Cars introduced with much fanfare on E Day / WED 8-17-16 / Starting progress metaphorically / Off-color paradoxically / Pioneering computer operating system

Constructor:Mark McClain

Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium (actually Medium .... and then very easy)


THEME:DARK ARTS (38D: What sorcerers practice ... or a hint to interpreting five clues in this puzzle)— "ARTS" has been blacked out (made "dark") in the five theme clues:

Theme answers:

• EXCHANGES (20A: M####)
• PASTRIES (10D: T####)
• MOVIE ROLES (11D: P####)
• PUB PASTIME (28D: D####)
• BLEMISHES (51A: W####)

Word of the Day:EZRA Taft Benson(62A: ___ Taft Benson (1980s-'90s Mormon leader)) —

Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as United StatesSecretary of Agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and as thirteenthpresident of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death in 1994. He was the last president of the LDS Church born in the 19th century. (wikipedia)

Saw the "note" in my puzzle and had the typical feeling of despair, but it was merely indicating that the "#" marks in five clues were supposed to appear as a black bar. I usually don't read "notes"; not sure why I broke that rule today. Only cost me a few seconds on the timer, I imagine. The theme concept is at least interesting, though I'm usually not a big fan of puzzles were all the interest lies in the clues, nor of puzzles where the clues are really the answers and the answers the clues. But I enjoyed remembering the Harry Potter books (which surely must've been featured in the original clue for DARK ARTS, and there is a theme cluing consistency (single letter + blackout in every case) that I appreciate. Plus, the grid is pretty clean and reasonably interesting. This puzzle appears to be a debut for the constructor. All debuts should be this competent. All puzzles, for that matter.



Puzzle was tough to cut through because of the mysterious theme clues ... until they were no longer mysterious, and then ZOOM, back to Monday-level easiness. I was lucky enough to stumble into the PUB PASTIME (inferred from just PUBP-) and then, immediately thereafter, DARK ARTS confirmed what PUB PASTIME made me suspect—that you just replace the blacked-out part with "arts" and bam, there's your clue. Do that, and the puzzle is an open book. Minor trouble with getting to TAILS from the non-coin-specifying 22A: It has a 50% chance, and slightly less minor trouble in and around EZRA Taft Benson (who?), where I also briefly had a MISTAKE-for-MISSTEP mistake (or misstep), as well as a DAZE-for-HAZE daze (or haze). I'm either very proud or very embarrassed to have gotten GLAD RAGS so easily. How do I even know that term? My clothes tend to be "sad rags," at least during the summer when my level of sartorial caring plummets. LEVAR Burton is in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar." That is your LEVAR Burton trivia for the day. Good day.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

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