Constructor:Timothy Polin
Relative difficulty:Medium, maybe a tad harder
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THEME:STUMBLING BLOCKS (36A: Obstacles seen four times in this puzzle's completed grid?) — four black squares (or "blocks") actually represent the letter combo "ER" (which is a "stumbling" sound one makes when speaking)
Theme answers:
I had a weird moment early on where I got very (mostly mock) angry at the answer PCLABS, which is one of my most hated answers For Some Reason, so I took a screenshot and called it "IHatePCLABS"
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Then I got AXIS OF EVIL and thought "What kind of theme has an 'L' going in one direction and an 'X' going in the other ...?" No type of theme, it turns out. Because 1D: Spots for computer users, it turns out, is PIXELS. Cute. So I took another screenshot and called it "NotPCLABS"
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Anyway, right around that time, I got the "ER" square gimmick, and then a little bit later, I figured out STUMBLING BLOCKS. I didn't know they were all going to be "ER"s ... but then they were. I think I would've liked and "UM" block and an "UH" block, though the latter would've been Very hard to pull off. "E" and "R" are Such common letters and rarely lead anywhere good, fill-wise, but I thought this puzzle managed to squeeze out some decent "ER" answers (like ERNIE BANKS and RINGLEADER) as well as some decent other fill (AXIS OF EVIL and ANNE SEXTON, both great). There was some stuff I didn't care for—ERIEPA is bad enough as straight fill. But -IEPA, yikes, no. SLS, blargh. But honestly, this is mostly clean. It's hard to get that excited by a bunch of "ER" blocks, but the concept is clever.
Bullets:
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Medium, maybe a tad harder
Theme answers:
- SHOER / NETHER / EROTIC ARTIST / ERNIE BANKS
- CHATTER / DINER / ERNES / ERROL
- UTTER / AMBER / ERNST / ERASURE
- GLASS SLIPPER / RINGLEADER / ERIE, PA / ERECT
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (formerly known as the SL Roadster prior to 1994) is a grand touringroadster manufactured by Mercedes since 1954. The designation SL derives from the German Sportlich-Leicht, (English: Sport Lightweight) and was first applied to the 300 SL, often referred to as the "Gullwing" due to its gullwing or upward-opening doors. // The term SL refers to the marketing variations of the vehicle, including the numerous engine configurations spanning six design generations. (wikipedia)
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I had a weird moment early on where I got very (mostly mock) angry at the answer PCLABS, which is one of my most hated answers For Some Reason, so I took a screenshot and called it "IHatePCLABS"
Bullets:
- 9D: Go on and on and on (CHATT[ER])— I had PRATE here at first, which certainly fits the clue much better. I don't think of CHATTER as being related to how long one goes on. I think of it as idle talk. At any rate, that corner was Rough to get into. Wanted BRAT for PEST (12D: Trying type). Only got traction up there because I *eventually* got HYGIENIC, though staring at -IENIC, I wasn't sure any word I knew would work.
- 63A: Reputation (ODOR)— ????????? .... ?????????????????
- 65A: One-named R&B singer with the hit "1, 2 Step" (CIARA)— I predict this will be the Proper Noun Least Known in this grid. I have an album by her in my iTunes. I don't remember why.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]