Constructor: Gary Cee
Relative difficulty: Easy
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THEME: Football words— last word in every theme answer can relate to American football—actually, taken in order, said words form a sequence ending in a touchdown:
Theme answers:
Word of the Day: Walter KERR (17A: Theater critic Walter) —
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I guess I'm spoiled — this seems awfully plain and straightforward. More along the lines of what one might have expected 20+ years ago. I do like that this theme has the sequencing going for it, but otherwise it's a just a dullish "words-that-relate-to-X" puzzle. The theme answers have no snap to theme, I think that's the real problem. The Updike one is probably the best of the bunch. Not much else is remarkable in the puzzle, except HELLUVA, which I love, and ROULADE, which, along with KERR, was about the only thing in the puzzle that caused me to hesitate at all. Had a few-second struggle trying to parse GUNSHY, but otherwise (except for the aforementioned two answers), I solved almost as fast as I could type. One second slower than last week. I'm slipping!
This is a timely puzzle, in that it arrives the Monday after the start of the 2013 NFL football season. I am ambivalent about football. The more research that comes out, the more it is clear that the dangers of the sport, especially the dangers of head injuries, have actually been underrated. There is not much I would forbid my child to do, but I would forbid him to play football. Luckily for me, I just have a girl and she has yet to show any interest in contact sports. She swims. I can live with that. And yet ... I love watching football. So I and many, many people I know are hypocrites, decrying the terrible things about a sport that we continue to consume and enjoy. I'll be consuming it less from now on — but it won't be easy. I see the Lions won and now all I want to do is go watch highlights. Luckily, I've got baseball to keep me sated, sports-wise, through October. Tigers have been doing some late-season sucking, but I like their chances.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
Relative difficulty: Easy
THEME: Football words— last word in every theme answer can relate to American football—actually, taken in order, said words form a sequence ending in a touchdown:
Theme answers:
- 18A: Wage increase (SALARY HIKE)
- 24A: Journalist's credential (PRESS PASS)
- 36A: "Observant of you to notice the error!" ("GOOD CATCH!") — I'd've said "Nice catch," but GOOD works.
- 50A: 1960 John Updike novel ("RABBIT, RUN")
- 57A: It may be composed to accompany a movie (MOVIE SCORE)
Word of the Day: Walter KERR (17A: Theater critic Walter) —
Walter Francis Kerr (July 8, 1913 – October 9, 1996) was an American writer and Broadway theater critic. He also was the writer, lyricist, and/or director of several Broadway plays and musicals as well as the author of several books, generally on the subject of theater and cinema. (wikipedia)
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This is a timely puzzle, in that it arrives the Monday after the start of the 2013 NFL football season. I am ambivalent about football. The more research that comes out, the more it is clear that the dangers of the sport, especially the dangers of head injuries, have actually been underrated. There is not much I would forbid my child to do, but I would forbid him to play football. Luckily for me, I just have a girl and she has yet to show any interest in contact sports. She swims. I can live with that. And yet ... I love watching football. So I and many, many people I know are hypocrites, decrying the terrible things about a sport that we continue to consume and enjoy. I'll be consuming it less from now on — but it won't be easy. I see the Lions won and now all I want to do is go watch highlights. Luckily, I've got baseball to keep me sated, sports-wise, through October. Tigers have been doing some late-season sucking, but I like their chances.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld