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Relative difficulty: Easy
Theme answers:
- MARKET WATCH (23A: Fashion item for an aspiring grocer?)
- KID GLOVES (25A: ... for an aspiring nanny?)
- DIGITAL SHORTS (34A: ... for an aspiring manicurist?)
- DUST JACKET (50A: ... for an aspiring housekeeper?)
- VENTURE CAP (81A: ... for an aspiring travel agent?)
- STEAMER TRUNKS (96A: ... for an aspiring dry cleaner?)
- WINDSOCKS (110A: ... for an aspiring flutist?)
- SHOT GLASSES (112A: ... for an aspiring photographer?)
Elissa Blair Slotkin (/ˈslɒtkɪn/ SLOT-kin; born July 10, 1976) is an American politician and former Department of Defense official serving since 2025 as the junior United States senator from Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2025.Slotkin was a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst and Department of Defense official, ending her career there as the acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. In 2018, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district.
Slotkin was elected to the Senate in 2024, defeating Republican nominee Mike Rogers in a close race. She became the second female senator from Michigan after Debbie Stabenow. She is expected to become Michigan's senior senator when Gary Peters retires in 2027. (wikipedia)
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| [VC] |
The fill in this puzzle was threatening to be tragic early on. DUAD INRE REPOT, all in quick succession? I mean ... DUAD? I keep looking at it and hoping it will start to look more word-like. No dice. I know the word DUET, and the word DYAD, but DUAD ... woof. Woof and oof. And then to call it back with the not-as-bad but still-pretty-bad OCTAD? Wincing all around. But outside of that N/NW area, things aren't nearly so bad, even if the fill does occasionally go off the rails. "I DO CARE"? The clue suggests "I CARE" (35D: "It's truly important to me"). The "DO" part ... hurts. Just a made-up phrase, for which the clue does not provide adequate context. It sounds like someone protesting, someone denying an accusation of non-caring. "I DO CARE!" But the clue can't even be bothered to make the answer seem plausible. But then there are parts of this puzzle I really enjoyed. The clue on ICE TRAYS, for instance (3D: Freeze frames?). Or the phrases GET EVEN, NOT FUNNY, STOP AND GO. I like GOOD EATS alright, but I gotta believe it was originally clued as the popular and long-running Alton Brown cooking show of the same name. I'm not sure I'd know the phrase otherwise. The "?" clue here (61D: Super food?) is kind of weak, since it's basically just a synonym swap, i.e. "Super" = GOOD and "food" = EATS.
Not many trouble spots today, once I got going. The DUAD (dyad?) / OCTAD (octet?) bit held me up a bit. I wrote in PRAT instead of ARSE, so that was kinda funny (21A: Birmingham bum). Looks like PRAT means "buttocks" only in America; in Britain, it means "a foolish or silly person." For some reason, I thought "BE WARY!" sounded like a good equivalent of 70D: "Watch your back!" ("BEWARE!"). This meant that my TRUNKS were very nearly STEAMY instead of STEAMER. As far as I can tell, I had no other errors or significant struggles. The puzzle is light on names, and the ones that are there, I knew, including the Michigan senator (I'm usually quite bad at remembering congresspeople's names, but ELISSA Slotkin's name comes across my feed a lot for some reason) (see "Word of the Day," above).
Bullets:
- 40A: Outmoded component of a car's dashboard (CD DRIVE) — Our car is a 2016 model and it has an in-dash CD player but never ever not once in our lives have we or anyone we know called it a CD DRIVE. "Drives" are exclusively a computer thing. It's a CD player. That's what it's called. That is all that it's called.
- 5A: One might be used for stepping up or sitting down (STOOL) — had the "ST-" and wrote in STAIR. I mean, it's true. You might sit on a STAIR. That is, you could. I have. But yeah, you're probably more likely to sit on a stool, assuming there's one available, and since "step stool" also exists, STOOL is the better answer here, I concede.
