Constructor: David Steinberg
Relative difficulty: Medium (closer to "Medium-Challenging" for me because of a single answer, but you all probably didn't share my woe) (6:59)
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THEME: none
Word of the Day: WEEZER (33A: Rock band with four(!) self-titled albums) —
Well I was enjoying this one and humming right along with only a minor incident here and there ("Li'l Abner creature"? (5D); "POISON ... what? Not POISONOUS?" (45A: Scathing); etc.). But then I hit the bottom third and even though I thought I was still flying, and I was, it turns out I had some pretty bad engine trouble and ended up having to make an unscheduled stop with a very rough landing or some such aviation metaphor. The real damage came when I ran into 63A: Cab charge?). Yeah, sure, "?" clue, but I saw right through it because I had the "CO-" and "K" so I knew it was ... [drum roll] ... CORKING FEE. Which is the only term I've ever heard. My certainty was only more heavily cemented when the FEE part worked in the crosses. I was a little suspicious that I didn't know what Arthurian knight (60D: Sir ___ of the Round Table) fit the pattern KI-, since I, uh, teach Arthurian literature, but I rationalized that maybe there was a Sir KIT I was forgetting and moved on to the SE, figuring I'd work out holes in the SW afterward. Only the SE was rough. Very rough. Whereas I didn't know I was in trouble with CORKING FEE, I knew I couldn't make anything in the SE work. LOL my knowing anything about ED SHEERAN except that I like to mock my daughter for liking him (55A: Singer whose "Thinking Out Loud" won the 2015 Grammy for Song of the Year). I do not know this song. Or any of his songs, I don't think. Maybe I've heard one at the gym. Anyway, no hope there (until I got a bunch of crosses). Also figured [Stir crazy?] had something to do with a madness that comes on when you've been locked up a long time. The idea that "crazy" should be a noun??? Yuck and ugh, that's awful. Or is it that PRISON RIOT is stir (prison) that has gone crazy? Either way, the grammar is terrible there.
Had DOG LEGS instead of DOG EARS (44D: Turns a corner?). Had no idea about NSFW (I know the term, but the "opening" part of the clue had me thinking a physical label on a physical object) (58D: You might be careful opening something with this label). Totally forgot what [Burgoo or callaloo] was. So yeah, the SE was a mess. And after I sorted that, I still had CORKING FEE to deal with. Didn't help that the short crosses I was missing had clues that were vague (61D: Back) and seemingly inaccurate (55D: Dreamland), respectively. Dreamland??? That's Nod. EDEN is a paradise, or a Barbara, but "Dreamland," barf. But no way ED-N was gonna be anything else, and AGO made sense, and there I was, done, with CORKAGE FEE staring at me. Looked it up and sure enough, I'd either been hearing it wrong all these years, or people do in fact say CORKING FEE regionally / wrongly. Also, honestly, the number of times where CORKAGEING FEE has applied to the place I was dining, I can count on one hand, so ... that was probably also part of the problem.
Wish I remembered most of the rest of the puzzzle. I remember liking it mostly. Though no one wants to remember "STAR TREK VI," do they? (3D: 1991 sci-fi film sequel)
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
P.S. how is [Hamburger, maybe] a HERR? Like ... some dude ... lives in Hamburg? Why is he a he? Is that the "maybe"? Sometimes cutesy misdirection is bad.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Medium (closer to "Medium-Challenging" for me because of a single answer, but you all probably didn't share my woe) (6:59)
Word of the Day: WEEZER (33A: Rock band with four(!) self-titled albums) —
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1992, consisting of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, lead guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), and Matt Sharp (bass, backing vocals).After signing to Geffen Records in 1993, Weezer released their debut self-titled album, also known as the "Blue Album", in 1994. Backed by successful music videos for the singles "Buddy Holly", "Undone – The Sweater Song" and "Say It Ain't So", the Blue Album became a quadruple-platinum success. Their second album, Pinkerton (1996), featuring a darker, more abrasive sound, was a commercial failure and initially received mixed reviews, but went on to achieve cult status and critical acclaim years later. Both the Blue Album and Pinkerton are now frequently cited among the best albums of the 1990s. (wikipedia)
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Well I was enjoying this one and humming right along with only a minor incident here and there ("Li'l Abner creature"? (5D); "POISON ... what? Not POISONOUS?" (45A: Scathing); etc.). But then I hit the bottom third and even though I thought I was still flying, and I was, it turns out I had some pretty bad engine trouble and ended up having to make an unscheduled stop with a very rough landing or some such aviation metaphor. The real damage came when I ran into 63A: Cab charge?). Yeah, sure, "?" clue, but I saw right through it because I had the "CO-" and "K" so I knew it was ... [drum roll] ... CORKING FEE. Which is the only term I've ever heard. My certainty was only more heavily cemented when the FEE part worked in the crosses. I was a little suspicious that I didn't know what Arthurian knight (60D: Sir ___ of the Round Table) fit the pattern KI-, since I, uh, teach Arthurian literature, but I rationalized that maybe there was a Sir KIT I was forgetting and moved on to the SE, figuring I'd work out holes in the SW afterward. Only the SE was rough. Very rough. Whereas I didn't know I was in trouble with CORKING FEE, I knew I couldn't make anything in the SE work. LOL my knowing anything about ED SHEERAN except that I like to mock my daughter for liking him (55A: Singer whose "Thinking Out Loud" won the 2015 Grammy for Song of the Year). I do not know this song. Or any of his songs, I don't think. Maybe I've heard one at the gym. Anyway, no hope there (until I got a bunch of crosses). Also figured [Stir crazy?] had something to do with a madness that comes on when you've been locked up a long time. The idea that "crazy" should be a noun??? Yuck and ugh, that's awful. Or is it that PRISON RIOT is stir (prison) that has gone crazy? Either way, the grammar is terrible there.
Had DOG LEGS instead of DOG EARS (44D: Turns a corner?). Had no idea about NSFW (I know the term, but the "opening" part of the clue had me thinking a physical label on a physical object) (58D: You might be careful opening something with this label). Totally forgot what [Burgoo or callaloo] was. So yeah, the SE was a mess. And after I sorted that, I still had CORKING FEE to deal with. Didn't help that the short crosses I was missing had clues that were vague (61D: Back) and seemingly inaccurate (55D: Dreamland), respectively. Dreamland??? That's Nod. EDEN is a paradise, or a Barbara, but "Dreamland," barf. But no way ED-N was gonna be anything else, and AGO made sense, and there I was, done, with CORKAGE FEE staring at me. Looked it up and sure enough, I'd either been hearing it wrong all these years, or people do in fact say CORKING FEE regionally / wrongly. Also, honestly, the number of times where CORKAGEING FEE has applied to the place I was dining, I can count on one hand, so ... that was probably also part of the problem.
["I just want the summer ... to end ..."]
Wish I remembered most of the rest of the puzzzle. I remember liking it mostly. Though no one wants to remember "STAR TREK VI," do they? (3D: 1991 sci-fi film sequel)
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
P.S. how is [Hamburger, maybe] a HERR? Like ... some dude ... lives in Hamburg? Why is he a he? Is that the "maybe"? Sometimes cutesy misdirection is bad.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]