Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Tuesday, August 27, 2013, Jacob McDermott

0:17:15

It seems we just saw this theme very recently - last week maybe. Anyway, what does that matter, really? It's a theme you see somewhat frequently, and here it's done in a nice pinwheel symmetry, with a central revealer. Not bad.

Some good stuff in here. I like SCHWA (24D: Vowel sound represented by an upside-down "e"), even though the clue might as well have been "Type in "SCHWA,"" and I like the word BOSH (49D: Claptrap) and its clue, even though no one I know says either one. I'm going to make an effort to use "claptrap" more.

There's interesting trivia with 33D: How many times Laurence Olivier won a Best Actor Oscar (ONCE), but PEEVE (46A: Annoy) crossing TEED (41D: Angry, with "off") is a bit of a peeve, and ticked me off a little. I don't love MOPER or ENGR, and it's almost angering to see LENTO, which gave us such trouble on Saturday with it's clue of "Leisurely," get such simple treatment here (8D: Slow, musically). The theme answers are all decent, though, and overall, it's not a bad Tuesday, I don't think.

- Horace

3 comments:

  1. 10:21. Did this one on the computer last night. When was the last time MARBLES was really a children's game? Good goal on "claptrap." I thought the theme was OK, although it was yet another puzzle in which I had all the theme answers before I had the revealer. I jotted down a couple notes after I had finished the thing: ENT--Nooooooooooo! (Okay, truth be told, my note had only three o's), REBA-ugh; IRAE--worst kind of crosswordese; I've never seen it or heard it outside a puzzle; pedestrian fill. I agree on the nice bit of trivia, but nothing else in this thing inspired or even grabbed me.

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  2. 15:02
    I originally was thinking "Largo" for 8D, but didn't put it in because, of course, three of the crosses didn't match. Anyway, englishteacher59, didn't you ever listen to any Requiems? The "Dies Irae" is a standard part of those! I thought that 25A Grinders (MOLARS) was a good clue/answer, and enjoyed 34D Metaphor for a sharp mind (STEELTRAP) because Sue often claims to have one.

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  3. Funny, I tried "Largo" on Saturday where LENTO went in.

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