Luxury fashion house based in Paris / SAT 9-5-26 / Cracker alternative to Ritz / Future manager's goal, for short / Toy popularized by Queen Victoria, familiarly / Apt name for a yoga instructor? / The sound that concludes "The Sound and the Fury" / What you might hear when you get someone's goat? / Tongue-in-cheek interjection akin to "Told ya..." / Stunning attraction at a winter festival, maybe

Constructor: Fritz Juhnke

Relative difficulty: Easy-Medium

THEME: none 

Word of the Day: CHLOÉ (2D: Luxury fashion house based in Paris) —

Chloé (French pronunciation: [klɔe]) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. In 1953, Aghion joined forces with Jacques Lenoir, formally managing the business side of the brand, allowing Aghion to purely pursue the creative growth of Chloé. Its headquarters are located in Paris.

The house is owned by luxury brands holding company Richemont Group. Chloé has been worn by many celebrities, including Marion Cotillard, Sienna Miller, Madonna, January Jones, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst, Cameron Diaz, Emma Stone, Clémence Poésy and Katie Holmes.

The brand is characterized by a youthful and bohemian aesthetic, and has produced several successful fragrances. As of October 2023, Chemena Kamali is its creative director. (wikipedia)

• • •

EXCITING NEWS: Comments section functionality appears (fingers crossed) to have been restored, so please feel free to go back and say whatever you had to say about yesterday's puzzle on yesterday's post, and as for today's post, well, everything should be normal, so ... let's find out! 

• • •

OH, ME, I hate the "expression" "OH, ME" (24D: "I can't catch a break!")—it's like "AH, ME"'s much uglier cousin. No one says that. You can bin that right away. "OH, ME" is a symptom of the worst aspect of this puzzle—the pockmarked middle. Or "holey," or "bullet-ridden," if you're more violently inclined. I'm talking about the swiss cheezification of the whole middle part of the grid—just black squares Everywhere, and therefore short answers Everywhere. Garbage middle, for sure. Had a horrible time just hacking through adequate-to-regrettable short stuff. The ring road, however—all the stuff around the perimeter and through the corners—that part was really nice. So it's a real Jekyll/Hyde puzzle today, but I come out pretty solidly on the Jekyll side (Hyde Side sounds better, but unfortunately Hyde is the baddie, so ... Jekyll side). I don't really know what an ICE PALACE is, so that did nothing for me, and nobody likes MASS EMAILs, but otherwise, the corner stacks and colonnades look really nice, and the grid-spanners that tie the whole thing together (the "ring road" I was talking about—yeah, it's square, whatever), those answers are largely lovely. I say "largely" because I'm not in love with the MOMENT part of HOLLYWOOD MOMENT (3D: Incident so dramatic it feels like a movie). I guess if you used that phrase to describe ... something, I don't know what ... I would probably understand what you're saying, but the actual phrase, the one people use, the truly in-the-language phrase is HOLLYWOOD ENDING—which fit! It's also the title of a forthcoming novel by John Green. And a 2002 Woody Allen movie, but you probably don't want to hear about that. Green's title has a comma in it, I see now. That wouldn't matter for crossword purposes. Anyway, HOLLYWOOD MOMENT was a meh surprise (forced upon me when I realized that Queen Victoria's "toy" was probably a POM(eranian) (46A: Toy popularized by Queen Victoria, familiarly)). But the rest of those long answers are very nice, particularly ALL THOSE AGAINST and "AREN'T YOU SPECIAL" (though that last one kinda needs a "Well" in front of it) 

I enjoyed moving from corner to corner by slinging those longer answers across the grid. Kinda sorta wanted to try "ALL THOSE ASSHOLES" at 17A: Nay sayers (ALL THOSE AGAINST), but it wouldn't fit. Also, the key to that clue is that "Nay" and "sayers" are separate words. Clue is referring to those who literally, formally say (vote) "Nay." Clever. I am trying not to think about the upcoming GENERAL ELECTIONs, but that doesn't mean that's not a solid phrase. SCHMOOZED over "WHOA THERE!" gives the NW a nice chatty energy, and STEAL HOME over SHAKE ON IT gives the puzzle a confident finality. Really puts an exclamation mark on the whole shebang. 

I had some lucky and unlucky moments today. Started great with KEY / SWANK as my opening 1-2 punch. Nice to get the opening letters of all those longer answers up top right off the bat. NOLTE was a gimme, and at that point I got so hopped up on early success that I ... well, I got over my skis a little. Off the final "T," I decided that an [Apt name for a yoga instructor?] would be ... BENT! In my (very reluctant) defense, BENGT is a Swedish man's name. I think that is possibly what I was thinking of. But as soon as I wrote it in, it looked ... bad. And almost immediately I realized "oh, no, it's probably just MATT." Other mistakes (besides BENT and HOLLYWOOD ENDING)—off the "L," I wrote in IDLY instead of TALL at 20A: One way to stand; off the "-AL-," I wrote in SALE instead of CALL at 53A: Stock market option; off the "-ON," I wrote in MOON instead of LION at 47A: ___ dance (Lunar New Year tradition); and finally, I tried to let someone IN to the elevator, not ON (61A: Held the elevator door for, say (LET ON)). Typical Saturday blunders.

