Saturday, September 17, 2022, Grant Thackray

Today's puzzle was more my speed, by which I mean it took me about the amount of time I expect Saturday puzzles to take (39:47), although the solve (and the review) were both a bit delayed by the fact that Horace and I are away for the weekend with friends, making it difficult to give either my full attention. I did ask for help from the friends (not Horace, who had already completed the puzzle) on a couple of the "fact" clues ("Emmy winner Patricia of 'Thirtysomething'", "Disney's '____ Dragon'," and "The most well-known one is named for a Greek hero"), but none of them knew any of the above, so I had to DUETS on my own. 

I was able to solve the top pretty quickly, and things went along pretty successfully in a clockwise manner until I hit the bottom AND the guests started waking up. Coincidence? I prefer to think it was more cause and effect. 

I got right INUIT with the first clue "Sign of spring," although I did have 'taurus' until I checked the Downs. After I realized that "Jacobean ___" at 3D would likely be ERA, I took the bull by the horns and switched to THERAM. But I think what really  made the top section go quickly was "Hourglass contents, poetically" (THESANDSOFTIME). I credit my deep memory of the old soap "The Days of Our Lives" for this answer. 

I'm not sure where to come down on the QMC/non-QMC controversy today. "Question in a lot of cars?" was fun (WHEREDIDIPARK), as was "What can't be done alone, famously" (THETANGO). "Buckwheat and others" was a clever hidden capital that had me thinking of types of flour rather than "Our Gang." I also enjoyed "One for the money" (DOLLARSIGN), "Relationship strains?" (DUETS) - which was a toughie! - "Pot grower" (ANTE), "Went head over heels?" (STOOD) - ha! - and "Go out too late, perhaps" (MISSACUE). After reviewing that list, I guess the numbers give the advantage to the non-QMC category.

The two clues I had the most trouble with were "Things once kept in towers" (CDS) - I went too far back in time to damsels - and "Thereabout" for YONDER, both of which cross the aforementioned TENDON named for a Greek hero that I also had trouble with. I also erred in the southeast by putting in NOtnow for "Opposite of 'Stat'!" (instead of NORUSH), which didn't help matters, but getting GOFER took care of that problem. 

To sum up, I GIFS this puzzle a good review. :) 

~Frannie.