As chance would have it, I am in traffic while I write about today's traffic-themed puzzle. Who knows what such a coincidence will yield? Let's start with the revealer RIGHTONRED, or "Traffic go-ahead that should be followed four times in this puzzle." The instructions are clear: when you get to the word [RED] in a down answer, you take a right at the intersection with the Across answer and enter the rest of the answer so that the complete Down answer appears in something of an L shape, CHECKE[RED]FLAG and CU[RED]MEAT are two examples. When you look at the across answers, it e-merges that they also work on their own, as independent answer - always an attraction. :)
I pretty much sped right through this one, with only one bump in the road where I tried GOESbroke before "Gomer Pyle's outfit: Abbr." (USMC) straightened me out and I realized the answer was GOESUNDER. There were some fun stops along the way including "Play by play job?" (STAGEACTOR), "A little cracked" (AJAR), "Early man?" (BOY), and my favorite "Refuse to pick up the bill?" (VETO) - ha! I also enjoyed THRUMS, SPLOTCH, and DUNNED along the way.
I apologize for the late review today - sometimes real life takes a toll. Exit.
~Frannie.
This was my first encounter with "rebus" clues in my as-yet-very-short experience solving online. Quite clever throughout and really enjoyable! Managed it in a satisfactory 8:35.
ReplyDeleteWell, for such a newbie, Philbo, you sure shred the solve times. I got a 17:17 today, and that with being familiar with, and expecting, a Thursday rebus. My only addition would be that sure, it's a RIGHTONRED if one looks at it from above, but if one were actually looking at an intersection say, from a traffic 'copter, the driver would be taking a left, which is hardly ever allowed on red. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteHa ha right! Pretend you're looking up from the pavement's perspective. Full disclosure, I'm not a noob at the crosswords themselves - just the online solving UI. I feel like I spend a lot of time frantically clicking around trying to get situated and oriented, and more time erasing the letters I accidentally put in because I was in DOWN mode when I thought I was ACROSS, or vice versa. Old dogs, new tricks... I'm trusting that mantra to eventually ring true for me, here.....
ReplyDeleteI also had the reaction of "but it is a left turn". I can sort of give it a bit of poetic license and say, well, OK the turn is to the right as viewed by me, if not as viewed by the answer going down. But it seems a bit inelegant.
ReplyDeleteI too thought "Refuse to pick up the bill?" was very nice.