I prefer fewer names, since im looking for a puzzle not a trivia test. Southwest corner forced me to look up the author. I didnt feel too bad since the answers were mostly names.
I did appreciate some of the twisted cluing...
1
A clue that a lot of people seemed to get easily is one that flummoxed me for a long time. As a user of UK keyboard layouts, my tilde (~) is on the other side of the keyboard. So trying to work out how to fit square bracket, curly bracket, backspace etc into the puzzle drove me batty.
Now excuse me while I track down my typo and actually finish...
3
@Chris Finlay - There's a computer language joke that a certain idiom was due to the layout of the Swiss keyboard.
Personally, I'm still hung up on RETURN vs ENTER.
Also, no one reads our jokes this late in the puzzling day, which, like the news cycle, is relentless.
2
You’d be surprised!
1
Better an AVERAGE JOE than an OVERAGE JOE.
Oh, I see today's photo is a cuppa AVERAGE JOE.
If you don't lie about your AGE then you AVER AGE.
Some-atimes I feela like I'm on A VERAGE of a neravousa breakadown.
mostly enjoyed this puzzle! like many others, i filled in the SW last.
question: can anyone enlighten me as to the word play going on with the clue for DATING POOL, “All available options?” — ? i’m just not getting it.
@a. - lemme get my bearings, but SW first.
BMWELTY, but BJORK took a while, but it came to me because I just saw she was in a movie, lemme check, oh right, The Juniper Tree is on Kanopy.
That POOL consists of the PHENOTYPES of the GENE POOL -- the scientists here will correct me. You can pick one for fun or whatever the opposite of fun is. Children, I guess.
They are AVAILABLE because not wedded or in a relationship, but that doesn't mean the others aren't OPTIONS. Hence the question mark.
1
@a.
I think it uses pool as it is used in gene pool and typing pool.
It means the available collection of whatever noun precedes it.
It was a tough one for me.
1
@Renegator and @Andrew — hmm, thank you. i’m still not getting it — feeling very dense today. i mean i get what both of you explained, and i know the phrase DATING POOL, but i just don’t see how “All available options?” indicates a DATING pool specifically. ??
This was going to be an easier-than-usual Friday puzzle until that crazy SW hash/mash chewed up many minutes. Yes, ATHIRST was the last word, and I didn't even recognize it after seeing it filled by crosses.
Peter seems to be a bit embarrassed by VIDI, but he needn't be: I had AMAS in that slot for a while.
1
@Grandpa Brian - Me too on AMAS. I didn't notice ATHIRST until afterward; with time, I realize how important it is to get as much as possible on crosses and not rely on memory, intuition, or anything I thought I knew.
Toughie. Right at my Friday average. Did not like ATHIRST. That was my last fill.
2
I can usually tough out Friday puzzles but I found the lower half impenetrable, especially the southeast corner. Too many obscure names and things. Not very enjoyable!
1
@Howard - Sorry to hear the Skipper was not a gimme, as it was for me. I feel I need to sit my daughter down and binge watch some classic tv. She's not practicing her flute and piano anyway.
Saturday would clue "Jonas Grumby".
I'm sure someone has already noted the missing Jr.
EGGHASH is not an actual breakfast food. Too bad to take an otherwise clever puzzle and spoil it with a made-up dish.
3
@James Silver
Did you Google it?
1
Just saying, some of us do have the AB negative blood type. Me, for example. We know we are a rare breed!
5
Nice to encounter a Friday puzzle that’s markedly more challenging than a Thursday. Ripped some hairs out! Sprouted a few grey hairs in their place!!!! Verdict: good
1
Not a fan. Difficult for obscurity, not cleverness.
2
Since when do battleships have portholes???
2
@Margaret Campbell
Actually it may be closer to since when did they stop putting them on battleships. I did a google on "portholes on battleships" and got articles and images showing historical ships with portholes.
@Margaret Campbell — I took it to mean the ships' berths (HOLES) in "Battleship row", because I remember the orderly and deadly lineup by that name at their PORT of Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941.
Agree with those who thought this puzzle had too many obscure names, especially in the SW corner. Did not know BJORK, MOOSE, WELTY, KNOPE, IKE, or CABOT. Had to look some of them up to complete the puzzle.
Sorry, but puzzles with an overemphasis on obscure trivia are not my cup of tea.
10
Ron O.,
"Names and things I do not know" I would not argue with; that would be your personal experience with the puzzle, and others had the same experience.
"Obscure names" and "obscure trivia" I would argue with, since I and others found them neither obscure nor trivial.
5
@Barry Ancona
The mascot of the Winnipeg Jets not obscure trivia? I beg to differ.
5
@Ron O.
Required American facts to know: Former National Security Advisors RICE
Required Canadian facts to know: Winnipeg Jets mascot MOOSE.
5
I saw VIDI after Amas.
Latin scholars: Ergo, would a Roman poster to Wordplay write:
"VIDI VIDI post Amas"?
2
As hard as today's daily puzzle was, I just finished what I felt was a much harder one from Brad Wilber printed May 9, 2009.
Try solving these ...
DEAD-END CROSS(ROAD)S
Fill in the blanks for these four crosses. The missing letters will form what the solve drove me too.
(Note: blanks on the same line are the same character and indicate where the cross is. The down letters are along the left margin due to comment formatting constraints.
Example:
A. Sweet!
D. Space ___ (what Apollo XI was part of)
R
A
_ / N I _ E
E
Answer: C -- completing RACE down with NICE across)
Cross #1
A. Cubist who painted "Violin and Glass"
D. Port on the Sea of Japan
O
T
A
_ / G _ I S
U
Cross #2
A. Fishtail, e.g.
D. Faint, to Shakespeare
S
W
O
_ / S L _ E
N
D
Cross #3
A. New Mexico's El ____ National Monument
D. Paste in Asian cookery
_ O R R O
I
S
O
Cross #4
A. City in Veneto
D. Last pharaoh of Egypt's Fifth Dynasty
U
N
A
_ / E _ T E
Full answer grid here (click the 9th of May:
https://www.xwordinfo.com/Calendar/2009
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People who die from shark attacks every year: <10
Sharks killed by people every year. est. 100 million
Sharks are not the menace.
This was a bit of a grind for me. Liked JUMBOTRON, and have learned that ESC or ESCAPE KEY is above the tilde. DELIRIA seemed a bit contrived. PORTHOLES as clued was amusing.... I could go on, but most of my comments have already been made by others.
I did have an issue about EGG HASH (as in, is this a thing?), but Google provided me with a nice recipe to assuage my doubts (and my hunger some lazy weekend morning)..
https://www.aberdeenskitchen.com/2018/02/skillet-potato-and-egg-hash/
5
@Puzzledog - when I think of egg hash I think of sausage, not assuage.
(^_^)
6
@Puzzledog
Note: Don't use greater or less signs in your answers--they make a hash on the mobile (Android) app....
1
@Puzzledog - I work on a computer all day, and code using the vi editor which uses ESC to leave edit mode, and I remembered there was a recent pun on TILDE in the puzzle if I could only hit upon it, which I did, but mostly on crosses.
You didn't decipher the pun on ACE, MENACE and ACETEN or is it TENACE like TENNIS and the extra ACE Federer lacked? Or is the pun on card shark or is it sharp?
Enjoyable solve. Had one or two speed bumps, especially in the SW, but finished well below average. Was surprised to see the clue "What's found above a tilde", since only 5 or so weeks ago we had "It appears over a tilde" (answer: ESC). Well deserved POW from Jeff Chen for the awesome fill (including VIDI). :)
@Steve Faiella
Had to give up on the SW last night, sleep on it, and still struggled until my first cup of coffee and the BJORK-MOOSE came into view.
3
My first thought for "Firing locale" was "White House".
Otherwise, a pretty smooth ride for a Friday with only the occasional proper-noun Natick, and perhaps a little too much product placement.
7
That was an EPIC Friday themeless!! You CAN'T LOSE with this many killer answers, decent cluing and minimal glue. My only hangups were that I really wanted 4D to be "top heavy" after getting 14 and 17 across which made my solve really LOPSIDED...the east basically fell before I had hardly any of the NW. ADSORB was also a bit of a MENACE...that D was the last letter I got today. Still, this puzzle belongs on the DEAN'S LIST of Friday puzzles...so much fun.
6
SW was tough for me.
I had CANTMISS and MINION instead of LACKEY off the M.
Sigh.
Not a CANTFAIL kinda day, I s'pose.
1
Never having heard before of Meg CABOT, ERNIE as part of a duo, BJORK, "The Optimist's Daughter," Leslie KNOPE, BLUSH PINK or ALAN HALE before slowed me down a lot. I thought __INGAME must surely be skin game, but when I googled it just to be sure it turned out to be the name of a movie or something, not a "swindling trick," so I was stumped again.
4
@kilaueabart That would be Ernie of Bert and Ernie, of Sesame Street.
