Just last night we were discussing the subjunctive mood with some friends at a bar, and one of the examples we discussed was the optative subjunctive, used when expressing a wish. And what do you know - Existential Week continues at the NYTX with an examination of wishes.
Five situations that prompt one to MAKEAWISH make up the theme answers today.
SHOOTINGSTAR
EYELASH
LADYBUG
ELEVENELEVEN
DANDELION
Me, I've never heard of making a wish at ELEVENELEVEN. Is that a thing? The interwebs sure thinks so. I guess for me the only one that I really adhere to is the eyelash, because it's often someone else who notices it, and they take it off my cheek and hold it out to me saying MAKEAWISH! Other than that, I guess I usually think of something before blowing out birthday candles (not pictured), but the other ones are just normal phenomena.
I had a brief MIStake at 7D: Blunder (MISSTEP), and 25D: "I like that a LOT!" (OOOH) was a surprise. As was "Rows #13-#16 in a theater" (MNOP). Yow. Sometimes you can see where the puzzle is straining. See also the THO/EIN/TEEHEE/HIYALL section. It's always a trade-off, and today there's a lot of theme, which locks in more of the grid. But it's sometimes fun to see how constructors wriggle out of these binds, and also fun to see just what can be gotten away with. I wouldn't wish it any other way.
- Horace
Today it's my turn to be grumpy. My EYELASH wish would tend to be, "I wish you'd keep your damned grubby hands off my face". I'll save that one for the next stranger who picks an eyelash off my cheek on the subway. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso : Isn't JENGA a block DE-stacking game? Also also : I got a kick out of MNOP, despite it being a cheat of the most egregious nature. Chutzpah!!
Hah! Fair enough. I agree on all counts.
DeleteAlso, I feel like leaving the three fake comments below. They are so strange, because they do not appear to have any links. I guess the hope is that we will click on their profiles, which, of course, we will not do. Heh.
Hmph. Why don't these laudatory comments appear when it's *my* turn to blog, is what I want to know....
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