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Constructor: Emily Carroll
Relative issue: Simple-Medium
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP2ZSSNhkFDg3wHtdMQPojP6_bnX3PVn5sw1du3wngnDNVEeo5-EbK1iW0VeZep5x65aZEiHHcFtWl3kOxqvUqFUyuxISkhU93bQK_egTghKzc7Q2_2Pqp990tAOJuJ_rd2jy_JANzY7SSHufMtoaElMqweCVU-aAS4B8YeN5cydojtbf4Hg/w381-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-04%20at%2010.10.28%20PM.png)
THEME: SQUEEZE PLAY (54A: Dangerous baseball technique that is indicated 4 occasions on this puzzle?) — the title of a “play” (a Broadway musical, to be way more particular) may be discovered “squeezed” into 4 containers on this grid:
- LEVITATE / INEVITABLE (17A: Rise within the air / 2D: Sure to occur) (“Evita”)
- THAI RESTAURANT / COCHAIRS (21A: Institution providing tom yum soup or pad woon sen noodles) [I think the “soup” and “noodles” bits here are redundant] / 5D: Runs collectively, in a method) (“Hair”)
- “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” / PARENTAL (36A: Acclaimed HBO comedy collection whose creator stars as himself / 28D: Type of steering) (“Lease”)
- CAT SCAN / CATSUP (61A: Physique picture? / 61D: Condiment for a burger) (“Cats”)
Phrase of the Day: SQUEEZE PLAY —
In baseball, the squeeze play (a.okay.a. squeeze bunt) is a maneuver consisting of a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, anticipating to be thrown out at first base, however offering the runner on third base a possibility to rating. Such a bunt is most typical with one out. In line with Baseball Almanac, the squeeze play was invented in 1894 by George Case and Dutch Carter throughout a university recreation at Yale College.
In a security squeeze, the runner at third takes a lead, however doesn’t run in the direction of homeplate till the batter makes contact bunting.
In a suicide squeeze, the runner takes off as quickly because the pitcher begins the windup to throw the pitch, and earlier than releasing the ball. If correctly executed, and the batter bunts the ball practically wherever in truthful territory on the bottom, a play at residence plate is extraordinarily unlikely. Nevertheless, if the batter misses the ball the runner will probably be tagged out, and if the batter pops the ball up a double play is probably going.
These performs are sometimes used within the late innings of an in depth recreation to attain a tying, successful, or insurance coverage run. A pitcher’s typical protection in opposition to a squeeze play, if he sees the batter entering into place to try a bunt, is to throw a excessive pitch that’s troublesome to bunt on the bottom. (wikipedia)
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5LckKYFgMAf9NPzlxYPduHhG9G55Vv_oTTYIwyOUSXdHjs9n_bAeY62KrbeUK39m_gjYdByUVS45iF92VhNK4b2JDmX4ERIwTCw-cBj4M3E3pEb0ytkdrPaEKr5Xrn-9_NQ_V5dWCTOi8EUDkv-Rt7VvdjOHhi2VPT0v_snrx3WXx1zcmL8/w207-h214/SqueezePlay.jpg)
The factor that shocked me most about this puzzle was the sudden realization that … nicely, I just like the band Squeeze, and I personal lots of their albums (“LPS” and “CDS”), and a type of albums is entitled “East Facet Story” and one other of these albums is entitled “Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti” however and a type of albums is entitled “Frank” however (most relevantly) nonetheless one other of these albums is entitled merely “Play” … and I by no means, not as soon as, not till I used to be taking preliminary notes for this weblog publish, observed (~30+ years late) the Squeeze / “Play” connection. The album is just not baseball-themed, that I am conscious of, and the album cowl, nicely, I do not actually know what’s taking place there (pictured) however there’s nothing to recommend the baseball angle, however dang … I like Squeeze, I like baseball, and … I by no means put 2 + 2 collectively. Possibly Squeeze meant no baseball implications once they named the album “Play,” I do not know, however I ought to’ve observed. *I* ought to’ve observed. Once more, I say, dang. As for the puzzle, this can be a fully acceptable rebus theme, undermined solely by the truth that “play” would not actually totally seize what’s being squozen right here (these are musicals), however they happen on stage and have dialogue, so certain, “Performs,” wonderful.
The one actual issue is uncovering that first rebus sq.. To do that, I needed to go down and discover the revealer and clear up it early. I used to be completely stumped within the NW regardless of having all however one sq. seemingly in place. The primary drawback was the not-as-clever-as-it-imagines clue on RAE (4D: Good identify for a marine biologist). After rejecting ROE, I assumed “ah, RAY, that works completely.” Which left me L-TY for 17A: Rise within the air. No hope. With these “good identify for a ___” clues, the appropriate reply ought to be bam, spot-on, plain, not “eh, decide from half a dozen or so.” However annnnnyway, that was why I could not get that sq.. Additionally, “EVITA” is method longer than your typical rebus string, so it is arduous to parse the lacking elements of INEVITABLE till you understand extra in regards to the theme. After I bought the revealer, after which that first rebus sq., the remainder of them got here fairly simply. The toughest one was in all probability the “Cats” sq. crammed all the best way down within the SE nook. I had SCAN at 61A: Physique picture? and (like RAY) it appeared good, so it took some doing earlier than I discovered to place the “Cat” half in there too. I assumed the rebus sq. was two squares down from there, and was significantly questioning if there was some play referred to as, I dunno, “Oran Gep” or one thing (67A: Negroni garnish => PEEL). However “CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM” and THAI RESTAURANT have been absolute gimmes, and the few names I did not know (CORTEZ) or could not keep in mind (CLEA) weren’t too arduous to attract out.
Little issues, now. Learn “flowers” as “followers” in 1D: The flowers in Amy Lowell’s “Your nice puffs of flowers / Are all over the place on this my New England” (LILACS), so I used to be in search of, I dunno, a spiritual sect or one thing like that for a bit. I assumed the sort of “steering” that was referred to as for at 28D was MORAL, however that was earlier than I bought the theme. Oh, there was this:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjA2Em8LKILMdLljE6yd3rC2xNGSqNr0TpcMoaJFOAhvAh9zZZA9QdhpQnSch6YJL0jKklKU657d0alf-5uj_I7FN_SHg5w9UizyFNkh6JJVqDSDsmombRB87ER1FA3XNWtPxraFsi9tddXohkn1S0PkBxPyleerKCLi2Z-VQP4fVcHY2dAi4/w381-h400/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-04%20at%2010.09.06%20PM.png)
However that was extra of a goof. Much less of a goof was once I had it as “TECH lab” and “PATH lab.” Shrug. I remembered SENNA—how, I do not know (26A: Yellow-flowered medicinal plant). Very flowery puzzle, this one. I could not stand ISLATE so once I was completed I simply rewrote the part to make myself pleased:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXTu3pBoeH1g3LdjmT49jAe2Odyd_oAGX9juQpbftNNXNwVWF-ZYth8PhYnxdjRIrreOc3MPSgRWF5VjcsPG8efpD8WEafoNBUgTRyM2sMy166vUXerJPWAUxzQWU4cmighZEcxKPzLHUbor-VxRlkE7jpx5VD1OVWssMTDbRU9Dp9JZJapA/s320/Screen%20Shot%202023-01-04%20at%2010.19.10%20PM.png)
HEAT RASH sounds unhealthy nevertheless it’s a great reply (8D: Summer time eruption). That is all I’ve bought on this one. General: acceptable and pleasant. See you tomorrow.
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