Bullets:

• 52D: The sound that concludes "The Sound and the Fury" (LONG "E") — me: "There's a sound? Is it ... a furious sound? 'AARGH!'?" No, it is the sound of the "y" in "Fury." A letteral clue! Tricky.
• 41D: Like the 18th Amendment, nowadays (NULL) — uh, true, but also true that the 18th Amendment has been NULL since the 21st Amendment was ratified in 1933, which is not exactly "nowadays." Weirdish example of NULLness.
• 21A: Hang time, for short? (SESH) — SESH is always an ew from me, and it's particularly an ew when what is seemingly being referred to is the cringy phrase "hang SESH" (which just means a period of hanging out together / socializing" ... although apparently SESH can mean that all on its own ... can you all just please stop saying SESH, or saying it near me, anyway? Thanks. The cutesiness, the desperate attempt to sound "young" ... it burns ...

• 7D: Cracker alternative to Ritz (ZESTA) — Crosswords' favorite cracker! Which is to say, no one's favorite cracker. "They're out of Ritz." "Well, just get whatever then." "[pulls box off shelf] [squints] ZESTA?" "[Sigh], Sure." Hang on—ZESTAs are saltine crackers!? How are those an alternative to Ritz. That's like ... an entirely different species of cracker. Really gotta be desperate to accept ZESTA as an alternative to Ritz? Everyone knows the only Ritz alternative is Hi Ho (sadly discontinued sometime last decade). RIP Sunshine Biscuit, Hi Ho's parent company (which also, fittingly, owned Hydrox, the Oreo "alternative"). Keebler bought Sunshine in 1996. Our Cracker History Lesson has concluded for the day.

That's all, see you next time.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

P.S. gonna go see a bunch of actual HOLLYWOOD MOMENTs today when I go see Double Indemnity (1944), which is somehow (!) screening at my local Regal cinema. They're also showing Dolly in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) on Monday, so we're going to that, too. Love the idea that my play-the-hits local multiplex is slowly morphing into a rep theater. It'll never get all the way there, but their retro screenings this weekend alone are kind of astonishing. Wrath of Khan! Steel Magnolias! Right alongside Coyote vs. Acme (which I will see, eventually). I'm into it.

["I wonder if you wonder"]

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Result of a tense build-up? / FRI 9-4-26 / Use a fork for, in a way / Be exceptionally good, in modern slang / Super, slangily / Ludwig ___, post-W.W. II leader who led West Germany's economic recovery / Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist / ger dubbed the "Matriarch of the Blues" / Like someone using autoreply, perhaps

[NOTE: The Comments section has been glitchy this morning, please be patient, thank you 🙏]

[UPDATE 8:42am: Comments are getting through sporadically, but there’s still a good chance commenting won’t work for you; join me in praying to OOXTEPLERNON, the God of Bad Short Fill, that he may bless us with a quick resolution to this unfolding tragedy!]

[Is this why people write newsletters instead of so-called “blogs”? Maybe I should just give in and ditch Blogger? It can be an anniversary gift to myself—20 years on 9/25!]

Constructor: Julian Xiao

Relative difficulty: Challenging (more like a Saturday for me)

THEME: none 

Word of the Day: Ludwig ERHARD (26A: Ludwig ___, post-W.W. II leader who led West Germany's economic recovery) —

Ludwig Wilhelm Erhard (German: [ˈluːtvɪç ˈʔeːɐ̯haʁt]; 4 February 1897 – 5 May 1977) was a German politician and economist who served as the second chancellor of West Germany from 1963 until 1966. Affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU),^[b] he is known for leading the West German postwar economic reforms and economic recovery (Wirtschaftswunder, German for "economic miracle") in his role as Minister of Economic Affairs under Chancellor Konrad Adenauer from 1949 to 1963. During that period, he promoted the concept of the social market economy (soziale Marktwirtschaft), on which Germany's economic policy in the 21st century continues to be based.

In his tenure as Chancellor, however, Erhard lacked support from Adenauer, who remained chairman of the CDU party until 1966. Erhard failed to win the German public's confidence in his handling of a budget deficit and lacked public support for his direction of foreign policy. His popularity waned, and he resigned his chancellorship on 30 November 1966. (wikipedia)

• • •

It's certainly true that if SLINKY DOG were a known quantity for me (46A: Longtime Pixar character who says "I might be old, but I still got a spring in my step!"), this puzzle would've been somewhat easier, and yet even if I'd remembered a specific character from the one Toy Story movie I'd seen, I think this still would've played harder than usual, certainly harder than recent Fridays, which have gotten more and more simple over time. I don't mind the difficulty, but this had none of the sparkle and originality that I expect from a Friday. There are only a couple longer answers that seem at all original, and while much of the grid is solid, not many of the answers feel marquee-worthy. Fridays are supposed to zing and sing with freshness, and most of what you get here is merely solid. So the puzzle was hard without being bright or fun. 

