As Frannie put it, this was "challenging, but not clever." Lots of arcana (RIB (22A: Neuralia : nerve :: costalgia : ____), SERO, EOSIN), proper names (ELIE, MAMET, RENEE, VALERIE, EERO, etc.), and "meh"-type stuff (DROIDRAZR, PFIZER, OXALIC, WIIMOTES).
Frannie did, however, enjoy EXCUSEYOU (15A: Comment to an unapologetic burper, say), which was our entree to the NW, and RRR (30A: School basics, facetiously). And 7D: Start of something big?" (ZYGOTE) wasn't bad. She also got SNEEZED (14D: Exhibited sternutation) from the French for "to sneeze," which is "éternuer." Not too shabby.
There's a nice Huygens crossing at DEIMOS (37A: Moon named after the Greek personification of terror) and GROPES (21D: Feels (for)), and I enjoyed CRAZE (27D: It's temporarily hot).
The highlight today is CECE (26A: Woman's name that sounds like a repeated letter). That's the name of a young crossword solver that we know! The runner up - AFB.
- Horace
25:39. Joint effort, between Hope, myself, and the eponymous CECE. So I agree with you that on the whole, it's not the greatest example of a themeless. But to start with FOSHIZZLE and end with ZEPPOMARX is an astonishing amount of Zs. I also enjoyed REDDIWIP. I did not like seeing TYPEE in the grid again. MIAMIAREA feels blah. TARARA is yuck.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, LOESSER is a favorite.
53:45
ReplyDeleteI loved FOSHIZZLE and ZEPPOMARX, as well as the cross mentioned by Horace. I was able to enter DEIMOS almost immediately (one cross: the "O"). I also was impressed with the twin clues 11D A follower? (NOUN) and 18A Q preceder (SUSIE). BORAX and RIOLOBO were both some good trivia, as was 1D "The ____ the words, the better the prayer": Martin Luther (FEWER); I must agree, as I'd carry that to its extreme.