1:11:32
Wow. This puzzle was so very far from normal. It was a struggle the whole way, but thoroughly fresh and satisfying. KISSYFACE (17A: Indication that one wants to get smacked) was one of our first indications that this would not be full of standard fare. BRAINFREEZE (11D: Cold discomfort, of sorts), TWITTERJAIL (22D: Penalty for some overly prolific posters), BODACIOUS (49A: Sexy) (Frannie finally got that one!)… these are all great. And the cluing was very tricky, too! For "26D: Skin behind a slip, perhaps" had us thinking "something thigh?" "something leg?" but BANANAPEEL was quite good.
ELYSIAN (5D: Blissful), MUTANTS (36D: Staples of Marvel Comics), BEEKEEPER (54A: One controlling drones), HUMANRACE (29A: People everywhere)… so much good.
I don't really know what else to say. It was better than Cats. We want to solve it again and again.
- Horace
53:35
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those rare Saturday puzzles that I just filled right in, except for the SE, which took about 1/2 hour or so of that total time. There were a couple of bee-type clues if you count HORNETS as bees. I thought that 44D "Zzz" inducer (BORE) was going to be another one. Once I figured out DAMASK and PORSCHE, I was able to get BODACIOUS and BEEKEEPER down there. I'd never heard of IRISHMOSS, so I've learned something today. I enjoyed the twin clues of 43A Spare change collector (TIPJAR) and 44A Spare change collectors (BUMS). My favorite was 38A Prevent from having anything? (NEUTER), though I also liked KISSYFACE (I thought that Frannie probably wouldn't) and 23D Rope and dope sources (HEMPS).