I did not realize, until long after doing the puzzle, what the theme was. I shouldn't probably admit this, since it shows how out of touch I am with most things current and modern, but when I was solving, I did noticed that all the theme answers began with "ATT..." but I failed to understand that it was really representing "@T..." and mimicking a Twitter handle. EVEN THOUGH IT SAID IT IN THE FIRST CLUE. Wow. What a maroon.
That lack of understanding might account for my slow time, which, thanks to a new app feature, I can say is slower than normal, but it did not diminish my appreciation for this fine grid. Six ATT words, all cutely clued. My favorite was 53A: Good Twitter handle for a eulogist? (ATTRIBUTE), but 17A: ... for a seductress?" (ATTEMPTING) was also good.
Where this grid really shines, though, is in the long downs. Eight clues over seven letters, the weakest of which is ALITTLE (43D: Not much), and the strongest being hard to decide upon. CATACLYSM (6D: Large-scale disaster) is a front runner, but TAXIDERMY (35D: Professional stuff?) could edge it out based on the clue.
STATEFAIRS (10D: Events with Ferris wheels and livestock competitions) is perfectly timed. Frannie and I saw one that had suddenly popped up in a roadside field as we drove west yesterday, and marveled at their persistence. It's kind of nice to think of the tradition still carrying on.
So although the West got a little iffy with OTRA, GRATA, and SANTO, there's plenty of good stuff holding this one together. I call it an especially good Monday.
- Horace
4:12
ReplyDeleteYes, a very nice Monday. I love "Professional stuff?" (TAXIDERMY). That's outstanding stuff right there. Yep, I went there.
6:19
ReplyDeleteDid you drive past the state fair in Acton on Route 2? That's right near my office. They put out a giant cow statue ahead of time to alert people to the fact that it will be there in a week or so. The cow is now gone. This was an especially nice Monday, what with LINUS, SWIFT and YOGIBERRA, the pair of "Kind of clef" clues (ALTO and BASS) and the mention of QATAR, which Sue and I will visit briefly in 2016, much to our dislike. AMOUR and PINED abutting was also nice. Of course, all of this is in addition to the nice theme and good long downs.
Yes, I guess it was the Acton fair. I saw the cow, too, earlier, and I'm happy to now know what that signifies!
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