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Constructor: Billy Bratton
Relative problem: Very Straightforward
THEME: none? (none)
Phrase of the Day: TIA Carrere (25A: Grammy-winning actress Carrere) —
Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo (born January 2, 1967), recognized professionally as Tia Carrere (), is an American actress, singer and former mannequin who received her first large break as a daily on the daytime cleaning soap opera Normal Hospital.
Carrere performed Cassandra Wong within the characteristic movies Wayne’s World and Wayne’s World 2; Juno Skinner in True Lies; Nani Pelekai within the Lilo & Sewmovies and TV collection; Queen Tyr’ahnee in Duck Dodgers; Richard Lewis’s girlfriend, Cha Cha, in Curb Your Enthusiasm; and starred as Sydney Fox within the tv collection Relic Hunter, in addition to Woman Hazard reverse RuPaul in Netflix’s AJ and the Queen. Carrere additionally appeared as a contestant within the second season of Dancing with the Stars and the fifth season of The Celeb Apprentice. Along with appearing, Carrere has gained two Grammy Awards for her music [ed.: Best Hawaiian Album! Twice!]. (wikipedia)
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Ah, this is my Friday puzzle. Themeless, breezy. Very a lot the type of factor one expects to search out on a Friday. A Saturday puzzle, this isn’t. I can not do Saturday puzzles with just about no hesitation on any reply wherever in any respect in the entire grid, and that’s what the resolve was like right this moment. If I had been nonetheless timing my solves and speed-solving, I’m assured I might’ve introduced this one in below 4, and that may file territory for me, for a Saturday, for certain. Did not know two of the names, however LAURIE was clearly LAURIE (after a number of crosses) (36A: Hernandez of TeamUSA gymnastics) and KOFI additionally went proper in by way of crosses, bang bang bang. Helped that considered one of my finest college students this time period is called KOFI (my college students, I am fairly certain, do not learn this, so hopefully he does not hear this praise and let it go to his head simply but) (9A: Actor Siriboe of “Queen Sugar”). Past these two names, there’s simply … nothing in the way in which of resistance right here. It is a bit of startling. Gave me this creepy feeling like “what is occurring? what am I doing unsuitable? what terrors await me across the subsequent nook?” However the terrors by no means got here. Arduous to get too excited a few themeless puzzle that does not even appear to need you to spend any time with it. I went coast to coast on this factor with out blinking a watch (within the blink of a watch? yeah, that is the higher expression right here, I believe. Or I might simply cease trafficking in clichés). Take a look at this begin:
That is HAT AT HAND RDS HOT WAR OTRA ATOM TRACTS all in fast succession. After which I regarded up and noticed WACO sitting there and simply wrote in TEXAS with out even needing to have a look at the clue (Snickers? And Dr Pepper!? What a metropolis!). The entire NNW part went in no sweat after which I simply rode the STALAGMITE Freeway all the way down to the underside. Or, fairly, I dipped my STALAGMITE toe into the waters down beneath, seeing if it was secure to go in. Took me a number of seconds of pondering to get TSAR (42A: Peter or Paul, however not Mary), after which I used to be off and operating once more within the SE—a weird transgrid symmetrical begin to my resolve (I do not usually unfold out like that, however you gotta go the place the vitality takes you). Cleaned up the SE nook after which took the PASSING LANE again up once more. Tons and plenty of whoosh whoosh right this moment:
I assumed that the SW and NE corners had been gonna give me at the very least a bit of roughing up, however my fears had been unfounded. The middle was a bit of cake (cliché once more, sorry!), after which the “Y” and the “Z” from YOGA and ZOOM made the SW nook simple to get into and conquer, and that simply left the NE nook, which was possibly the toughest, in that it was chock stuffed with trivia, however it wasn’t onerous in any respect (KIWI to the rescue!) (9D: Fuzzy fruit that is technically a berry). Whereas I loved the sensation of ZOOMing across the grid, as solutions go, solely DIPPIN’ DOTS (21D: “Ice Cream of the Future”) and “KINDA SORTA” (52A: “Uh … in a approach …”) felt actually impressed. Nothing unsuitable with any of the remainder of it, however for those who’re not gonna have a ton of floor sizzle, you gotta give me one thing enjoyable or tough within the clues. I favored the clue on GUILT TRIP lots (49A: “Journey” for somebody who’s feeling unhealthy?). May’ve used extra of that playfulness right this moment. Sure, I am truly *asking* for extra “?” clues, which by no means occurs. Perhaps no more “?” clues per se, however extra liveliness within the cluing for certain.
Notes:
- 4D: Refuse to squeal (NAME NO NAMES) — talking of “Refuse to,” I “refused to” write on this reply at first (as you possibly can see within the final grid posted above), as a result of it’s ridiculous and my mind stated “Nope, I cannot be complicit on this.” You identify NAME NAMES, for certain. I’ve seen that in crosswords earlier than and favored it effective as a result of it’s an precise tight phrase. NAME NO NAMES … oof, I do not know what that’s. You both did or did not NAME NAMES. It is onerous to think about anybody truly saying NAME NO NAMES. “Do not identify names, Rocko, or it is a Chicago overcoat for you!” “Don’t be concerned, boss, I’ll NAME NO NAMES.” “Why are you talkin’ all bizarre and formal like that, Rocko!? You are worried me! You are my nephew, and I really like you, however you are concerned me!” [end scene]
- 21A: LED element? (DIODE) — OK possibly that is the reply that gave me probably the most pause. I needed to work round it. The “?” was throwing me. I assumed it was going to be one thing actually tough, however it’s simply the “D” in LED.
- 54A: Supergirl, e.g. (ALIEN) — had the “AL-” and wrote in ALIAS, which works completely. That is the type of mistake that may actually get you caught, however not on this puzzle. The apparent IDES (50D: November 13, e.g.) lifted me proper out of the outlet and again on observe.
- 34A: Time when it helps to be versatile (YOGA SESSION) — received this simply, however don’t prefer it. Is that this a one-on-one tutorial? There’s YOGA CLASS and YOGA PRACTICE, however SESSION, whereas believable, offers the reply an eerie, off high quality, a la NAME NO NAMES.
- 6D: Pop open, maybe (UNCAP) — had the “UNCA-” and was all ready to be mad at UNCAN, however then it was UNCAP, which is the mot juste right here. UNCAN is what you do along with your natural natural antioxidant vitamin therapeutic water after your YOGA SESSION. You UNCAN it from the can after which drink it from a lotus flower when you sit in silence, NAME-ing NO NAMES. Namaste.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Facebook]
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