Tuesday, January 17, 2023, Erika Ettin

Most of the answers to the clues in the puzzle were clear as day to me. I completed the grid in an unhurried 6:56, pausing frequently to correct typos, but only occasionally to ponder a clue. I wasn't immediately able to fill the empty squares at 19A based on the clue "Zero, zippo, zilch" with NOTONEIOTA, but was able to get it after looking at a kappala Downs.

This reviewer ELECTS "Hamilton's notes" (TENS), "Word after rock or rubber" (BAND), "Stick around awhile" (LAST), and "Scroll through a few books?" (TORAH) as today's most enjoyable entries. ANOMALY, VOID, ORACLE, and everyone's favorite DATA are all nice ITEMS. 

There was one clue/answer pair (or C/AP, as I like to call them to save some typing) that didn't come together for me. It was "Clique" for GANG. Yes, both words refer to groups of people, but the kinds of groups you would refer to with each of those words seem very different to me. Maybe that's just me being too fussy about the SHADINESS of meaning. I felt the C/AP "'You win'" (ILOSE) lacked afflatus as does the frequently-resorted-to C/AP "Mine [or similar], in Marseille" (AMOI). Neither is anything to BRAGG about. On the other hand, I found "Cacophony" for DIN and "Saunter" for AMBLE particularly APT - apt! Also, DRAGS for "Is tiresomely long, as a meeting" really rang true for this solver. :)

And speaking of meetings, Frannie's gotta bounce. Here's wishing our dear Readers a lovely DIA? DAG? DEN? TAG? LETSCALLITADAY.

~Frannie.