- 14A: "Let's go, guys!" ("C'MON!") — me: "I'M IN!" I guess I made more initial mistakes than I thought.
- 90A: Like contact lenses for astigmatism (TORIC) — I wore contacts for a brief period of my life, and one of them was TORIC, so this was an easy one for me, but I can see its being tougher for people who have never heard of such a thing.
- 9D: "Hanukkah in Santa Monica" songwriter Tom (LEHRER) — a popular comic songwriter in the 20th century. He died only just last year (age 97). He wrote a lot of satirical political songs. He was also a professor of both mathematics and musical theater. Talented guy. I remember him from this Simpsons parody (which is also a parody of Mark Russell, another topical comedic songwriter).
- 37D: Standing eau? (LAC) — punning on the phrase "standing O" (or "standing ovation). "Eau" is French "water," LAC is French "lake." You probably don't need this explained but just in case, there you go.
- 51D: "___ Dreams of Sushi" (acclaimed 2011 documentary) ("JIRO") — when I said I knew the names today, I wasn't kidding. I've seen this movie. Took me a few beats to remember the guy's name, but it came to me. There was a lag, though. I had a similar lag yesterday doing one of the many non-NYT puzzles in my puzzle backlog. The clue involved a Barenaked Ladies song in which the title name was followed (repeatedly) by the line "We never really knew each other anyway." I know this song really well, but for Whatever Reason, the name dropped out of my brain entirely. I could sing verses of the song verbatim, but the actual name of the song, the name that gets repeated over and over—poof, gone. I knew it was two syllables, stress on the second syllable. TINA? LENA? GINA? TITO? JIRO? What the hell was it? So annoying to know something cold and yet not know it at all. Ironically, the name turned out to be a very crosswordy name—it's just that usually it's clued as a city in Oklahoma.
- 57D: PubMed org. (NIH) — had no idea what PubMed is but it sounds ... medical ... and NIH = National Institutes of Health, so I got there.
- 65D: Name tags? (AT SIGNS) — when you "tag" someone on social media, you "at" them (i.e. include their handle preceded by an "@" so they'll get a notification that lets them know you're talking about them).
- 104D: Pod in Creole cooking (OKRA) — ORCA POD is already in the grid, so seeing "Pod" again was slightly jarring. Orca are not used in Creole cooking. You do not eat the Orca. Orca eat you (not really true, but they will smash your yacht!)
That's all for today. See you next time.
P.S. Cheers to the Boston Globe for featuring the crossword term "Natick" on its puzzle page earlier this month. Since I coined the term ("shorthand for an unguessable cross, esp. where the cross involves two proper nouns, neither of which is exceedingly well known"), it was a great honor ... but also a great insult, as they couldn't be bothered to credit me by name and instead referred to me as just "one reviewer." There were only two "reviewers" on the planet back then (2008)! "One reviewer"!? Come on, there are fewer letters in "Rex Parker” than there are in “one reviewer “! They also kind of misdefine the term (see below). Sigh. I can't help but feel like someone from Natick works at the Globe and is getting revenge for my sullying their town name. Anyway, the term will live on, even if my name won't, and that's OK.
[Follow Rex Parker on BlueSky and Facebook and Letterboxd]
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ReplyDeleteEasy. Basically a large Tuesday puzzle. All the theme answers went in easily from crosses, without reading the clues.
* * _ _ _
Overwrites:
My 4x2D at 29D was an OCTet before it was an OCTAD.
I had mer for the 37D standing eau before LAC.
I thought Córdoba might be in Spain, so 62A was ESP before it was ARG.
Wanted INK blot before MARK for the 64D pen stain
I had the U from YULES at 74A and without thinking put in aUg for the end of Q2 (JUN).
TITre before TITER for the 118A solution strength.
WOEs:
The documentary JIRO Dreams of Sushi at 51D.
Didn't remember Senator ELISSA Slotkin (97D).
I had a little trouble with the "outmoded" part of 40A. My 2025 Subaru came with a CD Drive ... er, player (which I've used once, to make sure it works).
