Neil Padrick Wilson’s New York Times crossword — Sophia’s write-up
Happy Monday folks! Today’s theme takes us back to kindergarten art class, being all things a kid could glue to a paper plate to make a design.
New York Times, 10 21 2024, By Neil Padrick Wilson
- 17a [Disposable BBQ Dish] – PAPER PLATE
- 24a [Doctor’s office jarful] – COTTON BALLS
- 35a [Elbows in a grocery store] – MACARONI NOODLES
- 47a [Makeshift twist-tie] – PIPE CLEANER
- 58a [What a kid might use to hold 17-, 24-, 35- and 47-Across together] – ELMER’S GLUE
I don’t have kids myself, so I don’t know how “canonical” this list of items is, or if there’s a better term for the artwork going on here. I kind of wish there was a little more about the finished artwork in the theme, but I guess it being “abstract” is pretty on-brand with most children’s artwork :) I like the verb/noun misdirect on “Elbows” in the MACARONI NOODLES clue, and I like that the answer of ELMER’S GLUE is literally the “glue” holding the puzzle together.
Other quick notes: I thought the puzzle overall was very Monday-appropriate and didn’t cross any tough answers/proper nouns. I liked PLOT HOLES the best of the bonus fill, and there was a fun symmetry in the costume clues for TOP HAT and PEG LEG (that also feel very Halloween appropriate!). I had trouble right off the bat with PAPAW – I kept wanting “papaya” to fit somehow? – and CBER feels quite tricky for newcomers. There was some nice clues throughout the puzzle. I liked the modern angle of [A multitasker might keep several open on a browser] for TABS and [Family member who usually goes by one name] for PET felt clever without being too hard.
Mike Shenk’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Press Run”—Jim’s review
Theme answers are two-word phrases or compound words whose first words cumulatively spell out (or “make”) PRINT as the solver proceeds down the grid.
Wall St Journal crossword solution · “Press Run” · Mike Shenk · Mon., 10.21.24
- 17a. [Alignments in which the running backs line up behind the quarterback]
I FORMATIONS. - 24a. [Basically]
IN ESSENCE. - 37a. [Aperture in a rudimentary camera]
PINHOLE. - 50a. [Very small]
PINT-SIZED. - 58a. [Craft using inked blocks, and a hint to the circled words]
PRINTMAKING.
Pretty straightforward theme which is good for new solvers but probably less than exciting for old timers. Still, the grid feels pretty wide open with plenty of white space allowing for good flow during the solve.
Those stacks of 8 are the obvious highlights in the grid: APPENDIX/SHOWCASE and OPTIONAL/PLANNERS. But I also liked INERTIA, SIRLOIN, and NEPHEW.
Clue of note: 2d. [Something racers do at pit stops]. REFUEL. I went with the punny RE-TIRE which then ended up at 47d (with an un-punny clue).
Three stars.
NYT: I’m not sure I understand the theme, either. Is it that a kid can glue cotton balls, dry macaroni, and pipe cleaners to a paper plate to make some kind of design? The final theme clue, “What a kid might use to hold 17-, 24-, 35- and 47-Across together” makes it sound like they all go on the same paper plate; I’ve seen some of those things glued to a paper plate by a kid, but not all at once.
NYT: Not a very good start to the week, IMHO.
We kick off with a variant spelling at 1-D.
Then, MACARONI NOODLES? Has anyone here ever spoken that phrase?
I remember various sorts of arts and crafts that my son brought home from school when he was a young’un, but a paper plate with cotton balls, macaroni and pipe cleaners was not among them. Maybe he was deprived?
I think “macaroni noodles,” and calling all Italian pasta “noodles” is a regional thing. After 50 years, I still cringe when my wife does it. It’s not something I heard growing up in New York, but in certain parts of the country spaghetti is noodles.
Googling “macaroni noodles” yields tons of hits.
M-W just says “and papaw,” not labeling it a variant.
NYT: I thought that the newish use of “wicked” was tough for a Monday. You will all tell me I’m wrong. I guess it’s good to learn things, even on a Monday.