As much as I loved yesterday's puzzle is how much I struggled through this one.
Themeless, in this case, also meant clueless...for me. So many things I didn't know. Where to start?
Wrong answers and other things that tripped me up:
32D: Almost (nigh on). Had nearly for the longest time. As if that weren't bad enough, I wrote it in at 52A. Totally screwed up the SW corner.
62A: __-face (kissy). I've never cared for that expression. I had poker. A better answer, but it messed me up further.
36D: Series opener (episode 1). How much longer can they trip me up with answers like this?
31A: Evasive tactic (song and dance). As many times as I heard my father say this, and as many times as I said it to our girls, I stared at DANCE and couldn't come up with anything other than tap. You know, Razzle Dazzle 'em, Richard Gere, Chicago.
35A: Purple shade (petunia). Sorry, that's a flower. I could think of lavender, mauve, violet...
44D: Classic DuPont brand (lucite). Teflon is classic DuPont. I'd heard of lucite but don't think DuPont when I hear it.
I felt like an absolute IDIOT (57A: Fool) tonight. If anyone says this was an easy puzzle, I will scream.
Only a couple of gimmes. It hardly seems worth pointing them out...
1A: Modern arts-and-crafts tool (glue stick). It was just a guess, but it was right.
26A: It may be rolled over (IRA). Didn't open up much, but it did confirm that 13D (Creator of the Mayfair Witches) was Anne Rice.
30A: Butcher's cut (loin). Getting Anne Rice meant that it wasn't rump.
19A: It's extracted (ore). So...2D ("The Hustler" Oscar nominee) wasn't Newman. Nope, it was Piper Laurie. Had to Dogpile to get that one. I should add that to my Netflix queue.
63A: Naive types, sometimes (do gooders). Another good guess that panned out.
Clever cluing:
61A: One studying camels (ice skater). I tried to get something about zoology in there.
48A: Brief attachment to a report, maybe (post it).
There's much more to be said about this one, but I'll leave that to Rex, as well as Al Sanders, the guest blogger at Diary of a Crossword Fiend. As many of you know, Al was officially the second place winner at ACPT. In my mind, though, he won, finishing first but having one incorrect letter (a stupid letter at that). I guess that's small comfort to him, since he didn't get the big bucks. Next year, though, that trophy will be Al's.
It's the weekend...be sure to do something you enjoy. Something other than crosswords.
Linda G
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9 comments:
Great write-up -- I feel better already Doctor! Misery loves company! Checked Rex -- vexed too!
This was pretty rough, Linda, it's true. Some stuff that could've killed me, I got because of crosses (LAURIE, for instance). Still wince when I look at DUAD. But overall I thought the puzzle fair and reasonably entertaining.
You said: I felt like an absolute IDIOT (57A: Fool) tonight. If anyone says this was an easy puzzle, I will scream.
AMEN SISTER!
Bloodied and brutalized and off to focus on something other than crosswords per your excellent advice!
Well, it sure helps to know I wasn't alone.
I agree that it was fair -- just a level of difficulty that was beyond me.
I'm now off to drink coffee on the deck and watch the birds. I'm sure I can handle that ; )
I would love to be able to say "this was an easy puzzle" so that we all could hear Linda G. and Wendy scream -- preferably, loud enough to be heard all over xword puzzledom. So just for fun, here goes and let's all say it in unison: This was an easy puzzle.
Now, ladies, let's hear those screams. ;>)
I didn't sense that you were serious, so I didn't scream. Can't speak for Wendy ; )
i had NEARLY, too. when i finally caught that mistake, the *i* in NIGH ON made FUCHSIA look like the obvious shade of purple. sheesh. this was a toughie.
i nigh on gave up.
i may be an IDIOT, but i'm a stubborn one.
HAR!
Cornbread, you were in good company with this one : )
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