Hello to everyone, readers old and new! Our humble project was started over six years ago by Horace and Frances. It's been fun to look back through the old posts from the early days. In fact, if you look at June 16, 2013, you find that it was a Sunday puzzle as well, also celebrating Father's Day. Horace was none too impressed, it turns out.
Well, I'm more impressed with today's, a massive themeless puzzle for a Sunday, with only 124 words. As it turns out, according to XWord Info, this one ties for the fewest answers ever in a Sunday puzzle. And it starts out with a little gift to us Dads (FATHERSDAY). It was definitely a challenge for me, playing well above my standard Sunday average in time.
So many long entries: I liked 48D: Ticker symbol? (HEARTEMOJI) - a good QMC, as well as 22A: It might require a quick check (SPEEDCHESS), an pretty good non-QMC. My favorite stack came in the SE with OEDIPUSREX over FIREENGINE and FLYSWATTER.
Another great non-QMC clue comes at 109A: It's seen near Pennsylvania Avenue (SHORTLINE). No, not in Washington, DC, but on the Monopoly board. I had a suspicion on reading the clue the first time, but it took a number of crosses before I recalled the least memorable of the railroads.
I won't be too much of a CHURL today in pointing out less than desirable entries. But OLDISH crossing ASSHAT and ADIT was definitely a tough section to swallow. But now that I've managed to VENT, I'm OVERIT.
Finally, do you think YESTERDAY deserves the title of Greatest Pop Song of all time? How do you even define "Pop?" I love the song, don't get me wrong, but I'd be pretty darned hesitant to label it pop. Although, apparently the Oxford Dictionary of Music specifically names the Beatles as one of the earliest examples of true pop music. Still, that one song is much more folk-like to me.
- Colum
over an hour - 5 or 6 errors!
ReplyDeleteYikes - well, in my defense, I was watching the "Supernatural" episode where they fall into the Scooby Doo cartoon!!!! nuff said!
What's not to love about this puzzle?!!? Lots of great fill and things that I had to think about - "LIGHTSABER" sure does hum!, "VICE VERSA" - nice to see, and "SOPHIST" right over "ELLIPTIC"! Made my head go round and around :)
Now, "YESTERDAY" has become an ear worm for the day - greatest pop hit - probably, but certainly not the greatest rock song...Folk music always make me think of The Weavers!
Thanks for starting off your week of write-ups with a bang! Great to know about the word count here.
~MLou
49:49
ReplyDeleteDefinitely much more difficult than a typical Sunday offering, and quite enjoyable. I don't ever need a CHEESESLICER or an IPHONECASE, but I do require VENERATION now and again. ISOMETRIC is nice, and everyone loves TABASCO. Good clue for OBOISTS, even if the answer was a gimme. I chuckled when I finally figured out ASSHAT, even though, like Colum, that was a slow section for me (the SW was another). Interesting trivia regarding this puzzle being tied for the fewest answers. YESTERDAY is not pop.