If there's one thing we like here at Horace and Frannie and Colum, it's wacky cluing, and when you throw grammar into the mix, it's better still. FUTUREPERFECT (24A: Utopia?) is brilliant, SENTENCESTRUCTURE (103A: Jailhouse?) is also strong, and INDEFINITEARTICLE (31A: Piece still under consideration for a magazine?) is pretty good. Some of the others seem a little forced, but only OBJECTIVECASE (113A: The Prada that one really wants?) is objectionable.
In addition to the fun theme, I enjoyed many of the non-theme clues today, starting with SCISSOR (1A: Kind of kick) (B+), which was both unexpected and evocative. In fact, that whole top row is strong. SEASALT (8A: Product of evaporation) is one of my favorite things, and I love the misdirection (for regular crossword solvers) of 15A: Apple product (CIDER). It's not a hidden capital, it's a false capital! What!?
29A: Packers' grp.? (NRA) is funny-ish, SLOG (48A: Interminable task) is nice and modern, and I like the symmetrical PROPPLANES (97A: Fleet for many a commuter airline) and YELLOWFLAG (42A: Signal meaning "no disease on this ship") (interesting trivia alert). And right near that first one is the amusing "102A: Specimen, for example: Abbr." (SYN). Tricky!
It's a big puzzle with a lot of good stuff. This is my favorite Sunday in a while.
- Horace
Except ANNCOULTER, for the loss.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Colum. All the way through this, but for the SE which came near the end, I was thinking how much Frannie must be getting a kick out of it. Then, the bitch appeared. Killjoy for sure.
ReplyDeleteHorace, I, a man of letters, like INDEFINITEARTICLE best.
29:37
ReplyDeleteA bit fast for me, but a fun puzzle nonetheless, as has been mentioned above. No slow-downs or false answers entered. I thought that the theme answers were all pretty strong, save for the aforementioned OBJECTIVECASE, which was weakest by far. Always like to see ATHEISTS and a SEXSCENE represented; I'll RAISE a glass to that. RIMED was tough-to-take, and I found SLURRY to be INBADTASTE, mostly because of that spill of cow slurry a few years back when a truck overturned. FRUMPS, SCIFI and SOFTTACO were all very good. I know that SCIFI shows up regularly, but being a holiday Monday, I had my traditional "Doctor Who" party and hot tub with two fingers today. FIGWASP is interesting; I thought that would be the photo for the day.