This is #3 of our "Curious Conundrums" series (named by Don G, by the way). Constructed by our own Marti DuGuay-Carpenter.
Marti mentioned that Rich really liked this theme but had to let it go after some fact-check. I like the surprising factor of the unifier, clean grid and the overall light & fun clues (favorite is 9D).
Do let us have your feedback. It's how we improve.
Here is puz file (Across Lite)
Here is PDF.
Spoiler: Here is the answer grid.
C.C.
Marti mentioned that Rich really liked this theme but had to let it go after some fact-check. I like the surprising factor of the unifier, clean grid and the overall light & fun clues (favorite is 9D).
Do let us have your feedback. It's how we improve.
Here is puz file (Across Lite)
Here is PDF.
Spoiler: Here is the answer grid.
C.C.
Fun puzzle! I really enjoyed the clues, and it's nice to see them all as the originated by the creator without any tweaking/substitution from Rich.
ReplyDeleteI note that 15A is IGOR. That's what I always think it should be, but for some reason I keep seeing it spelled as YGOR in various puzzles. Could that be the bit that failed the fact check? If so, surely there's some other way to clue the name that would be legitimate. Everything else in the puzzle seemed fine to me...
36 A I had put shouts.
ReplyDelete43 A Duplicates I had mimeo. I was thinking of the purple printing machine that had a funny smell.
32 D I had Gummo
33 which gave me Stean instead of Saran for food wrap and Sole for mole.
Great job Marti I enjoyed it! :-)
Marti, after I finally got a .puz opener, I had a great time with your puzzle and agree with C.C.’s comments about it. REPRO was my only QUALM but then I lead a sheltered life. Maybe Favre is going to REPRO this fall ? I missed the ONE L lama quote as I had VIDI for Caesar’s invite. Theme tie-ins were great!
ReplyDeleteWhat facts tripped Rich’s trigger?
Fun puzzle, Marti. When I got to SNAKE IN THE GRASS, I remembered your comment some time ago about a puzzle being rejected because RATTLE snakes don't normally reside there. This seemed like a good Tuesday level puzzle with the clues you used. I imagine you had some alternates that could have upped the difficulty level.
ReplyDeleteGreat job.
I liked it too. Thought the clue for Head of Italy was clever. Arrival announcement for Caesar was easy but very original. One L was a nice reversal of oft seen clues. And Board used in that sense is not something simply not heard anymore.
ReplyDeleteBarry, I think the Ygor spelling is correct in an historic sense. But it would be easy to clue as "Young Frankenstein assistant"
Good Morning all! I really appreciate you taking time to critique this one. Barry, "Igor" was fine. The only reason the puzzle was ultimately rejected is the fact that rattlesnakes don't hide in grass, as Grumpy1 remembered.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your puzzle thoroughly, Marti! Lots of great fill and clues. My fave: "Do a bit of light work" for LASE. You could have almost used the same clue for 66-down as you did 72-across: "Feeder filler" for SEED is sort of what IVs are. I have not trouble with there being snakes in the grass. I used to see them when I lived in the country. They could be most anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm new at this but I wasn't sure how to print this puzzle so that it was big enough to see. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteI love where this puzzle took me in my wanderings. I read about the Marx brothers, Ogden Nash, and the Cisco Kid.
MollyB
ReplyDeleteClick on "Here is a PDF"
Then click on "File" in the upper left (just above the arrow).
Then click on "Print (PDF)"
Marti
Yeah, my favorite was ZAGREB, Capital of Croatia.
After all their "capital" is the KUNA for a few more years, until they join the Euro zone.
Marti, Great puzzle! I especially liked RUN FOR YOUR HONEY and ROCK BAND. Straight forward Monday type puzzle with no hang-ups.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Rich. On the Internet I found many great pictures of rattlers in the grass, but didn't know how to publish them on this blog.One was captioned, "A Prairie Rattlesnake (one of only 300 that currently live in Iowa) at Broken Kettle Grasslands in western Iowa's Loess Hills." I have seen rattlers in the grass in the woods while hiking in the northeast. There are many varieties of rattlers with various habitats, including grass. Some whose principal habitat is not grass, surely stray there ocassionally.
As I said the first time worked, but only get literally a half a puzzle.
ReplyDeleteIt's so weird and I'm no tech, so I will stay on the safe side.
Sounds fun though, Marti.
Tinbeni, Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI remember your comment on 'Snake in the Grass' and disagreed.
Today, while field mowing, I was using trim tractor for along fences, and low and behold I found myself looking at a snake in a coiled position with a menacing tongue. Before I could say 'EEK', I had gone by him and when I turned to look he was gone.He did have a pattern, but I didn't get a study of his head shape.
Neighbor says only poisonous snakes around here are copperheads; has heard of rattlesnakes, but doubted it. I guess it wanted me to think it was a rattlesnake.
Mowing a little more exciting today.
Marti, back to you on puzzle in a little. Sorry for my hogging your blog spot.
Marti, congratulations! This was quite doable and fun. Rattlesnakes are abundant here in Arizona but I have seen them only at the zoo.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed rock band? ORE
E.R. lines, IVS
do a bit of light work, LASE (LOL)
My first fill for head of Italy was POPE but then realized that was not correct.
and I noted the many esses in your puzzle, SIS, ABYSS, SEED, SPAN, etc.
Well done!
Hi all, thanks for taking time out to critique this one. DonG, always glad to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteEveryone's comments are most welcome...and taken to "Heart(Rx)"!!
Tinbeni, I thought it would throw people for a loop when I actually clued ZAGREB as "Capital of Croatia"...since we see the other misdirection so often ("Capital of Italy" = LIRA (now EURO), etc.)
Creature, I would have abandoned that field mower and run for my life if I ever came across a coiled SNAKE IN THE GRASS!!
Lucina, thanks for your comment - I am working hard to get rid of superfluous "S's"...and "E's", which I noticed are overly abundant in this beginner's puzzles. But I am working on one right now that has turned (fortuitously) into a pangram. I hope it passes Rich's tough standards. Otherwise, you might only see it here at "Curious Conundrums"!!
Marti,
ReplyDeleteI did the same as Lucina for Head of Italy.
I would call this a Tuesday- