Device used in a lactation room / MON 8-3-26 / Speak at the top of one's lungs / Throw with force / Phase in which users help catch bugs / Ninja's quality / Toddler's wheels / Cosmic cloud / Rewards for excellent employees / Pavlov known for canine experiments

Constructor: Willa Angel Chen Miller   

Relative difficulty: Medium

THEME: Chilling — Three things that can be said to be "chilling" -- each with a different meaning of the word

Word of the Day: CROCHET (24A: Needle-working craft) —

Crochet (English: /kroʊˈʃeɪ/;^[1] French: [kʁɔʃɛ]^[2]) is a process of creating textiles by using a crochet hook to interlock loops of yarn, thread, or strands of other materials.^[3] The name is derived from the French term crochet, which means 'hook'.^[4] Hooks can be made from different materials (aluminum, steel, metal, wood, bamboo, bone, etc.), sizes, and types (in-line, tapered, ergonomic, etc.). The key difference between crochet and knitting, beyond the implements used for their production, is that each stitch in crochet is completed before the next one, while knitting keeps many stitches open at a time. Some variant forms of crochet however, such as Tunisian crochet and Broomstick lace, do keep multiple crochet stitches open at a time.

• • •

Theme answers:

• BEACH BUM (20A:  Idler along the seashore)
• ICE CREAM MAKER (26A: Kitchen appliance for desserts)
• TRUE CRIME SHOW (42A: Series that may feature forensics experts)
• CHILLING (50A: Adjective describing 20-, 26- and 42-Across)

Yes, the rumors were true! Rafa is back for yet another Rexplacement blog! Sadly this is actually the last one for me, and I will miss you all dearly, but I'm sure tomorrow's Rexplacement will be just as (if not more) lovely, so worry not.

I usually blog the harder late-week puzzles around here, so I don't have much experience talking about easy Monday crosswords, but I'll do my best. This was my favorite of the run of three puzzles I blogged here, so that will help! The theme is simple but it works. I would have liked it if the revealer were a bit more fun. Something like I'M CHILLING clued as [What each of the starred answers might say] or something similar. The first-person elevates the theme into something more playful, but this works fine too. I did find it weird that CHILLING was clued as [Adjective describing ...] since in the BEACH BUM context in particular I'd use that word as a gerund verb instead of an adjective. But that's me being pedantic I guess. It was fun that the three meanings of the word were totally distinct, and that the chosen answers captured those meanings quite well.

Some BEACH BUMs

The theme entries almost seem like an ideal vacation, really. Go be a BEACH BUM for a few hours and soak up the sun, then head home to make a treat with the ICE CREAM MAKER before getting cozy on the couch with a TRUE CRIME SHOW. Sign me up!

An ICE CREAM MAKER

To me, the most important part of a Monday puzzle is having accessible fill. This could be someone's first-ever crossword puzzle, and it would do them a huge disservice to scare them away with arcane entries and crosswordese. This puzzle does a great job with that. Every answer feels like a real thing I've seen plenty outside of crosswords. There are fewer theme squares than usual here, so it gives the grid breathing room to be as smooth as possible.

"Making A Murderer" is a popular TRUE CRIME SHOW

I was really impressed with [Surgery that leaves the patient looking better?] as a clue for LASIK. It's hard to land clever wordplay clues that are still Monday-level accessible and this one does a great job adding some pizzazz to the puzzle without pushing it into challenging territory. [Slowpoke in a "mobile home"] was also a fun, if a little on the trickier side, clue for SNAIL.

Bullets:

• BUGLE (41A: Instrument on which reveille is played) — Had never heard of of reveille!
• IAMB (26D: First two syllables of "I am what I am," aptly) — Really enjoyed this playful clue
• POKE (22D: Hawaiian seafood dish) — I somewhat recently found a new poke place nearby and it's soooo good!
• NERO (52D: Roman emperor who competed in the Olympics (and "won" every event he was in) — Another cool clue that elevates a common piece of fill. Turns out that NERO was stripped of all his Olympic "wins" (turns out judges awarded him a win even though he fell off his chariot and didn't finish his race?!) and said judges faced penalties.

Signed, Rafa

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