Constructor: Andrea Carla Michaels
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium (*for a Monday*)
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THEME: ESSAY (66A: Kind of test … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 55-Across) — theme answers are two-word phrases where first word starts with "S" and second word starts with "A"
Theme answers:
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Was going to write:
The problem with blowing through a Monday puzzle at speeds approaching that of light is that the wheels can really come off if you make a little mistake. Had -EL ADAMS and without even looking at the clue wrote in ANSEL. Check cross check cross check cross. Nothing. Realize "hey, it's Monday, there's no way you check *three* crosses and come up with nothing on a Monday." Actually look at clue for ANSEL ADAMS. Realize ANSEL ADAMS was probably not a founding father. Remember SAMUEL ADAMS. Aaaaaaand … flat tire repaired. No idea how long that cost me, as I still managed to finish in 2:46. Maybe the rating should be "Easy" after all. Normal people are never going to do something as stupid and negligent as writing in ANSEL ADAMS there.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium (*for a Monday*)
THEME: ESSAY (66A: Kind of test … or a phonetic hint to 17-, 25-, 36-, 47- and 55-Across) — theme answers are two-word phrases where first word starts with "S" and second word starts with "A"
Theme answers:
- SHEER AGONY
- SNOOZE ALARM
- SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
- SAMUEL ADAMS
- SMART ALECK
n.
- An annual, aromatic Mediterranean herb (Pimpinella anisum) in the parsley family, cultivated for its seedlike fruits and the oil obtained from them and used to flavor foods, liqueurs, and candies.
- Anise seed.
[Middle English anis, from Old French, from Latin anīsum, from Greek annēson, annīson.]
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/anise#ixzz33R9VceUp
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Blah blah pangram blah blah I WANNA is a terrible six-letter partial that is here only to complete the pangram, a phenomenon most solvers never even notice and that is irrelevant and/or deleterious to puzzle quality blah blah IN NO over NO IDEA wtf? blah blah blah.Then I noticed there wasn't a "V." That *has* to be due to editorial intervention. You can smell the pangram-attempt here from miles away. Hell, if you're this close, why not go SUV / PERV? Works for me. Theme is pretty dull. I was shocked it hadn't been done before, but I checked the cruciverb database and it seems to have at least originality going for it. SNOOZE ALARM is an interesting answer. I've already forgotten the rest of the puzzle. Where is that cleverness of old? This puzzle makes me kind of sad. That said, it is a perfectly serviceable puzzle.
The problem with blowing through a Monday puzzle at speeds approaching that of light is that the wheels can really come off if you make a little mistake. Had -EL ADAMS and without even looking at the clue wrote in ANSEL. Check cross check cross check cross. Nothing. Realize "hey, it's Monday, there's no way you check *three* crosses and come up with nothing on a Monday." Actually look at clue for ANSEL ADAMS. Realize ANSEL ADAMS was probably not a founding father. Remember SAMUEL ADAMS. Aaaaaaand … flat tire repaired. No idea how long that cost me, as I still managed to finish in 2:46. Maybe the rating should be "Easy" after all. Normal people are never going to do something as stupid and negligent as writing in ANSEL ADAMS there.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld