Thursday, July 25, 2019 | (2024)

BEQ3:38 (Andy)

LAT4:02 (GRAB)

NYT8:33 (Ben)

WSJ8:14 with an error (Jim P)

Jack Mowat & Jeff Chen’s Wall Street Journal crossword, “Pluses and Minuses”—Jim P’s review

Another debut today! This is Jack Mowat’s first WSJ puzzle working alongside veteran Jeff Chen. Congrats!

We have two revealers today, one for the top half and one for the bottom half. The top’s is at 12d [It’s a plus, and what must be added to 14-, 20- and 29-Across].That is, a PROmust be added to each entry (mentally) to make sense of the clue.

• 14a [Incitement]. PRO+VOCATION.
• 20a [Tools for geometry class]. PRO+TRACTORS.
• 29a [Made advances to]. PRO+POSITIONED.

At first I thought this was the only revealer, and when I started adding PRO to the appropriate theme entries, I thought it was a rather lackluster theme and was going to get old pretty quickly.

But once I realized all the referenced entries were up top, Ihad an a-hamoment and figured out there would be a CON to this grid as well…except, I was expecting CON to be added the same way PRO was. That was not the case.

The clue for 59d CON reads [It’s a minus, and what must be subtracted from 46-, 52- and 63-Across]. A-ha. Those entries already have the CON added in and we must (mentally) eliminate them to make sense of the clue.

• 46a [One side of a story]CONVERSION
• 52a [They’re found underfoot]CONSOLES
• 63a [High point of a skyline]CONSPIRE

Cute! I thought that last little twist made the theme and brought it all together in one neat little “a-ha moment” package.

Oh hey! I just noticed the great big pluses and minuses in the grid itself, three of the former and four or six of the latter, depending on whether a minus is two- or three-blocks long. I guess you could say this puzzle has more minuses than pluses. (Our constructors set themselves up for that one!)

My solve proceeded fairly smoothly as I enjoyed entries like OCTOMOM, PERSONA, TEMPLAR, VANILLA, ENTRY FEE, USA TODAY, and LOVED IT. Some good cluing added to the fun.

But then I came to 38a [Nobel-winning author of “Disgrace”] crossingon old television show [Hidden camera show of 2001-02] and Latin phrase [“___ perpetua” (Idaho motto)]. The author’s name (COETZEE) is completely new to me; I don’t think I’ve ever seen it, so I was reliant solely on crossings. At least SPY TV is inferable, but my Latin is rusty; was it ASTO? ESTO? ISTO? OSTO? or USTO? Oh wait. Is it even Latin? Spanish? Italian? I think that last crossing is a touch on the unfair side.

But actually, my error was more stupid. I had LASE instead of LAZE at 34d [Take it easy]. That’s entirely my fault as my brain pronouncesthose words the same way, and my eye didn’t see the problem.

Clues of note:

• We get good misdirection at 48a [Present time in Paris?] for NOEL followed immediately by49a [Roll in the dirt?] for SOD and soon by 57a [Head of the Louvre?] for TETE.
• I don’t know that COIN is really the best answer to21d [Start a new term?]; I would think COIN A PHRASE would be the complete answer. But I liked the cute clue.
• 43d [“That was…AWESOOOME!”]. “LOVED IT!”. Hmm. That wordlooks like it’s pronounced “aw-soom”. I think I get what it’s after: an elongated second syllable. But it sure looks weird written out like that.
• 61d [Cashmere company founder Augustine]. TSE. Yow! We need to know this?!

Fun puzzle providing layers of a-has and with a touch of elegance in the grid-art department. 3.8 stars.

Erik Agard and Andy Kravis’s New YorkTimes crossword—Ben’s review

This Thursday’s NYT puzzle is from Erik Agard and Andy Kravis, and it’s pretty fantastic. I could spot what was going on with the first theme clue, but it took me a little bit to figure out the exact execution throughout the grid.

Each row with circled letters has two clues working together across the three sets of grid blanks:

• 17A:iPhone download —MOBILE
• 18A: 2020, but not 2019 or 2021 — YEAR
• 19A: — APP
• 40A:Los Angeles neighborhood that includes Dodger Stadium—ECHO
• 41A: Classic Dr. Seuss book — ON POP
• 42A: — PARK
• 62A:Mountain rescue group—SKI
• 63A: Flee to avoid obligations, say — TOWN
• 64A:—PATROL
• 25D:Some basketball shots…and the theme of this puzzle—JUMPERS

We have JUMPERS in multiple ways in the across clues here – the answer to 17A, 40A, and 62A “jumps” across to finish itself in 19A, 42A, and 64A, respectively, to make MOBILE APP, ECHO PARK, and SKI PATROL. Then, each of those entries contains a type of jump (LEAP, HOP, SKIP) that completes the clued phrases for 18A, 41A, and 63A — LEAP YEAR, HOP ON POP, and SKIP TOWN.The grid construction on this is super clean, which made this even more of a pleasure to solve

Elsewhere in the fill:

• Today I learnedthat the GI JOE has 21 moving parts!
• I would very much like to see a SATANIC JUMPERS DIORAMA as suggested by the middle stairstep fill. Get on it, Britain!

Happy Thursday!

Erik Agard’s Universal Crossword, “Team Spirit”—Judge Vic’s write-up

THEME: Theme = teams, sans their caps.

• 18a New York giants SKYSCRAPERS. Buildings.
• 24a/52a Miami heat CROCKETTAND TUBBS. Cops from Miami Vice.
• 36a Las Vegas aces POKER PROS. Card players, right?
• 58a Los Angeles dodgers STUNT PEOPLE. A certain movie set.

Cool theme. Lots of other solid, well-clued stuff, as one might expect. Including:

• 30a “Time flies” and “money talks” SAYINGS
• 46a Bump, as a TV episode PREEMPT
• 1d “Detective” in a 2019 Pokemon movie PIKACHU
• 2d Besieged OVERRUN
• 3d Map sections REGIONS
• 26d Killmonger’s first name ERIK. Who?
• 39d Not in favor OPPOSED
• 40d Con artist GRIFTER
• 41d A student may fall asleep during one LECTURE
• 43d Spinner’s spot at a party DJ BOOTH
• 44d Money for a taxi CAB FARE

Keep an eye on this Agard guy. he’s going places.

4 stars!

Jim Peredo’s Fireball Crossword, “Insider Trading”—joon’s write-up

joon here with the review of team fiend’s own jim peredo‘s fireball crossword. the “insider trading” here refers to the two words that make up the base phrase of each theme answer trading their insides, i.e. everything but the first and last letters. hilarity ensues! to wit:

• {With 84-Across, more listless social divisions of Indians?} MOPIER / CASTES, from MASTER COPIES.
• {Sex in the vegetation?} PLANT BOINK. from POINT BLANK. this happens, for real. what do you think pollen is?
• {“Buns of Steel” goals?} HONED TUSHES, from HUSHED TONES. my favorite theme answer, and the clue was 100.
• {Sport invented by comedian Bob?} SAGET BALL, from SALT BAGEL, which, … nope. i like salt on lots of things, but not bread products.
• {Sprightly dances punctuated by snorts of derision?} HUMPH JIGS, from HIGH JUMPS, and boy, that is an unlikely swap with some crazy consonant clusters. remarkable find.
• {Repeatedly open one’s robe on the bench?} FLASH COURTS, from FOURTH CLASS. this one felt uncomfortably close to the reality we live in, because i could imagine it being true.
• {Dimpled cheeks?} DINGED REAR, from DEAD RINGER. there’s quite a lot of butt content in this theme! i wonder if this would’ve been more effective as just {Result of a fender-bender?} or some such.

so that’s a lot of theme—7 theme answers, one of which is split into two parts, for a 17×17 grid. overall i’d classify the theme answers as more surprising than laugh-out-loud funny. something like MOPIER CASTES is just two words you can clue rather than an amusing mental image. i did enjoy PLANT BOINK and HONED TUSHES.

a few clues:

• {Tasty triangles} SAMOSAS. you’re damn right they’re tasty! now i’m hungry.
• {Pantone’s 2009 color of the year} MIMOSA. now that’s a deep cut. i didn’t even know this word could refer to a color.
• {Fingers-in-the-ears inducer} SPOILER. love this evocative clue.
• {Composer whose “Vexations” consists of a single page of music played 840 times} SATIE. this one, too. i knew it, but it’s much more interesting and educational than something like {Composer Erik}. i imagine it would be vexatious indeed to listen to (or perform!).
• {They’re banned in Vancouver in new housing} DOOR KNOBS. this was also interesting! door knobs are considerably less accessible (ironically) than lever handles, so it makes sense, but i hadn’t heard of the ban.
• {Word before “cheezburger”} HAS. i definitely put HAZ, but i’m glad i was wrong. i’m not really ready yet for HAZ to be an acceptable grid entry.
• {Cannon fodder?} T-SHIRTS. rip, maude.

nice puzzle, jim! 3.9 stars from me.

Paul Coulter’s LA Times Crossword – Gareth’s summary

I think I’ve seen this theme many many times before: US detergent brands that are simple words are found in other phrases. One wrinkle is today’s are reclued “?” style, which helps offset the fact that the answer alternate between the first and second parts. I think I’ve only seen Surf on sale here, but I’m sure American constructors wouldn’t mind if Omo became available stateside.

Quite a quiet grid in the main, though with a few hoary “favourites” like ARN, ULEE and MIMEO rearing their head. I’m also unable to think of a single reason to use the word URGER.

Spotlight on the Cambridge FOOTLIGHTS, which launched a number of successful acting careers:

2,5 Stars
Gareth

Brendan Emmett Quigley’s website crossword,“Area 51” —Andy’s review

If you’re wondering why BEQ wrote an Area 51-themed puzzle today, read this and then come back.

So! Area 51-themed puns:

• 17a/23a/53a,UFO PEOPLE SHOULD / KNOW / THAT [With 23-Across and 53-Across, “Those who work at Area 51 will have all the answers”]. “You of all people should know that.” (edited, thanks Ben!)
• 37a, MARTIAN ORDERS [Military plans held at Area 51?].Marching orders.
• 59a, BACK AN ALIEN RITE [Support a ceremony done at Alien 51?]. Bacchanalian rite (?).

And then a secret hidden alien at, well, square (area) 51:

• 51a, (ET)UDE [Chopin piece]
• 51d, (ET)HANE [Colorless gas used in refrigeration]

Clever and fun. That’s really all I’ve got about this one. Until next time!