Agree that skingame was a reach, as was egg hash - only redeemed by always welcome Gilligan reference😀
2
AB NEGATIVE was one of the last clues to settle in for me. Odd, I suppose, since that is my blood type.
7
Me too. ABNEGATIVE was the last to fall. No excuse— I don’t even know my blood type.
1
@Barry Ancona (from yesterday) -- I answered your question to me (at some length) on yesterday's blog but it didn't get posted for like 10 hours. I assume it's there now, if you want to hunt it down. It was posted under you, you having posted under me. (It's all so confusing!) Hope you find it.
Nancy,
Found it. You're welcome, and thanks.
1
There are the lovers and the haters of this puzzle today. Guess which category I fall into? For me, there's the same satisfaction when I finish a tough trivia-laden puzzle as when I finish a tough wordplay one. In both cases, I pat myself on the shoulder and proclaim myself Very Smart. The difference is how much fun I had along the way. And whereas the wordplay puzzle intrigues and charms me, the trivia-laden puzzle irks me and makes me very cross. And, of course, I always want to use the "U" word. ("U" as in "Unfair", folks.) In this puzzle, the SE was a little Unfair and the SW was very Unfair. But I did finish, so there's that.
And there's so much non-PPP stuff that's great: AB NEGATIVE; DATING POOL; DEAN'S LIST; AVERAGE JOE. This could have been such a good puzzle if the KNOPE and the ALANHALE and the BJORK and the BMW and the MOOSE (as clued) could have been SCRUBBEd right out of the puzzle. Maybe next time, Peter???
8
Peter Wentz belongs at the top of CrossWorld's DEANSLIST in my opinion. I look forward to, and relish, his late week puzzles.
Today I especially got a kick out of PORTHOLES just above the ships at the NAVALBASE with ALANHALE, the Skipper of "Gilligan's Island," crossing through both answers.
Beautifully done, as usual, Peter, thank you!
4
Now _that_ was a workout! SW had me tied up in knots. Who in the world was BJORK? Just an AVERAGEguy? No, an AVERAGEJOE! Had I ever heard of him before? KNOPE, I had not.
2
Bjork being a “her” might be your first problem! For those of us into alternative music in the 80s-90s, she’s well-known. For many others, her wearing of a fake swan as clothing to the Oscars is her biggest claim to fame. https://images.app.goo.gl/ytX6TLNg3gGRddwy6
4
Thanks for your note. FWIW my comment was referring not to BJORK's gender but to some of the mistakes I made in the process of solving that very challenging SW corner.
Bjork's "Cornucopia" is currently in a sold-out run inaugurating The Shed performance space at Hudson Yards.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/arts/music/bjork-cornucopia.html
3
Share my thoughts? The Emus would get me. It's time to update the dart board!
The little SW corner is a Perfect Storm of Naticks--a Canadian team mascot (MOOSE seemed likely, but...) and a novel/play/story author who won a Pulitzer, and a one-named singer with a long-since-forgotten platinum album, and Mini ? Cooper? skirt? iPad? all combining to make a HASH of my solve.
I need an ESCAPE KEY.
DHubby is AB NEGATIVE, and The Red Cross would love for him to give blood, but he faints.
I wonder if Peter Wentz would fit through a PORTHOLE if we really worked at it?
11
This was a fast Friday for me. I'm not sure if it was easier than usual, but I had enough in my wheelhouse to keep me going steadily from one end to the other. Normally on Friday and Saturday I bog down and have to put the puzzle away for a while. The lower left was the most problematic. I am ashamed to say that I did not know the Winnipeg Jets mascot, but MOOSE eventually became painfully obvious. Did I know Leslie's last name? KNOPE.
Thanks for all the advice concerning repairing a broken streak. I have to say though that I feel quite happy to be rid of that ball and chain. I feel less compelled to keep it going at all costs now. A little like a recovered alcoholic who can enjoy an occasional drink without falling back into dependence. Of course that might all change if my streak builds up again. Now if I could just do something about my excessive wine-drinking!
3
I got the mascot clue because I remember when the Thrashers were relocating from Atlanta, there was a jokey suggestion that they change their name to the Winnitoba Moose Jets. Artist's concept here: https://images.app.goo.gl/ELiV3GpC1vGPTeVD6
@Andrew
The first time i activated the streak notification, i felt a tug somewhere inside of me. At times i have gotten up to six. It did play with my mind for a while, but now i see it and ignore it.
They certainly know what they are doing...
