Constructor: Bruce Haight
Relative difficulty: Medium
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THEME: (Somewhat) Commonly Used Redundant Phrases —
Theme answers:
Word of the Day: STEINEM (12D: Feminist Gloria) —
This puzzle sets out a modest premise, and fulfills that premise serviceably enough. The five above phrases are indeed redundant. Whether these phrases are tickling to the mind is for the solver to judge. Among these, my favorite clue must be "Cottontail", because 1) It is such a charming, cuddly word for BUNNY RABBIT, and 2) it reminds me of one of my favorite pre-BEBOP standards.
That being said, in our age of conspiracy I cannot help but think that a deeper meaning may be there for us to decipher. Consider this, dear reader: does the juxtaposition of the answers BUNNY RABBIT and FRAME call to mind any particular movies, perhaps one renowned for its combination of live-action and animation! That's right, I believe the puzzle may contain several veiled clues as homage to Robert Zemeckis' 1988 slapstick classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After all, it is the 30-year, 16-dayth anniversary of the films release. In the film, detective Eddie Valiant must overcome his PAST HISTORY of discriminating against toons in order to exonerate Roger Rabbit, a film star accused of murdering CASH MONEY millionaire Marvin Acme. While avoiding the RAT FINK weasel henchmen with the help of anthropomorphic TAXI CAB Benny, Roger and Eddie conquer the forces of evil in order to secure a more harmonious future for toons and humans alike. Furthermore, Popeye, created by E.C. SEGAR, was supposed to have a cameo in the film but was scrapped. Just how big is the conspiracy? Well, that depends upon how far down the BUNNY RABBIT hole you want to go.
Overall, Coincidence? I think likely.
The grid is solid, if dull. I was particularly fond of the SW, with its triple threat of BITES AT (41D: Goes for, as when bobbing for apples), ON A LINE (42D: Like laundry being dried outdoors), and TAX SCAM (43D: Subject of an IRS consumer warning). Other highlights include E SHARP: every music student's favorite enharmonic equivalent to F. If you are wondering why composers choose to spell the note this way, just ask any musicologist who would be more than happy to give you a lecture-long response. Or, just watch the following well-produced video:
Finally, I do appreciate how BEBOP (6A: Jazz style) has become somewhat of a ubiquitous answer. For a genre initially intended to render itself impenetrable to the swing-dancing masses, it sure is made up of some crossword-friendly letters.
Thank you for coming along my conspiracy theory journey with me today.
And remember, sometimes a SEGAR is just a SEGAR.
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[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Medium
THEME: (Somewhat) Commonly Used Redundant Phrases —
Theme answers:
- PAST HISTORY (17A: Experience, redundantly)
- RAT FINK (25A: Snitch, redundantly)
- CASH MONEY (38A: Moolah, redundantly)
- TAXI CAB (54A: Hack, redundantly)
- BUNNY RABBIT (64A: Cottontail, redundantly)
Word of the Day: STEINEM (12D: Feminist Gloria) —
Gloria Marie Steinem (/ˈstaɪnəm/; born March 25, 1934) is an American feminist, journalist, and social political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader and a spokeswoman for the American feminist movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
• • •
This puzzle sets out a modest premise, and fulfills that premise serviceably enough. The five above phrases are indeed redundant. Whether these phrases are tickling to the mind is for the solver to judge. Among these, my favorite clue must be "Cottontail", because 1) It is such a charming, cuddly word for BUNNY RABBIT, and 2) it reminds me of one of my favorite pre-BEBOP standards.
That being said, in our age of conspiracy I cannot help but think that a deeper meaning may be there for us to decipher. Consider this, dear reader: does the juxtaposition of the answers BUNNY RABBIT and FRAME call to mind any particular movies, perhaps one renowned for its combination of live-action and animation! That's right, I believe the puzzle may contain several veiled clues as homage to Robert Zemeckis' 1988 slapstick classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit. After all, it is the 30-year, 16-dayth anniversary of the films release. In the film, detective Eddie Valiant must overcome his PAST HISTORY of discriminating against toons in order to exonerate Roger Rabbit, a film star accused of murdering CASH MONEY millionaire Marvin Acme. While avoiding the RAT FINK weasel henchmen with the help of anthropomorphic TAXI CAB Benny, Roger and Eddie conquer the forces of evil in order to secure a more harmonious future for toons and humans alike. Furthermore, Popeye, created by E.C. SEGAR, was supposed to have a cameo in the film but was scrapped. Just how big is the conspiracy? Well, that depends upon how far down the BUNNY RABBIT hole you want to go.
Overall, Coincidence? I think likely.
The grid is solid, if dull. I was particularly fond of the SW, with its triple threat of BITES AT (41D: Goes for, as when bobbing for apples), ON A LINE (42D: Like laundry being dried outdoors), and TAX SCAM (43D: Subject of an IRS consumer warning). Other highlights include E SHARP: every music student's favorite enharmonic equivalent to F. If you are wondering why composers choose to spell the note this way, just ask any musicologist who would be more than happy to give you a lecture-long response. Or, just watch the following well-produced video:
Finally, I do appreciate how BEBOP (6A: Jazz style) has become somewhat of a ubiquitous answer. For a genre initially intended to render itself impenetrable to the swing-dancing masses, it sure is made up of some crossword-friendly letters.
Thank you for coming along my conspiracy theory journey with me today.
And remember, sometimes a SEGAR is just a SEGAR.
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]