Monday, January 16, 2023, Michael Paleos

In today's four theme answers, the second word of each supplies a necessary element for sending a communique by post, starting with possibly the most difficult of the elements to marshal - but arguably the most important, letter - followed by stamp, address, and envelope. Envelope appears in the phrase PUSHTHEENVELOPE which I've long thought the U.S. Post Office should use as its advertising slogan. And, as our dear Readers know, I love a PASSPORTSTAMP. Bonus fill cum crossover with modern e-communications "Message that might include an emoji or a GIF" (TEXT) and "Outbox folder" (SENT).

I completed the first six answers immediately off the clues, but when I got to the first theme answer, I wasn't exactly sure what to enter for "The 'e,' but not the 'B,' of eBay" so I decided to switch to the Down clues. It was there that I filled the gap at 3D with GApe instead of GAWK (I discovered my mistake when TIeTOK popped up on my screen). I also found, at 15A, that a HORDE filled that space better than the 'crowd' that I had mistakenly let in. With those corrections in place, I was finally able to GOAHEAD and complete the first theme answer, LOWERCASELETTER. Capital! 

I may be dating myself here - I'm not as JONG as I was once, that's for sure - but ALLOT of clues took me back to days of ORR including 

"Only weapon in Clue that isn't metallic" (ROPE)

"The Legend of Zelda console, for short" (NES)

"One of the Brady Bunch" (GREG) - fun companion clue "One of a braid-y bunch" (PLAIT)

"Winged Godzilla nemesis of Japanese film" (MOTHRA)

"Spicy cinnamon candy" (REDHOT)

"Old Norse character" (RUNE) - kidding! I'm not *that* old. :)

Not to say it's all old school. The afore mentioned TIKTOK, the clue for PIC ("Insta post"), and the recently ubiquitous RNA, all contribute to make the puzzle TRENDY, too.

GAWK, JACKUP, SLOUCH, and DELVES are fine fill. In addition to the Brady/braid-y pair mentioned above, I liked the look of the PARES of Os in the parallel Downs ROOST and LOOSER. I also enjoyed ARTE (Spanish paintings and such) and "Bandleader Shaw" (ARTIE). 

Although I have written this review rather quickly, I hope no one will suggest I MAILed ITIN. 

~Frannie.