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Signature Caitlin Clark shot, informally / TUE 1-14-25 / Emphasized, textwise / Gaelic language / It locks locks into place / Like the yellow polka dot bikini, in a 1960 #1 novelty song / Quadruple award achievement, informally / Friend of Flower and Thumper
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Constructor: Lance Enfinger
Relative difficulty: Medium
Theme answers:
- BEEKEEPER (17A: One in charge of a sting operation?)
- WORLD BEATER (24A: Absolute champion)
- ATTENTION-SEEKER (36A: Publicity hound)
- STORMCHASER (48A: Person often flirting with disaster)
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is a U.S. national monument and national preserve in the Snake River Plain in central Idaho. It is along US 20 (concurrent with US 93 and US 26), between the small towns of Arco and Carey, at an average elevation of 5,900 feet (1,800 m) above sea level.The Monument was established on May 2, 1924. In November 2000, a presidential proclamation by President Clinton greatly expanded the Monument area. The 410,000-acre National Park Service portions of the expanded Monument were designated as Craters of the Moon National Preserve in August 2002. It spreads across Blaine, Butte, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Power counties. The area is managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The Monument and Preserve encompass three major lava fields and about 400 square miles (1,000 km2) of sagebrush steppe grasslands to cover a total area of 1,117 square miles (2,893 km2). The Monument alone covers 343,000 acres (139,000 ha). All three lava fields lie along the Great Rift of Idaho, with some of the best examples of open rift cracks in the world, including the deepest known on Earth at 800 feet (240 m). There are excellent examples of almost every variety of basaltic lava, as well as tree molds (cavities left by lava-incinerated trees), lava tubes (a type of cave), and many other volcanic features.
• • •
[>SITSKI]
Do tennis judges really say "IT'S IN"? Like, the announcer might say that, or you (a non-professional) might say that on the court, but that doesn't feel like an official judge's ruling. Too colloquial. I guess it's the interpretation of their little hand movement: "it's on this side of the line, it's on that side of the line, IT'S IN, it's out." Didn't love the clue, but really really didn't love that we get another "IT'S" phrase on the other side of the grid (???): "IT'S HOT." It's ... tiresome how little the NYTXW seems concerned about flagrant dupes like this. It's not just the "IT'S" repetition, it's the specificity of that repetition, i.e. both times the "IT'S" is the first word in a short two-word phrase, which really calls attention to the similarity, like a siren or a flashing red light. It's annoying. But back to that NW corner, which put me off the puzzle early. IN BOLD is kinda ick. Made ickier by the fact that, like a normal person, I assumed a 6-letter "I" answer for 1D: Emphasized, textwise would be ITALIC. If you're going to *surprise* me with an unexpected answer, that answer should be ... good. IN BOLD ... isn't. Also, that is not how I would spell TEENIE, but if the song spells it that way, I guess there's nothing I can do about it.
Average Tuesday difficulty today, after I put that NW corner together. I couldn't figure out what a TMNT costume would look like. Had the "SHE-" and thought "oh, do the Ninja Turtles wear capes?" So I wrote in SHEET (assuming that that's what you'd use for a cape if you were making your costume at home). SHELL is just ... part of a turtle. Any turtle. No ninjaing required. Did not see SHELL coming. Too obvious, I guess. Elsewhere, you've got your classic BAA/MAA kealoa* there (42A: Barnyard sound), but that shouldn't cause real difficulty. You just gotta wait for the cross. Btw, sheep BAA, goats MAA, that is NYTXW standard. You can be mad about it all you want, but that's just the way it is. No outright mistakes in this one besides ITALIC ... except at 59D: Fossil hunters' project (DIG), where I had the "I" and wrote in RIB. I admit it would be weird to make a single RIB your entire project, but ... I dunno, they made a whole movie about a dinosaur RIB once, so why not? (OK, the bone was technically an "intercostal clavicle," just play along, for once!)
Bullets:
- 16A: Signature Caitlin Clark shot, informally (THREE) — seems weird to call a simple three-pointer a "signature shot." She takes a lot of them, OK. But lots of players take (and make) THREEs. Every day, in every basketball game, you can see people taking (and making) threes. Just 'cause you are good at it doesn't (to me) really make it a "signature" shot. Kareem's skyhook, *that* was a signature shot.
- 21A: It locks locks into place (GEL) — "lock" is way too strong a word to describe what GEL does. I know the wordplay seems fun, "locks locks," I get it, but "locks" conveys something much more secure. In fact, it implies a mechanical device, like a hair clip (or something like it), far more than it does GEL.
