Constructor: Erik Agard
Relative difficulty: Medium (3:49)
![]()
THEME: GROUP / SHOTS (38A: With 28-Down, multisubject photos ... or a hint to the answers to the four starred clues) — answers to the starred clues are all two-word phrases where both words can precede "shot" in a familiar phrase:
Theme answers:
![]()
This puzzle is going over very well with crossword Twitter but I was not really feeling it. I don't feel negatively toward it, exactly. But I have very high expectations for Erik's puzzles, and this just felt ... too plain. The theme type is old, and not particularly interesting from a solver's point of view. OK, so "shot" can follow all those words. That's a thing that is true, but it's not like the array of themers is particularly stunning. They're fine. It's all fine. The revealer tries to raise things out of "dad puzzle" territory, but I think it actually muddies the waters more than it clarifies. What is the "group." Is two a "group"? If two people were in a "shot," I would not call it a "group shot." But the starred clues have answers that have two words in them, two "shots." Two is a pair. Three+ is a "group." I thought maybe the fact that the themers intersected other themers was what made the "shots""GROUP / SHOTS" (four "shots"!), but that's probably being generous. So, on the theme front: old theme type, adequate themers, awkward revealer. Also, just felt structurally weird to have absolutely no theme action in the entire SW and NE corners. Those are big corners—ironically, they're also the parts of the puzzle I liked the best, with "MAY I CUT IN?" and especially TEEN VOGUE being my favorite answers.
Apparently FAKE DEEP has currency right now as a phrase. It doesn't feel like "modern lingo" to me—just a phrase anyone might've said at any point in the last, say, forty years. But I'm assured by my self-described "zillennial" friend Jenna that it's very much a thing right now, and I trust her. From my old-ass POV, it just seemed like a random phrase whose meaning was obvious but whose stand-alone cred seemed wobbly. Also, I hope I'm not the only one who got HEAD- at 4D: *Relative of a facepalm and wrote in HEADDESK. I mean, I was Certain that was right. HEADSLAP is practically the same thing as a facepalm, and certainly HEADDESK is more a "relative" if we are judging relatedness by how relatively modern-slangy the terms are. HEADSLAP is old school. Not complaining here, just wishing the answer had been something it ultimately wasn't. Alas. Again with the CRIT today? Shudder. Maybe I'm just too close to the world of that abbr., but it makes me cringe. I love NINA / SIMONE so was very frustrated to have struggled to get her today because the song used to clue her is not what I think of as iconically hers. It's iconically Screaming Jay Hawkins'. Her version is Great, as is virtually everything she does. This, for instance, is my favorite song:
But when I see the title "I Put a Spell on You," this is what I hear:
SZECHUAN is a great-looking word. I had PAPA before PAPI—last letter in the grid! That's one that requires confirmation from the cross. I keep looking at AND SOON to remember what the clue was, only to remember, "oh right, it's AND SO ON" (23A: Et cetera). I never even saw the clue for WAY until someone just now asked me what the hell it meant. This is my main frame of reference:
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Medium (3:49)
Theme answers:
- CHEAP TRICK (17A: *Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band with the hits "The Flame" and "I Want You to Want Me")
- HEADSLAP (4D: *Relative of a facepalm)
- BODY DOUBLE (58A: *Actor's stand-in)
- LONG JUMP (39D:*Track-and-field event)
Jude, also known as Judas Thaddaeus (Greek: Θαδδαῖος; Coptic: ⲑⲁⲇⲇⲉⲟⲥ; Syriac/Aramaic: ܝܗܘܕܐ ܫܠܝܚܐ),[5]was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is generally identified with Thaddeus, and is also variously called Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. He is sometimes identified with Jude, the brother of Jesus, but is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus prior to his crucifixion. Catholic writer Michal Hunt suggests that Judas Thaddaeus became known as Jude after early translators of the New Testament from Greek into English sought to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot and subsequently abbreviated his forename.[6] Most versions of the New Testament in languages other than English and French refer to Judas and Jude by the same name.The Armenian Apostolic Church honors Thaddeus along with Saint Bartholomew as its patron saints. In the Roman Catholic Church, he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes.Saint Jude's attribute is a club. He is also often shown in icons with a flame around his head. This represents his presence at Pentecost, when he received the Holy Spirit with the other apostles. Another common attribute is Jude holding an image of Jesus Christ, known as the Image of Edessa. In some instances, he may be shown with a scroll or a book (the Epistle of Jude) or holding a carpenter's rule. (wikipedia)
• • •
Apparently FAKE DEEP has currency right now as a phrase. It doesn't feel like "modern lingo" to me—just a phrase anyone might've said at any point in the last, say, forty years. But I'm assured by my self-described "zillennial" friend Jenna that it's very much a thing right now, and I trust her. From my old-ass POV, it just seemed like a random phrase whose meaning was obvious but whose stand-alone cred seemed wobbly. Also, I hope I'm not the only one who got HEAD- at 4D: *Relative of a facepalm and wrote in HEADDESK. I mean, I was Certain that was right. HEADSLAP is practically the same thing as a facepalm, and certainly HEADDESK is more a "relative" if we are judging relatedness by how relatively modern-slangy the terms are. HEADSLAP is old school. Not complaining here, just wishing the answer had been something it ultimately wasn't. Alas. Again with the CRIT today? Shudder. Maybe I'm just too close to the world of that abbr., but it makes me cringe. I love NINA / SIMONE so was very frustrated to have struggled to get her today because the song used to clue her is not what I think of as iconically hers. It's iconically Screaming Jay Hawkins'. Her version is Great, as is virtually everything she does. This, for instance, is my favorite song:
But when I see the title "I Put a Spell on You," this is what I hear:
SZECHUAN is a great-looking word. I had PAPA before PAPI—last letter in the grid! That's one that requires confirmation from the cross. I keep looking at AND SOON to remember what the clue was, only to remember, "oh right, it's AND SO ON" (23A: Et cetera). I never even saw the clue for WAY until someone just now asked me what the hell it meant. This is my main frame of reference:
Good day.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]