Cordoba is in Spain, as well as Argentina, so that one was tricky.
DeleteAgreed with Rex on this one. A lot of pseudo-phrases. The worst pitfall was JIRO crossing ARG. That R was killer. Not only did I have 'esp' for a long time, I had no idea that there is a Córdoba in Argentina. And without knowing the film, the 'r' could be any consonant.
ReplyDeletePretty meh but for a Sunday I’ll take it.
ReplyDeleteI thought OFL would give kid gloves a pass since it’s meant as a metaphor anyway in common usage.
Agree. I had no idea it had that origin - I only know the metaphor
DeleteYou're absolutely correct about the CD DRIVE/player confusion. If the device can only read encoded audio (termed Red Book) and not ordinary digital data (termed Yellow Book), it should not be called a drive. It is simply a player of the audio data.
ReplyDeleteCannot get past the fact that donuts are FRIED, not BAKED.
ReplyDeleteThey can be both. Cake donuts are baked.
DeleteMe too Theo! Being fried is literally the DEFINITION of a doughnut. Per OED:
DeleteA small cake made of FRIED dough, usually in the shape of a ring or round and filled with jam, fruit, cream, or other sweet fillings
They could have BAKED literally anything else in that clue. Why a donut??
Mechanic?
ReplyDeletePsychotherapist?
AUTO MUFFLER
FREUDIAN SLIP
ooh, Lewis, those are .... *MWAH*!
DeleteHuh, TIL the ‘kid’ in kid gloves isn’t synonymous with ‘child’
ReplyDeleteOriginal, fun, witty theme, no?
ReplyDeleteFor me, it was also one of those lovely themes that helped the solve – and I’m guessing I’m not alone – because soon enough it was clear that the first word of the theme answer had to do with the occupation in its clue, and the second word was an article of clothing. That brought the answer closer to reach.
Furthermore, whichever word of the theme answer you got first, it became an additional clue for the second word, so you could get two aha-bursts instead of the usual one, double the pleasure.
The theme also tripped off for me the engaging game of trying to think of more theme answers.
Outside the theme, I loved uncovering the beautiful word SAUNTER. I adored seeing a backward OY OY crossing AWRY. And I think ACUNIT should become a new word meaning “a pointed barb”.
So, Rebecca, your puzzle got my brain happy and my soul smiling, for which I’m eminently grateful. Thank you!
Yes! I agree. Thought it was hard at first but then things fell into place. Terrific!
DeleteA cold and rainy Sunday morning filled with clothes puns - what could be more rewarding. The “let it be over” vibe hit me quickly - at least the grid was fill in the blanks level easy. The spanning revealer dead center is the highlight.
ReplyDeleteTom Traubert’s Blues
Rex nails it today - puns fail miserably when they don’t go big - these barely take a swing at it. DUST JACKET, VENTURE CAP - I get the dual level approach but it’s not funny or entertaining - and the grid is loaded with it. Small nit - KID GLOVES are an actual thing.
Spanish Castle Magic
Rex covers the awkward CD DRIVE. I liked MAVERICK and ORCA POD. The rest is mid level stuff that was mindless.
I MISS YOU
Sundays haven’t been great for some time now - but this one was rough. At best the concept should have been pared down in a midweek grid.
It’s NOT FUNNY Anymore
Agree this could have been better on a weekday
DeleteHey Rex, could it be possible that your pseudonym is as unfamiliar to the readers of the Boston Globe as Natick is to us?!
DeleteThis is why you credit him. Fame has nothing to do w/ whether you get credited. If you know the name of the person who did the thing you’re talking about, you credit them. What a weird comment.
DeleteSun Volt: when I saw "I miss you" I assumed you were going with blink 182
DeleteAren't donuts also a maneuver you can do on a bicycle or motorcycle? I thought so, anyway, so I had BiKED before BAKED. And of course @Theo, they should be fried, but I think there are baked versions for people who think fried food is unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteAs for KID GLOVES, I'm willing, but only just barely, to give it some slack as metaphor vs. real thing. But it's not very elegant. I can't think of a 9-letter alternative, though.
