I felt this puzzle played a little hard for a Monday. As an example, you have the symmetric answers at 21D and 42D (ASSAM and OKEMO). Two less-than-well-known place names, constrained by crossing two theme answers. There's also YVONNE Strahovski (who? - even after looking at the picture below, I don't recognize her). Many other proper names abound.
Well... I like the revealer (METOO). The rest are solidly recognizable two-word phrases where both words end in -ME. There is nothing incredibly brilliant about the phrases, but they are none of them stretches. I'd just like something sparkling somewhere, either theme or fill, and I don't get any. I guess that makes it Monday level, in the end.
1A: Coke rival (PEPSI) - D. Blatant commercialism is not acceptable at the first answer of the puzzle.
- Colum
5:15
ReplyDeleteI thought this played a little hard for the first of the week, too, and I fully support the D. The bottom is particularly ugly, with the mini-stacks of IBID/EONS and IDEO/ESOS. Also, INAWEEK, I'll be back at work, and that's not something I'm willing to accept right now.
6:42
ReplyDeleteI also agree with the D for PEPSI...terrible. YVONNE was great in her "Dexter" role, but I'd never have known her name. I don't like the term LOOIES, and would have preferred a math-related clue for PIS, although the plural would have been troubling. The theme was fine, and for me, this seemed about right for a Monday. After all, we wouldn't want it to be too easy.