Over on xwordinfo.com, they share some comments from the constructor along with a photo, and in today's portrait, Mr. Charlson looks to have a GLINT in his eye. And why not, because the triple-stack he serves up today is a lot of fun. All six grid-spanners are solid, snappy, and most certainly "in-the-language," as they say. As is often the case, his byline equates to a WIN for us solvers.
Today, I quickly read the first three Across clues, but started in earnest with the Downs, dropping in YALE (that Johnny-come-lately), EGOS, and ORCS, but when I then put in "eww," I was faced with YEOE... on the top row (SHUDDER). After that, "ritardando" didn't fit at 5D "Gradually slowing, in music" (LENTANDO), and, well, my solve gradually slowed. Ahem.
Frannie and I saw TOSCA at the Met a couple weekends ago, so that was a fun find, and LIMABEAN (Food named for a world capital (but pronounced differently)) was an interesting clue. Who knew?!
Do you wonder, like I do, whether AGS (Justice Dept. bigwigs), which presumably stands for "attorneys general" really ought to be "asg?" No? Ok.
Lots of quality entries - GESTURES (Handmade signs?) (nice CA/P!), WEARTHIN (Become harder to bear), and DELUISE (Reynolds's co-star in 1981's "The Cannonball Run") (awww....), to name just three.
There's only TCI and FEH to look askance at, but at least they're symmetrical, which seems somehow to be appropriate. So in the end, I have no complaints. Fun Friday!
- Horace
Wonderful, and lots o' fun. Had GLARE, not GLINT, and SUR, not BEN which gave me some trouble. But I enjoyed muddling my way through and loved uncovering all six grid spanners. The clues are lovely.
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