0:12:45
I like the chunky 7/9-stack corners in the NW and SE, and the 5/7 stacks in the other corners, and the diagonal through the middle is attractive too. In short, I like the look of the grid. So that was a good start right off the bat. Did the content hold up once the grid was filled in? Well, yes. Yes it did.
I loved that it started with LETSDANCE (Words that might accompany an outstretched hand). It's such a great intro for a Friday puzzle, and it set a nice "conversational" tone for the whole puzzle. IMONAROLL ("Look at me go!"), NOWORRIES ("You're good"), UPTOYOU ("I'm good with whatever"), YOW ("That smarts!"), YEAH ("Think so?"), WHOLEHOG (Full throttle), WHOA (Cousin of "OMG!"), HEREWEARE (Line upon arrival), EASYASPIE (Like a cakewalk), and PRESSSEND (Stop tinkering with an email). That's a lot of conversational entries and "quote clues," but I kind of like them all, and I like them more in this mass grouping. And I'll throw in ITSME (Response to "Who's there?" that may be unhelpful) ASWELL. This response is particularly annoying to me when I answer the phone. (Yes, I still answer the phone, and even though there are only about three people who actually call me, and only one who says ITSME when I answer, it still rubs me the wrong way.)
So that's all good. I also like 1D-Ancient undeciphered writing system. When "Etruscan" didn't fit, I dropped in "LINEAR_" because I couldn't immediately remember which one had been worked out.
SCRAWLS (Chicken scratchings, say) is nice, AVERSE (Opposed) is a good word, and who doesn't like SEAWEED? For my money, this was a quality Friday offering.
- Horace
17:43
ReplyDeleteA good solve time for a Friday for me. No problems. I needed a few crosses for YAHWEH, but even that didn't slow me too much. DEEPCUTS is nice, and I, too, enjoyed all of the conversational entries. I don't love the EMAJ types of answers, but I'll accept it. I answer my phone, also, but really there are fewer than ten people that are likely to call me, and of the small group, NOONE is given to say ITSME. Interesting that two recent storms, ZETA and ETA are in the grid.
6:16
ReplyDeleteThis one went by so fast, I thought I might have an sub-6 solve time. I too do not like the EMAJ type of answers, but I had the E in place and I know the piece (it's lovely and I highly recommend), so knew it was in a major key. Like Horace, I dropped in LINEAR_ for 1D, and then came back to fill in the A. I particularly liked WHOLEHOG.