Monday, June 6, 2022, Michael Schlossberg

Sometimes Mondays hit with a thud. That’s the sound of you walking into the dense impact of the work week. On days like that, it sure is nice to have a crossword puzzle to solve to give you a few minutes of relaxation and relief.

Happy, therefore, to report that I enjoyed today’s offering. It’s fun when you have no idea what’s going on until the revealer comes at the bottom of the grid. Mr. Schlossberg surely STICKSTHELANDING here with a progression set of themes that trods closer and closer to entering the domicile, with a cheery HONEYIMHOME at the end. Although, to be fair, I don’t do most of those movements. I go from car into garage, then steps and door and I’m inside.

Niobe WEPT

But enough about the fun theme; let’s focus on a surprisingly fun clue for a Monday, which comes at 29D: Is unsuited to go swimming, but does anyway? (SKINNYDIPS) - Hah! That unsuited is so perfect. 

The symmetric answer (SPACESUITS) is not clued as amusingly, but seems apt (Apt!) in its placement.

If I were to carp at all today, it would be about the assortment of C related abbreviations (MCS, PCS, PCP, HIC). Also ERIES seems inapt (Inapt!) as a plural which is not used. I understand (and Google backs me up), that the plural for Native American tribal names is simply the tribal name, typically. Thus, multiple members of the Erie tribe would simply still be Erie.

Ah well. It is the job of the critic to complain and of the artist to ignore, so let’s move on.

I enjoyed VIDI next to IDES. Perhaps ACTS could have been referenced to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar for the trifecta (see what I did there?).

Finally, I chuckled at 57A: Element suggested by NOPQ STUV … (ARGON). Two chuckles in one puzzle! A win for all.

- Colum