This is the first Sunday I've solved in over a year; now that I am solving online, it's less tedious than doing it on paper, so I may try another one.
I had no idea who Jamie FARR was, so I looked him up. Corporal Klinger! My wife and I binge-watched M.A.S.H. last year; the names of the cast drift across the screen, but with no identification of who is who. I think I vaguely remembered FARR, but without the confidence to look him up; and he was crossing VENTURE CAP, which took me a long time to understand. I finally decided FARR was more plausible than FARo, and tada!
FWIW I took the kid gloves to mean handle with delicate care, not the literal gloves themselves (though it’s where the phrase originated.)
ReplyDeleteThis is where my mind also went. Knowing that kid gloves are literal gloves made from goat hide is a little too esoteric to be what the creator was going for IMO
DeleteHey All !
ReplyDeleteLOL, Rex! You can't win 'em all!
Nice puz idea. Interesting Blocker pattern. Still only have 78 of them, but yet there are 10 Cheaters. So technically 68 that are effective, thereby increasing the space for entries. Only a couple of spots of narrowness, otherwise a pretty whoosy flow to the grid.
Fairly junk-lite grid. The F respect continues in this puz. Epic Fri-Sat-Sun F run. I guess my pleas have been heard. 😁
Had an error, though. STOOp for STOOL, getting me the mysterious Tom pEHRER. Just thought he was another person I hadn't heard of. STOOp a very valid answer for that clue.
Liked it, Rebecca. Was Easy here, which is also nice to the ole brain. Gotta try to keep that thing ticking for as long as possible!
Hope y'all have a great Sunday!
Seven F's
RooMonster
DarrinV
I enjoy these kinds of puzzles. They’re easy and fun to solve.When I filled in macaron, I thought it was a variation of macaroon. After I completed the puzzle, I saw that they are not the same. The first and last time I ate a macaron, the cookie was so darn sweet, I thought my teeth would fall out. As for the puzzle, I want more like this one.🎈🎈🎊🎊
ReplyDeleteBAKED doughnuts? BAKED???
ReplyDeleteWhat fresh hell is this
The worst thing about the Globe's Natick reference is that they don't even define it properly! It's about crossing proper nouns with a therefore uninferable letter. I grew up 5 miles from Natick, so I will never get Naticked by Natick, but.... anyhoo. 22 minutes for me last night. I enjoyed it but agree that only a few of the themers and the revealer really stick the landing. Enjoyed seeing NOTFUNNY, STOPANDGO, MAVERICK, and CLOSERACE in the grid today. Too bad the Boston Marathon wasn't too close this year.... but they did set a record! Thanks, Rebecca, for a punny Sunday! : )
ReplyDeleteIt’s VC or Venture Capital. There’s no such thing as Venture Cap.
ReplyDeleteWow, was that a cameo appearance by Alex Guarnaschelli in the GOOD EATS clip? Pretty cool. And the Boston Globe short-changed Rex? Not so cool, but we know that he’s deserving. Go Yankees !
ReplyDeleteI thought Rebecca gave us plenty to work with, so YIRO, TATAMI and the other few WoE’s were tolerable. The outlier in the theme answers for me was STEAMER TRUNKS, which I vaguely remember as being a thing. I’m older than dirt, so you have to really reach back to come up with something that my grandparents might have utilized. How about it - do any of you out there in Rex Nation still own a STEAMER TRUNK ?
A bit of a head scratcher for me is referencing Somerset in the EDT clue. Aren’t there probably a dozen Somerset’s strewn about the U.S. (and England) ? Is one more, or the most, famous? Fortunately, that cluing convention is utilized frequently, so the crosses did the trick.