- 43A: Challenge for a person drawing lots? (ART TEST) — If you are drawing lots (i.e. a lot), then is the "test" really going to be challenging? Presumably you've practiced. Also, do ART TESTs ... exist? Outside of those weird old ads where you were supposed to draw, like, a turtle, and then send it in to be judged to see if you have "talent" so you could then pay to take some correspondence course? Do you know what I'm talking about? This thing—this is what I think of when I see ART TEST:
 |
| [Did a turtle write this puzzle?] |
- 3D: Popular Thanksgiving item (SWEET POTATO) — just one? Do you all just have ... a whole-ass SWEET POTATO? I've only ever had them (at Thanksgiving) in mashed form. Not a discrete, singular SWEET POTATO in sight.
See you next time.
P.S. Absolutely exhaustive breakdown of the Harry Potter author's descent into anti-trans derangement can be found in this Glamour article. Her earliest comments on the subject of trans people come out sounding almost reasonable, but as time passes, yeesh. It gets ugly. Still, this is the best quote I've read about the situation (esp. the last bit)—from Natalie Wynn (quoted in the Glamour article):
[...] Rowling is still “not the final boss of transphobia.” Wynn explains, “A movement can’t get along without a devil. And across the whole political spectrum, there’s a misogynistic tendency to choose a female devil. Whether it’s Anita Bryant, Hillary Clinton, Marie Antoinette, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or J.K. Rowling.” The real threat to trans people, Wynn says, is the Republican party. Rowling and other TERFs are “useful idiots who put a concerned female face on the patriarchal violence against trans people that will ultimately be enacted by right-wing men.”
• • •
*kealoa = a pair of words (normally short, common answers) that can be clued identically and that share at least one letter in common (in the same position). These are answers you can't just fill in quickly because two or more answers are viable, Even With One or More Letters In Place. From the classic [Mauna ___] KEA/LOA conundrum. See also, e.g. [Heaps] => ATON or ALOT, ["Git!"] => "SHOO" or "SCAT," etc.
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95 comments:
Easy-Medium rather than Easy, primarily because of the HP theme, about which I know little-to-nothing.
No WOEs, only a handful of Overwrites:
1D: bolded before IN BOLD
33D: BaRBQ before BIRTH (fell into the "Labor day" trap)
42A: Moo before MAA
The descriptor phrase is TEENIE Weenie - this puzzle fails from the get go. Agree with the big guy on the theme - I put the kiddie lit series in the same category as Disney and animated movies. The politics don’t move me either way.
Beat on the BRAT
Sunday -X, Monday -X, Tuesday -X
New Order
I wasn't expecting a fictional game, so QUIDDITCH came as a surprise. (If I'd bothered to read the full clue, it would've been easy because of SEEKER.) I was extra baffled when I had it starting QUOD- because SPORT works just as well as SHIRT with that clue.
predictable characterization of Rowling's position,..
Pretty sure a tennis line judge will call when "it's out", not when "it's in".
Fortunately they ran the theme on a Tuesday, so I could play it has a themeless and have the benefit of the crosses. Never heard of the game or any of the rest of it (I don’t know anything about HP other than what I am able to occasionally recognize in crosswords).
I still don’t get the ART TESTS clue. The whole concept of an “ART TEST” doesn’t even make sense to me. Do you get extra points for creativity? Who (and how) do you judge/grade it - on a scale of 1 to 100? Bizarre.
Never played QUIDDITCH, so the theme seemed abstract. Never connected it to J.K. Rowling. But otherwise I found it easy (finished before breakfast).
Exactly the same experience for me as @Conrad. And thank you to OFL whose commentary made a blah puzzle fun with his commentary. This was the gem for me today “Did you know "Doorbell Ditch" is formally (??) known as "Knock Down Ginger" (!?!), and is also known by dozens of other names, all over the world? Rin-Rin-Raja in Chile!? Bel-Twi in South Korea? Knicky-Knocky-Nine-Doors (exclusively in Durham?)?
One good thing about being old is you don’t see the “dupes” until you read Rex. So one less reason to hate a puzzle.
“It’s in. It’s in. It’s in. It’s in. It’s in. It’s in. No wait. It’s out.”
Growing up in the South we called it ding dong ditch :)
That last quote does admit that the Republican Party is the real problem, not Rowling, et al... so why are you playing into their hands by calling HER the devil every chance you get? Yes, her first comments were reasonable... and yet, they did not get a reasonable response from the left. No wonder she moved further right over time. One can take only so many death threats...
And I don't even like her stupid books. I'm just anti-censorship. Call me a censorphobe, I guess.
Well, I love the Harry Potter books, and I believe one can admire an author or artist’s work while disagreeing with their personal opinions. So QUIDDITCH was a gimme for me, but I otherwise ignored the theme and found the cluing in general to be either vague or just plain off. The NW was definitely the hardest part of the puzzle for me.. I had embark, then thwart before DEPART, making those down crosses hard to come up with.
