Ms. Lempel lets the air out of STUFFEDSHIRTs and other unflattering names for self-important types with her clues for today's theme answers. I enjoyed the answer BLUESTOCKING, but feel like it's the odd man out in this group, so to speak. According to the Wikipedia, a bluestocking is an educated, intellectual woman, more specifically a member of the 18th-century Blue Stockings Society. Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes, but was subsequently applied primarily to intellectual women. That being the case, it will come as no surprise that the term later developed negative implications.
The four longer down answers were solid. I especially liked CHRONICLE, which I thought was aptly clued. I also enjoyed both the PORKYPIG and LINUS references. Linus was the best Peanuts character, if a little bit of a SMARTYPANTS. :)
~Frannie.
Crossword blog comments are often a tough row to HOE. I have often HUNTED for a way to CHRONICLE answers which were in good TASTE.
ReplyDeleteWell, and loved all the birds: ROCS, EMUS, even an AUK.
5:25
ReplyDeleteI always liked Lucy, Schroeder and Snoopy quite a bit, but probably would agree that LINUS was the best, although a bit on the religious side for me. We don't see CAPUCHINS in the grid too much, and shout out to Judge JUDY (I know she wasn't the clue!) and ORION (although he's seen quite a bit, he's decidedly MANLY).
4:15
ReplyDeleteThis was okay.
4:35
ReplyDeleteSeemed like it would be slower than it actually turned out for me. I kept struggling with it.
Who doesn't love the word UNKEMPT?! Nice.