Statement in old Apple ad / SAT 1-26-19 / Grocery chain that closed in 2015 after 156 years in business / Classic video game hero's catchphrase / Underlying as metabolism / Short cut that bypasses a canal

Constructor: Grant Thackray

Relative difficulty: Easy (5:18)

THEME: none

Word of the Day: Giovanni RIBISI (3D: Actor Giovanni of "Avatar") —

Antonino Giovanni Ribisi (Italian pronunciation: [antoˈniːno dʒoˈvanni riˈbizi]; born December 17, 1974) is an American film and television actor known for his roles in the TV series Sneaky Pete, and the films Avatar, A Million Ways to Die in the West and Ted. He also had recurring roles in My Name Is Earl and Friends. (wikipedia)

I solved this at the kitchen table and so of course my wife and dogs walked in in the middle and my wife tried to talk to me and I was like "SHHHH! I'm sorry I'm sorry..." but she understands. Still, I blame that very minor distraction for my not solving this even faster than I did. Looking back over it, I'm not sure why it took me even a second longer than yesterday's (in fact it took me 13 seconds longer than yesterday's). I had the usual minor trouble getting started, but after that, it was a quick reverse "S" path from start to finish. It's a very solid, but to me not-at-all exciting grid. I've seen ALABAMASLAMMERS before a bunch (I mean, a "bunch" as 15s go, so maybe a few times). Other people have done IT'SAMEMARIO, so it feels not-so-fresh now. Everything works but nothing goes pow. I think my favorite thing was the clue on CESAREAN SECTION (48A: Short cut that bypasses a canal?). There are three "IT"s in this grid. An ITCREW, if you will. I don't care that there are three "IT"s, but I noticed, so I'm telling you.


There wasn't much in the way of difficulty here for me, but I did stumble or struggle a few times. First, I had a mistaken aha moment when I threw down GASPAR at 13D: Who stabs the beast in "Beauty and the Beast" (GASTON). If I'd just sung the damn song to myself, I would've remembered that no one fights like GASTON, and that would've been that. Who the hell is GASPAR??? Hmm, no one? GASPARD is a character in "Tale of Two Cities." Gah. Anyway, flubbed that. Next trouble came in SW, where "I'M A PC" was very slow to fall (not intuitively an *Apple* expression). Not sure I like the idea of "statements" in "old ads" very much. At all. Slogans, sure. But just ... statements?? Not good fill. Also had weird trouble getting MEIN (38A: Lo ___). But I bypassed my issues there by putting the "S" at the end of what would end up being PRUNES (45A: Trims), and then from that dropping SECS (46D: Ticks), and then from there, with just the "D" and "C" in place, dropping DEMOCRATICALLY, then DELANY, then BID BENE BASAL, all without much hesitation. No idea who BECCA was and absolutely no idea about BERTHA (47A: Big name in weaponry), so that whole "these answers start w/ B" section was a minor slog. But eventually I came back across the bottom pretty easily and dusted off the SW. And done

Five things:

• 7D: Letters for potential college students (ETS)— just go with the aliens. ETS are not letters anyone really *knows*, even if they have to deal with them (Education Testing Service)
• 51D: ___ Genevieve (Missouri county or its seat) (STE) — had the "T" so this was my first guess, but with nothing indicating an "abbr." in the clue, I was really unsure.
• 41A: Grocery chain that closed in 2015 after 156 years in business (A AND P) — ah. Classic ampersandwich.
• 5D: Whip wielders, for short (DOMS) — pretty racy...
• 14D: First, in Latin (PRIMUS) — this might be a clue most people can suss out, but I still don't know how you put PRIMUS in a grid and you *don't* clue it via the band:

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld (Twitter @rexparker / #NYTXW)

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