This theme amused me, and when that happens on a Sunday it's a good thing. The first themer I got was FATHERINONESCAPE (39A: Parent wearing your Superman costume?) which is, admittedly, absurd, but I don't know... sometimes the absurdity tickles me, and other times it doesn't. This time it did. So ridiculous! And when the theme finishes with something as perfect as LEASTBUTNOTLAST (115A: Like the digit "0" in 2018?), well, that's a win.
We have very little time to blog today, so it's lucky Colum is stepping in to finish this thing up and to point out all the interesting things I missed. Us, we're already at the airport and about to board, so our part today (this, btw, is Horace again) will be short and sweet.
As I said, the letter-shifting theme is fun. I would also like to point out that it's very nice that on Earth Day, ALGORE makes it into the grid. And yes, I know that going on a JETEPROPELLEDPLAN is not very green, but if they didn't put all that water between us and Paris we would get there some other way. Maybe even by bike!
OK, well, they're calling us to the gate now, so here's the handoff - Thanks, Colum!
- Horace
I guess some folks are gadding off, if not to gay PAREE, at least to similar environs. Which leaves me to hold down the fort. But don't worry; I'm not SORE.
So I loved this GEM of a puzzle. I laughed at loud at 23A: Makes eye contact before undressing? (STARESANDSTRIPS). That plus the outstanding NW corner with EATENINTO and SCAPEGOAT had me off on the right foot.
There's a ton of excellent fill. The favorite around these parts would be UPSANDDOWNS, because it reminds us of Auntie Mame. ISAPTTO! Apt!
Anyways, looking forward to this week. See you tomorrow!
- Colum
48:44
ReplyDeleteWell, have a nice trip you two! I enjoyed the theme and found today's puzzle slightly more challenging than the average Sunday. Speaking with Horace's father earlier today, I realize that the answer OCALA could also have worked with Miami (IA and MI being state abbreviations), but of course only one of the crosses would work out. The theme answers are all absurd and amusing. I didn't love SEEOOZE, a term I've never heard, and there was a fair amount of three-letter dross, but when SEXISTS crosses NUDIE, well that's a win. LACUCARACHA is fantastic.