Some very nice C/APs today and a relatively quick solve, if FWOE's count as solves. :( My error came at "43A: "Data head?" where I had CI_. I'm not familiar with "Jazz great Laine," so I decided CIa might work with the Across clue, and, ANYTAKERS for CLEa? Anyone? Right. As often happens, no sooner had I entered a guess for the problem letter to complete the grid, than I realized there was a better choice, and it was O, making both a more commonly encountered name (CLEO) Down, and the much better answer, CIO, Across.
I hit only two other trouble spots. 33A: ("Pass (out)") brought a frisson of remembered trauma. I had _ONK but I remembered my OLDEN error in puzzle 3 at this year's ACPT where I rashly entered 'konk' instead 'zonk.' So, this time I waited for the fun CRUSHEDHARD to res in and reveal the correct-and-previously-unconsidered CONK. LESS traumatically, I first tried 'car' for "Body with a floor" at 30A. Heh.
Here are some of the C/APs I RATED highly today:
"Two cents for a paper, perhaps" (OPED)
"Loafers" (LAYABOUTS)
"Blue book alternative" (ADULTSITE) - although I had no trouble filling in the answer thanks to the Downs, it took me a minute to understand this one. Clever!
"Summons before congress?" (BOOTYCALL) - LOL.
"Was appealing?" (PLED)
"One way to avoid a lecture" (PLAYHOOKY) - cute.
"Card display?" (STL) - very nice.
Fill-wise, RAISEHELL, WEIRDSOUT, ROMANACLEF, the aforementioned CRUSHHARD, and PREACHIER were all winners in my book.
There were very few LOOSEENDS here beyond a few old chestnuts like SPF, SSN, and BTS. And, à la Kelly's experience yesterday, I learned a number of things from this puzzle, including the fact that RANT is from the Dutch word for 'talk nonsense', that owls have asymmetrical ears, and that CIO can be clued as "Data head?" :|
~Frannie.
Wonderful puzzle and write-up! Ditto on not knowing about the OWL's ears and RANT origin. Great entries, terrific clues...a really satisfying Friday.
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