Will add-on / MON 4-15-13 / Laudatory tributes upon someone's passing / Medicinal plant / Body of water east of Dublin / Big name in hotels crackers

Constructor: Gayle Dean

Relative difficulty: Medium


THEME: bunch of Yiddish words starting SCH- 

Word of the Day: CODICIL (12D: Will add-on) —

n.

1. Law. A supplement or appendix to a will.
2. A supplement or appendix.

[Middle English, from Old French codicille, from Latin cōdicillus, diminutive of cōdex, cōdic-, codex. See codex.]

Felt very easy, but I guess those big corners added some work/contemplation time, because my time was perfectly normal for a Monday. Can't say that I think much of the theme, but I'm guessing most will find it pleasant enough for a Monday. My main problem here is the fill—it's not bad, it's just ... blah. Nondescript. Ancient. This puzzle's word list is 100% Grade A Pre-Shortz fare. Not a single aspect of this puzzle suggests it was written in this millennium. When did "Deliverance" come out? (47A: Beatty of "Deliverance" = NED) 'Cause the puzzle could just as easily be from then as from today. But even then, "Deliverance" comes from the clue, not the answer. There's nothing living or breathing in the grid. No pop culture, or culture at all (post-MANET) (53D: French artist who painted "The Absinthe Drinker"). There is, however, archaic nonsense like EULOGIA (I groaned audibly at that one, ugh) (44D: Laudatory tributes upon someone's passing). It's clued as if someone might actually use the word. No One Might Actually Use the Word Because the Word Is 'Eulogies.' Set your word lists to 2013, folks, or at least 1995. Anywhere post-Internet will do. I don't want to do any more puzzles from 1972.

Theme answers:

• 20A: Excessive sentimentality (SCHMALTZ)
• 26A: Comedian's gimmick (SCHTICK)
• 36A: Habitual bungler (SCHLEMIEL)
• 52A: Bagel spread (SCHMEAR)
• 57A: Chat idly (SCHMOOZE) 

See you tomorrow.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld