A meta-puzzle about solving the NYTX. Hah! Brilliant. And worth it just for 50-Across alone - "Newbie crossword solver's thought on a Thursday" (WHATINHELL). Love it. Of course, I'm a stuffy old purist and I'd rather leave a puzzle unfinished - or guess wildly - than get a hint or Google anything, but that's just me, and I don't criticize anyone for puzzling however they want. My job is to criticize the constructors! :)
But today my criticism (which, by the way, is always the "analysis and judgment of merits and faults" rather than the "expression of disapproval" kind of criticism) is all positive. It's got humor - "What did the ____ say when it was riding on the back of a turtle? Wheeeee!" (SNAIL) - interesting money facts - "Lempira spender" (HONDURAN) - trivia - "Department store chain that began as a corner grocery" (KOHLS) - misdirection "Holder of tent sales" (REI) - and did I say humor? - "Place people walk into for jokes?" (BAR). Heh. And hey, it's also got GIN! What's not to like? (Is there a mini-theme with those last two and WINES?)
I haven't thought of the slogan DOTHEDEW in ages. And are you like me in waiting to see whether "Part of Caesar's boast" will be in English or Latin? I mean, if it's four letters and Latin, it could be any of the three, but as soon as you get the I, you know it's English and it can only be one thing. So that was nice.
I really enjoyed this one. Congratulations on the debut, Ms. Ewool, I'll be on the lookout for your next one. :)
- Horace
Love the clue for SNAIL! I'm definitely a Monday solver...almost...because I would never say "I'VE GOT THIS," even on a Monday! I don't use GOOGLE TIME because I've got a handy desktop dictionary that includes Wikipedia! (And shamelessly use it, generally beginning on Wednesdays.) Didn't know the factoid re KOHLS -- wanted K-Mart and tried to cross it with DNA Map. (!) Also stubbornly held onto the cap V in Caesar's boast for 'way to long. Congrats to Ekua on her debut!
ReplyDeleteI'll join the "shamelessly use reference materials" club (with less and less reluctance as the week goes on). Although I do have a self imposed rule that I won't click on anything with "crossword answer" in a search result. I go for the reference materials where at least in theory I might learn something or be entertained or what have you.
ReplyDeleteAs for today's puzzle, did anyone else have INdeCENT before INNOCENT? I filled it in thinking "well, that's a bit funny, I mean I know indecent is often a euphemism for naked and newborns are naked but it seems a bit unfair. Well, odd or not couldn't be anything else with so many crosses pointing me this way".