Also had Moo (which should be added to the baa/maa kealoa group) before MAA, creating some problems over there.
Tennis judge will call “fault”. A player arguing that call would respond “it’s in”
Expanding on the "IT'S" comments we also have GETIT (crossing IT'SHOT), LIT, SIT(SKI), and HIT. I liked the puzz more than @Rex, though. Perfectly serviceable Tuesday.
Oh, I the gyrations I went through trying to suss the revealer after leaving it blank and not looking at its clue, just the kind of gyrations my brain hungers for. I got nowhere, nor would I have come any closer had I permutated through infinity, because I know nothing of QUIDDICH besides its name. No matter. It was brainstorm heaven.
Lance Enfinger has range, following his debut Saturday – a puzzle about which I waxed rhapsodic, even for me! – with an early-week offering. I found a lot to like today as well:
• That FLAKE fallen to the ground, with a neighboring BRR.
• Three very worthy debut answers (and debut answers aren’t automatically worthy) – ATTENTION SEEKER, TOOK A SHOT AT, and STORM CHASER.
• A lovely TIL in SIT SKI.
• The SAT down and backward LEG up.
• A magnificent abutting PuzzPair© of KIM CHI and IT’S HOT.
• The answer that touched this "Jeopardy" addict’s heart.
All in all, a splendid outing, Lance, once again. Thank you so much for making this!
Technically, Alex Trebek didn't ask a lot of questions. Rather, he provided a lot of answers to which the contestants posed questions!
Did I open Highlights this morning by accident? A puzzle based around literature for children by an out of date reactionary?
Enough with the Harry Potter. These books are for preteens at best. Embarrassing. And to couple that with the most dull off base clues and answers around.
What bothers me the most is that the books had this theme of inclusivity and acceptance of differences, so in addition to feeling outraged by her transphobia, I feel like the whole series is a lie. She never felt that way and never will. It feels totally inauthentic.
Go away then
Calling a misbehaved child a BRAT is horrible and should be stopped. The child is either hungry, tired, overwhelmed, bored, poorly parented or neurodivergent. Every time I see this in a puzzle my blood boils.
Hey All !
My opinion, people (especially famous people) need to keep their opinions to themselves! Your opinion may vary.
Seriously, you cares what you like or dislike? What you tolerate or fear? Who wouldn't live their lives peacefully without knowing anything about JK Rowling or anyone else? Just sayin'.
Good puz, Second-Words-All-Part-Of-The-Revealwr type Theme.
Loved this puzzle. @JJK - 7:27 AM - Totally with you on loving the Harry Potter books and refusing to hate on any work of art, performance, or literature because of the opinions or beliefs of the artist/writer/director/composer etc. That being said, I'm an aging Boomer with an inconsistent memory and I did not immediately recognize "snitch" or catch on to the positions. It took me eight out of nine crosses before I realized it was QUIDDITCH (I know nothing about football, so QUIDDITCH got me QBS, not the other way around). I was delighted!
Itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie
Dang, hit that Publish button too soon! (Who put it right below the text line??)
Fill decent. Rex mentioned the BAA/MAA Kealoa, I'll add that that is a triple Kealoa, with MOO as an alternative.
Easy, quick TuesPuz. If you care what I think. Har.
Happy Tuesday!
Two F's
RooMonster
DarrinV
Liked the puzzle. I’d say it’s dated but the Harry Potter books are timeless. They will be read forever. Love JK Rowling. Cheers.
itsy-bitsy
Thought this not a great puzzle but not as bad as @Rex found it after relating it to a political concern. Found initial ambiguity in one down—answer could also have been INcaps referring to a way to emphasize words in a different kind of text. The long answers felt easy because they are so much in the language—thanks @Lewis for pointing out they are debuts.
I’m familiar with the Potterverse, books and movies. I was in the book trade during the latter part of the decade in which the books were released (1997-2007), and they were everywhere and inescapable. I read them because it was necessary to do so in order to talk with customers, but I also enjoyed them. I’m in complete disagreement with J.K. Rowling’s stand on transgender people. But as an art historian (previous profession), I’m aware that creators of work of lasting merit are often people you wouldn’t want to know, with views or modes of living you would repudiate. To me, there is a clear separation of creation and creator. Money muddies these waters, however, as Rowling continues to profit while Paul Gauguin does not. But I stand by my view that literature and art have a life of their own beyond their makers. And part of that life is whatever you, the reader or viewer, bring to your experience of the work.
So, QIDDITCH. After KEEPER and BEATER, I knew what this puzzle was about and to expect controversy. I thought all the theme answers were solid. But I agree there was an overload of crosswordese.
• I laughed at ITS IN. I was expecting some highly technical tennis term that I was bound not to know.
• Re: EGOT. Came across a cute spoof of this term in a recent episode of the TV series Elsbeth. Elsbeth was looking at a photograph of several highly talented people and turned to her companion and said, “Wow – all together this group has a PEGOTKCH,” which she pronounced as Pee-GOT-Kuh-Chuh. In response to a puzzled looked she explained, “Peabody, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony, Kennedy Center Honors.”
• Re: Alien landing as HOAX [?] -- This past summer in Nova Scotia, I visited one of the quirkiest museums I’ve ever been to: the Shag Harbour UFO Incident Interpretive Centre. (BTW, the shag, which gives the village its name, is a species of seabird, much like the cormorant.) To give you some background on the UFO: on the evening of 4 October 1967, in a tiny fishing hamlet called Shag Harbour, many local residents (including an RCMP constable) plus the crew of a commercial jetliner in the skies above witnessed what appeared to be a brilliantly-lit aircraft crash onto then sink into the sea about half a mile off shore. Inquiry determined that no civilian or military aircraft had been lost that night, so what was this strange craft with four orange lights that flashed in sequence? After it disappeared underwater, it left a considerable residue of yellowish foam on the water, clearly visible to the crew of a Coast Guard cutter dispatched that night to investigate. The next day, the Rescue Coordination Center filed a report with Canadian Forces Headquarters in Ottawa stating that something had hit the water in Shag Harbour, but the object was of "unknown origin." Naval vessel HMCS Granby was ordered to the location, where divers searched the bottom of the ocean for several days, but without positive results. So, what was this? No conclusive answer has ever been produced, but this off-the-wall museum displays a wide range of documentation related to the incident, in addition to inflatable plastic extraterrestrials and models of flying saucers in all media. I know one theory is that it was a crashed Russian spacecraft because there was a Russian submarine reported to be in Canadian waters at the time. But who knows? It’s one of those mysteries that can’t be solved, but refuses to go away.
I had no major problems with the puzzle, but I’m not gonna put it in the Hall of Fame. I will say that, as a tennis player, ITSIN does not ring true. The line judge says nothing if ITSIN, because they would have to yell it all the time. Likewise, I had a side-eye at a single SWEETPOTATO as a Thanksgiving offering. When I thought I had finished and didn’t get the Congrats I checked to find out that my FLyER should be FLIER. Harumph. Well. A Gregg’s website said that usually “flyer” indicates a “circular/handbill” and “flier” indicates a pilot. Another site said “flier” is American and “flyer” is British. Whatever.
As for JK Rowling…I dunno. I DO think she is emblematic of the new digital age where everyone feels compelled to put every thought that ever crept into their mind into words that can be seen by the world. While the whole Harry Potter series wasn’t my cuppa I did read most of the first book and found nothing that conveyed anything that could be construed as transphobia or anti-trans so at this point I weigh in with JJK above.
Reread the clue.
Like @Lewis, I had all the themers, tried to suss out what they had in common, and failed so I went ahead to the revealer where QUIDDITCH was an OK surprise. I read the first HP book a long time ago so the positions were at least a faint memory.
I hope @Nancy will chime in on ITSIN, which sounds wrong to me. IN! should be enough. Only other five-letter call I could think of would have been "fault", but that's the net judge. I think.
Didn't know Shrek lived in a SWAMP and how to spell TEENIE is always a tossup but otherwise no real problems.
OK Tuesday by me, LE. Liked Extracting some things I had relegated to the brain attic and remembered eventually, which is the good kind of trivia. Thanks for all the fun.
The evocative line “puzzles literally and figuratively giving me a lot of MEH lately” inspired me to come up with this backronym: ‘Mild Ectoplasmic Upheaving’, wherein residue of prior unpleasant hauntings leave a phlegmy slime at the back of the throat.
That is correct! The ONLY call or ruling from a tennis line judge is FAULT. Never, ever “it’s in.”
Technically, the clue says he GOT asked a lot of questions.
A few days ago, I finished my comment and [I thought] scrolled up to proofread when it suddenly disappeared from the screen. So, back to square one, repost, hit PUBLISH. Then checked later and found my comment posted twice. Grr! It’s rigged!! LOL.
I admire Carrie Preston, the actress who plays Elspeth, and loved her and The Good Wife. She is a bit quirky, but always nails every part I’ve ever seen her in. Fascinating information about the UFO museum. I had no idea.
Absolutely right, OFL. A real stinkerissimo.
Anonymous 7.38: A tennis line judge only calls "Fault" when a serve is out. For all other shots during the game, in-ness or out-ness is decided by a call of "Out".
@RP (and anyone else who never ate a single SWEET POTATO): You’re missing out on a tasty and very nutritious TREAT. Take a medium sweet potato, cut a slash in each side to release the steam. Microwave for about two minutes, flip over and repeat. Let it sit a minute before slicing in half and adding butter, salt and pepper. Great with grilled or sautéed salmon and a Caesar salad.