Count me as a dissenter from the general chorus of praise for this puzzle. For me, the plethora of names, including both brand names and cultural names (pop and otherwise), took away the joy - especially in the numerous instances where names crossed. The puzzle became one long slog of Trivial Pursuit, and I'm sorry I spent the time pursuing it.
20
It’s fun being retired. I cannot believe that 70 of you posted by 8:15 AM! I never, never start - even the mini - until after Westley and Niles have their morning constitutional and I my first sip of coffee. Look upon my sloth and despair, ye working stiffs!
11
@Doggydoc
The puzzle comes out at 8 PM in Colorado,so I am still awake. If I were an East Coaster, I would have a different schedule.
3
@Doggydoc
I get the puzzle at 11am. That's after two mugs of coffee and if fortunate, my constitutional too.
2
Definitely not easy for me. The only name I knew was LAVER, although I did guess WELTY one I had the W, just about my only correct guess. I've already forgotten what some of my early thoughts were.
I am watching the Open, so perhaps not concentrating properly.
2
Same, I knew Laver and Welty. I enjoyed it overall, but there were too many names for my liking.
Loved the clueing for this puzzle, found myself smiling throughout.
TIL working the puzzle: the ~ appears with the ESCAPE KEY on a standard QWERTY keyboard.
TIL while inspecting the iPad: the ~ appears with the + key.
TIL from reading the comments: The standard QWERTY keyboard is not so standard for our friends across the waves to the east. (Thanks Jeremiahfrog)
2
I'm in the "yes, I knew ALAN HALE" group, which also means I didn't know a lot of the other factual answers. Also got ABNEGATIVE with just a couple of crosses and very slowly managed to chip my way through most of this. But just couldn't get enough of a foothold in the general SW area to get going. Even on review, I don't see how I was ever going to get that. ATHIRST?
No one yet has mentioned the eternal question regarding the DATINGPOOL on Gilligan's Island:
Ginger or Mary Ann?
7
@Rich in Atlanta
“No one yet has mentioned the eternal question regarding the DATINGPOOL on Gilligan's Island:
Ginger or Mary Ann”
“Recommend” is not a strong enough response to your remark. Nearly snorted my coffee! Thank you so much for this.
One nit to pick “Ginger or Mary Ann?” Sir I crushed on Professor and Gilligan. (Skipper not so much.). Check your privilege. LOL 😂 😆 😝 😜🤣😆
15
@Rich in Atlanta Wilma or Betty?
2
@Babs
Me too, Babs... 😂
4
LETTER BOXED THREAD
I went way long today with
S-M(13),M-S(6), for an evocative phrase.
Many possibilities, my favorite being the disconnected pair
M-L(8)
V-S(8)
Not a solution but somehow topical?
4
I have V-R (10) R-S (7).
@Kevin
It seems like ages since I've found a 13 without assistance, but this one came reasonably quickly.
M-C(5) C-S(8)
Yesterday I settled for gametic cowherd.
Just imagine all these two word phrases are band names; Gametic Cowherd, with their hit single, "Momma, Don't Let Your Ova Grow Up To Be Cowboys"
Threadworm Magic singing "Every Creepy Crawly Little Thing She Does Is Magic"
The possibilities are endless.
3
@Phil
Doh!!!
I just knew there was a 13 and I explored all sorts of related extensions of your root first word.
Well done!
I had a personal best for Friday today! While often a puzzle more quickly completed doesn't have that delight/surprise factor, today's really was charming.
My favorite multivalent clue today led after many false starts to PORTHOLES.
Also enjoyed seeing ALANHALE mentioned. As a classic movie fan, I would have preferred some disambiguation (ALANHALEJR), though he did drop "Jr" after the death of his father in 1950, who was a supporting actor in many excellent films.
They looked and sounded much alike. In films made decades apart, each played in film adaptations of "The Three Musketeers."
8
Noes for FOES caused me to wonder what a LOOnA was and how it scrubbed.... then the little gray cells kicked in.
We often begin boating adventures with the theme from Gilligan’s Island. And, a toast to Mary Ann.
Thank you Peter
3
When I saw it was Peter, I shut the world away and went into high alert. The tussle with him is usually EPIC for me, and today's offering once again was. He dealt feints and knockdowns, balanced by some good counterpunching on my part, shaking loose opaque clues, a specialty of his. And when I unmasked PORTHOLES, I let out a big laugh, and shortly thereafter came the final bell with the decision: This guy is a master. Peter, I love you, man.
