A fun Saturday in the mid-to-easy range for this solver. I completed the grid in 18:41 today - anything under 20 minutes on Friday or Saturday is good for me. I went right along and hit only one sticking point - or rather, to be more specific, sticking area - the top right. RELEASEDATE was nowhere on my radar when I read the clue "Bit of album info." For some reason, I was intent on getting the word 'bio' in there. A similar thing happened to me with "Where to see the big picture?" I had the idea that something movie-related was wanted, but my first ideas ran to 'cinema', 'megaplex' and the like. Eventually, I got some Down answers which revealed the longer Across answers, including IMAXTHEATER. The Downs were slow to come in because I had guessed 'ready' for "Prepare (oneself)" which seemed apt but was incorrect and which also meant every last letter for five Down answers in a row was wrong. ALAS, if I had thought of TEXT as a way to "reach quickly", or if I had known North Carolina's ASHE county, I could have saved myself much time and trouble.
I had FU__ for "Mess (with)" and I briefly consider a well known four-letter word, but then I thought, no way, and fortunately remembered FUTZ.
I did not know "Rhadamanthine". Also, cool that 'tires' and TRIES are anagrams and both are possible synonyms for "Taxes". Another fun fact for Frannie: a group of HARES is a husk. Who knew? Probably many of our dear Readers. :)
But, enough about what wasn't ACURA in my puzzle. There were several trixy clues that I did twig to immediately including "Rock variety" (EMO) and "Breaks the bank?" (ERODES). I'm not sure I would have gotten the latter so quickly if it hadn't been for LEVEE ("Bank regulator") in yesterday's puzzle. I did immediately drop in HUGUENOTS. I'll spare you my discourse on Henri IV, the Edict of Nantes and its subsequent revocation by Louis XIV - this time. :)
Other C/APs of note:
"Future residents" (MEDSTUDENTS)
"Super-useful item?" (MASTERKEY)
"Seated position?" (DESKJOB) - ha!
"Where jobs may be on the line (FACTORIES)
I enjoyed the nicely ambiguous clues "Confirmation, e.g." for RITE and "Something that gives takes" for (OPED). Also, WADDLED is a great word.
Well, dear crossword cronies, WATERRIDE it's been this week, non? I leave you ONEMORETIME in the capable hands of my esteemed co-blogger, Colum Amory - whose posts offer a TONIC to my RATTLES.
~Frannie.
Whee! Super fun puzzle with much to admire both in the fill and in the altogether fantastic clues. Frannie, this dear reader had no clue about the husk of HARES but I'll bet others did. Thanks for the week!
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