I read the first page of the first Harry Potter book In a bookshop back in 1997 and decided not for me. I also tried one of Rowling's adult detective books and was disappointed by the weak plotting. Still l agree that the works of writers or artists should not be judged by their views. In this connection l can cite the Talmud (finalized c. 500 CE) which tells of Rabbi Meir (c.
150 CE) who insisted on continuing to study with his former teacher, Elisha ben Abuya, a great Torah scholar who had become an outspoken heretic. When asked why he did so, Rabbi Meir replied: " l eat the inside of the pomegranate and then l throw away the rind." (Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Chagigah, 15b, redacted).
My only issue with TEENIE is that the yellow polka dot bikini is not "teenie," it's specifically "itsy-bitsy, teenie-weenie."
It seems crazy to me to have THREE repeat answers from a puzzle just two days ago (MEH, ABETS, OREO), right?
might not a "ruling" of "it's in" be made to end a disputed "call"
Well, this wasn't nearly as bad as that fairly recent puzzle based on some Japanese game, or was it a Korean game, where the entire grid was in the shape of whatever happens in that game and you haven't got a clue what anyone is talking about.
Even if you don't know zilch about QUIDDITCH -- and I don't -- you can do this puzzle anyway. And whatever QUIDDITCH is, it led here to long and colorful theme answers that I quite enjoyed. I'm just objecting on general principle to basing crossword puzzles on niche games that only a certain proportion of the solving public will know. But it didn't spoil this puzzle for me.
But wouldn't that be MEU?
I didn’t have the slightest idea WHAT this theme was supposed to be, and the revealer was no help AT ALL. Because of that, I find myself agreeing with most everything RP said this morning. Nevertheless, it did not stop me from completing this extremely easy Tuesday. So I’ll chalk it up to ONE of those subjects I don’t know because I don’t care and file it under QUIDDITCH happens. However I can’t say I’m a fan of building an entire puzzle around such a specialized niche of knowledge, and I sincerely hope it doesn’t become a trend.
Reb Hillel noted that with a pomegranate a larger concern is with the seeds. (No he didn't.)
My reactions frequently mirror yours, and today is no exception. Interesting that you use the same term (niche) that I did to describe precisely the same objection.
Haha, and I agree! I think the clue in the puzzle referencing a single sweet potato at Thanksgiving is what threw everyone.
Yes…that is what I MEANT to say!
They still do. I live in Charleston and it is bane of the Next Door Karens.
Of course, the risk of being shot by an annoyed or alarmed homeowner is not negligible around here …
Might not a "ruling" of "it's in" be made to end a dispute over a "call"?
Well stated and thoughtful first paragraph! Oh…the rest is good, too!
so you are.. hungry?
I was once on a game show. After winning the first round, I was offered a piece of body art anywhere I wanted it, or I could risk it all and go for a million bucks. I TOOKASHOTAT.
I once aspired to make a living doing oil paintings, but then I took an ARTTEST. ITSHOT that dream to smithereens. So I auditioned for a movie, but I didn't get DEPART.
A really ATTENTIONSEEKER will eventually spot some ions.
SITSKI got me thinking about things ending in "ski" which took me back to a device employed with much hilarity by our kids and their friends at parties (they were raised in a ski resort town). It was called a shot ski, and consisted of a ski with six or so shot glasses permanently glued to the top. At parties, they would fill all the shots and get six or so attendees to try to simultaneous tip the ski and drink the shots without spilling. Hilarity ensued.
I've gotta say that if you don't think Caitlin Clark's signature shot is a THREE, you haven't been watching 60 minutes or reading Sports Illustrated. Here's a headline from a Sports Illustrated publication called Women's Fastbreak: "Caitlin Clark Revealed Secret Behind Signature Logo 3-Point Shot." Many other examples are easy to find.
Didn't @Z. play QUIDDITCH a lot? Or is that ultimate I'm thinking of? I kind of agree with @Rex on the feel of this one, though I've seen (w)ERSE. Thanks, Lance Enfinger.u
Thought KIMCHI was spelled kmichi so that corner took far too long. Otherwise easy breezy Tuesday. Happy to be reminded of the Harry Potter books I loved reading them to my daughters when they were young. As for JK Rowling, I’m sympathetic to her point of view. Here’s her take: “The number of men who don't see women as fully human can be measured by their indifference to trans-identified males invading women's spaces. 'What's the harm?' they shrug. 'Who's it hurting?'
Women. It's hurting women. And the essence of misogyny is thinking that doesn't count.”
Clark's signature shot is a LOGO three, though. That's what was annoying about that clue.
