Friday, March 24, 2017

Michael Hawkins and John Guzzetta’s New York Times crossword—Amy’s write-up

NY Times crossword solution, 3 24 17, no 0324

Quick post, because I’m heading to ACPT in the morning and I haven’t packed yet.

Likes in the fill: CLIP-ON TIE, SKY-HIGH, “HEY, BATTER, BATTER,” TRIPPED UP, LEVIATHAN (nicely clued as [Moby Dick, e.g.]), the TWERP/TWERK combo, F-BOMB, and BIG TALKER.

Top clues:

• 17a. [Bad occasion for an anchor to drag], RELAY RACE. Not a ship’s anchor.
• 47a. [Protectors sent packing?], PEANUTS. As in styrofoam(ish) packing peanuts.
• 47d. [It grows in the dark], PUPIL. Dilating to admit more light.

Not so keen on: The cute [Clip art?] clue for BONSAI when CLIP-ON TIE has already announced itself. ICERS, nobody uses that.

Didn’t know [Jazz trumpeter Hargrove with two Grammys], ROY, or [Novelist Hammond ___] INNES.

Four stars from me.

Morton Mendelson’s Chronicle of Higher Education crossword, “Good Luck, Solvers” — pannonica’s write-up

CHE • 3/24/17 • “Good Luck, Solvers” • Mendelson • solution

Get hep to septets!

• 17a. [Geological seven] CONTINENTS.
• 26a. [Meteorological seven] RAINBOW COLORS.
• 46a. [Calendrical seven] DAYS OF THE WEEK.
• 61a. [Theological seven] DEADLY SINS.

Bonus: 19a [One of a set of seven in 33 Down] HILL; 33d [It’s up the coast from Napoli] ROMA. Aventino, Celio, Campidoglio, Esquilino, Palatino, Quirinale, Viminale.

Quasi-bonus: 43a [Trigram on the 7’s of older phones] PRS.

My hypothesis: the framing of the puzzle—via title and timing—as a nod to attendees of this weekend’s ACPT was an editorial innovation. The constructor’s idea may indeed have been to play on the traditionally considered ‘lucky’ number seven.

Long non-theme entries: 10d [One wearing an identical uniform, perhaps] SCHOOLMATE, 27d [University department sending acceptance letters] ADMISSIONS, 20a [Wrench or screwdriver, often] TIGHTENER, 57a [Hacktivists usually hide theirs] REAL NAMES, 6d [Game] AMENABLE, 39d [Like the use of drummer boys in combat] PRE-RADIO, 3d [First actor to garner two Oscar nominations for the same character] BING CROSBY (Father Chuck O’Malley in Going My Way (1944) and The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945), 29d [In agreement] OF LIKE MIND.

BE-IN, SO A, OR TO, ONTO, ODS ON, AS OF. 14a, 23a, 24a, 64a, 66a, 59d

47d [Descriptor for some disposable glasses] THREE-D, in case you were puzzled by “THREED”. Typically this is written as 3-D.

Favorite clue, for its evocativeness: 44d [Like creeks after a downpour] SWOLLEN.

34a [Rockers with a 1973 cover of “Roll Over Beethoven,” briefly] ELO. Chuck Berry (1926–2017).

Ed Sessa’s LA Times crossword – Gareth’s summary

LA Times
170324

Unlike most Friday LA Times’s, the themers are clued straight. As I wasn’t encountering much resistance, I didn’t actually pay much attention to the theme. This came to halt when the last entry, NOENOTSUNTURNED (STONE), made no sense. This revealer is a lot more elegant than most, and jolts you into re-examining the theme. Like me, you should find an agate in TILLWEMEETAGAIN, a JADE in CRACKEDAJOKE, and a RUBY in your TURKEYBURGER.

The grid design is “chunky”, big white areas, but quite closed off. The top features ISLAMABAD and JELLICLE. The latter is colourful fill, but I’m not sure what “type” of cat a Jellicle is. While I quibble about clues, is it only non-Americans who struggle with clues like [Northern Kentucky county] for BOONE?

It’s surprisingly to learn there aren’t many famous YVONNEs – [’60s Batgirl portrayer Craig] – if you’re South African, this lady is quite famous, though:

3.75 Stars
Gareth