Friday, November 22, 2024

Sarah Sinclair & Rafael Musa’s New York Times crossword—Amy’s recap

Hello! This is maybe the second crossword I’ve solved in the past three weeks (the other was Erik Agard’s New Yorker puzzle last week, and I’m pleased to report that I wrangled that CUPCAKKE/JACKIE AINA crossing right). It has been rough. Eleven days in the hospital and a bunch of exhausting days of ass-kicking migraine action thereafter. Oh, and an 11-hour treatment session last week. Still have a headache but feeling more human finally. I cannot recommend a bout of organ rejection for a kidney that’s on its way out anyway so its wiggle room is slim. Big thanks to Team Fiend for pitching in to cover for me for far longer than I’d anticipated—they are a wonderful group of people and I hope you appreciated hearing a range of viewpoints on the puzzles I usually cover.

NY Times crossword solution, 11/22/24 – no. 1122

On to the puzzle! Lots to like here.

Fave fill: OLD NORSE, my hobby of SLEPT LATE, Google’s forsaken “DON’T BE EVIL” (my god, their stupid “AI summary” trash is so broken—my mom’s BFF googled Amazon customer service phone number and the number Google pushed was for a scammer asking her SSN and bank account info), IDIOCY, BLIND DATES, ASTROLOGY, “NO, I INSIST,” “BE COOL,” OLIVIA RODRIGO, “LET IT BE,” and the KIDS’ TABLE. I think I like LOLING as well.

• Three things:
• 26a. [Bêtise], IDIOCY. It’s in Merriam-Webster. Who knew? Not I.
• 42a. [Irritation treated with a warm compress], STYE. Fact! Get yourself a microwave-heatable eyepatch like this if you get a stye or chalazion. A hot washcloth goes cold much too fast.
• 57a. [Understudy opportunities?], EASY A’S. Clever clue! You don’t have to study as much for such classes.

Four stars from me.

Joe Marangell’s Los Angeles Times crossword — pannonica’s write-up

LAT • 11/22/24 • Fri • Marangell • solution • 20241122

• 66a^R [“The Jeffersons” theme song, and an apt title for this puzzle] MOVIN’ ON UP. The ON elements of the theme answers, pre-circled in the grid, spur upwards.
• 17a. [Stay vigilant] BE {ON} THE BALL.
  crossing entry: 2d [Sign outside a restricted area] NO ENTRY.
• 21a. [Punctual] RIGHT {ON} TIME.
  crossing entry: 9d [Playing past the fourth qtr., say] IN OT.
• 39a. [Comedy routine with peculiar names] WHO’S {ON} FIRST.
  crossing entry: 29d [Bouquet] NOSE.
• 60a. [“Pick up the pace!”] GET {ON} WITH IT.
  crossing entry: 42d [Tangled] KNOTTY.

The theme answers are all excellent, and I really appreciate the care that was taken to ensure that the crossing entries produces the reversed ON a distinct way each time. As an aside, and probably not intentional from the constructor, the theme phrases all work—to varying degrees—without the “on”: BE THE BALL, RIGHT TIME, WHO’S FIRST, GET WITH IT.

So, nicely turned.

• 3d [Vrbo category] COTTAGE. I’m inferring that Vrbo is a real estate service/site.
• 5d [BOLO kin] APB. Be on the lookout, all points bulletin.
• 11d [Some sketches] SATIRES. 7d [Improv technique] AD LIB.
• 31d [Cards with pics] IDS. 9a [App with pics] INSTA.
• 48d [Process, in a way] DIGEST. 49d [Brainstorm] IDEATE. Nice pairing.
• Some entries not often seen in crosswords: DINGHY, STASES, RETINUE. (48a, 23a, 45d)
• 35a [“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” writer Anita] LOOS. I feel as if I might be the only person alive who’s read the book (excellent, by the way) but not seen the film.