Mallory Knodel & Jeff Chen’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Safe Prospects”—Jim’s review
Theme answers are familiar phrases that hide world currencies. However, the clues are written as if said currencies have been removed. As an added help, each currency is found elsewhere in the grid. The revealer is MONEY HEIST (55a, [Spanish Netflix hit, and a hint to figuring out the starred answers]).
Wall St Journal crossword solution · “Safe Prospects” · Mallory Knodel & Jeff Chen · Thu., 11.21.24
- 16a. [*Peninsula on the Black Sea] CRIME DRAMA minus 18a DRAM leaves CRIMEA.
- 24a. [*Word after boy or girl] SCOPES OUT minus 23a PESO leaves SCOUT.
- 34a. [*Planet orbited by Titan and Rhea] SKIP A TURN minus 40a KIP leaves SATURN.
- 46a. [*Haggard] GRAND AUNT minus 53a RAND leaves GAUNT.
Nice. It was obvious with the first entry that it was much too long, so it wasn’t much of an effort to sort it out and find the hidden word. But the money aspect really didn’t sink in until I hit the revealer. I appreciated having the currencies somewhere in the grid because I don’t recall knowing the currency of Laos (the KIP). I don’t think I’ve heard of the Netflix show either, but it was inferable. Overall, a good theme. And this is a debut for Jeff’s partner, so congratulations Mallory!
In the fill we have to be satisfied with corner stacks of sevens, but there are some nice ones in there: HAMSTER, DARK ART, KEURIGS, PUSH TOY, plus BOWSER, CATALAN, and SUDOKU. I needed all the crossings for IMPASTO [Thickly applied pigment] but now I know it’s Italian for “mixture.” EARBOBS did not come easily, either.
Clues of note:
- 36a. [Put in a good word?]. EDITED. Nice clue.
- 50a. [Tiresome after much repetition]. OLD. I like the cluing angle.
- 21d. [“So what will it be?”]. “YES OR NO?” In retrospect it works fine, but I sure thought this about ordering food at a restaurant. Maybe if the clue had “which” instead of “what”.
Good puzzle. 3.75 stars.
Will Pfadenhauer’s Fireball Crossword, “Shift Happens” – Jenni’s write-up
This is one of those puzzles that I recognize and admire as a feat of construction and did not enjoy at all. It’s a cipher puzzle. Here’s the grid and the theme answers and I will leave the de-ciphering to you. I simply don’t have the patience for it.
Fireball, November 20, 2024, Will Pfadenhauer, “Shift Happens,” solution grid
- 19a [Taking Big Coffee and Big Chocolate to court?[20] ] is SUING MOCHA.
- 24a [Low seat for horses?[1] ] is STEEDS TUFFET.
- 37a [Did one step in a fruit salad recipe?[10] ] is CUBED MELON.
- 52a [Plea to Bertie Wooster’s aunt?[22] ] is HELP ME DAHLIA.
- 63a [Part of a door in the vehicle driven by terrorists in “Back to the Future?” [12] ] is VW BUS HINGE.
And the revealer: 66a [___ shift (substitution cipher that when applied using the number in brackets to the first word in the answer to each starred clue will yield the second word of the answer] is CAESAR. So there isn’t actually any deciphering to be done, is there? It’s just – there. If you don’t know about the cipher, here’s the lowdown.
What I didn’t know before I did this puzzle: that RINA Sawayama had a 2022 album called “Hold the Girl.”
Bonus content: when I inserted the graphic of the grid, I noticed the picture joon used in yesterday’s write-up of the Gaffney meta. Take a look. The Great Crossword Conspiracy rides again.
Katie Hoody’s New York Times crossword — Zachary David Levy’s write-up
Difficulty: Easy (7m40s)
Katie Hoody’s New York Times crossword, 11/21/24, 1121
Today’s theme: TOO LONG DIDN’T READ (Cheeky review of 18-, 24- and 46-Across)
- DAVID COPPERFIELD (1850: 350,000+ words)
- LES MISERABLES (1862: 530,000+ words)
- ATLAS SHRUGGED (1957: 550,000+ words)
I also DIDN’T READ these three books, although not explicitly because they were TOO LONG. Interestingly, none of these titles even cracks the Top 5 English language novels (in order: Clarissa, Sir Charles Grandison, Poor Fellow My Country, Women and Sironia, Texas), although they are arguably far better known.
Cracking: KAPOW!!!
Slacking: It’s going to be a photo finish between LTCOLS and MMES, and the winner is.. nobody!
Sidetracking: MISS SCARLET