4
KNOPE, I wouldn’t go so far as to say I’M ON A ROLL. Here’s a short list of reasons. Egg dish, amas, delay, broom and shame. Each one respectively giving way to EGG HASH, VIDI, DETERS, LOOFA and SLIME...There was also some minor bloodletting at 11d...The one and only time I ever DJ’ED was at a holiday office party. I figured I’d open with some ballads. Bad idea. The pressure was un-bearable. The boss was griping about his less than enthusiastic staffers not being very festive. The adjoining room was reeling and rocking. Boss man says to me I want my people out there dancing. The tough crowd eventually loosened up and I got through the ordeal. Deejaying is not as easy as it seems. I never did pursue another gig in any venue...I perceive this artist to be rather contrary to an “Ordinary AVERAGE Guy” but, for sure, he sends out a good ‘JOE’ vibe.
https://youtu.be/bYslQ0cAQnE
Slightly MENACEd,
Bru
8
I forgot to mention my most imaginative, far fetched and totally wrong response for battleship row: North Oahu. The clue’s mis-direction property was two pronged bec of the associative thinking induced by NAVAL BASE, which was a gimme. ANY TAKERS out there that gave the HI Isle consideration?
1
I did not, bru, but I would have preferred it to the actual answer. To have seen PORTHOLES "in a row" on a battleship you would have to be old enough to "Remember the Maine."
4
@brutus, yes I did think of that for 48A.
2
Such a satisfying Friday! I needed a few visits especially for the southeast) but persevered to the music and the smug. It always amazes me how certain phrases can (sometimes) be excavated from the hoary recesses of my grey matter (ALANHALE? BJORK?) when needed, especially after standing in the kitchen for several minutes this morning looking for my glasses which were ON MY FACE.
The clue for ABNEGATIVE was terrific; tried unsuccessfully at first to wedge Christian Scientist in there.
13
To paraphrase Sundance, “Think ya used enough proper names there, Butch?”
Can’t really enjoy a puzzle where there are so many entries that’ll never get solved without lookups.
11
@The Real Dr. Foo
Now that’s a ding I can get behind, clever and lighthearted. So much better than, “Ugh, that was dreck!”. So, though I disagree with the sentiment, I recommend for the effort.
4
@The Real Dr. Foo
I mean, who doesn't love a good Butch & Sundance reference (even though I didn't have a problem with the names).
I've been trying to go easy on the Googles, except as a last resort (see, e.g., yesterday's ATTLEE).
Fun puzzle, even though I furrowed my brow at some of the populace. The crossing of Gilligans Island skipper and Parks & Rec person felt a little unfortunate. I looked at the latter name and tried Knopf. But overall good challenge, only a couple minutes past average.
I don’t really understand the clue for 28D, unless it’s just a bald use of the word as a verb? Isn’t a slime a low level opponent in games? Or is there some other reference?
Frances,
Re: "clue for 28D" ... Yes, the *answer* to 28D, SLIME, is a verb (clued as "Use smear tactics on").
@Barry Ancona
I can tell that it’s a verb I was interested in whether there was any cultural reference.
Frances,
"Ghostbusters?"
2
Spelling Bee
66 words, 255 points, 1 pangram, bingo
4 5 6 7 8 Σ
C 4 2 2 3 1 12
E 1 4 - 1 - 6
L 1 - - - 1 2
M 8 3 3 - - 14
O 1 1 2 - 1 5
P 8 - 4 - - 12
T 6 4 4 1 - 15
I kept expecting another pangram, but this bee is self-contained. Move yourself along and drain that Friday flagon.
48
@Ben ~ thanks, as always, for the grid ~ it keeps me organized!
i'm wondering about:
COLE: broccoli! cabbage! brussels sprouts!
TOLE: they don't call me artlife for nothing
CEPE: still delicious
MEEP: ask my cat about this again
PELMET: ask my decorator
4
POPPET--see "The Crucible" among many usages
CLEOME--as before, lovely and neglected
I even tried PELMET twice because, gee whiz!
9
@Ben I found an M8; one of your others must be misplaced.
My first thought for 18A was TRUMP
9
I’m confident we weren’t the only ones!
2
@Bill in Yokohama
I had the same thought with 28D, though I sincerely hope that future generations view the action as an anomaly rather than a S.O.P. of politics.
1
@Bill in Yokohama
I'm just glad he's not part of an "iconic duo." One is enough.
2
KNOPE, I'm not in the camp that thinks this was easy. I had a SLEW of errors at first and still had a FEW after asking Mr. Google for help. EPIC failure.
Hogan for LAVER- wrong decade and sport.
Sharks are a danger as well as a MENACE.
