Now, nobody likes a good alcohol-related theme more than I do... well, except perhaps Horace.
Right.
Nobody likes a good alcohol-related theme more than Horace or I do. And this one is fun: a circle of different names of alcoholic drinks, shaded in just so you can see that it indeed is a circle. All six exemplars are well chosen. And I like that GIN and STOUT, the two that aren't diagonally displaced, are clued without reference to the drinks.
And yet. And yet. THEROUNDSONME... it almost hits the nail on the head. Only, how does the "on me" fit in? Maybe I'm just being nitpicky. It just bothers me a little.
There is a ton of theme here, and all of those diagonal answers require triple-checked letters, which makes for some challenging fill. Thus, MASTIC. That was my error: I hadn't heard of that before, and I chose an L to start it with, crossing it with 9A: Leaky parts of an old tent, often: SEAlS, right? Well, SEAMS works better, I can see now.
That being said, I like MARIPOSA, HOTMEALS, and JAUNT is very nice also. EAGEREST is fine, although I'd probably say "most eager" in actual conversation.
1A: Common name for a cowboy (DUSTY) is cute, and I'll give it a B. My first answer was 1D: Opposite of births (DEATHS).
Horace and Frances will know that MACHU makes me think of another spirit: Pisco. A pisco sour is a very fine mixed drink.
- Colum
11:28
ReplyDeleteMixed drinks are way overrated, IMO, but the theme is great. I prefer straight booze, myself; quality booze, that is. Nice that LSD is in there, the LAV, which will be needed with all of those cocktails, and a BAR/TAB. Too bad that SIC couldn't have been "hic." TEAT (20A Nipple) is a little too much for the kiddos, no? Anyway, very enjoyable Tuesday.
12:14
ReplyDeleteI think you can probably add Huygens et uxor to your list of people who would enjoy an alcohol-related theme. It's just too bad this wasn't a Monday, so Sue could have seen it. Oh well...
I have no problem with the revealer. I just see it as the constructor inviting us, and we can choose any of the items shown. As predicted, I really like this theme, and the bonus material that Huygens mentions. And we've each got our lacunae - I know what MASTIC is, but the A in MARIPOSA and SAAR was just an educated guess.
And speaking of words, GIMBAL is a nice one. Makes one think of gyring and gimbling in the wabe, which one might do after a few gimlets. Me, I've really come to appreciate a good mixed drink in the past few years. What's not to love about a perfect gin and tonic on a summer day, a Manhattan any old time, or a Pisco sour at a party?