0:10:45
Let's see, what should we call this type of theme? A "word set?" I don't know. Anyway, it's the kind where either the first words or the last words of the theme answers are all related somehow. This time, the last words are all related to laundry. Fine. No help while solving, but somewhat interesting to notice at the end.
I actually wondered to myself whether Will Shortz was atoning for recently allowing "dolce" to mean "softly in music" in a previous puzzle with 15A: Piano, on a music score (SOFT). Heh. Maybe. Hopefully.
Nice clue for JAIL (31A: Monopoly square between Connecticut Avenue and St. Charles Place), and USAFB (41A: Edwards or Andrews: Abbr.) took a while to come into focus, even with the "abbr." in the clue. HERESY (63A: Reason for an inquisition) and its clue bring to mind Monty Python, which is nice.
Some nice stuff in the Downs, too, with IMPALES (1D: Stabs), AVENGE (20D: Take an eye for an eye for), HAIRS (25D: Unpleasant discoveries in soup) (gross!), JOINT (31D: 31-Across, slangily) (another ok referential clue), and BADEGGS (44D: No-goodniks). But even with all that, I still found myself groaning at things like ETA, OPIE, TAI, ULNA, URN, YAO, ELI, STS, and NEH (yikes). Overall, decent enough, I guess. Lots of good words, lots of standard fare.
- Horace
9:17
ReplyDeleteWe've all seen enough of ULNA for awhile. No mention of ABE Simpson? Usually they (Simpsons) get a shout-out from Horace. I liked the multiple crossing of YULE/NOG/EGGS in the SE. OSSIFY is a nice word, as was GLAZED (4A Like some doughnuts), but is it just me, or have the grids featured a glut of ENERO lately? I hadn't thought of the S.I. with HERESY, but I should have. Thanks for the reminder!
Yeah. ULNA. ENERO. ENA. ... "Give 'em a rest, Queenie."
ReplyDeleteABE is good. And GLAZED could be an allusion to Homer, I suppose. (The nuclear power plant worker, not the Greek poet.)
And interesting about the yule/eggnog bunching. I hadn't taken note of that.