Tenace is for bridge; ACE TEN is for blackjack.
LOAFA for LOOFA until I decided Alan ARKIN is not in the pest control business.
Alan Hall crossed nicely with the Parks and Recs character Knoll
9
ColoradoZ,
Re: Hall and Knoll
I've never used a WETNAL after BBQ...
3
@Barry Ancona
They are new on the market
1
I got off to a bad start with 1A as I recorded "sec" instead of "dry" and sec stayed there unfruitfully until almost the very end. I was so sure (and so incorrect). As a Chemistry teacher my heart soared to see the second Chemistry-related clue in as many nights (ADSORB today and ELEMENTS yesterday). My favorite clue today was PORTHOLES. When I saw Battleship Row, however, I could not stop thinking of Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. God bless all those who served and gave their lives in the Greatest Generation...
9
One of my faster Fridays, but not a PR by any means. Lucked out with DRY, then RUSE and ORKIN. KILN gave me OTELLO, and that was enough for me to remember to look at my keyboard to see the location of the ESCAPE KEY. The rest of the NW and N then filled in. I remembered ASANA, then AB NEGATIVE and NOISEMAKER were gimmes (medical background helps).
In the E/SE we'd seen AVENGED recently, and I knew ALAN HALE and Rod LAVER, and that the backs of baseball cards had STATs. WADERS was then obvious, and I'M ON A ROLL (temporarily, anyway).
On the W and SW, I got AVERAGE JOE, but couldn't decide between danger or hazard, which ended up being MENACE via the crosses. SW was almost all blank until I saw BMW, and that made BJORK obvious, and the rest filled in, slowly.
Nice workout, and managed to get all the names without any lookups.
4
@JayTee
I spent most of the puzzle trying to make THREAT work before finally catching on to MENACE.
1
Slow solve, and just a tiny technical detail for clues using US keyboards: not everybody in the world uses the same keyboard. There are ZERO tildes on most European computer keyboards, just saying. So "What's found above a tilde" was utterly mysterious for this linguistic scholar... since it seemed that only nothing, or empty space could be above the tilde in a word like "niño". I get it, this puzzle comes out of NYC. I will remember that. [sigh]
8
@Jeremiahfrog, My exact thoughts on the tilde clue.
I found this one easy for a Friday. Maybe just a lucky selection of clues for me! I did have to look up Alan Hale though. Watched the show as a kid, but don’t know any actors’ names. Came on here to see what the comments were regarding the difficulty level.
6
I thought it was pretty easy compared to other Fridays, but, I’m still proud of myself for solving it much more easily than I normally would at the end of the week!
1
I believe this was on the easier side - it’s uncommon for me to get through a Friday without looking up at least one reference to complete.
1
@Theodoric The Ostrogoth, et al.
FWIW, Jeff Chen (of Xwordinfo.com) found this puzzle difficult. So, perhaps you have a right to break out the NOISE MAKERS and let your EGOS sing a few ARIAs.
NWM (Not Worth Much), I found this slightly more difficult than an AVERAGE Friday. Probably has something to do with absurdly, but confidently, slotting in WET ONE at 44D and not letting go until something told me KNOPE.
2
I believe a CAROM is not the same as a BANK. The former transfers some of the energy of the target ball to an object ball whereas there is no object ball in the latter.
Carom can be more general too, as in not specifically linked to billiards. I’ve heard it used in this way frequently in baseball (“the ball took a funny carom off the right field wall, which resulted in a triple”).
2
@Doug
First definition (Merriam-Webster) is the billiards definition, but the second is to "strike and rebound", with synonyms of ricochet, glance, bounce, etc.
2
@Doug
Ever play the game “caroms”? BANKED is not the first word that comes to mind but it is descriptive of the action.
2
Don't know how but this fell right on my wavelength - and even though I'm not familiar with CABOT, WELTY or ALAN HALE, the crossings all fell for me. Was definitely ON A ROLL the whole time and was my fastest Friday yet. Nice little boost making me feel like I'm figuring some of these puzzles out - especially as I've been struggling with some of the late week puzzles from the archive recently. I'll take a good day though! Happy weekend all - stay cool.
6
@Aaron
I'm convinced the late week puzzles are substantially easier now than they used to be.
1
@sugar hill
Maybe give yourself some credit?
The more puzzles you do the more clues have answers which are repeats of words you have seen. Unknowingly they have entered your lexicon.
5
@Babs
Very true! The tilde clue, 17A, appeared in a previous puzzle, within the past 6 months, so I had the pleasure of filling in an early 9-letter answer !
