Constructor: David Kwong
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium
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THEME: monsters in MIRRORS (23D: Things worth looking into?) — MIRRORS sits in middle of the grid; on one side, there are four Universal movie monsters. On the other side (reflected in the MIRROR(S), presumably), the mirror images of those monsters, which, in DRACULA's case, is [nothing] ('cause DRACULA doesn't have a reflection!)
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Theme answers:
Word of the Day: LUNE (3D: Crescent shape) —
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A cute punchline, but that's a long way to go, and a lot of puzzle to sacrifice, for that one punchline. I have to write in three answers backwards ... for no real reason. MIRRORS is plural when there is really only one mirror here, and also technically in a mirror the letters would be flipped ... so the conceit is far-fetched. Further, MONSTER made me go "???" Only later did I realize "oh, he means *Frankenstein's* MONSTER" ... but technically all these theme answers are monsters, so that answer felt weird/weak/odd. Again, no-reflection DRACULA, cool. Just not worth all the contrivances required to pull it off. IMHO. Puzzle too easy and only really interesting in one, highly localized place.
I can't imagine it took people that long to figure out the non-existent ALUCARD thing. I wrote in ALUCARD and then had [Place to be pampered] as SPA ... D. When crosses checked out, I figured out the gag and just removed ALUCARD. Done and done. Nothing else in this grid is tough, though I did have a slight problem getting started, because of LUNE (?) and FT. SMITH (!?!?!) (4D: Second-largest city in Ark.). But crosses were favorable. Funniest thing in the puzzle was MITTENS (10D: Nickname for a 2012 presidential candidate), as I totally forgot about that nickname. Hell, to be honest, I mostly totally forgot Romney exists.
Off to watch the Sox polish off the Cardinals. Or so I assume. It is Halloween Eve or Devil's Night or Mischief Night or whatever, so who knows what could happen ... as I type this, the Cards have the bases loaded in the 7th ... spooooky.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium
- 1A: Universal Studios role of 1941 (WOLFMAN) (8A: NAMFLOW)
- 17A: Universal Studios role of 1931 (MONSTER) (18A: RETSNOM)
- 59A: Universal Studios role of 1925 (PHANTOM) (61A: MOTNAHP)
- 64A: Universal Studios role of 1931 (DRACULA) (65A: )
Word of the Day: LUNE (3D: Crescent shape) —
In geometry, a lune is either of two figures, both shaped roughly like a crescent Moon. The word "lune" derives from luna, the Latin word for Moon. (wikipedia)
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I can't imagine it took people that long to figure out the non-existent ALUCARD thing. I wrote in ALUCARD and then had [Place to be pampered] as SPA ... D. When crosses checked out, I figured out the gag and just removed ALUCARD. Done and done. Nothing else in this grid is tough, though I did have a slight problem getting started, because of LUNE (?) and FT. SMITH (!?!?!) (4D: Second-largest city in Ark.). But crosses were favorable. Funniest thing in the puzzle was MITTENS (10D: Nickname for a 2012 presidential candidate), as I totally forgot about that nickname. Hell, to be honest, I mostly totally forgot Romney exists.
Off to watch the Sox polish off the Cardinals. Or so I assume. It is Halloween Eve or Devil's Night or Mischief Night or whatever, so who knows what could happen ... as I type this, the Cards have the bases loaded in the 7th ... spooooky.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld