This was an odd bird of a puzzle, if you'll pardon the expression. I got the visual theme, and the three long across answers fit into the concept, along with GOOSE. But then I wanted all those lovely long down answers to be in the theme also, and they just weren't. I couldn't make them belong!
That being said, the long answers all cross three long answers, so that's lovely. And the really unusual grid shape allows for large chunks of answers in three corners. And with the exception of EASEFUL, they all are good entries. I like AIRMAIL and CAREENS.
In exchange, there are an awful lot of short answers in the rest of the grid, but nothing I really hated, honestly. Well, I didn't much like AYLA, although it's better than seeing her author's name, Auel, in the grid. And IRED is ugly.
On the plus side, CECE's in the grid today.
Got not much else to say.
- Colum
7:12
ReplyDeleteI noticed CECE; she must've been happy about that. I'll add one thing to Colum's review: the theme answers at 13A and 30A could have been clued as a referencing clue at 30A, say, and they weren't, so that was nice. I guess I'll add one more thing: we listened to "Tommy" in its entirety during Raucous Hot Tub (RHT) on Saturday afternoon. Also (last addendum), it was nice to see Sue's middle name (JOY) in the grid again.
5:49
ReplyDeleteI, too, smiled to see CECE in there. :) I like the odd symmetry, and the cool look of this. I found that it had the effect of making it harder to rip through a section, because you kept having to back up to get to the down before the one you were on. Know what I mean? Anyway, yes, lots of lovely long fill. Four fifteens and two thirteens - seems rather a lot for a Monday. But I'll take it!