2
Managed a Friday best time on this little delight. Nice to also finally associate IKE's name with an actor whose work I've enjoyed for years. Lovely work, Mr Wentz!
3
and Elke
My EGO was exposed to an EPIC failure. Started out with NAVAL BASE and PORTHOLES and figured that I'M ON A ROLL and CAN'T LOSE, well "amas" had to yield to VIDI and "eleven" was ACETEN, and it was downhill from there.
Liked LOOFA and LOAF, and never noticed the tilde below the ESCAPE KEY. Good to know.
Would like to point out that MOOSE are not elks. They tend to be WADERS and the plural is not "mice", Ergo, no need to call the ORKIN man if you see a herd of MOOSE. But don't think of feeding them...
This puzzle seemed harder than usual for a Friday at first, and I made a real HASH of it. Not on the DEAN'S LIST (today).
4
@Robert
In the U.K. the word elk is used to mean moose. I assume they just don’t know that elk exist. I’m going to go look up etymology and whether elk used to exist in Europe.
1
@Frances
Check this out...
https://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/country-life-today-may-31-2019-197056
1
@Babs
Interesting but the places where moose are doing well currently have lots of water(I think). If they’re thinking of putting it in Scotland...hmm. I don’t know enough about the ecosystems in the UK but I questwhet
Caitlin
Delightful to read of your 11D experience. Mine was identical! I convinced myself it connoted abnegation of self care or some such.
Dear me. Sometimes pattern recognition slips some cogs, eh?
1
Lots of fun. The SE corner filled in for me right away, which turned out not to be a sign of how the rest of the puzzle would go. After I filled in ADSORB, I had to look it up, because even though it had to be right, it looked wrong. Still not sure if I get the meaning.
The SW turned out to be the toughest for me. Had to look up BJORK, (now if she'd been clued as Swan dress wearer to the Oscars....) and I'm still not convinced EGGHASH is a thing.
4
@vaer
Also, Mr. Wentz need not apologize to me for VIDI in his puzzle. I like the way it was clued and last Friday many of were fooled into thinking I SAW was going to be in Latin.
8
@vaer
Many of us.
Such vibrant and fresh fill! My downfall was the crossing of Alan Hale and Knope... but 7/8 letters for a 60’s actor is good for me!
1
IM ON A ROLL, my mini streak held! Rod LAVER, Eudora WELTY, ALAN HALE, ERNIE, Leslie KNOPE, and BJORK nearly did me in... what a wild gang they were. With AB NEGATIVE blood and a DELIRIA inducing EGG HASH, it’s not that I CANT LOSE, but definitely MADE DO.
;-)
5
@Just Carol
Congrats to you; I had 9 wrng letters!@ the end....
sigh. But, happily, yesterday we said Yes to a house here and look forward to moving in once cleaning, painting, and repairs are completed. Jealous that you were able to get all of those entries!!
3
As I am the proud owner of a Mini named Nigel, 53D was the first answer I filled in. I know what you're saying: "Wags, that's way the heck down in the SW corner. That was your first?" Alas, yes, but then I started chipping away at it and eventually it all came together, exactly the process that a tough end of week puzzle should require. Thanks to Peter for a fun challenge.
16
@Wags
Your Mini Nigel should meet Doggydoc’s pet sloths, Niles and Westley.
2
@Wags, my Mini is named James.
My plate is JAMES F C for James Fenimore Cooper.
5
@Johanna
Wonderful. Very clever and classy.
The back of Nigel sports an "actual size"decal that always gets chuckles.
1
I knew ALANHALE right away; I just couldn't think of it for a while, know what I mean? Everything else fell in pretty smoothly. Except I had DELAYS "instead" of DETERS and had to go flyspecking at the end.
Radioman said it was 98 today and cheerfully added that it "feels like 105!" No one wants to cook so we piled in the rental car and ate at the Paper Moon Diner. Vegan Nachos for the table! Happy Friday, everyone. If you're in Baltimore, have a great Artscape weekend!
4
@Ann
Well someone has to do it, so let me be the first to post the intro to Gilligan's Island.
https://youtu.be/cfR7qxtgCgY
(A three hour tour. Three hour tour.)
My favorite episode is when they do the musical Hamlet.
4
@vaer
Oh yes! Did you notice that the first season, the song went, "With Gilligan, the Skipper too, the millionaire, and his wife, the movie star, AND THE REST, are here on Gilligan's Isle?" AND THE REST meant just two more people! Outrageous! Later seasons saw the song changed to include "the Professor and Maryanne..." leaving Lovey as the only character without a name or identity other than "wife." That's why I have always been a Lovey apologist. OK, maybe I have overthought this whole thing and should get to bed. Thanks for dredging up my childhood!
