Constructor:Andrew Kingsley
Relative difficulty:Medium-Challenging (just takes a long time to fill in the stupid riddle)
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THEME:ugh— 18A: Start of a Mad Hatter riddle that went unanswered (WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE / A WRITING DESK) 45A: Start of a possible answer to the riddle (BECAUSE POE WROTE / ON BOTH OF THEM)
Word of the Day:SERIN(33A: Small European finch) —
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There is no level on which I appreciate this. Riddles are corny. They are for children. As the basis of a crossword, they are Ancient, hoary, musty, etc. If 49A: Typical user of a transistor radio (TEENER) feels contemporary and relevant to you, then I guess it's possible this is your kind of puzzle, but otherwise, hoo boy. Quote puzzles are bad enough (no imagination — just a quote that breaks down symmetrically). Riddle puzzles are quote puzzles stupider cousins. Stupider, brasher, more baselessly confident cousins. When that's all there is—just a riddle/answer—it feels abusive. And This Grid Doesn't Even Have The Symmetry That Is Usually The Minimum Requirement For Admission. Ugh. What a waste of time. Why even *have* the rest of the puzzle? Or a puzzle at all? Start a riddle section of the paper, for riddle lovers. There is nothing *crossword* about this. The fill is average-to-bad. Lame fill like OTBS. Crosswordese fauna like SERIN (33A: Small European finch). Scrabble-f*cking in 3/4 of the corners. A single *&%^ing MILK DUD?! No no no. No. No. What do you even say about a theme like this? Nothing. Nothing went into this. Best Puzzle in the World, my Aunt LILY! Next!!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Medium-Challenging (just takes a long time to fill in the stupid riddle)
THEME:ugh— 18A: Start of a Mad Hatter riddle that went unanswered (WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE / A WRITING DESK) 45A: Start of a possible answer to the riddle (BECAUSE POE WROTE / ON BOTH OF THEM)
Word of the Day:SERIN(33A: Small European finch) —
nounnoun: serin; plural noun: serins; noun: European serin; plural noun: European serins
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There is no level on which I appreciate this. Riddles are corny. They are for children. As the basis of a crossword, they are Ancient, hoary, musty, etc. If 49A: Typical user of a transistor radio (TEENER) feels contemporary and relevant to you, then I guess it's possible this is your kind of puzzle, but otherwise, hoo boy. Quote puzzles are bad enough (no imagination — just a quote that breaks down symmetrically). Riddle puzzles are quote puzzles stupider cousins. Stupider, brasher, more baselessly confident cousins. When that's all there is—just a riddle/answer—it feels abusive. And This Grid Doesn't Even Have The Symmetry That Is Usually The Minimum Requirement For Admission. Ugh. What a waste of time. Why even *have* the rest of the puzzle? Or a puzzle at all? Start a riddle section of the paper, for riddle lovers. There is nothing *crossword* about this. The fill is average-to-bad. Lame fill like OTBS. Crosswordese fauna like SERIN (33A: Small European finch). Scrabble-f*cking in 3/4 of the corners. A single *&%^ing MILK DUD?! No no no. No. No. What do you even say about a theme like this? Nothing. Nothing went into this. Best Puzzle in the World, my Aunt LILY! Next!!
["One of our best writers"]
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]