Tuesday, January 30, 2024, Freddie Cheng

I love a theme which recognizes the oddities of language. How many different definitions are there for the word "tank" in English? Mr. Cheng has come up with four: a tank that HOLDSWATER, a COMBATVEHICLE, the verb as in DROPSLIKEASTONE, and a SLEEVELESSTOP. None of the answers are clued with the word, which allows the very clever revealer at 63A: Bodies of advisory experts ... or, when reinterpreted as an imperative, a hint to 17-, 24-, 38- and 52-Across (THINKTANKS). I will admit to chuckling aloud when I thought about somebody admonishing me to "think tanks!"

That's a lot of theme material (I think more by squares than yesterday - yes, confirmed). The grid is set up so that no down answer crosses more than two theme answers, but there are 20 of them that do cross two. So credit to Mr. Cheng for making a delightfully smooth puzzle. I have no complaints with answers. 

ETTA and ELLA (and Aretha and Nina)

TJUNCTION is a fun looking entry. I raised an eyebrow initially when I saw the TJ___ start, but enjoyed seeing how that could work. 

I misread the clue for 7D at first. I kind of wish that after 5A: Frat dudes (BROS), that 7D would be "eight dudes" (OCTET). Instead it was "Four duos." 

37D: Layer of 61-Across (HEN) had me nicely confused because I had not come anywhere near 61A: What might be found in nesting boxes (EGGS). I did not see the first word of the clue as "lay-er," one who lays, but rather as "layer," a quantity of thickness.

Also nice: 48D: They may come with big waves in Waikiki (ALOHAS). Hah!

Nice Tuesday.

- Colum