SATURDAY PUZZLE — That is Robert Logan’s second crossword for The Instances, and his first themeless, after a Friday debut final August (First themeless? That’s proper. In the event you can consider a themed Friday puzzle of late, you’re in all probability considering of Mr. Logan’s, as a result of they’re as uncommon as hen’s tooth). This grid is notable for its low phrase depend and its nice seems to be. I feel it resembles a logo for a tropical storm or garments spinning in a dryer, and I tumbled by means of it a number of occasions earlier than I accomplished my clear up.
I contemplate a puzzle “clear” when it has a fair degree of problem all through, or the wordplay is delicate however crystalline, or all of the robust clues make excellent sense the second I determine them out. This puzzle just isn’t that. I flew by means of some spots, then hit the wall in others, and there are a number of entries that I nonetheless don’t fairly perceive. But it surely’s lots of enjoyable, particularly contemplating the restrictions of a low-word-count building; there are a number of nice debuts, and I used to be gratified to outlive the turbulence of the laborious components.
Tough Clues
1A. Proper off the bat, I’m unsure of this reference. “Turnovers in a soccer subject, possibly?” has wordplay, evidenced by the query mark, however the reply remains to be stunning: CARTWHEELS. Is that this alleged to make me consider landing celebrations, or is it some gymnastic ceremony of passage folks have in locations the place a soccer subject is accessible to all? Is that this hyper-specific Hagen Meservy trivia?
11A. “Hen soup and eucalyptus oil, for 2,” are HOME REMEDIES; I had “people” for HOME. I caught a handful of misdirects within the grid after I was first making guesses, however I used to be extra doubtless to attract a clean than to take a fallacious step on this explicit puzzle.
19A/24A. These two little phrases within the “eye of the storm,” or heart of this puzzle, have clues that play on one another and had been the final entries in my clear up. At 19A, “Measure of inflation: Abbr.” had me considering of financial knowledge: I selected PPI, then PMI. The “inflation” on this clue applies to a balloon, although, or a tire, and the abbreviation is PSI, for “kilos per sq. inch.” At 24A, “Inflated,” assume “bigheaded” or “overrated,” that are related clues which were utilized in previous crossword puzzles for VAIN.
9D. This “Sport with rolling and bluffing” is a brand new entry, and new to me, however deducible with sufficient crossing letters (so long as you don’t get distracted by picturesque “rolling bluffs”). That is LIARS DICE, for which there are guidelines (if you happen to can imagine it).
20D. “Some seals” may very well be pinnipeds, I first thought, then thought of lids, adhesives, or gaskets. For a second I believed “magnets” may be the reply, which appeared odd however attainable; then I discovered PSI and VAIN and acquired SIGNETS, engraved rings or stamps that can be utilized to “seal” an official doc.
27D. With lots of crossing letters, I figured that “Finds, and quick” could be “rustles up,” the best way some folks could make a meal out of nothing in a couple of minutes within the kitchen. That is truly HUSTLES UP, a puzzle debut, which appears to be used the identical manner: to search out or put one thing collectively, shortly.
30D. This clue and entry had me looking excessive and low for an evidence. “Like some truffles and video games” solves to ICED. Desserts I get, however video games? In hockey, a puck could certainly be ICED, or skittered across the edges of an ice rink as a delaying tactic. In basketball, a participant may be ICED if an opponent tries to throw them off throughout a tense second, say by calling a timeout earlier than a free throw on the finish of a recreation. Possibly this clue simply implies that a recreation is ICED when its result’s all however sure, however this doesn’t “click on” for me. Possibly it applies to a recreation of LIARS DICE?
Constructor Notes
“I ought to strive an ultra-low-word-count themeless.”
HA HA Ha Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha …
What within the heck was I considering? (There wasn’t even any rum concerned in formulating that thought. Properly … not loads, anyway.)
Seventeen months, 42,420 grey hairs, dozens of grid variations, a thousand lifeless ends, case after case of Purple Bull (and some bottles of rum) later …
This one was actually a labor of affection — and perseverance. I’m honored that it was accepted. And I’m past honored to be sharing a themeless weekend with the esteemed Ms. Weintraub. I’m additionally a bit nervous. She’s a tricky act to comply with.
I quite just like the swish curves and circulation of this grid. The seed entry was 13-Throughout. To be clear, it was the eleventeenth seed entry I attempted for this explicit grid iteration. But it surely did appear acceptable for the problem I had laid out for myself manner again when, and I’m very pleased with the outcome.
I hope you might be, too.
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