Well, Dear Reader, today's puzzle was harder, for me, than yesterday's. By 23 seconds. I knew you'd be anxious to find out.
If I remember correctly, Ms. Zawitowski said on xwordinfo.com a while ago that she thought weekend puzzles were getting too easy. Hopefully, she'll be happy to read of my struggles over the past two days. I'm pretty sure I spent a full five, possibly ten minutes on 33-, 34-, and 35-Down, and 39-, 47-, and 58-Across. The rest of the grid went along fairly smoothly. I dropped in SKETCHESOFSPAIN off the clue and thought I was INAGROOVE, but then things ground to a halt. In fact, to avoid pulling an ALLNIGHTER, I had to sleep on it and re-attack in the morning. Then it finally HITME, but probably the "hours" place in my time should have an 8 in it.
But that's probably enough about that. Except to say that the cross of KANE (Danity ____, a girl group with a self-titled 2006 #1 album) and KAYE ("American Pie" actor Eddie ____ Thomas) was tough. I had never heard either name before.
OK, now that's really enough.
Looking around at the rest of the grid, I see tons of quality entries: PARANOIA, HAPPYPLACE, EYECANDY, CATALYSTS, SLALOM (Windy event?) (nice), and METEORIC are all lovely. Interesting trivia about AUDI (Company whose logo symbolizes the union of four manufacturers) and AOL (I.S.P. once called Quantum Computer Services), and maybe about DICING. Does anyone actually say that, or is that just garbage fill? Even if it is the latter, it's pretty much the only CON.
A fun, challenging Turn this week. Just like we like.
- Horace
6:18
ReplyDeleteWell, it played a good deal easier for me. I had the NW corner filled in about 30 seconds, worked down into the SE and then the NE corner. The SW was the toughest for me. I knew Danity KANE, but not KAYE, and I had difficulties finding REAM and MANEATER. But not too much.
23:32
ReplyDeleteNice palindromic time for me. The KANE/KAYE cross was a difficult one for me, too, but really only an "a" would do there. I tried elNINo at first, until I figured out DIAL and changed it up. CATALYSTS was nice, but it took me a few minutes for it because I didn't have the "salt" of SALTFREE, and I'd erroneously entered lASERS at 45 down. VESPA always brings to mind "Quadrophenia" for me, but maybe not for others. A nicely difficult Saturday.