You know that feeling when you fill in a theme answer using the crosses, and stare at it, wondering why it might be the answer to the given clue? I had that two times in this puzzle. Even after getting the revealer, it took me a few moments to grasp what was going on.
60A: Baking ingredient used multiple times in this puzzle? (SHORTENING) is a clever revealer. It's telling you that in each of the theme answers, the specific meal in the clue is to be turned into an acronym at the start of the answer, and the second part is a synonym for "entrees." Thus, 16A: Cup of noodles, and others? (CONCOURSES) is "c.o.n. courses." 20A: Shrimp egg rolls, and others? (SERRATIONS) is "s.e.r. rations." And so on.
Wow! Five course meal and some leftover Crisco for a lot of theme material. My favorite is probable BRANDISHES. But, as is typical for Mr. Agard, there's plenty to appreciate in this puzzle outside of the theme.
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| Singers of CANDYGIRL |
6A: Wow, that's upside down! (MOM) is one of my favorite FICs for some time (that's "false imperative clue," in case you were wondering - there's a glossary of our terms in the sidebar to the right). I liked the two consecutive "Watering hole, maybe" clues at 62A and 63A (DIVE and POND).
How about 6D: Make out sloppily in the library? (MISREAD)? I had a feeling this would not be about public displays of affection. But that's a fun QMC. Another really good one was 67A: Department of labor? (OBGYN). That one didn't throw me as much, for this physician. What did throw me entirely was 4D: ( and ) (ARCS). I was thinking of Boolean search methodology for some time. But no. Just describing the shapes of parentheses.
As is often the case with Mr. Agard, there's a recognition of the underrepresented here. I was unaware of the acronym AAVE, which stands for African-American Vernacular English. Along with bryophytes (MOSSY), I learned a couple of things today.
An interesting and challenging start to The Turn.
- Colum
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