Things went from CHABAD to worse for me with this one. I had numerous problems in the north, both mid and east. I put PAgE in where PANE was called for - a classic non-philatelist mistake, according to Horace. That put a dent in my ability to figure out 5D. Access (TAPINTO) as did putting "trade" in at 6D. Bum ___ (ARIDE). I wasn't helped over there by my lack of familiarity with FRITOPIE - a gap in my experience that I feel no need to fill. However, I did eventually see my way clear, only to encounter additional problems a little east of there. Having 15D. Jewish organization known for its outreach work cross 16D. Capital of Qatar (I had to GOOGLEIT) which crossed with 24A. Syllable in oldies songs (SHu, anyone?) really put the N in my DNF. In all, not a good outing for Frannie.
On the upside, I had no trouble with, and enjoyed the theme - BYGEORGE - a nice set of five works authored by people named George. Apt! If I had to pick a favorite, it would be MIDDLEMARCH.
I liked 62A. Ardor (FIRE), and IONESCO 40A. Playwright Eugène - you don't see him every day.
1A. Terra ____ (old name for Newfoundland) NOVA. It's really still kind of the same name, isn't it? B-
I thought it was a little bit funny that a clue with the word Bush in it (36A) appeared just above DECISIONPOINTS.
I don't usually use the strong language, but I hated the clue at 54A. Wifey, with "the" (MRS). No bueno.
~Frannie
27:42
ReplyDeleteI thought this ran a little tough for a Wednesday. Too bad that NOVA was clued as it was (yes, it seems to be the same name), especially since it's right over STARWARS. CHEMLAB is OK; some in the family are intimately involved in such places. I'd probably have to put RHAPSODYINBLUE and MYSWEETLORD on top of the BYGEORGE answers, but I must admit that I've never read MIDDLEMARCH or DECISIONPOINTS. DOHA went right in, since I've been there, and ACHESON went right in, also, since I've studied a bit about the Korean War. Yeah, FRITOPIE is not something that calls to me, and I didn't immediately know that TAU was the symbol for torque, so I had _A_INTO for quite a while up north. Pretty good theme, but some difficult fill as a result. I never heard of IONESCO or CHABAD. I guess I'd give this a tepid thumbs up.
7:07 (FWOE) PENE anyone? No? WOMeNS Day seemed just as appropriate as WOMANS day. In fact, I prefer it as a title of a magazine, but I've been outvoted by reality once again. Fortunately I knew ACHESON when I had a few of the crosses. I also know CHABAD, although I don't always remember it.
ReplyDeleteGood thing it was Eugène IONESCO and not George Enescu, the Romanian composer. That would have fouled up the works. My order for the five works of art goes thusly: MIDDLEMARCH, RHAPSODYINBLUE, MYSWEETLORD, STARWARS, and that Bush thing.
10:27
ReplyDeleteI guess I got lucky on the stamp collectors unit, since I had PAGE, and just changed it to PANE at the end.
Only struggle was some of the proper names IONESCO, ACHESON. And I know nothing of FRITOPIE.