Thursday, August 4, 2022, Ella Dershowitz

Today's grid featured three POPUPSHOPs - the "shops" being created by the letters S H O P  in a square formed by two letters in the entry, and two that "pop up" into the entry above. Easier to understand with a visual, maybe? 

Although the puzzle didn't seem particularly difficult, there were a number of clues where the ambiguity slowed this solver down. Looking at "Order in New Orleans," for example, I was thinking of krewes or 'laissez les bon temps roulez,' rather than (POBOY), which is much more entertaining. Another amusing food related clue was "Cubans are full of it" (HAM) - ha. Other clues that stonewalled me temporarily included "Deal" (ACCORD), "Feel for" (PITY), and "Blow out" for (SPEW). It took me way too long to consider STORK for "Baby carrier." I also made a little bit of trouble for myself in the center bottom section by starting with 'uso' for "Tour group, for short" (PGA) and 'diy' for "Kind of project" (PET). Derp. 

I enjoyed the QMC's "Dish seen around the world?" (UFO) and "Has reservations about?" (BOOKS). Fill-wise, EUPHORIA and PSEUDO are great words with your less common EU letter combination. RIFE is a another good one. OTH, I'm not all in on CURER for "Shaman, at times" nor HYPOS for "What if propositions, informally."

LIESL is two for the week. Going on three? HERES[HO]PING.

~Frannie.