Historic pueblo near Albuquerque / FRI 10-6-17 / Enfant terrible of children's literature / Catch 22 pilot who repeatedly crashes

Constructor: Patrick Berry

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

THEME: none 

Word of the Day: ACOMA (29D: Historic pueblo near Albuquerque) —

Acoma Pueblo (/ˈækəmə/; Western Keresan: ʔáák’u [ʔɑ́ːk'ù]; Zuni: Hakukya; Navajo: Haak’oh) is a Native Americanpueblo approximately 60 miles (97 km) west of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the United States. Three villages make up Acoma Pueblo: Sky City (Old Acoma), Acomita, and Mcartys. The Acoma Pueblo tribe is a federally recognized tribal entity. The historical land of Acoma Pueblo totaled roughly 5,000,000 acres (2,000,000 ha). The community retains only 10% of this land, making up the Acoma Indian Reservation. Acoma Pueblo is a National Historic Landmark.
According to the 2010 United States Census, 4,989 people identified as Acoma. The Acoma have continuously occupied the area for more than 800 years, making this one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States (along with Hopi pueblos). Acoma tribal traditions estimate that they have lived in the village for more than two thousand years. (wikipedia)

Berry's puzzles are never not smooth. A three-stack of 12s crossing another three-stack of 12s, with all involved answers rock solid—impressive. It is becoming increasingly obvious, however, that Berry has zero interest in having his puzzles be current. His cultural frame of reference skews old. Old even for him—I think he's GenX like me, but his puzzles are solidly boomer. All the cultural references are things *I* had to learn from watching old TV and doing crosswords.  I guess if you learn to make puzzles in an era when contemporary references were shunned (i.e. the pre-Shortz era), then maybe it's hard to learn new tricks, especially if you are soooo good at your old ones. But compared to the puzzles of under-40 constructors, this one feels as "Old-fashioned" as having a BARN as your "dance venue" (43D). The only "modern-style" answer has a badly botched clue (8D: Smoked, modern-style). Smoked, modern-style is ... smoked. People still smoke. Lots of 'em. And it's called smoking. Further, vaping is not not not smoking. It is a substitute. I struggled like crazy in that NW corner because I figured "Smoked" had to be slang, as in "beat handily at something." Also got undone by (old) "Catch-22" name, which I knew was crosswordese, but I couldn't remember which crosswordese, and I initially guessed wrong:

And then there was (old) guitar maker: FENDER part easy; first name ... pfft shrug. Wanted LES, but knew that was the other guitar guy (Paul). I would've been deeeeaaaad up there if I hadn't frantically and systematically gone through the orchestra to find any instrument that could fit the -I--AS pattern (8A: Orchestra section that plays mostly harmony). Once I hit VIOLAS, everything else locked in. Rest of puzzle didn't pose nearly as much of a challenge.


Old names get a little out of control in the south. Any puzzle with MOREY Amsterdam (34A: Amsterdam of "The Dick Van Dyke Show") over Vice President DAWES (36A: Coolidge's vice president) crossing JULES from a 23-year-old movie is still busing prepping for Y2K. Had no idea what ACOMA was. Probably seen it before, but certainly couldn't remember. Never every think of "philosophy" as SOCIAL STUDIES (which is a term I only hear used in relation to middle and high school civics courses), so the SOCIAL part was rough, just as the ACCOUNT part of ACCOUNT HOLDER was rough (32A: Recipient of blank checks). But that makes just two real rough patches. The rest was smooth sailing. And as I say, the grid is pretty impeccable (TINA'S not withstanding). It just ... doesn't want kids on its lawn. Part of me understands. Speaking of kids, I gotta go pick up mine. See ya.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

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