Although I did not notice it before or during my solve, I saw immediately after I finished that the grid today gives away, with black squares, the answer to 109-Across (Critical message that's a hint to the six longest entries in this puzzle) - SOS. The three letters start each word in the six longest entries, giving results such as STARTOUTSLOWLY, SAMEOLDSTORY, and SNAKEOILSALESMAN. It's funny to see that last one so soon after having "snake oil" in Thursday's puzzle. Still, it's a fun entry, and probably worth the double-billing. Also, how crazy is it to think that SULTANSOFSWING came out in 1978? That was so huge when I was in high school. Of course, SAILONSAILOR is even older, from 1973, but nobody remembers that one. :)
The solve went right along for me today (At 13:33, it might be my fastest Sunday ever!), which felt nice after yesterdays debacle. And I chuckled at several points along the way, which is always a good sign. Right off the bat we have PASSRUSH (1A: It might end up in a sack) (It's a football reference, Dad), and off of that I also enjoyed "2D: They have lots for sale" (AUCTIONS). I was misdirected by "18D: Rear" (PARENT), and chuckled at "97D: House of cards?" (CASINO).
As Frannie pointed out to me just now, it's a little odd that AVENUE (124A: Course of action) crosses AVE (117D" "____, Imperator!"). Of course, the latter is pronounced "ah-weh," (which is still not the same as AWE), so really, it's totally different. And speaking of Frannie, she also liked "99D: 'Wheel of Fortune' sextet" (RSTLNE). (If you don't know, those are the letters that are automatically given to the contestant at the start of the final round.)
Grid art seems so appropriate for a Sunday puzzle, doesn't it? With that, the fun entries, and the decent and not too overdone theme, I give this one a thumbs up.
- Horace
42:18 FWTE
ReplyDeleteGreat write-up and thanks for the picture of the SNOOK - I had no idea! I really enjoyed this solve, just chugged along for a evening of fun! After getting the first theme answer with SULTANS, I wondered if all of them would be "of" type things. But, no, there was a mix of O words - excellent! I had no idea about judoists, so I nouned that verb with PRAYEr! (And I certainly won't mention missing SHORT I. Maybe I was thinking about starch and dhoti.)
Since you mentioned it, I graduated HS the year Sail On Sailor came out - how do I not remember it was by the Beach Boys! lol
~MLou
Yeah - I listened to SAILONSAILOR while writing the review, and I do remember the song, but it really doesn't sound like the Beach Boys to me. I remember them mostly doing things like Pet Sounds and "Surfin' USA."
DeleteExactly!
Delete25:55
ReplyDeleteSAILONSAILOR is terrible. When we went to see Brian Wilson perform Pet Sounds, that song was played three times in the first half of the concert for some reason unknown to me. The grid art is fantastic, as was the puzzle, even though it went a bit ZIPPO-y for me for a Sunday solve. ENGORGED is dirty, but I enjoyed PHOTON (17D Something scientists make light of?), even with its question mark and ending preposition.