Constructor:Damon Gulczynski
Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium
![]()
THEME: SALAD DAYS (58A: Youthful time in one's life ... which this puzzle might harken solvers back to?)— theme answers are actors whose last names are also salad types:
Theme answers:
I don't dislike this theme, but I also don't fully get it. Like, why are they all actors? What does SALAD DAYShave to do with acting? Also, what does DAYS have to do with ... anything, where the theme answers are concerned. I see that the last names of the actors are all types of salads, but what how do the actors relate to SALAD DAYS, or "days" at all? Is it because they are all old (sorry, Tom Green)? And so when we see their names, we're like "ah, yesteryear!" I don't quite follow. Beyond that, it seemed fine. Had trouble with the first three letters of AW, GEEZ! (5D: "What a bummer!"). Was not alone (apparently NGAIO = not on everyone's cultural radar):
![]()
![]()
Misread 9D: Monastic realm as [Monarchic realm] and so needed every cross. Might've needed every cross anyway, because ABBACY? ... not a word that comes readily to mind. Or, to put it less kindly:
![]()
That whole NE corner is pretty rough, tbh. I mean: AEROBAT?? (11D: Stunt pilot)
![]()
A couple of not-terribly-iconic older names means a lot of opportunities for younger solvers to get totally stymied:
![]()
![]()
![]()
I have done enough crosswords not to be terribly troubled by any of the names. My trouble was CAWED for COOED (32A: Made bird noises), ESOS forESAS (54D: Those, to José), blanking on COMPORT (not a terribly common term) (42D: Behave), and stumbling on HOLY ARK (mostly because I just think of the ARK part—is the phrase HOLY ARK a rock solid thing? Why *wouldn't* the ark be holy? Seems like a given...) (46D: It stores a synagogue's Torah scrolls). In the end, I guess you can roll with the puzzle's humor ...
![]()
Or you can just diplomatically move on:
![]()
Happy snow day!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty:Easy-Medium
Theme answers:
- SID CAESAR (20A: *"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" actor, 1963)
- LEE J. COBB (24A: *"12 Angry Men" actor, 1957)
- ORSON BEAN (36A: *"Anatomy of a Murder" actor, 1959)
- TOM GREEN (53A: *"Road Trip" actor, 2000)
Dame Ngaio MarshDBE (/ˈnaɪ.oʊ/; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982), born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. // Internationally Marsh is known primarily for her creation Inspector Roderick Alleyn, a gentleman detective who works for the Metropolitan Police (London). She is known as one of the "Queens of Crime" alongside Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Margery Allingham. (wikipedia)
• • •
I don't dislike this theme, but I also don't fully get it. Like, why are they all actors? What does SALAD DAYShave to do with acting? Also, what does DAYS have to do with ... anything, where the theme answers are concerned. I see that the last names of the actors are all types of salads, but what how do the actors relate to SALAD DAYS, or "days" at all? Is it because they are all old (sorry, Tom Green)? And so when we see their names, we're like "ah, yesteryear!" I don't quite follow. Beyond that, it seemed fine. Had trouble with the first three letters of AW, GEEZ! (5D: "What a bummer!"). Was not alone (apparently NGAIO = not on everyone's cultural radar):
That whole NE corner is pretty rough, tbh. I mean: AEROBAT?? (11D: Stunt pilot)
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]