Harry Potter es numero uno!
Delightful puzzle reminding me of those wonderful movies and their crackpot billionaire author. Still challenging for me to understand how the creator of those wildly best-selling books is now also the demon-woman of bathroom politics. This world we live in is needlessly unpleasant sometimes. I am sure we'll have plenty of Potter-bashing today, but I love the movies and the books were fun. We're still doing Chaucer as of yesterday, so I suppose we can drag other "old books" into the house today.
Despite the gunk, the whole puzzle was engaging and plenty crunchy for me. And finally, a bit of humor in a puzzle.
Here's where my problems begin. I am Irish. I like potatoes. I would eat a potato at every meal if I could, but my body already looks like I do. Somewhere along the line, somebody got it in their head that sweet potatoes are potatoes, and created a sweet potato~potato equivalency. They're not. Potatoes good. Sweet potatoes bad. I am not trying one more sweet potato anything when a perfectly acceptable normal and regular potato option is available. Popular Thanksgiving item ... bah ... regular mashed potatoes are in the next bowl. Get those and pass the orange gloop along to the pro-yammers.
Wow. I've already forgotten Caitlin Clark so "shot" I assumed was a photo and THREE would not fit in my brain.
❤️ GET IT?
😫 ART TEST. It's not AHA, it's OHO.
Propers: 10 (sigh)
Places: 2
Products: 6
Partials: 5
Foreignisms: 2
--
Gary's Grid Gunk Gauge: 25 of 76 (33%)
Funnyisms: 6 😅
Tee-Hee: TEENIE. REAR. IT'S HOT.
Uniclues:
1 Where to find your honey at the beach.
2 Ali on ale.
3 Why a photographer is strapped into an upside-down car in Kansas.
4 When deer fly on brooms.
5 Topless plumber attire.
1 BEEKEEPER YACHT
2 LIT WORLD BEATER
3 STORM CHASER HIT
4 BAMBI QUIDDITCH
5 AIR-DRANO SHIRT
My Fascinating Crossword Uniclue Keepsake from Last Year: My garage. SUPER DUPER JUNK DRAWER.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Tough one for me as I know almost nothing about QUIDDITCH including how to spell it.
Most costly erasures: BarbQ before BIRTH and SpoRT before SHIRT
I also did not know SWAMP.
Not a fan of the theme but there were a couple of nice long downs. I’m with @Rex on this one.
I reckon if U are a big Harry Potter fan, this puztheme would be pretty hugely cool. M&A has tried to watch lotsa Harry Potter flicks over the years, but has oddly always fallen almost immediately into a deep sleep, so my knowledge is suitably fuzzy. Have heard somewhere of this quidditch game, in name only. The details of it are a total mystery to m&e, tho.
Seems like I do have this real fuzzy image of quidditch players ridin on brooms, or mops, or somesuch ...?
[Wish I could fuzz-out my Vikings' wildcard game from last night, tho.]
soooo .... this puztheme was a bit hard on the precious nanoseconds, as it played mostly as a themeless puz.
Enjoyed the solvequest ok, as such.
staff weeject pick: MEH. Possible M&A comment about Harry Potter tales. Along with his regular comment during HP flicks: "ga-grunkff ... Huh? Where am I? What happened?" har
some faves included: WHATATREAT. ALEXTREBEC. TOOKASHOTAT. The ?-marker clues [especially for ARTTEST and BEEKEEPER]. GEL clue.
Thanx, Mr. Enfinger dude. Sorry I fell asleep, altho not during yer puz's solvequest experience.
Masked & Anonymo2Us
... and, not to be outdone on fuzziness ...
"Desperate Word Square #154" - 7x7 12 min. desperate runt puzzle:
**gruntz**
M&A
Haha, at Egs…@Z played a lot of Ultimate and coincidentally he dropped me a line a few days ago and he came out of “teacher retirement” to work for the Ultimate organization. He asked how “the old guard” was doing. He cancelled the NYT and doesn’t do the NYT but you MIGHT see him comment on the New Yorker puzzle on “the other blog site.” I do too many types puzzles to busy myself with even more Puzzles OR blogs so….
You can’t play Quidditch unless you can fly on a broom. It’s a fictional game.
Hmmm. In that situation seems like it would be…”It was in”. I can see a color commentator look at the Rolex computer thingie and exclaim, ITSIN though.
I see nothing wrong at all with including Harry Potter. We see TOTO all the time and no one questions that. Same thing as far as I am concerned. We have a Korean BBQ restaurant near us that actually is named KIMCHI . 1A I was thinking "fault" so that slowed the whole thing down from the get-go. Never really heard the term WORLDBEATER , turn me off as it is awful close to "wifebeater". I had TOOKAchance before TOOKASHOTAT. Medium for a Tuesday.
