0:33:53
Well, well, well… what a start. BUTTOCKS (1A: Cheeky couple). Do I even need to comment on that? The whole NW quadrant is excellent. TOUSLE (4D: Ruffle), TEQUILA (3D: 1958 #1 hit whose only lyric is its title word) crossing LIQUORUP (17A: Become ripped), KNURL (7D: Small projecting ridge)… it's all good. I don't love the broken up MORE ORLESS, and I like it less for it being upside down, but that's a small thing, really, in a very good puzzle.
HITMEUP (39D: Modern request for contact) is nice. SPOILER (13D: Surprise giveaway?) and SETLIST (14D: What keeps order at a concert?) were nicely clued… we were stuck for a bit at the very end in the SW quadrant, until Frannie had a EUREKA moment at last with 62A: Illumination indication. Hah! Nice one.
To be honest, as I look it over now, I don't see quite as much good stuff as it seemed there was while we were doing it, but I still say that it's a good Saturday. Maybe a little on the easy side, but overall, quite enjoyable.
- Horace
55:19
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle had me at BUTTOCKS. HITMEUP was the toughest for me. I needed nearly all of the crosses for that one. TOOHOT (18A Needing to sit for a minute, maybe) could have had a racier clue, but other than that I have no complaints. STREETMEAT (28D Kebabs sold curbside, say) was excellent, as was the BOLSHOI/UNITARD (are we supposed to say that?) pairing.