Tuesday, October 23, 2018, Kathy Wienberg

8:16

Each of today's theme answers ends with the name of an ATHLETICCUP (STANLEY, DAVIS, RYDER, and WORLD). Interestingly, three of the full theme answers are themselves personal names, although not the persons for whom each cup was originally named. The fourth one was one of my starred clue/answer pairs for today: "I can't believe we both know him" (SMALLWORLD). The revealer puts me in mind of a fan sign I saw at a ball game in my youth and still remember because it caused me to engage in the 1970's equivalent of LMAO: Be a Red Sox fan not an Athletics Supporter. Ha! The first half has renewed timeliness on this, the first day of the 2018 World Series. Go Sox.

I enjoyed this ZESTY puzzle, especially:
"Band at a royal wedding" (TIARA)
"Hot couple" (ITEM)
"What might bring you to a screeching halt" (RED)
"Slide presentation" (AMOEBA)
"It's not free of charge" (ION)

DIN, ROIL, DITZ, and PRY are nice fill. And there was a welcome shout out to one of Horace's favorite poets EDNA St. Vincent Millay.

I wasn't aware that "Western ravines" were COULEES, but I suppose it does explain the Grand Coulee Dam. Well, its name, at least, the hydroelectrics not so much. Also, I didn't understand 18D: "Dude (up)" (TOG). Anyone?

While we haven't yet won any blogging cups, we have gotten some nice compliments on this blog. All I can say is, WETRY. :)

~Frannie.