According to Rex, in caps is yelling in this day and age even if you just cap one word. I reluctantly ascribe (now) to the idea that a message in all caps is yelling, but in writing on this blog (with my iPad) changing font to italics and bold are not an option, so I will put a word in caps for emphasis. Ah…this 21st century!
I’m from Canada and I put “flyer” as the answer to handbill. I guess I could have double checked the spelling Mia (Mya) Hamm
p.s. @RP: thUmbswayUp for your “Bringing Up Baby” flick nod. An M&A fave.
M&Also
A few interesting combinations today (in addition to those noted by Lewis, above). Caitlin's THREE crossed by ARC and WHAT A TREAT. BRR crossed by SHIRT. (Put it the hell on and stop complaining!) ROSA crossed by REAR (she refused!). BIRTH next to (overturned) ROE. ALEX TREBEK crossed by DEPART. And, of course, the cross of 3D with 40A, referencing the great SWEET POTATO HOAX. (Alright, I made that last one up. So what?)
Rex, you surprised the heck out of me with your last word on JKR. I assumed you'd be saying she invented transphobia and is the sole proponent of it forever. But you actually figured out some nuances in there and realized the misogyny of casting her as the devil when she's not making any policy whatsoever and barely any women are, straight, cis, white or otherwise. It's conservative dudes up and down the line. I had this blog all cued up to hate-read your inevitable rant when I solved this puzzle last night, but you proved me wrong.
@Rex...your art test descriptor had me laughing...I probably would've picked the Pirate....I'd make him smile and flunk the test. Speaking of...I had to take an ART TEST in order to get into Bellas Artes at the University of Madrid. Students spent years perfecting charcoal at some private institute in order to "get in." Looking back now, it's comical. About 500 of us were jammed in a tiny room charcoaling a statute of David. We had about 3 days to complete the deed. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE CHARCOALS LOOKED ALIKE. Then a panel of 3 judges (old men with gray beards that looked like Gandolf (sp?) would stare for hours at all of our hard work laid out on the floor and decide who'd get in to the school. Guess who failed?
@Dr. A. I agree with you about calling a misbehaved child a BRAT. I've only used that word to describe an adult yelling at a McDonald's cashier because the person wanted more ketchup.
@Barbara S. Always enjoy your posts. I'm glad you're back!
Oh...The puzzle. It was fine. I never read the books but all of us watched the Harry Potter series on TV. I thought it was clever and entertaining. I have no opinion about Rowling because I don't know her. She might be an interesting person to sit down and have a crumpet with. I think @Beezer said it best.
I could make up a story about OLE BRAT ROSA and her STORM CHASER episode with CHE.
I think it's better to measure "seeing women as human" by material support for feminist causes than by culture war signalling. In that light, it seems clearly false to suppose that anti-trans views correlate with support for women's causes. Things like pro-choice, EDI, responses to the gender pay gap, tend to be supported by the same wokistas who support trans rights.
I'm with @jae 11:21 in finding the puzzle tough, except that I know all about Harry Potter and QUIDDITCH. I had a hard time at the start, not knowing enough about line judges, Shrek, and Caitlin Clark, and hampered elsewhere by just plain dullness ("Is there really a 4-letter word that ends in -AX?"). I thought the theme answers and long Downs were a TREAT, although I also questioned the singular SWEET POTATO.
My reaction to ART TEST was "Really?" This site was helpful in explaining it as part of a job application for video game developers.
Not knowing ONE thing about Harry Potter and/or QUIDDITCH, I guess I was lucky to finish this as a themeless.
I agree. Pretty much every player shoots threes these days. What is "signature" about Clark's favorite shot is that it's a bomb launched from the vicinity of the center-court logo.
Yeah that 1 across clue is very odd... the line judges remain silent if the ball is in. Also, a lot of ITs today: ITS IN, ITS HOT, GET IT.
Until I came here I didn't realize QUIDDITCH was a Harry Potter thing. Those stories, and fantasy in general, just not my thing.
Barbara S: thanks for the review of the UFO center. I would like to see that... too bad it's 3000 miles away from me.
So in the meantime, Jacke, female inmates are being raped by biological males who suddenly chose to identify as female and were placed in women's prison facilities. And more and more children are convinced by their interaction on social media that their confusion/frustration during the onset of puberty stems from being "born into the wrong body". So they decide they need drugs to stifle natural hormonal growth, followed by irreversible surgeries. But everyone should be OK with that because hey, we're pushing for equal pay.
Yes to all of this, including the outdated, boring and TERF-adjacent nature of the theme. My biggest complaint was with "world beater." Is this a common phrase that I have simply missed entirely? I consider myself a pretty knowledgable sports fan, and this clue really had me confused because I refused to consider that this was areal expression for an "absolute champion." "world's best," sure, "world record" also makes sense, but "beater"? No. Made up nonsense just to get the quidditch position inserted into the puzzle.
