Constructor:Andrew Zhou
Relative difficulty:Medium-Challenging
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THEME:ENHARMONIC squares (7D: Having the same pitch but written differently, in a score) — there are three of these, where the squares contains the same pitch is written out differently in the Across and the Down answers:
Theme answers:
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I haven't been sick in a long time, but I sure am now, so I have no idea how hard or easy or good or not good this thing was. Actually, I sense that it was good, or at least original. I got the basic concept reasonably early, but my brain was not at all capable of doing the conversions or whatever at those three ENHARMONIC squares. You don't wanna know how long I gaped at DEFLATEGATE wondering why it wouldn't work (it wouldn't work because I had the first square as DFLAT ... ugh. Are the black squares at the bottom of the grid supposed to be in the shape of a tuning fork? I honestly don't trust my assessment of anything right now. I don't know why "cars" is part of one of the (apparent) themers? I don't know why "as seen" is in 20A: Tar water, as seen in medieval medicine (CURE-ALL). That was just brutal, and the "as seen" phrase seems superfluous. I don't think the impulse to double up on Japanese P.M.'s was a good one (ITO, ABE)—so many other, non-trivial ways to go. There are two "IT"s in this puzzle, but I don't really care (I MEAN IT, QUIT IT). ETHNO jazz seems terribly made-up (13A: ___ jazz (fusion genre)), and helped make that whole center area the toughest part of the puzzle by far.
I had NO WORD for NO NEWS (32D: "Haven't heard a thing"), and LOFTING (?) for WAFTING (59A: Floating). Loved FANGIRL quite a bit (41A: Certain geek). I imagine musical types will be squealing with joy at this one. That's fine. I liked it OK. Again, I am far far under the weather, so don't take anything I say today too seriously. Gonna go RESOAK something in hopes it will make me feel better.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Medium-Challenging
THEME:ENHARMONIC squares (7D: Having the same pitch but written differently, in a score) — there are three of these, where the squares contains the same pitch is written out differently in the Across and the Down answers:
Theme answers:
- MUSEUM O [F NATURAL] HISTORY (16A: Home to many stuffed animals) / TH [E SHARP] ER IMAGE (6D: High-tech home gadget company)
- LOOKIN [G SHARP] (65A: Dressed neatly and fashionably) / GET [A FLAT] (53D: Suffer some tire damage)
- D [E FLAT] EGATE (66A: Gridiron scandal of 2015, informally) / CAR [D SHARP] (55D: One adept with a deck)
- MUSICAL NOTE (3D: One added to the staff?)
- TWO-TONE CARS (9D: Dichromatic fad of the 1950s) (not sure how "cars" fits in, but...)
William Allen "Bill" Egan (October 8, 1914 – May 6, 1984) was an AmericanDemocraticpolitician. He served as the firstGovernor of the State of Alaska from January 3, 1959 to 1966, and again from 1970 to 1974. Born in Valdez, Alaska, Egan is one of only two governors in the state's history (along with current incumbent Bill Walker) to have been born in Alaska. (wikipedia)
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I had NO WORD for NO NEWS (32D: "Haven't heard a thing"), and LOFTING (?) for WAFTING (59A: Floating). Loved FANGIRL quite a bit (41A: Certain geek). I imagine musical types will be squealing with joy at this one. That's fine. I liked it OK. Again, I am far far under the weather, so don't take anything I say today too seriously. Gonna go RESOAK something in hopes it will make me feel better.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]