[the only "Ludwig" in my life]

I guess the clues were trying to make up for the relative lacklusterness of the grid, which may in fact be why the puzzle played hard for me. That clue on JENGA TOWER is a good example (1A: Result of a tense build-up?). Actually, JENGA TOWER is the other answer besides SLINKY DOG that I'd put in the "Good Friday Answer" category today! But as with SLINKY DOG, I was baffled, in this case by the clue. Also, I've literally never played Jenga. I am familiar with the concept, though. But that answer eluded me longer than almost anything in the NW, in large part because its "J" cross (JINGLES) was also clued in a very deceptive way (1D: Change sounds). GUINEA got a "Leone" clue, I guess because of an attempted homophone thing (?) with the preceding clue (3D: Actress Lyonne) (her, I know). I could, and will, go on and on about the stuff I didn't know / struggled with, but the upshot is this felt like a Saturday puzzle to me. Might've liked it a bit more there, but I still think the fill, overall, just didn't have enough juice. INAUGURATE, NATIONAL TV, SPEEDSTER, PRESIDENTS, ATARI GAMES ... these all work fine, but "work" is the operative word. It's all very workmanlike.

TMAN or GMAN? (19A: Fed). Who knows? ERHARD? LOLOLOL who? No idea. Died before I was born, I know very little about "West Germany's economic recovery." Really balked at the second "R" in ERHARD because "No country starts 'SR-!'" I hilariously and fatally thought to myself as I read the clue 23D: First country to elect a female prime minister (1960) (SRI LANKA)—another answer that killed me. ELLY Mai before ELLA Mai (I keep doing that!) (Elly May is from Beverly Hillbillies!). The SW corner, everything ERHARD and below, was the real oof place for me today. ERHARD and SRI LANKA, we've covered. DRAGGY? (27D: Sluggish). Forget it. I had nothing and then at some point I had GROGGY (?). I nailed SLAP off the "P" but kept doubting it because I couldn't get any crosses at first (33A: Be exceptionally good, in modern slang). Then there was the SLINKY part of SLINKY DOG—that really wrecked me. I thought "well, weiner dog ... no? ... he had a name? pffffffff, Ok." Really thought POTTAGE had only a single "T" but at least knew what that was (35A: What Esau got in exchange for selling his birthright to Jacob). Never ever thought of a PUSH TOY as a toddler's "walking aid" (which makes it sound like the toddler is disabled, somehow). Wasn't sure what was meant by "autoreply" at 36D: Like someone using autoreply, perhaps (ON LEAVE). Sounded like a texting term, but of course automatic "out of office" replies are reasonably common in professional settings. I refuse to accept HECKA, what the hell(a)? (49A: Super, slangily). Is that like HELLA? Just say HELLA? Or "super," for that matter. And then ... oh, I think I had 56A: In the past (OVER) as ONCE at first. Again, the clue appears to be doing a bit there, echoing an earlier clue (5D: In the past), which is a much harder clue for OVER than it is for AGO. So ... yeah, things were mildly tough all over but, for me, majorly tough in that SW corner. 

Bullets:

• 21A: Buff (SWOLE) — again, the clue is rough. Roughly vague. So many meanings of "buff." I was thinking "polish," or "nerd / expert." But no. Still, even if I had thought of the gym-bod meaning of "buff," SWOLE might not have been top-of-the-brain.
• 24A: Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist (SOJOURNER) — if I knew that rover was named after SOJOURNER Truth, I forgot. Still, this one was relatively easy to get, thanks to ETTA JAMES and her jaunty "J" (9D: Singer dubbed the "Matriarch of the Blues"). Side note: surprised that ETTA is considered "Matriarch of the Blues" when Big Mama Thornton exists (or Ma Rainey or Bessie Smith for that matter) (looks like Ma Rainey is called "Mother of the Blues," so that's something). Sorry, don't want to get too sidetracked, here's Big Mama: 

• 50A: Curve on a score (SLUR) — a gimme for me, but tough maybe for those who aren't familiar with musical notation.
• 12D: Stellar visual effects (CORONAE) — so "Stellar" as in "relating to an actual star, like the ones in the sky." The corona is the "outer layer of a star's atmosphere" (wikipedia), sometimes visible as a kind of halo.
• 54A: Asteroids and Space Invaders (ATARI GAMES)—yes, I put in VIDEO GAMES, of course I put in VIDEO GAMES. That's what they are, and that's a real phrase. ATARI GAMES is about as good as SEGA GAMES (i.e. not good).
• 37D: Start to congeal (THICKEN) — got this off the "N" and thank god because as you can see, above, I needed help in that SW corner something awful.
• 6D: Use a fork for, in a way (TUNE) — big miss here for me, as I put in LIFT.

That's all for today. See you next time.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

P.S. I have an EALA update. Yesterday I mentioned that with every match win, tennis player Alex EALA is inching closer to your crossword grid. Yesterday, she advanced to the third round at the U.S. Open, defeating Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova 6-1, 6-4. 

 

P.P.S. Comments section non-function is a Blogger-wide problem and will be resolved … sometime!

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