Also older than dirt as I took one to college. However, we bought an ancient Louis Vuitton locked steamer trunk complete with travel stickers about 30 years ago. . It contained some Indian shawls. We use it as a coffee table and hus a steamer trunk is alive and well at our house!
DeleteSJ: It's long gone from deterioration now, but we had a steamer trunk in 1973 to transport belongings, via ship, from the U.S. to Belgium for an eventual two year stay (chemistry post-doc).
DeleteSouthside Johnny. I used to watch lots of Food Network TV back when it was about food. Good Eats was one of the best. Alton Brown explained the hows and whys in a very entertaining way. Now it's all about competitions and I can't stand it.
DeleteAs for STEAMER TRUNKs, I have two. One is a standard model designed to be stashed under a bed in your berth. It dates to the 1920s and arrived in Canada with my wife's paternal grandparents. There other is of military origin and lies flat for transport but, upon arrival at its destination, it is stood up and opened to act as a mobile closet. About 5 feet high with shelves and drawers and a rod with hangers. Allen, my wife's maternal grandfather was a Major in the first World War and a Colonel in the second. When he had to relocate his aide would pack all his uniforms neatly inside and arrange transport. Today both these trunks are filled with costume stuff and are hauled out when there are lots of kids coming for special holiday dinners.
This is the germ from which the way over-done "fake news" comes from...
ReplyDeleteI suppose it would take longer to explain Rex Parker to an audience that doesn't already know him, but they also missed the important part of the term by ignoring the cross.
Very easy, almost no hold ups, and it was kind of fun to guess what the themers were with not so many letters.
Agree that this puzzle was solidly in the meh zone (I was looking for another word for "meh" because it feels like it's time to retire that expression, just like it's time for bros to stop yelling LET'S GOOOO when they get excited about something. Help us out Gen Alpha).
ReplyDeletePuzzle was again too easy, and this one felt a little phoned in. I initially thought BAKED for the doughnut clue but left it blank because most are deep fried. I think that's reason enough to rethink the clue, even if technically you can bake a doughnut.
19:41. Didn't even finish my coffee.
Easy-Medium, perhaps, a shade closer to Medium than Easy, I estimate. I was happy to see Rebecca's name and mostly enjoyed the solve, with just a few nits. Chief among them that 21 Across bummed me out, as it always does. (I know, I know, I should be used to this by now. Never!) Too OFT do I find nasty BUTTS IN the NYT. VENTURE CAP didn't gladden my heart either. Once I GET PAST those, my complaints drop precipitously. I suppose I like neither "I CARE" NOR "I DO CARE" all that much, because they're on the verge of syrupy insincerity -- but I don't consider that Ms. Goldstein's fault.
ReplyDeleteI'm inclined to grant clemency to KID GLOVES (since this is almost always used in the metaphorical sense), although Rex has a point.
BAKED, fried: if it's TORIC in shape, then it's a doughnut (or donut). I've never seen TORIC used as clued. Color me intrigued.
As I am by JIRO. I'm guessing that's a Japanese name based on the clue. I've never seen it. The closest I've come is the Czech name Jiří.
I don't know why I've taken a liking to the initialism EVOO, but I do.
I can't think of a thing FARR has done besides his stint as Corporal Klinger. He got on the Walk of Fame for that?!
DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT. Not sure what the practical advice is supposed to be. I always just put on a suit (slacks, button-down shirt, tie, JACKET, never TAP SHOEs), as a matter of course, for any career job interview, but beyond that, I don't know how else I should have tailored my attire to the occasion.
Okay, I'll see you all around.
IMHO, when supporting actors create and sustain truly iconic characters in truly classic television, as Jamie Farr did, their work here is done, and they’ve earned their lasting plaudits and audience’s affection. Don’t have to top themselves, or fall prey to that “yeah, yeah, but what have you done lately” Hollywood hustle.
Deletetht. I use EVOO when I'm making up my shopping list because it's so much shorter than the actual term, but I always cringe when I do. Why? Because it is an initialism popularized by Rachael Ray, the most insufferably cheery-cutesy food show host ever. Gag inducing.
DeleteGot DRESS FOR THE JOB YOU WANT off just 3 widely separated letters. Don't know exactly why. Don't like it. It's just too simple. While I agree with you about dressing appropriately, sometimes it doesn't matter. I worked in a newsroom for about 20 years and if you ever want to see a badly dressed workforce, that's where you'll find it. But there were some brilliant minds at work there. (I was considered pretty snappy because I would arrive at my desk - in the graphics pit - in a sports coat, fedora, paisley scarf, hand-made shoes, and brilliant blue socks with yellow polka dots. And jeans, yeah, good old Levis, cuz I didn't want to look too posh.)
Venture cap is slightly redeemed by the inclusion of the full word capital if you go down pita and start across alps. Of course, there’s no context for that in the theme, but it seems like an admission of guilt from the puzzle constructor- “alright alright I know venture cap is not a thing but let’s allow it for the sake of the them and here’s the full word capital for you sticklers”
ReplyDelete...for an aspiring spy?
ReplyDelete...for an aspiring seminarian?
...for an aspiring boxer?
Shadow boxers
Bible Belt
Fist pumps
I was very inconsistent while learning Morse Code. One day I'd ACEDIT and fail dah. The next day, I'd ace dah.
Instead of pulling in the driveway I'll often leave MACARON the street.
Is BUTTSIN mortal or venal?
I think women are the best diarists. TAKENIN for example. Just read the DUSTJACKET and you'll be hooked.
SOFAR FARR is as close to a dupe as I've found in this puzzle, which is a work of art about the art of work. Thanks, Rebecca Goldstein.
Brought your A game today! Love TAKENIN.
DeleteExcept for LAC & JIRO I liked this a lot especially 90D TAP SHOE. I flew through it & had to tell myself to slow down or else I'll be looking for typos. Or maybe I was just relieved it wasn't a rebus.
ReplyDeleteI think Rex was a bit harsh on Rebecca but he's the boss,
Thank you Rebecca for a fast, enjoyable & doable Sunday :)
What does DIGITAL (from DIGITAL SHORTS) have to do with being a MANICURIST? All other themes made some sense, but I can’t wrap my head around this one.
ReplyDeleteIt's common knowledge that manicurists prefer digital to analog.
DeleteFingers? Toes? Digits.
DeleteThe last letter in was the V in VENTURE CAP, and I immediately thought, “Ugh. I bet Rex will lead with this today.”
ReplyDeleteThought this one was an OK puzzle. Had many concerns same as @Rex and others earlier in this blog. My “stepping” started with STOne, morphed to STOOp, and finally to STOOL. Like @SouthsideJohnny had problem with the geography of Somerset. KIDGLOVES is a real thing but also an idiomatic expression so gave that a pass, especially because it was so easy to get. Cordoba provided another geographic problem that I resolved only after looking up JIRO, a complete unknown to me.
ReplyDeleteEasy. Mostly whooshed through this one except for the NE which took a bit of staring. CDDRIVE didn’t come easily (I have cassette players in both of my last century cars) nor did LEGEND.
ReplyDeleteCostly erasure - BUsTSIN before BUTTSIN.
Breezy and a mildly amusing fun solve, liked it more than @Rex did.
This one took me back to when I started solving Sunday crosswords, which was, (checks calendar), a lot of years ago. I'm willing to have an nice easy Sunday and hope it encourages new solvers to get into our pastime. Got to start somewhere.
ReplyDeleteSo the puns were not all five-star? Didn't care. I'm not at all sure what DIGITALSHORTS are and will never be into things like VENTURECAP, but the others were good for at least a smile.
I think OFL gave short shrift to the great Tom LEHRER. Any of you kids who are unfamiliar with him are missing out on something really special.
Very few no-knows. JIRO and TORIC as clued were about it. I had a girl on my sixth grade soccer team who told' me her name was ELISSA and I asked her where the M went and she found that funny and we're still friends.