7
@Ann
We just have to imagine that after Thurston dies and Lovey comes into all that money, she turns into Brooke Astor and a force for civic good.
7
I will not be ABNEGATIVE about this puzzle, nor will I draw any blood. Hey, I finished it. But while Liz made the DEAN’S LIST, I was a below AVERAGE JOE.
STAF(?!)/DEFER instead of STAT/DETER required some flyspecking, which led me to hope that @Henry Su returns to WP soon. Happy for a successful Friday, as my streak creeps toward triple figures and I contemplate pulling a California Andrew’s intentional return to zero. And with that, Joan Armatrading’s gorgeous “Down to Zero”:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Brp8Va8XVQw
12
@Puzzlemucker
Oooh, thanks for the tune! Love it.
2
For some reason, I've always taken note of people named Alan, so ALAN HALE was a gimme for me. Gilligan's Skipper was, in fact, Alan Hale, Jr., as opposed to his actor father who was also a familiar-faced character actor.
ALAN HALE (Sr.)
https://youtu.be/85Anm2FB7xE
ALAN HALE, Jr., (billed here as Alan Hale)
https://youtu.be/Hps6L5vS0sc
9
@Alan J
"For some reason. . ." Ha ha!
4
well, didn't quite MAKE a HASH OF IT -- but had to correct CAN'T fail to CAN'T miss to CAN'T LOSE, finally! changed MADE it to MADE DO whose final O suggested OTELLO (one of my favorite operas!
4
Things were going smoothly until CANT MISS at 42A leading to MINION at 43D. Took awhile to untangle things, but the streak goes on (33 and counting).
4
Lively 8/9/10-letter answers! I thought "I'M ON A ROLL" until I finished with a mistake somewhere and went through this panicked thought process: "For 33A, the plural is messing me up; is the singular spelled delerium or delirium? Can't... think... Well, slime makes a lot more sense than sleme for 28D, so it must be DELIRIA. And... still a mistake somewhere! [scan, scan, scan, scan...] I'd better switch to the mode that pairs all the clues with my answers. 1A, DRY, that's good. 2A, LOONA, what the heck? LOOFA would work there... let's change 7D from NOES to FOES. Success! I CAN'T LOSE!"
5
I don't know if I was just on the right wavelength or if this puzzle was extremely easy for a Friday, but it solved really fast for me. At least until I got down to the SW corner, which felt like it took forever. Up until that point, things had filled in really easily (well, maybe not A B NEGATIVE, which took some staring at).
In the SW, I wanted AVERAGE JOE, but I also wanted NAB. Once I figured out BJORK, though, things fell into place. . . except for NET and DATING POOL. I see that Peter W really liked the clue for DATING POOL, but I sure had trouble with it.
Also, I didn't realize that battleships had PORTHOLES. Seems like that would be a chink in their armor.
6
@Liz B
I "lost" before I started as I insist to "win" I have to start in 1A/1D and enter only contiguous letters. Well, nothing clicked at all until 9D, and then I was able to fill in contiguously, going down the east side, over on the south side, then up the west side finishing in the NW corner. When I got there, the answers were not so hard to fill in, but I could never have started there. Nothing popped for DRY/DJED from those clues.
Oh well, tomorrow is another day!
I really liked the FEW/SLEW crossing: who knEW that EW could be part of a small or large amount. And a row of PORTHOLES were seen ON a NAVALBASE, crossed with the Skipper!
2
@Liz B
I envy your cruciverbalistic (I just made that up!) acumen! This one was the extreme opposite of “easy” for me.
If there is a “Peter W” on this frequency, ONE of us is going to have to change his moniker. (Mine has no ‘space’ in it.)
If there is NOT a “Peter W” hereabout, fraud may be afoot.
As for ME - - I was not at all fond of the clue at 27D.
@Liz B
I envy your cruciverbalistic (I just made that up!) acumen! This one was the extreme opposite of “easy” for me.
If there is a “Peter W” on this frequency, ONE of us is going to have to change his moniker. (Mine has no ‘space’ in it.)
If there is NOT a “Peter W” hereabout, fraud may be afoot.
As for ME - - I was not at all fond of the clue at 27D.
P.S. Forget all that about two “PeterW”s!! I just figured out that the constructor is legitimately “Peter W.”