A real puzzler for this puzzler today. I did not, to my SHAMES, remember the name of the history-making SCOTUS appointee featured in the center of the grid and that put a real crimp in my ability to solve the small section in the north middle. That three-part name crossed other unknowns, specifically the last name of Steve, with four N.B.A. coaching championships, Seattle's nickname, and "First chairman of the E.E.O.C., familiarly." At least Seattle's nickname was a guessable word (EMERALD). I did eventually manage to guess FDRJR, too, although, who knew there was an FDRJR? Not I. There was also the trixy (for me) companion sports clue in the mix ("One has to make a run for it)." I decided the answer was STOrmchASE, which because much of it was correct and because there were so many unknowns in that section, I couldn't prove it wrong. The correct answer, STOLENBASE, is much better. Because it's my review day, I decided to ask Horace for the name of the Steve guy (KERR), which allowed me to correct and complete that section. Unfortch, even with the hint from Horace, I ended up with a FWOE because I had entered MACkCHEESE as the comfort food shortening - said no one ever.
I created trouble for myself in the top left as well. 1A was clued with the humorous "'How fast does a _____ have to run before it looks gray?" and I guessed 'panda,' an animal, which, as everyone knows, is renknowned the world over for its speed. :| The one Down answer off of 1A that I was pretty sure of was ANI ("Star Wars nickname"), but that didn't help the situation. Neither did the fact that I though of 'Ascot' for "English derby site" rather than the correct EPSOM. In sum, a dromedary of errors.
I was more fortunate in my choice of "Animal that the Aztecs called ayotochtli, or 'turtle-rabbit'" (ARMADILLO) which underpinned a more successful solve of the northeast corner. In fact, the rest of the puzzle experience was just what one wants on a Friday: tough, but solvable. "Take care of for the family?" for OFFS is very good. BRAVE for "Withstand" was also excellent. APRONS for "They come with strings attached" is another good one.
I'm not sure what (a) BOGO is, but I do know about coffee from the KONACOAST, so that section didn't cause much trouble. Just last night on Jeopardy! 'what is STREUSEL' was a question for an answer that was very like, "Crumbly topping" in German. And speaking of Jeopardy!, the current champion seems to have a definite MO: he tries to find the daily double early and then GOESALLIN on it, with some success. I think he's now a five-time champion. In another coincidence, I just read an article in the New Yorker that profiled a man who frequently d.j.s in Ibiza in a club called Pacha - which was so named because the club was going to make the owners rich as a PASHA. I suppose I would come across the occasional fortuitous sports ball factoids if I ever read anything about sports.
Anyhoo, so much for my ENDPLAYS. I'm sure our ESTEEMED Readers GNU more about sports and news of the day and didn't have the same trouble. I can always count on the NYTX to keep me on my TOES.
~Frannie.
BOGO = "Buy one, get one." Wow, this was amazingly...hard. Took me almost an hour. No, I didn't get Justice Jackson from the clue. Lots of SCOTUS appointments are "history-making." The cluing is good, as always, but played hard for me. Love the MAC 'N CHEESE entry and clue!
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