I did enjoy the SE corner with ESTA, NADA , and SRA. Muy bien.
Thanks for a very pleasant Sunday outing, RG. Remembering Good times from years past made my morning, and thanks for all the fun.
I thought the theme answers were all well chosen except for VENTURE CAP. I Googled that phrase and got the "showing venture capital" and even after I chose the option, "show venture cap instead?", it only showed hits for venture capital. I tried it a second time and it showed me e-tail opportunities to buy a baseball-style cap called a venture cap. So I guess it's a thing? But that means that theme answer doesn't change its meaning to match the theme.
ReplyDeleteI did miss punny wordplay in the grid; it was clued very straightforwardly, for the most part. Looking for the non-theme clues with ?'s, only 33D Freeze frames? = ICE TRAYS was in the least unexpected.
Luckily, I used my random-solving platform so the puzzle never became a slog. I didn't have any funny missteps so you all are spared from hearing about them.
Thanks, Rebecca Goldstein!
Well, I liked WIND SOCKS, STEAMER TRUNKS, and SHOT GLASSES, for me the ones highest in WIT, definitely worth a smile, if not at the ROFL level.
ReplyDeleteAlmost do-over: for "Works on a cone," I was thinking "preparing" and hoped for "paCKS." Favorite clue-answer pair: Tawdry - sordid. Resisted until I couldn't anymore: BAKED doughnuts. C'MON!
It's fitting (pun intended) for Jamie FARR to appear in a crossword puzzle devoted to dressing: conjures up his "cross dressing."
ReplyDeleteYes!! Well spotted!!!
DeleteMight not have been the most challenging puzzle ever, (and seriously, even cake donuts are fried) but I LOVED the near-absence of sports references! Overuse of sports references is just laziness (there’s always going to be some minor-league pitcher from 1943 with just the right letters in his name) and most constructors don’t work as hard to use real words or common acronyms. Thank you, Rebeccca! Very refreshing.
ReplyDeleteA name for an Italian cooking staple (EVOO?) that Italians don’t ever use?
ReplyDeleteI’m pretty sure if I went to an Italian restaurant and asked what brand of EVOO they use I’d hear something rude that sounds similar to EVOO.
DeletePretty much everything Rex said... the theme was okay but no LOLs for me. 22 minutes is kinda quick for a Sunday, but that's okay!
ReplyDeleteHands up for Rex's BEWARY before BEWARE at 70 down. And also for having seen JIRO Dreams of Sushi but not remembering his actual name. Good documentary, as I recall!
Not too many Unknown Names... THAD and ELISSA are about it. But EVOO? What the heck? (Google: Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Huh; nice to know.)
I got a Dnf because I refused to accept that doughnuts are baked. They are fried. How did this get past Will? Somebody share with me your experience of eating a baked doughnut.
ReplyDelete. . . for an aspiring sports fan: ATHLETIC SUPPORTER
ReplyDelete. . . for an aspiring horticulturalist: GARDEN HOSE
. . . for an aspiring bookie: KENTUCKY DERBY
. . . for an aspiring psychoanalyst: FREUDIAN SLIP
Slightly humorous puztheme duds. Works for m&e, on a SunPuz.
ReplyDeleteRemarkably easy-ish solvequest ... no thanx to JIRO & TATAMI, of course.
staff weeject pick: LAC. Nice weird, French-cuisiner ?-marker clue.
@RP: I sorta know how U feel, bein anonymously referenced in the newspaper. So sorry for your fame loss. [In my case, the Wall Street Journal once referred to m&e as "some wag".]
fave stuff: ANGULAR. ATSIGNS clue. NOTFUNNY. ICETRAYS clue. ORCAPOD trip hi-lite.
Thanx for the fun, Ms. Goldstein darlin. I'm duly wearin my FANBELT.
Masked & Anonymo10Us
p.s.
Runt Puzzle:
**gruntz**
M&A
@Egs, Thnx for the fun.
ReplyDelete