0:05:37
I haven't seen a theme just like this one before, with the first word of multiple theme answers being taken together as a separate quote, and then the author being the last theme answer. I like it.
The blatant (10A: Number in a quartet (FOUR)), the more interesting (53A: French words describing how roast beef is often served (AUJUS)), and the uninferrable (47A: Volleyball star Gabrielle (REECE)) seem to be well-balanced today, and maybe it even skews a little to the "tricky" side. One is not always (or even often) treated to such interesting words as CUPOLA (48D: Domelike top) and OXBOW (50D: U-shaped bend in a river) on a Monday. CREPEPAPER (3D: Party streamer material) is another uncommon entry.
I prefer the "briar" spelling of BRIER (61A: Bramble), but it's nice to learn that the "e" version is out there, and even given as the primary spelling in the first online source I found. And, although I'll never remember it, it's also interesting to learn that GENOA is the 40A: Italian birthplace of Paganini.
Overall, a very nice Monday.
- Horace
Interesting Monday. I was all ready to denounce it after filling in FOUR, AGER, COLA, YEAR, and ONA (and maybe a couple others that I didn't highlight or don't remember); but, similar to our faithful blogger, I had to change course after writing in OXBOW and, especially, ALEXANDERPOPE. Alexander-freaking-Pope, on a MONDAY! It occurs to me now that there is a chasm between doers of the New York Times puzzle and the vast majority of the rest of society, a chasm, I mean, in what is assumed to be common knowledge. If I polled section 200 at the Vikes game in two weeks, how many fans, do you suppose would have heard of Alexander Pope? I probably won't do it, but it would be
ReplyDeletean interesting exercise.
10:12
ReplyDeleteZero. It probably, therefore, wouldn't be too interesting.
I also thought that FLIPBOOK was good, as was SPIKEJONES ("...on the box / I can't take the way he sings / but I love to hear him talk"). I also enjoyed the LAZE/UZI cross.
Yay! I'm in. Tired of doing just Sundays. 6:42, which I impute to the fact that I'm doing it on the computer instead of with pen and paper. This is the sort of puzzle that gives Elizabeth Gorski a good name. I liked OXBOW, CARTA, and KNITS next to each other. And TOSCA has been much on my mind recently. Fun for a Monday.
ReplyDeleteHuzzah!
ReplyDelete