0:11:00
Kind of an odd theme today, but it's so unusual that I kind of like it. ROFL (36A: Texter's expression spelled out by the starts of 18-, 28-, 46-, and 59-Across). It kind of leaves things wide open for the theme answers, doesn't it? Still, FLOORMIRRORS (46A: Some dressing room conveniences) is a little odd, no? The others, though, are all perfectly fine. ROLLINGPINS (18A: Items for flattening dough) is even "Thanksgiving-appropriate." If that's a thing. Which it isn't.
It played tough for a Monday, so that's good. Things like COZEN (16A: Deceive), and ILLFAME (20A: Bad reputation) aren't really Monday-ish. I enjoyed EXALT (3D: Glorify) and PROMPTLY (5D: Right away), didn't love YESES (38A: Affirmatives) (I prefer two esses in the middle - I dislike the trend to single letters in this situation in general), and BEDSORE (24D: Long-term hospital patient's problem) is gross. There's some of the usual early-week fare - OGEE, AGAR, CMI, AGA, EEL - but AROUSES (44D: Shakes from a slumber) should amuse certain solvers.
Overall, it was a fine Monday. Maybe even a little on the plus side, since it took me so long.
- Horace
8:36
ReplyDeleteAROUSES was, indeed, amusing, as was LAUGHINGGAS (I may have had a bit too much of the latter in my lifetime). I didn't really love the clue for POLKA (26D _____ dot), but it's OK. As far as the theme goes, I don't know what ROFL is and won't look it up. And didn't we just see PIKE (41A Toll road) in a recent puzzle but with a different clue? Overall, a good Monday.
6:02. Definitely played hard for a Monday. The Z in UZI/COZEN took the longest: I couldn't parse "Arm of Israel," thought it was a person's name. I like SCOTLAND and SPRAINS. I thought the theme was essentially random. FLOORMIRRORS is weak. LAUGHINGGAS is great. I also don't like that the center E and center W are cut off entirely from the rest of the puzzle except for one square.
ReplyDeleteColum - I handed the puzzle to Frannie to see if she could fill in that last square, the Z. I had started to run the alphabet in my mind, and I got to about S when I thought... I don't know this. She went all the way to the end. That's what she's all about - follow through.
ReplyDeleteAnd Huygens, Rolling On the Floor Laughing.
ReplyDeleteWell, now I know.
DeleteAlso, I thought the theme was just the initials of each answer, but in fact it was the first words of each answer which spell out the entire phrase ROLLING ON THE FLOOR LAUGHING. That's better than I thought.
ReplyDeleteWow. How did I not see that? I've got to pay more attention!
ReplyDelete