Constructor: Timothy Polin
Relative difficulty: Easy
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THEME: FIFTH / COLUMNS (15D: With 45-Down, subversive groups … or what the answers in the circled squares comprise?) — all the circled Downs (five "columns" in all) have an implied / missing "Fifth" at the beginning of their clues:
Your "Columns":
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Well this is certainly the nicest puzzle of the week thus far, and far and away the best filled. There's a groaner here and there, but way too much solid, interesting stuff for the lesser stuff to become a real distraction. Themewise, I like that the pentacular (it's a word now) theme has two components—the missing "Fifth"s as well as the five total "columns" that are involved. The main problem, as I see it, is one of entertainment value. The cluing offered no opportunities for anything but the most literal approach. Most of the time, the missing "Fifth" wasn't relevant or even noticeable; I got all the longer theme answers with virtually no crosses in place (though having the "AU-" in place on the Herclues one definitely helped) (also of help—having some longstanding familiarity with that guy's labors). Cluing was just blah, and missing "Fifth" wasn't noticeable / couldn't be registered in any kind of compelling way. So I love the idea, and the look of the grid, and I think it's nicely filled, but between the puzzle's overall easiness (under five minutes?!) and the aggressive straightforwardness of the cluing, there was somewhat less scintillation that I would've liked in my Thursday puzzle. Still, I'll take it over any of this week's M-W stuff.
I only learned the term "fifth column" a few years back, when I was looking for theme answers for my marijuana / "THC"-themed puzzle "Inside Dope." That puzzle also contained BIRTH CANAL. Edgy! Anyway, knowing the term allowed me to get the revealer without even looking at the clue. I got COLUMNS from crosses and then … I dunno, I just never even looked at 15-Down. My main issue up there was going with RADII for 19A: Neighbors of ulnae (CARPI). CARPI is probably my least favorite thing in the grid (and keep in mind this grid has ESS and YERS). It's a real plural, but I've never seen it (that I can remember). TARSI, I've seen. CARPI sounds like it would describe a fish-like odor. At any rate, I was playing around with my dog's FOREPAWs earlier in the evening, so that answer came to me easily and helped me straighten out that corner (the only part of the puzzle that gave me the slightest trouble). Stuff like NIA, ENYA, NAOMI, OREO, all just came too easily. Middle of the grid might've been harder had not the long themers there been a total cinch. PASSADO and GAG RULE make a really lovely center "column." This puzzle definitely has more pluses than minuses.
Relative difficulty: Easy
Your "Columns":
- JUPITER (1D: Planet) / BORON (46D: Chemical element)
- SOL (4D: Note on the musical scale) / DEUTERONOMY (25D: Book of the Bible)
- PIERCE BROSNAN (6D: James Bond portrayer)
- AUGEAN STABLES (18D: Labor of Hercules)
- ALAN SHEPARD (9D: Man who walked on the moon) / MAY (59D: Month)
noun
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I only learned the term "fifth column" a few years back, when I was looking for theme answers for my marijuana / "THC"-themed puzzle "Inside Dope." That puzzle also contained BIRTH CANAL. Edgy! Anyway, knowing the term allowed me to get the revealer without even looking at the clue. I got COLUMNS from crosses and then … I dunno, I just never even looked at 15-Down. My main issue up there was going with RADII for 19A: Neighbors of ulnae (CARPI). CARPI is probably my least favorite thing in the grid (and keep in mind this grid has ESS and YERS). It's a real plural, but I've never seen it (that I can remember). TARSI, I've seen. CARPI sounds like it would describe a fish-like odor. At any rate, I was playing around with my dog's FOREPAWs earlier in the evening, so that answer came to me easily and helped me straighten out that corner (the only part of the puzzle that gave me the slightest trouble). Stuff like NIA, ENYA, NAOMI, OREO, all just came too easily. Middle of the grid might've been harder had not the long themers there been a total cinch. PASSADO and GAG RULE make a really lovely center "column." This puzzle definitely has more pluses than minuses.