Friday, May 31, 2019

Friday, May 31, 2019, Sam Ezersky

8:16

Our themelesses are getting smoother and smoother, it feels like. I'm not surprised that Mr. Ezersky has produced such a lovely puzzle.

I broke in with that old standby, HYDROXYL. Ah, for the easy days of organic chemistry. It's great that it's crossed with 20A: An "A" in physics? (AMPERE). Humor only an UBERGEEK would love!

I disagree that a tuning fork has a YSHAPE. I don't know exactly how to describe what a tuning fork looks like. How about a picture?
This is the kind of tuning fork I use during my neurological examinations (128 Hz). It certainly has a stylized Y appearance, but the arms being parallel ruins it for me. How's that for picking some nits?

It's great that the opposite corner has COACHK in it, another single letter in an odd place. I also keep on misparsing MADEGREE. "I made gree, Ma!" Hmmm.

The NW was the last section to go for me. I had refused to enter THREE at 2D: [This clue] + 1, which would have made things easier for me, I imagine. Instead I finally saw through 1D: Feature of Algeria and Egypt (SOFTG). How many times? HOW MANY TIMES??!

In any case, there are some great entries here with FREEMIUM, BROHUG, SPRINKLE, and GOODDOGGY.

- Colum

2 comments:

  1. 35:35 FW2E
    Just had to chime in a bit late and say the I had the same experience with that 2d entry - THREE just seemed too easy! I was waiting for a trick that never came! ha
    I managed to dredge up "Hydroxyl" - well, mostly...I had "oL" in the grid for too long!
    "A" in physics sure couldn't be angstrom....oh, aha!
    Thanks,
    ~MLou

    ReplyDelete
  2. 17:07
    This was a great puzzle. Yes, SOFTG took too long. I'd never heard of FREEMIUM, and the tuning fork is YSHAPEd enough for me, but I can see Colum's point. STOOGE, ALSORAN and SKEET were all quite nicely-clued, and BROADSIDE is an excellent word.

    ReplyDelete