It's puzzles like yesterday's and today's that cause me to question everything. How does it come to pass that I don't know that people apparently (and unfortunately!) call digital cameras DIGICAMS, or that there's a popular (popular!) pricing game on "The Price is Right" called PLINKO, or the names of all high-end Hyundais (AZERA) and other cars? It makes me wonder what I've been doing with my life. But, 2018 is a new year, and IDARETODREAM that my puzzle solving POWERLEVEL will increase someday.
So, obviously, quite a few FUFs in this puzzle, slowing me down left and right - literally. I entered DIGItAlS instead of DIGICAMS in the south west. It fit beautifully with INtoNE, my answer for Recite. I accepted the crosses HUll and KoTlY, since I didn't know either party. Using the Google just now, I find that Brit HUME is a journalist, so, if one knows of him, that's a nice clue. And, I think we can all agree that KATEY is more reasonable than KoTlY, now that I compare the two. Did anyone else enter sOfa for Chesterfield before correcting to COAT?
In the north east, I had trouble with the Azera/Zahn cross. I have heard of Paula ZAHN, but I haven't thought of her in ages. She is most famous (to me) as my high school German class mnemonic for the word zahn, which means tooth, because she smiled a lot. I didn't remember that she was an early anchor on CNN. Derp.
I got a little help with Friendly term of address (SPORT) from one of our bits about Trader Joe's. We like to imitate the cashiers who call you Champ or Sport and comment on your purchases as you go through the check out: "Two cases of wine, Champ? I hope everything's all right."
I have not seen the word CADENT (Rhythmic) before. It seems like an unusual form of cadence, but yet I liked it. Others may feel differently. I liked CHICHI for Precious at 38D and WAFTS (Moves lightly through the air) at 5D, but my favorite clue today was 24A. Something only I can go on? EGOTRIP. Ha!
I didn't love VOODOODOLL for Sticking point? or OOF for "You got me good!" I see where Mr. Wentz is going with both of them, but I thought they missed the MARX slightly.
~Frannie.
20:09 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteI too had difficulties with AZERA / ZAHN. I tried AcERA, a strange mixture of "Acura" and "Acela", the latter of which is an Amtrak train. Ah well. I had a ton of difficulty with the SW corner, especially once I'd put in "sofa" for COAT. Many answers were lost on me there, including HUME.
29:24 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteAZERA/ZAHN cross here, too. Like Colum, I put in a "c," even though, like Frannie, I've heard of Ms. ZAHN. Luckily, I know of Brit HUME, so that went right in clearing the way for DIGICAMS. I've watched "The Price Is Right" many times, but the name PLINKO was not in my vocabulary. I can do without LITTERBOXES, in my home or in a puzzle. Nice clue for HAIKU.
19:33
ReplyDeleteKodak was in the DIGICAMS market for a while, weren't they? But yes, digital cameras certainly did cut into the film business... Remember film?
10:38
ReplyDeleteFor whatever reason, I was on the same wavelength as Mr. Wentz for this one.
I have never set foot in a Trader Joe's, but after reading Frannie's write-up I am now much more inclined to do so.