Constructor:Mary Lou Guizzo
Relative difficulty:Medium
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THEME:"All You Need"— LOVE rebus; you know ... for VALENTINE'S DAY (31A: Romantic date)
The "Love"Songs:
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I cannot feel the love tonight. Nevermind that that is not only The Worst Elton John song, but one of the worst (allegedly) popular songs ever written—I mean, unbearable. That's not the real issue. I mean, it's an issue, it really is, but it's not the main one. First, there's the fact that the theme is pretty trite and obvious. Also (not surprisingly) it's been done. And recently. Valentine grid shape *and* LOVE rebus, both, right here (one year ago today, in a puzzle by current WaPo crossword puzzle constructor Evan Birnholz). There's no real trick here, no great revealer or twist or anything. At least in the Birnholz version of this theme, there was a revealer ("MAKE A LITTLE LOVE") which tied into the whole rebus concept (you make "LOVE" little, so it can fit in the box). Here, just ... LOVE songs. Kind of yawn. Wore, though, was the fill, which was startlingly rough. I have come to expect pretty smooth work from this constructor, but that was not on display today. REPOT, REUNE, RESAND (!?). CMD MIDEAR DEHORNS ONE (bleeping) LIRA??? Somebody named IBA? TATTOOERS? I mean, TATTOO ARTISTS is obviously the correct phrase, but even TATOOISTS googles better than TATTOOERS. BARIC? UNAPT? Multiple ERTES? There were just groany answer after groany answer. So what we have here is a basic rebus with dated LOVE songs and weak fill. And a SILENT U. OK, Cupid. Whatever you say.
BABI YAR? Sorry, I said I was done, and I'm still going. ILIA! OK, I'll leave you to enjoy this puzzle, or not, as you see fit. OMICRON is a Greek "O," and the first letter in (i.e. the "head of") "Olympus" (Όλυμπος), so that explains that, I hope (84D: Head of Olympus?). I don't think anything else needs explanation. I did loveHOT MESS (85D: Spectacularly disordered sort), but it sadly ended up being a not UNAPT descriptor for the puzzle as a whole.
BOOLA ZOOM PLOP!
PELÉE MINH BOOLA!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Medium
THEME:"All You Need"— LOVE rebus; you know ... for VALENTINE'S DAY (31A: Romantic date)
The "Love"Songs:
- LOVE ME DO (1A: The Beatles' first single, 1962)
- BE MY LOVE (?) (14A: 1951 #1 Mario Lanza hit with lyrics written by SAMMY CAHN)
- CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT? (61A: 1994 Oscar- and Grammy-winning song for Elton John)
- IS THIS LOVE? (75A: Hit song title for Bob Marley, Whitesnake and Survivor)
- LOVE LETTER (78A: 2010 R. Kelly top 10 album) (wait, what? "album"?) [buzzer!]
- LOVE TAKES TIME (86A: 1990 #1 hit for Mariah Carey)
- TO SIR, WITH LOVE (93A: 1967 #1 hit for Lulu)
Henry Payne "Hank" Iba (/ˈaɪbə/; August 6, 1904 – January 15, 1993) was an American hall-of-fame basketballcoach, winner of two NCAA Men's Division I basketball championships and two Olympic gold medals. (wikipedia)
• • •
BABI YAR? Sorry, I said I was done, and I'm still going. ILIA! OK, I'll leave you to enjoy this puzzle, or not, as you see fit. OMICRON is a Greek "O," and the first letter in (i.e. the "head of") "Olympus" (Όλυμπος), so that explains that, I hope (84D: Head of Olympus?). I don't think anything else needs explanation. I did loveHOT MESS (85D: Spectacularly disordered sort), but it sadly ended up being a not UNAPT descriptor for the puzzle as a whole.
BOOLA ZOOM PLOP!
PELÉE MINH BOOLA!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]