As you may know, I have been taking poetry classes lately. In them, we are asked to write in different styles and different forms. One such, is the ode, which typically starts with "To [something]." To a Skylark, To Autumn, etc. Those, of course, were not ANON.
Well, today's trick is that some clues are given in the form of odic poetry, and it's up to us to figure out what is being praised. "For me, the Super Bowl's a bore / But watching these is fun galore ..." is, of course, from an ode TOADS. And "Whene'er I need to get a bump / I find it right there at the pump ..." is TOGAS. It is also amusing that these ode titles are actually re-parsed normal words. The most surprising of these is TORONTOBLUEJAYS, which is clued with "I don't have the words / That rightly commend / Cerulean birds / And Harry's best friend ..." I like that poetic license is rightly used here to switch the order of the dedicatees. Very nice.
As always, I appreciated finding theme answers in both Across and Down slots, and somehow they are all placed symmetrically in the grid. These constructors are good. And if we have to endure a little OPPO, GIA, and BLEU, well then, so be it. I will not NAG. But then, about that BLEU clue... I don't think I've ever seen the Seine look anything but gray/brown. (Thanks to Frannie for dredging that up.)
I like many of the eights - BOOTCAMP, ITPEOPLE, MINTOREO, SLEEPSIN. All nice. Especially that SLEEPSIN. Sigh. And the clue for STILLER ("Seinfeld" actor Jerry) was beautiful.
Everyone loves a ROTARY, no one loves anything too ONIONY, and TARTAN can be good. Especially the blue and green ones. :)
OK. Gotta go check on my supply of BEERS and RYES now. Catch you tomorrow!
- Horace
Loved the theme -- once it dawned on me! -- and the clues. That clue for STILLER gave me fits -- for a few minutes I honestly thought a typo had gotten by the puzzle people.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great puzzle!! Was so opaque until the trick revealed itself. I loved it. Loved it!! Took me more than 8 mins, which is long for me for a Thursday. This is the kind of puzzle I'm hoping they serve us at the ACPT. On the other hand - "Philbo - when will you EVER remember REI??" (REI is not a thing in Canada, I don't think) Oh and there's BLUEJAYS again - 2nd time in quick succession!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite themer was TOMCATS. Just because it is so funny that an acronym can be turned into a rather nonacronymic word, I guess.
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