0:12:00
This was an enjoyable Tuesday puzzle. Lots went in immediately, of course, but it was interesting fill. Picked LEICA (14A: Pioneer in 35mm cameras) right off the bat, but I like-a that Nikon and Canon would both have fit. I'm learning a lot about the 2009 Star Trek movie, what with last Thursday's NERO and today's BANA (21A: Eric who played the villain in 2009's "Star Trek"). It got all French up in the NE, with EAU (16A: It flows in the Seine), ESPRIT (22A: Lively wit), and PONT (23D: France's ___ d'Avignon), but I've got no problem with that. OEUVRE (41D: Hors d'___) even showed up a little farther down.
As I said recently, I enjoy it when two answers are clued in the same way, and I also like today's pairs of (1A: Simpson of the Simpson-Bowles commission), ALAN, with (67A: One of the Simpsons), MARGE, and ICE (4D: Motel machine sign) with AAA (42A: Letters on a motel sign). That kind of thing makes any puzzle a little bit more interesting and fun.
Other clues/answers that we found particularly nice today were ELEGY (53D: Words of passing interest?), and CANALZONE (36D: Former U.S. territory) - tricky! And I loved seeing LITHESEOME (3D: Like ballerinas), EDWYNN (27D: Comic who sang "I Love to Laugh" in "Mary Poppins"), and USSWASP (28A: It's known as the Ship With the Mighty Stinger). I wonder if there's fierce competition to get that assignment?
As for the theme, any reference to Wayne's World is a good one, and the compound-word thing is a tried-and-true crossword convention. Everyone loves a party, right?
- Horace
I always say there's nothing like a good joke.
ReplyDeleteIs that an Ed Wynn quote from the movie?
ReplyDeleteI believe it was Dick (Bert) who said this. And Ed (Uncle Albert) followed up by saying, "Yes, and that was nothing like a good joke!"
ReplyDeleteHa! Nice.
ReplyDeleteWe're in complete agreement on this one: what a delightful Tuesday crossword! We are also in sync with the time. I timed this one on a stopwatch and came in at 11:59! I too loved the unusual cluing for ALAN. Didn't think about the tie-in with MARGE until you mentioned it, but I'm sure that was intentional. I guess you hit on all of the clever clues. Really nice Tuesday blend of gimmes and less well-known clues and answers.
ReplyDeleteWould that they could all be like this.
ReplyDeleteCool about your time!
I went over to Rex to see how his people liked this one (I always try to read and comment on your blog first), and I was surprised to hear the lukewarm reaction. What more could you want from a Tuesday?
ReplyDelete