Thursday, December 27, 2018

Thursday, December 27, 2018, Mary Lou Guizzo and Jeff Chen

40:16 DNF

I didn't know the Carolina tribe that allied with the colonists in the American Revolution (CATAWBA), and I could not get the missing letter at the cross with 26A "'You sti-i-i-ink'" (BOO), even after several tries. I still didn't understand why the answer to 26A was boo, but Horace explained that the clue referred not to stink as in PU, which was all I could think of, but a "you're no good at what you're doing" kind of stink. Derp.

I had another big slow down in the mid east. I fell right into the trap laid for me by the constructors by putting in sAW for "Something with teeth" instead of the correct JAW. That made it difficult for me to get JETSTREAM, which, in turn made it difficult for me to complete the side section. Well, that and the fact that I couldn't get OMEGA (Rolex rival) or PALO (Texas' ___ Duro Canyon) without most of the crosses. I thought it was very clever and well-placed misdirection to have "Rival of Cassio" (IAGO) in the same section with Rolex and Omega.

Today's grid shape is part of the theme. The black squares near the center form the shape of a air craft that appears to be emitting a diagonal run of rebus squares to form a literal [CON]TRAIL. Higher up in the grid, we have SKYWRITER as bonus material.
TOTEM

A few of the highlights for me were "Monomaniac of fiction" (AHAB),
"Hall of fame" (MONTY) - ha! - and "Bunch of lovers?" (ROSES) is particularly nice.

Although some of the rest of the puzzle left me flat (GEAROIL, MOLERAT, YESITIS, BASSI, ARA, NOWI, SONE, TOALL), I do appreciate the craft. :)

~Frannie.

2 comments:

  1. 17:00
    Tough puzzle! I thought of [CON]EYISLAND at 32D, but didn't see how to fit it in, and after all, there are at least a few other attractions in Brooklyn. I finally figured it out when I realized that 38A had to be EMOTI[CON], and then [CON]TRAIL as the revealer. I love the grid artwork.

    The NW was very difficult indeed. CAROM, CATAWBA, ONEBC, and the unexpected TOTEM (I wanted "crest," then "motto" (?!)).

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