Fun Friday. I LOL'd when I finally sorted out "Acrobat's display" (PDFFILES) to finish this one off. Whew!
Interesting that Orwell enjoyed STILTON. Or did he? That "The best cheese of its type in the world," could be somewhat backhanded ... but I don't know the whole story. I guess it's more likely that he actually did like it, because it's a pretty damn good cheese. Anywhooo...
There were some nice gimmes in "Oscar winner for "The African Queen" (BOGART), and "Surname of a Tolstoy heroine" (KARENINA). VINNIE (Role for John Travolta on "Welcome Back, Kotter") should also have been a gimme, but it took me too long to remember Mr. Barbarino's first name. Sigh.
I'll tell you what wasn't a gimme - DAFFODIL (It has a light bulb). Sheesh. And "Low volume?" was a tricky way to get to TEASPOON. But overall, things came clear pretty quickly. I even guessed BIRTHS off the clue (Once-in-a-lifetime events), although I realize now that "deaths" would also have fit. But BOBSLEDS went right in after that, and I was off and running.
There are three entries today that remind me of "The Great British Sewing Bee," which is all Frannie and I have been watching for weeks: OHISEE is something that host Esme Young is wont to say; FIT is what it's all about in the "Made to Measure" segment, and DRESS, well, that's obvious. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I suggest you watch an episode or two. (Esme comes into it in Season four.)
Best clue: "Game" (UNAFRAID)
Best word: DAWDLE (Dillydally)
- Horace
UNAFRAID was my last entry, but PDFFILES was not too far before it. I originally entered religion where THEOLOGY belongs, which slowed me down in the NE for a while. I thought that DONOTDISTURB had a great clue, despite the question mark (28A Peace sign?). I entered VINNIE right away, and recently read Anna KARENINA, so that came quickly, too. DAFFODIL was unexpected, and I enjoyed TEASPOON for it's odd cluing and because it wasn't the usual "TSP." I agree with Horace regarding STILTON's tastiness, but could do without OXTAIL in the grid.
ReplyDeleteI attacked Friday morning's puzzle right after waking up. In fact, I started it precisely the same number of minutes after waking that my coffee maker takes to brew its first cup.
ReplyDeleteI was immediately faced with "Once in a lifetime events". Because my normal, conscious self wasn't completely awake (sips coffee), the deep part of my brain, way in the back, snapped to and said "Damn...that's kinda dark for the NYTimes." So I slapped in DEATHS, and after the T and H downs checked out, that dark part of my brain said "You know you want it to be DEATHS...Let's GO!". It then proceeded to take the reins of my conscious brain and go careening around the first half of the puzzle like a 14 year old on a joyride in Dad's car.
(I do wonder if 1 Across was some sort of psychological test... )
Once the coffee kicked in, it was a bit of a grind to back things out and get everything sorted. Couple that with my ability to mispell anything, (KARININA, KARENENA ...anyone?) and it was slow, but we got there. And of course, my brain did many somersaults trying to figure out what the hell you can do under the big top that begins with PD.
Sigh...my brain can be so stupid sometimes.