Constructor: Zhouqin Burnikel
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium (3:18)
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THEME: [Turkey's place]— same clue for four theme answers (so ... *kind* of a Thanksgiving puzzle...)
[Turkey's place] answers:
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This is an old-school concept (all themers have same clue) executed reasonably well, though as I've said many times, holiday puzzles should run on the actual holidays. I can only assume they've got something ultra-Thanksgivingy lined up for Thursday. I am seeing a lot of "personal best" talk on Twitter (use the hashtag #NYTXW), but while I was fastish, I wasn't anywhere near my fastest time (about 30 seconds off, actually). I stumbled or struggled or suffered through a humiliating erasure multiple times, and even though every time was easily fixable, they added up. First issue: POULTRY ___. Me: "Poultry aisl...e?" So instead of throwing that answer across and then plugging in Downs, I had to use the Downs to get the rest of the themer (again, the small stuff adds up). Then, I had no idea what the [Basic monetary unit of Egypt, Sudan and Syria] could be, and even a couple of crosses didn't prompt the right answer. POUND, eh? Fooled me. I then really stupidly wrote in NARITO for 22D: Honshu city that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics (NAGANO). NARUTO is a manga title. . . NARITA is an airport. I have no idea what NARITO is. Moving on: I wanted the [Voice mail signal] to be a BEEP. Ugh, TONE has soooo many meanings, why this one, lord, why!? (this anguished pleading is all facetious, just fyi).
Oh, I forgot the RAZORS clue (18D: Shadow removers). Holy cow I would never associate "shadow" with facial hair unless it has "5 o'clock" in front of it. That answer took some hacking. Backing into BOWLING ALLEY wasn't easy either, as I have no real idea what a "turkey" is in bowling. Is it three strikes at the end? Oh, I see it's just any three-strike streak. So I was close. Still, if I had to list a dozen bowling terms, I don't think "turkey" would be among them. I totally slipped and fell on the ABEL clue, as I wrote in ABEL (based on crosses I had), but then took it out when I saw the clue was asking for one of three biblical brothers. Me: "Cain, Abel ... oh crap, who else? Seth? Amos? &^$%%!" I immediately wondered if it wasn't one of Noah's sons (Ham, Japheth, Shem), but ... nope, I was right the (very) first time. I was also right about Seth being the "third" brother. Last and most important trouble spot: DROOL (68A: Baby wipe target). I ... just ... has the person who wrote this clue ever had a baby, or shopped, or seen a "baby wipe"? DROOL? Baby wipes ... aren't for that end of your baby. Yes, I can see how you're going to try to lawyer this one, claiming that the clue is merely asking for the target of a wiping action, and not necessarily the moistened towelette typically used for wiping babies' bottoms. But no. Overruled. This clue is ridiculous. Also ridiculous: that OBESE clue (52D: Busting the scales). I get that that word isn't exactly easy to clue in a way that doesn't seem like you're pointing and saying "fatso!" but still. The clue here is definitely laughing at fatty. Not a great look.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium (3:18)
[Turkey's place] answers:
- POULTRY FARM
- RAZZIE AWARDS
- BOWLING ALLEY
- WESTERN ASIA
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known in short terms as Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a mock award in recognition of the worst in film. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day. The term raspberry in the name is used in its irreverent sense, as in "blowing a raspberry". The awards themselves are in the form of a "golf ball-sized raspberry" atop a Super 8 mm film reel, all spray painted gold.The first Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony was held on March 31, 1981, at John J. B. Wilson's living-room alcove in Los Angeles, to honor the worst in film of the 1980 film season. The 38th ceremony was held on March 3, 2018. (wikipedia)
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Oh, I forgot the RAZORS clue (18D: Shadow removers). Holy cow I would never associate "shadow" with facial hair unless it has "5 o'clock" in front of it. That answer took some hacking. Backing into BOWLING ALLEY wasn't easy either, as I have no real idea what a "turkey" is in bowling. Is it three strikes at the end? Oh, I see it's just any three-strike streak. So I was close. Still, if I had to list a dozen bowling terms, I don't think "turkey" would be among them. I totally slipped and fell on the ABEL clue, as I wrote in ABEL (based on crosses I had), but then took it out when I saw the clue was asking for one of three biblical brothers. Me: "Cain, Abel ... oh crap, who else? Seth? Amos? &^$%%!" I immediately wondered if it wasn't one of Noah's sons (Ham, Japheth, Shem), but ... nope, I was right the (very) first time. I was also right about Seth being the "third" brother. Last and most important trouble spot: DROOL (68A: Baby wipe target). I ... just ... has the person who wrote this clue ever had a baby, or shopped, or seen a "baby wipe"? DROOL? Baby wipes ... aren't for that end of your baby. Yes, I can see how you're going to try to lawyer this one, claiming that the clue is merely asking for the target of a wiping action, and not necessarily the moistened towelette typically used for wiping babies' bottoms. But no. Overruled. This clue is ridiculous. Also ridiculous: that OBESE clue (52D: Busting the scales). I get that that word isn't exactly easy to clue in a way that doesn't seem like you're pointing and saying "fatso!" but still. The clue here is definitely laughing at fatty. Not a great look.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]