Tuesday, July 12, 2022, Karen Steinberg

Funny how puzzles can be as different as NIGHT and DAY. Yesterday, colorful body parts, today, theme entries that relate to human SLEEPWAKECYCLES. The theme entries start off with DAY, the approximate length of which, according to the puzzle clue, is TWENTYFOURHOURS. Below that circled letters spell out CIRCADIANRHYTHM in a wave pattern across the middle, representing the aforementioned SLEEPWAKECYCLES, followed by NIGHT at the very bottom. Despite the abundance of theme material, we don't catch any Zzz's in this one. :) On the other hand, we do (or at least I did) encounter a number of coincidences involving this puzzle's answers. The first of which is - REDALERT! Wordle solvers who haven't completed today's puzzle, avert your eyes - we have another Wordle crossover event. I'm starting to think I should solve the crossword puzzle first, then Wordle to get the inside scoop. 

What other coincidences occurred?, you ask. Well, Horace and I were out last night at our local to hear our favorite band. Late in the second set, the bartender started a conversation with the band about the definitions of  pick, pluck, and STRUM. I wish I could give you ATASTE of how entertaining it all was, but it's one of those cases where you really had to be there. Anyhoo, we were out way past our post-COVID bedtime and definitely threw off our new circadian rhythms. In another odd coincidence, during the set break, the youngest member of the band started up a conversation with me about the current controversy surrounding the selection of the next DALAI Lama. Crazy.

Also, how about CORSET showing up again so soon after its appearance in Saturday's killer puzzle? It was so fresh in my mind after the struggle I had with Saturday's clue ("Symbol of confinement") that I was able to slip the answer right in when I read today's clue "Tight-fitting women's garment." Although, as an aside, I believe corsets are worn by men and women. 

I got a kick out of the C/APs "Long ways to go?" (LIMOS), "Descriptor of the 1%?" (LOWFAT), and "Feature of an impala ... or an Impala" (HORN). I thought "'Tender' meat cut'" for LOIN was funny for some reason. I also enjoyed the pair ACHY and SPRY. Plus, you don't see PIED every day. 

Although a few answers were things or people I've never heard of, like IFC ("Movie co. with a presence at Sundance"), "Rap's MC ___" (REN), there was nothing to lose sleep over. 

~Frannie.