Sunday, February 19, 2023

Sunday, February 19, 2023, Rebecca Goldstein

SIMILE IRRESISTIBLE

I have to admit, I didn't fully understand the theme until long after the solve, but that could be partly due to the fact that I think this was one of my faster Sunday solves. (Just over fifteen minutes to fill in all those little white squares.) At first I thought it was turning certain phrases around and making them into similes, as in "crystal clear" becoming CLEARASCRYSTAL. But that clue, "Bus?" Aha! It makes clear into a verb, and makes crystal into barware. Presumably. So, ok. That works. But "Photosynthesize?" for GREENASGRASS is a little weaker. I guess you could think of "green grass" as a thing, like in "Green grass and high times forever," but it's not a very common expression, and "green" as a verb is a bit forced, too. So it's not perfect, and the "reversing known phrases" probably isn't even part of it, but it's not terrible, and the puzzle had a lot of other good fill.

OLMEC head

ANECDATA (Evidence derived from personal experience and observation rather than systematic research and analysis) was a fun one. I've never heard that before, but I like it. LABOROFLOVE (Passion project, perhaps) is lovely, OHSTOP ("You're embarassing me!") and IMAMESS (Cry from someone who's disheveled) were fun in the top middle there. 

I was not familiar with a B-52 shot, but I now have learned that it is equal parts Grand Marnier, Irish cream, and coffee liqueur. Probably fine, but I'm not much of a shot-drinker. I rode SEPTA back when I lived in Philly (when HIGHTOPS were the only things I put on my feet), but I have not pierced my septum. Nor have I ever tried Imagine WHIRLED Peace ice cream.

One clue that seemed a little weird to me was "Exquisitely made basket" (DUNK). I looked up "exquisite" and found "extremely beautiful and, typically, delicate." Not exactly how I think of a DUNK.

I'm happy to be back on the reviews this week, and I look forward to tomorrow! :)

- Horace

2 comments:

  1. A quick solve for me too - 11:01, which is verging on the limits of how fast (and accurately) I can type into the little boxes. I didn't love (or didn't fully "get") the theme. Seems like the 'AS' is supposed to be superfluous everywhere, but, that being the case, it worked better in some clues than in others. LABOUROFLOVE of course is misspelled (a little Canuck humour, ha ha)

    B-52s I recall from my Uni days - they were a gentle (and therefore dangerous) way to get booze into one's system....

    ReplyDelete
  2. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Loved the way the theme unfolded, enjoyed giggling at the theme entries, and thought the fill words were splendid. And so many of the clues are gems, [Wear white to a chili cook-off, you might say] for TEMPT FATE, for example. And a DUNK is exquisite, or can be...I loved that clue! :-)

    ReplyDelete