Constructor: Dan Schoenholz
Relative difficulty: Medium
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THEME: LANGUAGE BARRIER (64A: Foreigner's obstacle … or a hint to the hidden words in 17-, 29-, 37- and 49-Across) — A language appears inside each theme answer, as a kind of "barrier" between the first word and the second word in each phrase:
Theme answers:
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Well, after 4 different flights this spring/summer, after 14 different take-offs and landings and one trans-Pacific voyage, I finally got a cold. Thankfully, I got it on *this* end of the trip (i.e. the after part), which has not always been the case in the past. My sister likes to point to vents and say "This is where the virus gets in!" And it did. Anyway, this sucks. But one things the horrible state of the world will do is make your cold look pretty ***ing trivial, so I'm hanging in there, mostly lazing around in a half-stupor, watching movies (tonight, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"), and reminiscing with my sister about how disturbing the lyrics to "The Piña Colada Song (Escape)" were to our 10- and 7-year-old selves. (If you've seen "Guardians of the Galaxy" with your kids, then perhaps you too have been asked questions about this song—something along the lines of "What's it's real title? It can't just be called 'The Piña Colada Song'" or "What is a 'personal ad'?"
This puzzle was about average. I'm surprised that it wasn't filled better—junk kind of abounds. I'm used to cleaner fill from this constructor. At least I think I am. See 'summer cold,' above. SLO EPT BRIC ONCEA and on and on—really, really rough. Also, THE BREWERS is a wicked bad theme answers. Theme answers need to land solid, and while the first two do, the third teeters badly, and the fourth faceplants. Not a fan of the THE. Actually, I am a fan of The The. Just not this the (the).
[College … I wore this song out]
Bottom part rocks a bit harder than the top. With the exception of ROS :( the SE is quite fine, and the BANG-UP / BEYONCÉ pairing is nice as well. Now I'm going to go watch late-night comedians remember Robin Williams (and maybe Lauren Bacall, too). See you tomorrow.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
Relative difficulty: Medium
THEME: LANGUAGE BARRIER (64A: Foreigner's obstacle … or a hint to the hidden words in 17-, 29-, 37- and 49-Across) — A language appears inside each theme answer, as a kind of "barrier" between the first word and the second word in each phrase:
Theme answers:
- ANGER MANAGEMENT (17A: Class for the hotheaded)
- ALL ATINGLE (29A: Covered with goose bumps)
- SHORT HAIR (37A: Result of a buzz cut)
- THE BREWERS (49A: Miller Park crew)
Kristen Mary "Kris" Jenner (née Houghton, formerly Kardashian; born November 5, 1955) is an American television personality, business woman and author who has appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami, Khloé & Lamar, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Good Morning America, The Talk, America's Next Top Model and her own short-lived talk show, Kris.Divorced from lawyer Robert Kardashian, she has been married to Bruce Jenner since 1991. She has four children with Robert (Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Robert) and two with Bruce (Kendall and Kylie Jenner). Jenner's autobiography, Kris Jenner... and All Things Kardashian, was released on November 1, 2011. (wikipedia)
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This puzzle was about average. I'm surprised that it wasn't filled better—junk kind of abounds. I'm used to cleaner fill from this constructor. At least I think I am. See 'summer cold,' above. SLO EPT BRIC ONCEA and on and on—really, really rough. Also, THE BREWERS is a wicked bad theme answers. Theme answers need to land solid, and while the first two do, the third teeters badly, and the fourth faceplants. Not a fan of the THE. Actually, I am a fan of The The. Just not this the (the).
Bottom part rocks a bit harder than the top. With the exception of ROS :( the SE is quite fine, and the BANG-UP / BEYONCÉ pairing is nice as well. Now I'm going to go watch late-night comedians remember Robin Williams (and maybe Lauren Bacall, too). See you tomorrow.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld