Constructor:Brendan Emmett Quigley and Joel Fagliano
Relative difficulty:Challenging (for a Tuesday)
![]()
THEME: KENKEN (47A: Newspaper puzzle suggested by this crossword's gray squares)— four numbers in grid are answers in a KENKEN section (such numbers appear in the grid followed by an operation, i.e. +, -, x, or ÷). Thus ... I guess ...
Theme answers:
![]()
Really, really not for me. For so many reasons. I don't do about / care about puzzles that are not crossword puzzles. I especially don't care about this one. Puzzle seems designed to advertise a puzzle type that the editor makes a bunch of money off of, even though I think KENKEN are made by computers, largely. Or maybe the editor carefully crafts each one—who knows? I just know that I don't do boring number puzzles. I don't really get why there are four number sections, why they're placed the way they are in the grid, etc. There's a huge chunk of the grid, from center, to SW, that has no number stuff going on in it. I guess that's 'cause that's where KENKEN is. This just seems like almost every crossover TV episode ever made, i.e. makes a hash of two things that people like perfectly well when they're on their own. Also, the fill here really hurts, throughout, perhaps because the theme is demanding and/or the grid is ultra-choppy. ECARTE and SIXTUS and REUNES and a lone GALOSH ... the EHS and the PHU and the WURST SWALE ever. IN A NET? If you say so. This was a befuddling slog to me. The concept is no doubt high-end, as the numbers of the grid are brought into service as numbers in KENKEN. That can't have been easy. But pleasure factor was near nil for me.
Totally forgot who TWAY was. Absolutely no idea who non-German-author Thomas MANN is (26A: Actor Thomas of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"). That's a great new MANN, but it sure as hell isn't a Tuesday answer. Who the hell (under 40) knows Catherine OXENBERG? (39D: Actress Catherine of "Dynasty") I knew her, as I watched "Dynasty," despite Prince's telling me I didn't have to. Seeing her on a Tuesday is just retro and bonkers. I hope you enjoyed this / appreciated this Quite a bit more than I did.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Challenging (for a Tuesday)
THEME: KENKEN (47A: Newspaper puzzle suggested by this crossword's gray squares)— four numbers in grid are answers in a KENKEN section (such numbers appear in the grid followed by an operation, i.e. +, -, x, or ÷). Thus ... I guess ...
Theme answers:
- 2÷ => TWO *divided by* ONE = 2
- 5- => NINE *minus* FOUR = 5
- 11+ => THREE *plus* EIGHT = 11
- 42x => SIX *times* SEVEN = 42
Kevin Tway (born July 23, 1988) is an American professional golfer who has played on the Web.com Tour and the PGA Tour. He won numerous junior tournaments, and most notably, the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur. // Born in Edmond, Oklahoma, Tway is the son of Bob Tway, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the PGA Championship in 1986. (wikipedia)
• • •
Really, really not for me. For so many reasons. I don't do about / care about puzzles that are not crossword puzzles. I especially don't care about this one. Puzzle seems designed to advertise a puzzle type that the editor makes a bunch of money off of, even though I think KENKEN are made by computers, largely. Or maybe the editor carefully crafts each one—who knows? I just know that I don't do boring number puzzles. I don't really get why there are four number sections, why they're placed the way they are in the grid, etc. There's a huge chunk of the grid, from center, to SW, that has no number stuff going on in it. I guess that's 'cause that's where KENKEN is. This just seems like almost every crossover TV episode ever made, i.e. makes a hash of two things that people like perfectly well when they're on their own. Also, the fill here really hurts, throughout, perhaps because the theme is demanding and/or the grid is ultra-choppy. ECARTE and SIXTUS and REUNES and a lone GALOSH ... the EHS and the PHU and the WURST SWALE ever. IN A NET? If you say so. This was a befuddling slog to me. The concept is no doubt high-end, as the numbers of the grid are brought into service as numbers in KENKEN. That can't have been easy. But pleasure factor was near nil for me. Totally forgot who TWAY was. Absolutely no idea who non-German-author Thomas MANN is (26A: Actor Thomas of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"). That's a great new MANN, but it sure as hell isn't a Tuesday answer. Who the hell (under 40) knows Catherine OXENBERG? (39D: Actress Catherine of "Dynasty") I knew her, as I watched "Dynasty," despite Prince's telling me I didn't have to. Seeing her on a Tuesday is just retro and bonkers. I hope you enjoyed this / appreciated this Quite a bit more than I did.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]