "Somebody That I Used to Know" but slowly changed it to the unknown-to-me GOTYE as the crosses came in. ALAKAZAM (20A "Abracadabra!") was unexpected but welcome, and I don't think I've ever seen the full UZIGAL in a puzzle.