Fictional sport whose rules are invented during play / WED 1-1-20 / Delicacy in tiny spoon / Employer of nurse sharks / Animal relative of hinny

Constructor: Christina Iverson and Jeff Chen

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium? (4:00)

THEME: Y2K (38A: Big scare of a couple of decades ago ... or a phonetic hint to this puzzle's theme)— familiar phrases have "Y"s turned into (phonetic "2") "K"s, creating wacky phrases, clued "?"-style:

Theme answers:

• MAKO CLINIC (17A: Employer of nurse sharks?)
• KELP REVIEWS (25A: "It's green and slimy" and "It tastes like the ocean"?)
• FINDING DORK (46A: Nerd's goal on a dating app?)
• END OF STORK (57A: Pointy bill or tail feathers?)

Word of the Day: WES Welker (36D: Five-time Pro Bowl receiver Welker) —

Wesley Carter Welker (born May 1, 1981) is a former American football wide receiverwho is currently an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Welker went on to also play for the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, and St. Louis Rams.

Despite being undrafted, Welker had a successful career. Only one player in NFL history, Gale Sayers, had more all-purpose yards in his first three NFL seasons than Welker did with the Dolphins; Welker holds the Dolphins' all-time records for total kickoff returns, kickoff return yardage, and total punt returns. Welker also holds the record for most receptions by any undrafted player in NFL history, passing Rod Smithin 2014. He retired with 16,797 all-purpose yards.

As a Patriot, Welker led the league in receptions in 2007, 2009, and 2011. Welker holds the four highest single-season reception totals in Patriots' history, as well as four of the top 10 receiving yardage totals, including the franchise record. He also holds the franchise records for most receptions in a single game, most receiving yards in a single game, longest reception, and career receptions.^[2] Welker, who had three consecutive 110-reception seasons (and has five total), is the first receiver in NFL history with at least three 110-reception seasons, and the first with five 100-reception seasons. Welker was selected to the Pro Bowl, the All-Pro Team, or both, in every season of his Patriots career. (wikipedia)

I'm going to write about this puzzle, but honestly, after this tweet, I'm not sure it's necessary:

This had precisely nothing to do with 2020, but it was fine. A very old-fashioned theme type (change a letter, wackiness ensues!), and one that's executed pretty well. I kinda want to swap the location of the Y2K and H2O, erase everything else in the grid, and start over with a completely new change-a-letter theme, but that would be a Lot harder. Can you come up with good H -> O theme answers? OAT TRICK? FIRESIDE COAT? The real problem with an H -> O theme would be refraining from using "H"s or "O"s anywhere else in the grid, as the constructors have done today with "Y" and "K." No stray, unturned "Y"s, no "K"s that aren't former "Y"s. It's a minor feat to leave out "Y"s and "K"s—it would be a major feat to do a grid without "H"s and (esp.) "O"s. But back to the actual puzzle: it's fine. All the answers are at least chuckle-worthy, I think, though I could've done without the dadjoke in the clue for MAKO CLINIC (there's enough wackiness in having to imagine a clinic for a very specific species of shark without the added "nurse shark" joke, which kind of overjokes it all) ("nurse sharks" are a real thing, in case that wasn't clear—they're called "nurse sharks" because of their penchant for crisp white outfits).


FINDING DORK feels a bit mean-spirited. "Nerd" has been rehabilitated in a way that "dork" very much has not. This is the second time this week I've been asked to remember that "Finding Dory" was a movie that existed. Both times I've instinctively wanted "Finding Nemo," which has no "Y"s to turn into "K"s. I flew through this puzzle pretty quickly except for in the NE, where I made a mess of things by writing in CANAPE at 22A: Delicacy in a tiny spoon (CAVIAR), which I deleted after realizing that the fruit from an orchard must a. be singular and b. be APPLE (wrong, wrong). Also, as I wrote in LOOIE, I ... well, I liked no part of it (10D: Sarge's superior). It's one of those "words" that seems very very wrong as you're writing it out. Name a "word" with four consecutive vowels! They probably exist, but they're exceedingly rare. LOOIE looks gooey, like ... there's no consonants in there to hold things up. I just guessed at CALVINBALL (the "ball" part, anyway), and luckily it was right. That seems a pretty niche answer! I know it's a beloved strip ("Calvin & Hobbes"), and fans of the strip will Love it. So it's fine. But it will lock some people out, for sure (9D: Fictional sport whose rules are invented during play). Finished up, eventually, with the "R" in SRO, which stands for "Sold Right Out!" (or so I will always insist) (59D: Sellout show inits.). There are less violent clues for STAB! (55D: Knife). Try one of those next time, NYTXW! And on that note—Happy New Year, everyone!

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]