Constructor:Alan DeLoriea
Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium (ultra-Easy but for a couple names)
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THEME: [Something to follow]— that's the (apt) clue on five theme answers
Theme answers:
A very basic theme type. There's really nothing bad or good about it. It just is. One clue, five times, five things fit that clue, done. I don't know when you'd follow a DOTTED LINE. Are you a pirate looking for treasure? I sign on DOTTED LINEs, I don't follow them. But everything else is right over the plate, and TWITTER FEED (here's mine!) is a nice stand-alone answer. Speaking of TWITTER FEED, WaPo crossword writer/editor had this to say on Twitter last night re: ONEB (25D: Ruiner of a perfect report card):
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I will admit, that clue / answer pair made me cringe hard. Lots of different grades "ruin" perfect report cards. ONE B usually gets clued as a hypothetical apt. number, which is admittedly boring, but I think the goal here is not "Come up with hot new ONE B clue!" but rather, "Ugh, tear that out and start over." Constructor gets himself into trouble with themer positioning: O--B not a favorable letter combo. This is a good example of the "Don't call attention to your crap fill with a stupid clue" rule. Trying to think of a good example of an answer as arbitrary as today's ONE B clue. [Runners' award for a balk] => ONE BASE. Actually, that's much better. [Ingredient some brownie recipes] => ONE EGG. I mean, it's true enough, but ...
Fill on this one was passable, but I hated the way that the puzzle added difficulty: via proper nouns *only*. EDDARD, BENNET, NICOLE. Who? Everything else, Monday cake-walk. EDDARD was particularly ugh because EDWARD. I don't really object to the name's being in the grid—I object to having a puzzle that's 95% child's play and the rest minor names you can get only from crosses. Very, very uneven. I imagine a good number of you have never heard of ELIAS Sports Bureau (no, not *you*, *you* know Everything, but some of the others...) (51D: ___ Sports Bureau (official 58-Down provider for Major League Baseball)). These things happen. But they stand out grossly when there is no other resistance in the grid.
One last thing: the long Downs are colorful, but that clue on GOLD DIGGER is horrid (30D: One who wants a ring for bling?). The term is inherently sexist, but I don't think that puts it beyond the pale for crosswords, necessarily. The song of the same name was a Huge hit for Kanye West, so if nothing else, that clue is available. But wanting a ring? For "bling"? Lots and lots and lots of women want rings. And rings are inherently "bling." So literally nothing about that clue says GOLD DIGGER. The simple fact of wanting him to "put a ring on it" does not make a woman a GOLD DIGGER. Was the "ring/bling" rhyme just too ... rhymey to resist? Was it so shiny and irresistible that you didn't notice the clue made no sense? Apparently. Still, overall, this is a solid puzzle. Tried & true theme type (very low risk), with sensible and occasionally interesting fill (POP-UP BOOKS!). I've had worse Wednesdays.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
PS I wouldn't cross EMO / EMOJI, as "EMO" refers to same thing in both cases. Bad look.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium (ultra-Easy but for a couple names)
Theme answers:
- DOTTED LINE
- GOOD EXAMPLE
- YELLOW BRICK ROAD
- TWITTER FEED
- OPENING ACT
Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American businessman, lawyer, and Democratic politician. He is the senior U.S. Senator from Colorado. He became a senator when Ken Salazar was appointed Secretary of the Interior. Bennet previously worked as managing director for the Anschutz Investment Company, chief of staff to then-Denver mayor (and current Colorado Governor) John Hickenlooper, and the superintendent of Denver Public Schools. (wikipedia)
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A very basic theme type. There's really nothing bad or good about it. It just is. One clue, five times, five things fit that clue, done. I don't know when you'd follow a DOTTED LINE. Are you a pirate looking for treasure? I sign on DOTTED LINEs, I don't follow them. But everything else is right over the plate, and TWITTER FEED (here's mine!) is a nice stand-alone answer. Speaking of TWITTER FEED, WaPo crossword writer/editor had this to say on Twitter last night re: ONEB (25D: Ruiner of a perfect report card):
Fill on this one was passable, but I hated the way that the puzzle added difficulty: via proper nouns *only*. EDDARD, BENNET, NICOLE. Who? Everything else, Monday cake-walk. EDDARD was particularly ugh because EDWARD. I don't really object to the name's being in the grid—I object to having a puzzle that's 95% child's play and the rest minor names you can get only from crosses. Very, very uneven. I imagine a good number of you have never heard of ELIAS Sports Bureau (no, not *you*, *you* know Everything, but some of the others...) (51D: ___ Sports Bureau (official 58-Down provider for Major League Baseball)). These things happen. But they stand out grossly when there is no other resistance in the grid.
One last thing: the long Downs are colorful, but that clue on GOLD DIGGER is horrid (30D: One who wants a ring for bling?). The term is inherently sexist, but I don't think that puts it beyond the pale for crosswords, necessarily. The song of the same name was a Huge hit for Kanye West, so if nothing else, that clue is available. But wanting a ring? For "bling"? Lots and lots and lots of women want rings. And rings are inherently "bling." So literally nothing about that clue says GOLD DIGGER. The simple fact of wanting him to "put a ring on it" does not make a woman a GOLD DIGGER. Was the "ring/bling" rhyme just too ... rhymey to resist? Was it so shiny and irresistible that you didn't notice the clue made no sense? Apparently. Still, overall, this is a solid puzzle. Tried & true theme type (very low risk), with sensible and occasionally interesting fill (POP-UP BOOKS!). I've had worse Wednesdays.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
PS I wouldn't cross EMO / EMOJI, as "EMO" refers to same thing in both cases. Bad look.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]