One of the youngest puzzle constructors working today gives us a juvenile-ish mini-theme of MARIJUANA-based clues to start this Friday puzzle. First we have 1A: Pot remnant (SHARD) (B), then 6A: Pot part (ANTE), then 10A: Anagram of "pots" (STOP), then simply 15A: Pot (MARIJUANA). Three misleading clues and one that hits the nail right on the head. Or is that just my own juvenile mind skewing what were three perfectly innocent clues? But 1A could have been "ashes," 6A could have been "leaf," and 10A could have been "opts," "tops," or "post." Not that that last one has much to do with the plant.
Other amusingly misleading clues today include 41A: Cutting edge producer (STROP), 31D: Top part of a trunk, for short (PEC) (nice one!), and 19A: Professional boxer? (MOVER). 26D: Caesar dressing? (TOGAS) is ok, too.
I like many of the long Down answers. ABOVEWATER (3D: Solvent), STOWAWAY (36D: Nautical nuisance) (lots of Ws down in that area!), SNOWCRAB (37D: Bright orange seafood delicacy), and SUNDRESS (10D: Informal summer wear) in particular.
The central 15 of HOTSTONEMASSAGE (35A: Spa treatment favored by rock fans?) didn't do much for me, nor did EILAT or JAPED. But EGOBOOSTER, CHEAPDATE, SLOWDANCE, ASKANYONE, and WOWJUSTWOW are all solid. That's a lot of good and not too much bad. Thumbs up!
- Horace
13:01 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteI put SHeRD in for SHARD. This is the more correct term. However, eBOVEWATER makes no sense. I really love ABOVEWATER as an answer for "Solvent". For some time I had ____WATER, and thought I was looking for some alchemical substance that acted as a solvent. So much goodness in this puzzle. I know what I'll be drinking Tuesday night if the wrong thing happens: a BLACKWIDOW!
PS - Horace - you have Saturday for Friday in the title of this post...
Thanks. I've made the correction.
DeleteIf you feel so inclined, you are free to make such obvious corrections in my posts. You have my permission. (Now in writing, no less!)
I actually don't think I can! I'm not given the opportunity to edit your posts. Can you edit mine?
DeleteUm. Yes. Maybe there's more granularity to the permissions than I thought. I'll have to look into that.
DeleteYou should now be able to edit all posts.
Delete51:23
ReplyDeleteI was stuck up in the north for a while. I did the same as Colum with the _____WATER thing, thinking of a solvent in the chemical sense. ABOVEWATER is brilliant. Part of the problem is that roAch is another possibility for 1A (although that doesn't quite fit with the clue and hotROAST didn't work either), and ANTE's clue is fantastic. I had AN__ for quite a long time, but didn't know TREES or EILAT, even though I had all of the crosses except for the first letter of each! 43A Certain tablets (NOOKS) was a nice bit of misdirection (I was thinking of pills). BAWDY is always welcome and I liked the DEBTS/CLIFF pairing. 47D Ache (for) (JONES) is also excellent.
thanks for post
ReplyDeleteThe cast rundown of on-screen characters and performers in the Harry Potter movies are all of British beginning. The three principle characters in the film: The "Kid Who-Live" Harry Potter and his two closest companions Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger were depicted by then obscure performing artists Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. http://www.mordocrosswords.com/2016/11/game-with-mallets-played-on-hard.html
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