I'm a big fan of WORLDPEACE, so this puzzle's theme was relevant to my interests. Also, my sister-in-law and her family are vacationing in Hawaii right now, so ALOHASHIRT (17A: Colorful top often worn with a lei) was apt! The second theme answer, however, was a complete unknown to me. Here's a picture of the SHALOMMEIRTOWER for you -
I tried to find one that made it look attractive, but it's kind of impossible. To be fair, it was the Sixties, and the PanAm tower had just been finished a few years before this, and I guess this kind of looks like a Mideast version of International Style...? No, it's just ugly. There's no two ways about it. But the puzzle is all about peace, so I'll not CARP.
I like the layout of this grid, with seven-stacks in all four corners. They aren't all winners, sadly, but SCREWIT (10D: "Oh darn, I give up!") was shockingly entertaining. CHOICER (46D: Finer in quality), however, I would fain be TASERED. CIRRI (7D: High, wispy clouds), too, is asking a lot on a Monday. (Sorry, Mr. Polin, sometimes bloggers gotta be HATERS.)
Overall, though, this was a fine Monday. We've got nice entries like MINX (25D: Coquette), ORIGAMI, CRONE ("If need be occupy a throne/Where nobody can call you crone."), and KENNEDY. Sigh.
1A: Emancipation Proclamation prez (ABE) - A. How can you give Honest Abe anything less?
Favorite: 64D: Period on Venus that's longer than a year on Venus (!) (DAY). Whaaaa?
Least: I guess I'll have to go with CHOICER.
A perfectly servicable Monday.
- Horace
6:31
ReplyDeleteI guess we're being generous and not counting ABE as an abbreviation. Seems reasonable in the spirit of world peace.
Need to go bone up on my Amis Kingsley so I can be ready for next Monday.
3:33
ReplyDeleteIt felt like it was harder than a typical Monday, but ended up being on the faster side. I think it was that SHALOMMEIRTOWER. I was convinced that first M was incorrect, but I couldn't remember Prime Minister Meir's first name (Golda, for the record, I recall now). Plus also I put MIss in for MINX. I thought there was more than the usual un-Monday stuff (CIRRI, IONIA, BALIHAI, which I actually knew off of the B). Peace out.
7:50
ReplyDeleteI also thought this was a bit tougher than a typical Monday, and I also dropped in BALIHAI off of the B. Sue and I tried a beer by that name while on Bali, and decided that we probably wouldn't search too hard for it here. Nice that the deeper meaning of aloha is referenced in today's puzzle.