Constructor: Andrew Zhou
Relative difficulty: Medium
![]()
THEME: SEASON OPENERS (53A: Much-anticipated sporting events ... or, when spoken, what 20-, 28-, 35- and 43-Across have) — spring, summer, autumn, winter ... at the beginning of each themer, respectively
Theme answers:
![]()
Took me a non-zero amount of time after finishing the puzzle to understand what the hell the theme was. Me: "SEASON OPENERS ... so the first one is SPRINKLER HEAD ... so ... if you "sprinkle" salt on something you are "seasoning" it????" The "openers" to me are the opening words, and when you say SPRINKLE, SOMERSAULTED, OTTOMAN, and WIND in order, well, not much happens. But it's the sounds of parts of words. A small part, or a combination of parts. I dunno. When I say the themers, I kinda hear the seasons. But figuring this one out was less "Oooh!" and more "Uh ... er ... I guess?" The real noteworthy accomplishment in this puzzle is THREE-RING BINDER (7D: Loose-leaf sheet holder), a central Down that is the longest answer in the puzzle and ... has nothing to do with the theme. It just comes crashing down through all the themers, like "Oh yeah!" (that's the Kool-Aid man, for you youngsters).
It's honestly the weirdest non-theme long Down I've ever seen in a puzzle. Straight through five themers ... for no theme reason! Just a "look at me!" photobomb of an answer. Totally upstages the theme. I approve.
Tiny struggles everywhere in this one, starting at 1A: Put a cork in ... which I took as cork-specific. But no. It's just CLOSE (can't believe I'm saying this, but really could've used a "..., say" in that clue). "WE'LL pass" instead of IT'LL (6A: "___ pass"). Had SPRINKLER and no idea what could follow it. Got the "H" and went with HOSE (?). Which led to ORG at 22D: Alternative to .com (EDU). Had both DOWN and GLUM before BLUE at 19A: Feeling sad. Couldn't be convinced NIP had anything to do with eating (it's a drinking term) (47D: Light bite). I see now that the clue was talking about an actual bite, with teeth. Two "?" clues in the SE slowed things a bit too (60A: Pitch-perfect? / 66A: Old flame?). And I am not at all convinced that a STUNT SHOW is a thing, so ... that was weird (32D: "Don't try this at home" spectacle). Still, time was pretty normal.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Medium
Theme answers:
- SPRINKLER HEAD (20A: Part of a fire safety system)
- SOMERSAULTED (28A: Flipped)
- OTTOMAN EMPIRE (35A: Constantinople was its capital)
- WIND TURBINES (43A: Instruments of renewable energy)
Ross Gregory Douthat (/ˈdaʊθæt/; born November 28, 1979) is an American author, blogger and New York Times columnist. (wikipedia)
• • •
It's honestly the weirdest non-theme long Down I've ever seen in a puzzle. Straight through five themers ... for no theme reason! Just a "look at me!" photobomb of an answer. Totally upstages the theme. I approve.
Tiny struggles everywhere in this one, starting at 1A: Put a cork in ... which I took as cork-specific. But no. It's just CLOSE (can't believe I'm saying this, but really could've used a "..., say" in that clue). "WE'LL pass" instead of IT'LL (6A: "___ pass"). Had SPRINKLER and no idea what could follow it. Got the "H" and went with HOSE (?). Which led to ORG at 22D: Alternative to .com (EDU). Had both DOWN and GLUM before BLUE at 19A: Feeling sad. Couldn't be convinced NIP had anything to do with eating (it's a drinking term) (47D: Light bite). I see now that the clue was talking about an actual bite, with teeth. Two "?" clues in the SE slowed things a bit too (60A: Pitch-perfect? / 66A: Old flame?). And I am not at all convinced that a STUNT SHOW is a thing, so ... that was weird (32D: "Don't try this at home" spectacle). Still, time was pretty normal.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]