Man, I loved this one! I got in quickly with STINKSTANKSTUNK (17A: "The three words that describe" the Grinch, in song), and ran from there.
I loved the cluing here, especially 10D: What irregulars go for (LESS), 23D: Otto's preceder (SETTE) (Italian. You were thinking rulers, like me, right?), 35A: Subtractions from the division? (AWOLS), 16D: Heeded a herald, say (HARKED), and many others. I tried "STUCKTOtheRIBS" for "12D: Was satisfying, as a hearty meal", but when that didn't fit, I tried the old crossword standby STUCKTOONESRIBS and what do you know, it stuck!
The fifteens were all decent, the earlier "ones" comment notwithstanding. Again, I loved the cluing on those, too - 44A: Not discouraging feedback (OPENTOCRITICISM), 2D: One doing the rounds very quickly (AUTOMATICWEAPON), and 3D: Something to level with (TRINITROTOLUENE). Good ol' TNT. You don't see it written out all that much, but it'll level just about anything you put it near. Hah!
It had some odd stuff that I had never heard of (EDELS, OHKAY, DAMES), but they didn't hold me up any, and overall, I really enjoyed it.
- Horace
26:23
ReplyDeleteNice time, Horace! I struggled a fair amount with this one. It's really my fault in a way, because I too would have put STINKSTANKSTUNK in a lot earlier, had I looked at the clue. Instead I got going down the East side. I love 48A: Slowly took its toll? (KNELLED). Not a fan of IODATE. PENMEN was a clever non-S plural. Dual Italian answers with SETTE and FIORE. Man, I wish I was back in Italy. AUTOMATICWEAPON next to TRINITROTOLUENE is an explosive combination. Good puzzle!
45:34 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteI took longer than both of you combined. My error was with the POLYSCI/YAT cross. I didn't know the latter, and thought that the former was spelled with an "i." Other than that, I agree with the niceness of this puzzle. I never heard of the EDELS, either. I thought that all of the fifteens were nice, although I tried TURNEDTHEscrews at first, to no avail and I had the CONDIMENTS of CONDIMENTSAISLE for a very long time thinking shelf? basket?, also to no avail. Excellent clue for VETOER (29A Executive using a check?), as in, I guess, "checks and balances." Thumbs up, and right in the neighborhood of a time that I like for a Friday puzzle.