Monday, November 2, 2020

Monday, November 2, 2020, Luke Vaughn

3:23

Happy Monday to everybody. Monday can be a great day, if you let it. It's the start of a new week, when hopes can run high, and faith in the world (unfounded though it may be) is alive and well. Let us remember this moment in days to come, and trust that good spirits and care for our neighbors will remain alive and well.

Meanwhile, we can always turn to the NYT crossword as a way to escape from reality. And why not? It's a simple enough pleasure, especially on a Monday. Today, Mr. Vaughn offers up four phrases, seemingly unrelated, only to find when comparing the four that each ends with a term related to artistic endeavors. I am fond of a GOLDENDOODLE, having had an Australian Labradoodle as a companion for eleven years. I will also highly recommend the movie LEAVENOTRACE from 2018. It was a beautiful and thought provoking film.

I like that there is no revealer here, leaving the solver to come up with the connection on her own. No CODDLED puzzlers here! Not even on a Monday.

There are some nice answers in the fill, including 9D: Made a bust? (SCULPTED) - cute clue; also CYCLONES and REEFER. Sure does seem like there's a lot of marijuana in the puzzle recently. Is it a reflection of the times, or simply that the words fit into English language grids well?

Party on!

I'm ambivalent about the staying power of OGLE. It's an ugly word, and it implies objectifying behavior. The editors and constructors try to find ways of recognizing the nastiness of it, which helps, but does not remove it. Once again, the ease of fitting into a grid will keep it around for some time, I imagine. At least EYED was clued with "Green-____ monster."

ANYhoo, best to end on a light-hearted note. Let's recall LESLIE Nielsen: 

"We need to get these people to a hospital." 

"A hospital? What is it?"

"It's a big building with patients, but that's not important right now."

- Colum

1 comment:

  1. 5:49
    LEAVENOTRACE has been added to my queue now. And that's one of my favorite LESLIE Nielson quotes, along with a slew from "Police Squad!" I had no idea of the theme of the puzzle until reading Colum's review. I agree about OGLE, but like Colum mentions it's at least usually clued as it is, and not in a ROSY manner. Funny that it's under JEER, two less-than-nice actions. SHAGS could've been clued in a more "blue" manner, but I guess it's good that it wasn't. Mmmm...GIN.

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