I like Spring, and I like this theme. The months of that best of seasons are found - in order - in the names of different fictional characters (roles), and even though I had a hard time coming up with some of the names (I'm looking at you, APRILKEPNER), I thoroughly enjoyed the concept. Also - they're all women, which is nice, as, if you'll remember, this is Women's History Month.
There were several entries in here that came slowly to me, making it seem a little on the hard side. Not having gotten quite so caught up in the Bible or the Godfather as others have, neither ROMANS (New Testament epistle) nor CAPO (Sonny Corleone, for one) was on the tip of my tongue. And FILCH (Swipe) is a word I would never have come up with without crosses. See also: OPI (Big name in nail polish). That is the first time I've ever seen those three letters standing alone in my life.
Speaking of odd three-letter entries, that was some good trivia for PEI (Canada's smallest prov.).
In COVID-19-related fill, we have CARRYOUT (To-go), (what all food service establishments are reduced to, at least here in Massachusetts), AMA, ONCALL, ICU (Where R.N.s are always needed), and CURLSUP (Gets cozy), which is the best that we can hope for while we are all ALONE. And finally, IMISSYOU (Avowal to a long-distance lover), which is what everyone is saying to everyone.
Stay safe out there, and don't forget about the archive of puzzles available to you with your NYTX subscription. You can try any puzzle from the entire Shortz ERA! So sit back, DIVE into another crossword, and try to keep LOOSE.
- Horace
7:30
ReplyDeleteWell, having read the Bible and watched all of the Godfather movies, unfortunately even the third, I could come up with both of the entries that gave Horace some trouble, but I don't mean to BRAG. Spring is fine (I was born during it, as was Horace), but I prefer the summer. COPAPLEA is excellent fill, but am I the only one that tried CUddles instead of CURLSUP off of the CU_____? I recently made quite a nice JICAMA and cucumber salad for Sue, which was excellent, and everyone loves THETAS, especially as they relate to trigonometry, one of my favorite things.
4:51
ReplyDeleteA fine Spring puzzle. I did not know OPI and had some difficulty seeing UPS, but fortunately for me, Cece was looking over my shoulder and got it immediately. The UPS, rather than the nail polish brand. Nice! And yes, IMISSYOU too Horace.
I too had CUddles before CURLSUP. Oh and sAshA before MALIA. And COPAdeal before COPAPLEA. Did eventually make it to the end though, and there were some nice answers like THETAS and PEACHY. And I suppose if all the people were too obscure, and all female, perhaps that says as much about my knowledge base as about the puzzle. But I guess I'm not going to change my general lack of enthusiasm for puzzles which are super heavy on people's names.
ReplyDelete