Constructor: Joe Krozel
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium
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THEME:"Changelings"— five-word sentences that are also word ladders of a sort (i.e. each successive word has but a single changed letter):
Theme answers:
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Sunday! Bloody Sunday, in that I finished with an error. But otherwise a lovely Sunday, as I have occasion to thank all the readers who responded to my fund-raising pitch this week. Your generosity was really quite touching, and your messages (by computer and by pony express) … well, they range from the earnest to the cranky to the warm-hearted to the downright loopy. So much fun opening the mail this week! I have a diverse and hilarious readership, which, you know, I knew, but it was nice to get so many concrete reminders this week. You all are a really supportive community, and I'm genuinely, non-snarkily grateful for your continued readership. Thanks for all the kind words and commiseration. Now I gotta find someone to share this swag with:
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Same dude also sent me three $1 bills. I've been having fun "making it rain" all afternoon. The dogs don't really get it, but they know better than to judge me by now.
"Why is the luge lugging log sluts?" I sincerely thought for a nanosecond while solving this puzzle. This theme is an exercise in word manipulation, which, I guess, any theme is, but here, the meaning (or plausibility) is virtually irrelevant. It's just that the phrases aren't so much wacky (which would imply humor) as they are absurd. Contrived, more like. And not just the phrases, but the clues. Words are reduced to their parts, their mere physicality, meaning (for the most part) be damned. I can't even picture the SAND SANK SINK one, and the syntax on the FILL FULL FUEL just seems clunky to me, at best. I sort of like KIDS KISS MISS MOSS MOST—that one sings. And the PALE PALS and the LOUD LOUT are passable. But overall, once you get the gimmick here, there's not much to smile at. Theme is easy to pick up, and once picked up, easy to knock down.
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As with recent "easy" theme puzzles, this one has somewhat amped up cluing. Difficulty is mostly achieved through vagueness / ambiguity (e.g. multiple answers with same clue, e.g. [This and that] [Comics canine]). Looking back on the puzzle, I'm not sure why my time didn't come out "Easy" or even below average. I think I just stared too long at what ended up being my error: DSES / SEAM (instead of DSCS / SCAM). Now I *knew* (or felt deeply anyway) that DSES wasn't a thing. But I tried DSO (which I know) and it didn't work, and after that, well I'm at a total loss when it comes to keeping straight all the damn mil. award abbrevs. (UK, US, or otherwise). They're just noise. Clutter. Crosswordese. A nuisance. "C" should've been something I could pick up from the cross, but ugh, look at that clue on SCAM (66A: Arrangement of hosing?). What is that? What is it going for? Is there a play on words. Why would you write such a torturous clue? I mean, it wouldn't have been more clear, but [Hosing arrangement?] would've at least made more sense. It sounds like "housing arrangement," which is almost a thing. But the main problem, my problem, was that I watch / read too much '40s-era material (noir and otherwise), and so I figured SEAM was the answer. I have actually seen women arrange the SEAMs on their hose, so that it's straight up the back of the leg. And if you say "but nobody calls stockings 'hosing,'" I say "a. it's a '?' clue and b. nobody calls a SCAM an 'arrangement of hosing' either but here we are."
Nothing much else to say here. LOUISCK is always welcome fill (88D: Comedian who said "Every day starts my eyes open and I reload the program of misery"). I just got an email from him earlier in the day. OK, so it was a mass email, but still. It felt like he knew me. Were there other points of interest in this one. I can't see them. Gonna go back to watching "True Detective" and writing thank-you cards. Seriously, you guys (and gals) are the best.
Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium
THEME:"Changelings"— five-word sentences that are also word ladders of a sort (i.e. each successive word has but a single changed letter):
Theme answers:
- HUGE LUGE LUGS LOGS LOTS (27A: Gigantic sled hauls firewood quite a bit)
- MAID SAID SAND SANK SINK (34A: Domestic worker claimed shifting beach engulfed basin)
- PALE PALS PASS LASS LESS (60A: Friends who have never been to the beach don't walk by the girl so often)
- KIDS KISS MISS MOSS MOST (67A: Children show their affection for model Kate able all others)
- LOUD LOUT LOST LAST CAST (92A: Boisterous oaf confused the previous set of actors)
- WILT WILL FILL FULL FUEL (100A: Mr. Chamberlain intends to top off his gas tank)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military award that can be given to a member of the United States Army (and previously, the United States Army Air Forces), for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other U.S. combat decorations but do not meet the criteria for the Medal of Honor. The Distinguished Service Cross is equivalent to the Navy Cross (Navy and Marine Corps), the Air Force Cross (Air Force), and the Coast Guard Cross (Coast Guard).The Distinguished Service Cross was first awarded during World War I. In addition, a number of awards were made for actions before World War I. In many cases, these were to soldiers who had received a Certificate of Merit for gallantry which, at the time, was the only other honor for gallantry the Army could award, or recommend a Medal of Honor. Others were belated recognition of actions in the Philippines, on the Mexican Border and during the Boxer Rebellion.The Distinguished Service Cross is distinct from the Distinguished Service Medal, which is awarded to persons in recognition of exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in a duty of great responsibility. (wikipedia)
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Same dude also sent me three $1 bills. I've been having fun "making it rain" all afternoon. The dogs don't really get it, but they know better than to judge me by now.
SUNDAY PUZZLE
"Why is the luge lugging log sluts?" I sincerely thought for a nanosecond while solving this puzzle. This theme is an exercise in word manipulation, which, I guess, any theme is, but here, the meaning (or plausibility) is virtually irrelevant. It's just that the phrases aren't so much wacky (which would imply humor) as they are absurd. Contrived, more like. And not just the phrases, but the clues. Words are reduced to their parts, their mere physicality, meaning (for the most part) be damned. I can't even picture the SAND SANK SINK one, and the syntax on the FILL FULL FUEL just seems clunky to me, at best. I sort of like KIDS KISS MISS MOSS MOST—that one sings. And the PALE PALS and the LOUD LOUT are passable. But overall, once you get the gimmick here, there's not much to smile at. Theme is easy to pick up, and once picked up, easy to knock down.
[Kids miss KISS most]
Nothing much else to say here. LOUISCK is always welcome fill (88D: Comedian who said "Every day starts my eyes open and I reload the program of misery"). I just got an email from him earlier in the day. OK, so it was a mass email, but still. It felt like he knew me. Were there other points of interest in this one. I can't see them. Gonna go back to watching "True Detective" and writing thank-you cards. Seriously, you guys (and gals) are the best.