It's specifically not his last word, he's quoting a (trans!) woman from a video that's almost two years old. While she (JKR) is not directly making policy decisions, she throws a lot of money around and she has said that she sees continued support of HP as approval of her views.
Correct characterisation of Rowling's position, and she embraces it happily.
My opinion is that this is a remarkably simplistic and privileged take! How do humans maintain a society if no one expresses anything?
big groan on the theme today. worst themer was "world beater"
"Rex", I don't know how I could discuss a crossword without getting your bitchy commentary telling me what I should think about every political/moral issue of the day. And you're never wrong! You should never question your own preconceived ideas or reflexively held positions, because you're always right. Congrats!
I loved the first four theme answers. But the record scratched with the fifth QUIDDITCH. Not that I didn't know what this fictional game was, but it just seemed tired, passé, insular. I had a hard time with the NE corner. To me, WHATATREAT didn't feel right given the clue "I like this so much," and maybe it's because I can picture myself saying "what a treat!" but not "I like this so much." Why? No idea really, just is. Anyways, I wouldn't mind never seeing a HP-themed puzzle again.
The line judge who said "it's in" would be quickly fired since talking during the point is severely frowned upon and would likely result in a "let" (replayed point). So this answer is wrong.
30D, “A TV host who gets asked a lot of questions”. I had the A, and being 67, I typed in “Art Fleming.” He and “Alex Trebek” are both 10 letters and start with ‘a”. Still a kealoa?
Your potato part cracked me up! I believe I was well into my 50s before I decided actual sweet potatoes (NOT yams) could actually be in the category of “somewhat enjoyable” if they are NOT coated with additional sugary glop. Still. This just means I will take a polite portion as a guest rather than a teaspoon of sugary glop potatoes (or come up with a fake health reason) for passing on it.
Dr.A - It's almost like JK Rowling didn't bother to read and absorb the message of her own books. But the evidence of her intolerance lack of understanding was all there in the books. She clearly has a major and undisguised hatred of overweight people, and her efforts at including racially diverse characters in the books were no better than a series of silly stock characters that were just prototypes. Rowling led the world to believe that she identified most with Harry or Dumbeldore, but, in my personal opinion, the character that she most resembles is Petunia Dursley. Rowling is a nosy, intolerant busybody who sticks her nose into other people's business and who is more than happy to hurt people who she sees as less than her. JKR is, quite simply, a horrible, unhappy person who projects her unhappiness onto the world.
@Rex I don't remember you ever grouching about Wizard of Oz references being out of date.
The Harry Potter books are just as timeless and universally loved and in my opinion better.
I don't know where you and many commenters read all that stuff about JKRowling's bias, but you might be happier if you just didn't. Who cares what sheathings ( Tho it does seem out of whack with the books which are all about making the choice to be good, and even overcoming biases)
Barbara S 5:59 writes a very sensible paragraph re art being separate from the artist. I am sure, without being able to name any particular one, that I've learned lamentable things about the character of many great writers and other artists.
Looking back at the puzzle, I see 17A"One in charge of a sting operation?" I found that an amusing misdirect for beekeeper.
I did put a frowny face by 43A ...drawing lots/art test.
Unlike Rex's rant, I thought 7D was clever. At first I was thinking of the mutant's own costume - but for kids going out on Halloween, a shell is a prominent part of the costume.
lolllllllll. Best exchange ever.
Whenever I hear ding dong ditch come up I think back to my days in South Florida-- "In Boca Raton in 2003, 16-year-old Mark Drewes was shot and killed by Jay Levin after Levin was pranked at his home. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter."
Totally agree on refusing to hate. Never read Harry Potter, so the revealer meant nothing to me, and couldn't care less what JKR thinks. Great QBS clue got me QUIDDITCH.
@egs - That would be ultimate. But, just because I know these things, Quidditch changed its name to Quadball, mostly because of what Rex mentioned.
I don't do the NYTX anymore for reasons, but I do do the AVCX crosswords and their revised editorial policy is a big reason why. If you do not subscribe and email me (politely) I'll forward the policy to you.
FYI - I just came by to share the policy for those interested. Since I have nothing to say about the puzzle I won't be checking back in. I do think one of my emails is clickable on my profile if you are just dying to say hello and you don't already have my email.
@beezer - if my attempts at bolding those two terms worked (it used to, but I see Blogger has had some upgrades since I was here last so who knows) I will share the secret with you.
Actually tennis linepeople have two things they yell out: “fault” (if a serve is missed long or wide), or “out” if a non-serve shot is missed long or wide. These two words are the ONLY two words they will ever utter.
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