This puzzle was chock full of AHA and OHO moments - not in the fill, but in the solve, which is a favorite feature of mine. I love a twist! When you read a clue and have no idea what the answer might be, or sometimes even what the clue means, then, either you figure out what's going on, or the answer is revealed by other answers in the grid, and then you get it. To quote the mother from the show, Miranda, "Such fun!"
End-of-the-week puzzles often have C/APs that are not in my wheelhouse ATOLL. When, oh when, will there be a puzzle showcasing the ruling houses of France from the Capetians to the House of Bourbon? I'm guessing I'll probably have to construct that one myself. Anyhoo, just looking at the grid with its multiple long entries and sparse black squares gave me ARIL qualm, especially after yesterday's DNF debacle. Fortunately, though, there were enough clues here and there (ALOO & PANEER FTW!) that helped me make a start. Then, it seemed one answer would LEED to another, and before I knew it, Bob was my uncle.
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| https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pomegranate_fruit_-_whole_and_piece_with_arils.jpg |
Right out of the gate, at 1A, we get the excellent QMC, "Gold meddlers?" for ALCHEMISTS. Ha! That winner was followed by "One making calls on the fly?" (BIRD), "Weighty subject for some children's books" (BABAR), and "Bath seat?" (ARSE -lol), and "Event at which you hope to get good deals?" (POKERPARTY) - I'm sure Horace can relate to that one. Not to mention 38A: the grid spanning "List of qualifications?" (KINDASORTAMAYBE). Double ha!
Elsewhere, other cluing challenges awaited. Several clues were open to multiple interpretations, like "You or me, e.g." for MEREMORTAL, "Reached new heights" for GREW, "Like something no money can buy" for FREE, and "No time like the present" (YORE). And in the re-evaluate-your-first-semantic-category category, how about "Portable retirement option" (COT)? Maybe the SLYEST non-QMC C/AP of all was "Setup for an extra point" (ALSO).
Add to all of the above the hilarious "Great find in the candy aisle, by the sound of it" (SKOR) and the delicious "Parlor treat typically served with the first five letters of its name" (STRAWBERRYSHAKE) and you've got a puzzle that's a real delight.
~Frannie.
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