Constructor: Robyn Weintraub
Relative difficulty: Easy to Easy-Medium (on paper, untimed)
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THEME: none
Word of the Day: SYD Hoff (9D: Cartoonist Hoff) —
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Hello there. Or should I say, Jello there. Man, that answer ... I had _ELLOSHO_S entered into the grid and still N comma O idea what the hell that "word" could be. I guess the actual real problem there was that I also had _RS entered into the grid at 49D: What Joe Biden and Al Gore are: Abbr. and had N comma O idea what the hell *that* "word" could be. Invisible "J"s are the worst! But here's the thing—often, when I struggle to get an answer, and then I do finally get it, the feeling in my heart sounds something like this: pfffffeajeiweaweaewtffffffft. But this time, when I put in that "T", stared at _ELLOSHOTS, and finally *got* it ... well, I definitely slumped and felt bad about myself for a few seconds, but immediately thereafter, I had to admit, that was a good one. You got me, and you got me fair and square. That clue was definitely FAIR GAME (12D: OK to target)—the JRS. clue, too (how did I not know Joe Biden was "Jr."!?). I had a similar but slightly less traumatic experience trying to parse PAPER AIRPLANE (33A: It might go over some students' heads). I had __PERAIR__A__ and my brain kept trying to make the first bit "SUPER-" and that obviously wasn't working. I could tell the clue was trying to be cute with me, but I couldn't figure out in what way. What goes over some students' heads? HARD LESSONS? SCHOOL ROOFS? GRADUATION CAPS? But as with JELLO SHOTS, when I finally got PAPER AIRLINE, I started to "booooo!" but then stopped and thought "you're booing the ump for a call that you know is actually good. Just stop." So I just muttered "well played" and moved on. My main point with this opening paragraph is that I don't resent toughness when it's well and fairly and entertainingly executed. I kind of like it. Please remember this the next time I'm angry at some tough portion of a puzzle—I'm mad at the badness, not the toughness (though if there's badness, toughness *definitely* makes things ... worse somehow).
This was a good puzzle, which is what I always expect from Robyn Weintraub, who (like Zhouqin Burnikel earlier this week) is one of my favorite names to see in a byline. I should add that Caitlin Reid is quickly becoming one of those names as well (yesterday's puzzle was the best of the week—thanks to Rachel Fabi for filling in for me on short notice). But back to this puzzle: the center stack is perfectly smooth, the colloquialisms sprinkled throughout the grid are bright and fun and very much in-the-language ("WHERE WERE WE...?""ASK ANYONE!"), and the shorter stuff stayed largely inoffensive. It just held things together. It did its job. I would not have clued CSA that way, now would I clue CSA that way ever again. First, I would try not to have CSA in my grid at all, and then, if I had to, I would clue it as the kind of CSA that sells produce at the farmers market. In fact, if you google CSA, the Confederate States of America (ugh) doesn't even come up on the first page of hits, but Community-Supported Agriculture sure does. CSA is like the NRA—just don't, and if you have to, don't write clues that point to the bad guys. Three cheers for Community-Sponsored Agriculture and the National Recovery Administration! Well, two cheers, at least. One cheer? A golf clap? Whatever, just keep awful groups out of the grid.
I think that if I were slotting puzzles for the near future, I might reconsider all my infectious disease-related cluing. I winced at AGUE (14A: Fit for a sweater) and again at E-COLI (42D: Recurrent health scare)—while the latter of which has nothing to do with the current worldwide health scare, its clue inadvertently evokes it (42D: Recurrent health scare). I'm neither mad nor offended, these are fine words and clues under normal circumstances. I'm just recognizing that the clues play a little differently in the hot middle of an epidemic than they do otherwise. By the way, I hope you all are safe and washing your hands frequently and not touching your face so much and practicing some kind of low-level social distancing (esp. if you're over 60), but most of all I hope you are not terribly afraid. I think we have more to fear from each other than we do from this virus. Take care of yourselves, look out for the vulnerable, be kind. I appreciate you all.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
Relative difficulty: Easy to Easy-Medium (on paper, untimed)
Word of the Day: SYD Hoff (9D: Cartoonist Hoff) —
Syd Hoff (September 4, 1912 – May 12, 2004) was an American cartoonist and children's book author, best known for his classic early reader Danny and the Dinosaur. His cartoons appeared in a multitude of genres, including advertising commissions for such companies as Eveready Batteries, Jell-O, OK Used Cars, S.O.S Pads, Rambler, Ralston Cereal, and more. (wikipedia)
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This was a good puzzle, which is what I always expect from Robyn Weintraub, who (like Zhouqin Burnikel earlier this week) is one of my favorite names to see in a byline. I should add that Caitlin Reid is quickly becoming one of those names as well (yesterday's puzzle was the best of the week—thanks to Rachel Fabi for filling in for me on short notice). But back to this puzzle: the center stack is perfectly smooth, the colloquialisms sprinkled throughout the grid are bright and fun and very much in-the-language ("WHERE WERE WE...?""ASK ANYONE!"), and the shorter stuff stayed largely inoffensive. It just held things together. It did its job. I would not have clued CSA that way, now would I clue CSA that way ever again. First, I would try not to have CSA in my grid at all, and then, if I had to, I would clue it as the kind of CSA that sells produce at the farmers market. In fact, if you google CSA, the Confederate States of America (ugh) doesn't even come up on the first page of hits, but Community-Supported Agriculture sure does. CSA is like the NRA—just don't, and if you have to, don't write clues that point to the bad guys. Three cheers for Community-Sponsored Agriculture and the National Recovery Administration! Well, two cheers, at least. One cheer? A golf clap? Whatever, just keep awful groups out of the grid.
I think that if I were slotting puzzles for the near future, I might reconsider all my infectious disease-related cluing. I winced at AGUE (14A: Fit for a sweater) and again at E-COLI (42D: Recurrent health scare)—while the latter of which has nothing to do with the current worldwide health scare, its clue inadvertently evokes it (42D: Recurrent health scare). I'm neither mad nor offended, these are fine words and clues under normal circumstances. I'm just recognizing that the clues play a little differently in the hot middle of an epidemic than they do otherwise. By the way, I hope you all are safe and washing your hands frequently and not touching your face so much and practicing some kind of low-level social distancing (esp. if you're over 60), but most of all I hope you are not terribly afraid. I think we have more to fear from each other than we do from this virus. Take care of yourselves, look out for the vulnerable, be kind. I appreciate you all.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]