Really lovely puzzle today from Mr. Knapp. The triple stacks in the NW and SE are very strong and the vertical double-nines in the other corners are equally entertaining. CHILLAXED ( 32D: Hung around casually?) (ok, there, especially on a Saturday, we do not need the question mark) beside TESLACOIL (33D: It may cause sparks to fly) is excellent. DOYOUMIND (12D: "Excuse me?") with OHSUSANNA (13D: Classic folk number) - solid.
And in the middle we have such quality entries as FATSUITS (26A: Outfits for big parts?) (Hah!), 34A: Certain upper-growth limit (TREELINE), and BLACKEYE (43A: Boxing ring?) (Question mark also questionable there...). And running through all that are the colorful entries ZANZIBAR (23D: Island known for its spices) and NOSEGAYS (21D: Bouquets, quaintly). Even gluey fill like TERSER is elevated by a Hemingway clue.
1A: One might have black-and-white standards (PIRATESHIP) gets a solid A. Great clue, great fill.
The last thing I put in was the N of GREENALGAE (60A: Film about rock groups?) and that finished off the puzzle with yet another smile.
Outstanding Saturday. Loved it.
- Horace
12:10 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteSo why was this puzzle easier for you than yesterday's, but harder for me? Peculiar the way these things work. Brains, I guess. You never can predict them. Two really good puzzles in a row: this is why we enjoy the turn so much. My error came at the cross of IDLY and CHILLAXED. I missed the tense of the latter, and ended with an S, which clearly looked wrong to me (IsLY?!). But I moved on. And didn't fix until after I'd finished.
What's with the sudden delight with TERSER? Two days running. All those common letters. Another interesting non-repeat came at 44D: First name on the 1970s-'80s Lakers (KAREEM), where I put eARvin. The bias of recent exposure. Turns out Magic Johnson did start his rookie year in 1979-80, so it would have worked from that point of view.
Almost nothing I didn't like here.