Caribbean island whose name means eel / TUE 11-17-15 / Old French coins / Miami Beach's Eden resort / Style of sleeve

Constructor:Paula Gamache

Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium


THEME:INNER / EAR (63A: With 60-Down, what the answer to each starred clue has) — "EAR" embedded in six answers:

Theme answers:

• EDDIE ARCARO (17A: *Hall-of-Fame jockey who won the Triple Crown twice)
• SURFACE AREA (30A: *Six times the length of one side squared, for a cube)
• HORSE AROUND (44A: *Engage in in boisterous play)
• FALSE ARREST (58A: *Unauthorized detention)
• FINE ARTS (11D: *Painting, music, dance, etc.)
• BAREARMS  (37D: *What wearers of sleeveless garments have)

Word of the Day:ANGUILLA(18D: Caribbean island whose name means "eel") —

Anguilla (/æŋˈɡwɪlə/ang-GWIL-ə) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territory consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately 16 miles (26 km) long by 3 miles (5 km) wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The island's capital is The Valley. The total land area of the territory is 35 square miles (90 km²), with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate). // Anguilla has become a popular tax haven, having no capital gains, estate, profit or other forms of direct taxation on either individuals or corporations. In April 2011, faced with a mounting deficit, it introduced a 3% "Interim Stabilisation Levy", Anguilla's first form of income tax. (wikipedia)

Been done. In fact, it's such a basic concept, I'm surprised that it hasn't been done *more* than once before (I could find only one example—an LAT crossword from '09). Basic cruciverb search of INNEREAR could've told you it's been done. But that's not the main issue here. So your concept is hackneyed, so what? Not everyone will know that. But it's just ... so basic. EAR is not tough to embed. So none of the answers end up being that interesting. It's just a very low bar for an embedded word, and so the theme is just dull. And the way INNER / EAR is awkwardly split up like that—really inelegant. Also, the fill is subpar, for sure. All DAHS and ECUS and SDS and what not. Really ancient stuff. ICK and GUNK. I think I like ANGUILLA; it stands out against a lot of otherwise dull fill, and it's also the only answer besides ROC (WTF?) (7D: Miami Beach's Eden ___ resort) that put up any fight. I couldn't remember ANGUILLA at all. Still, seems like something I should know, so I'm left in the weird position of liking one of only two answers in the grid that I *didn't* know.


I don't believe ACID HEAD is really a thing (12D: Certain druggie). POTHEAD, sure. DEADHEAD, yes. ACIDHEAD??? Sounds dated and/or made-up. Also really hate the word "druggie." What are you, in high school? There's not much else to say. Tomorrow is another day. Hopefully not a D-DAY. See you then.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

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