I finished the puzzle in under 5 minutes today, but I solved the puzzle in 6:36. :( I went through the grid like a hot knife through butter, but my typing skills were no match for the old bean. My grid was littered with typos from LdDS ("Many modern Christmas bulbs, in brief") to the somewhat amusing JOSEFeelicANO. How RUED. :)
Interesting that the solution included two identical answers - a rarity, non? The grid starts with SANS at 1A ("French for 'without'") and ended with SANS at 70A "After 1-Across, what the first names at 20-, 36-, 43- and 57-Across all are?" In this case, the first names in question, when paired with 'SANS' are cities in California (and probably other places as well). We have San FRANCISCO(GOYA), San DIEGO(RIVERA), San PEDRO(PASCA)], and San JOSE(FELICIANO). I've SELMA seen so many SANS in one place.
I enjoyed SETTO for "Small brawl", "Faint with passion" for SWOON, and the CA/P "Question that might have a ring to it?" (PROPOSAL) - ha! AGASP reminds me of an hilarious Burnistoun skit that I'd provide a link to, if I had any CHOIs in the matter, but I can't find one. I like ODEON and JIVE, but I was less thrilled with STENTS. I've never cared for that word.
The clue "Like Yale since 1969" (COED) made me think, that's not all that long ago.
~Frannie.
1969 is plenty long ago, Frannie, let's face it. But the whole COED thing should've happened much longer ago than that, IMO. I can't recall ever seeing the same word (or should I say, exact progression of letters since the words are in different languages with different meanings) in a grid before this one, but at least it wasn't a TRIO. I enjoyed the theme well enough, and the solve was fun in that it was more challenging than some Mondays, but I still was able to finish it in under six minutes. I could never have come up with PEDROPASCAL, but recognize him from his photos on the internet. Always nice to see new clues for LAIC, too.
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