Saturday, May 11, 2024, Billy Bratton

To solve today's pinwheel-shaped puzzle it was essentially necessary to solve each quadrant INTERN, as answers connecting the sections were few and far between. Despite the fact that the puzzle included many things I've never heard of, or am not familiar with (GOATYOGA, MRS Meyer's brand cleaning products, ALDO Leopold, Burgess SHALE, SAMANTAHWHO, and CASHGRAB - although color me very interested in that last one :), I was able to complete the grid in under 30 minutes. 

Of the five mini-puzzles, I had the most difficulty with the one in the southeast. I so much wanted the one-letter-too-short 'creep' for "Slimeball," but could not come up with the CREEPO variant, until I eventually got the O from the amusing answer to "Line around the Equator?" ITSHOT - ha. Another answer in that section that is not really in my vocabulary is SAMESIES ("'OMG, me too!'") - I think I might be TOOOLD for that one. I thought both "Mythical rock singer" for SIREN and the cross "'Rocks'" for FISTS were excellent - once I figured them out. :) 

Photograph: Paul Nicholls

Other clever and trixy clues included 

"Cheerios alternatives" (TATAS)

"Get into" (DON)

"Squeals" (TATTLES)

"Comment with a point, say" (THATONE)

"Pop back and forth?" (DAD) - ha!

Fill-wise, I enjoyed the informal GOTTHESHAFT, SLOOP, PARIAH, and the more-my-time-period MIXTAPE. 

All in all, a moderately challenging (as the New Yorker might say) Saturday puzzle with lots of new-to-me fill and some fun C/APs sprinkled throughout - in other words the TOTALASSETS of a good puzzle. And with that, dear Readers, I entrust you to the capable hands and superior puzzle solving brain of our esteemed co-blogger, Philbo.

~Frannie.