Constructor: BRUCE SUTPHIN and DOUG PETERSON
Relative difficulty:MEDIUM
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THEME:NO THEME
Word of the Day:INSTAMATIC (1A: Old easy-to-load shooter)—
Cultural commentary aside, Bruce and Doug's puzzle warrants praise for its elegant grid and some really clever cluing:
Relative difficulty:MEDIUM
THEME:NO THEME
Word of the Day:INSTAMATIC (1A: Old easy-to-load shooter)—
The Instamatic was a series of inexpensive, easy-to-load 126 and 110 camerasmade by Kodak beginning in 1963. The Instamatic was immensely successful, introducing a generation to low-cost photography and spawning numerous imitators (Wikipedia)
• • •
This is Anna Shechtman, writing for Rex, who, after yesterday's NYT showing, has more than earned his vacation.
I wonder if Rex would have had an easier time with this themeless by Bruce Sutphin and Doug Peterson than I did. From the very start -- 1D: "Cool, bro" (I DIG) -- I felt pretty sure that I wasn't this dynamic duo's target demo. So, to make sense of my difficulty (and, I should say, with no knowledge of Bruce, Doug or their affiliation to bro-culture), I'm going to parse through the 'bro-cab' of this grid that went over my head:
- 6D: Nephew of Matty and Jesus (MOISES) -- a quick google search revealed that MOISES is Moises Alou, MLB outfielder, whose uncles Matty and Jesus also played major league ball. No relation to Jesus Christ or Matthew "Matty" the Apostle….
- 12D: One of Superman's powers (HEAT VISION) -- I thought for sure this answer was X-Ray vision. Rather, Heat Vision allows Superman to burn objects and people with his gaze (and, apparently, to shave)…pretty cool, bro!
- 26D: Penguin's habitat (GOTHAM CITY) -- An easy double entendre if you've read your DC Comics. I, of course, haven't.
- 22D: Battle of Endor combatant (EWOK)
- Stop on the way from 0 to 60? (SECOND GEAR) -- I suppose I could attribute my lack of knowledge about cars to my New York City upbringing. But, for the sake of bullet-point-consistency, I'm fine attributing my ignorance on this one to my gender….
- 50A: "A Tale of Two Cities" ender? (GUILLOTINE)
- 15A: Pitching Technique? (DOOR TO DOOR)
- 28A: Miss swinging at a piñata? (SENORITA)
Among the 'bro-stuff' and the brain-teasers, a variety of too-easy-for-a-Saturday clues made this puzzle just about 'medium' for me.
Until next time, I'm left DOFFing my hat to two 'cool bros,' Bruce Sutphin and Doug Peterson.
All my best from NYC (that's just east of EAST ORANGE, I think…..),
Anna