Wednesday, August 19, 2026, Kareem Ayas

Let me not be known as one who BURIESTHELEDE. At least not today. Today's puzzle hides berries in the leading word of the theme answers. Gooseberries, elderberries, strawberries, blackberries, and even burberries (also known as "barberry"). Getting that last one in is a real coup, in my opinion, and might well have been the impetus for this theme in the first place. If I ever meet Mr. Ayas, I will ask him.

In the fill we have some nice moderny things like IMNOTOK (My mood is pretty low), UNSEE (Wipe from one's memory, so to speak), and AVA Max. I like the long Downs: CURRICULUM and LOSTCAUSES, and I like the paired clues "Drop" for LOWER and DIP, and "___ Minor" for ASIA and URSA, but I do not like "'A drop of golden sun,' in song" for RAY. It's "re" she sings, and we must interpret it as the homophone. When it's written as "ray" it takes all the fun out of it.

Finally, I had not heard of BLACKBART before, so I looked him up. Apparently, one of the two authenticated poems he left ran as follows:

I've labored long and hard for bread
For honor and for riches
But on my corns too long you've tread
You fine-haired sons of bitches.

 I also found this:

Upon his release from prison in January 1888, Black Bart was asked by reporters if he planned to resume robbing stagecoaches, and he replied with a smile on his face: "No, gentlemen."  Then another reporter asked if he would write more poetry. He laughed and said: "Now, didn't you hear me say that I am through with crime?" 

 

Nice. 

 

- Horace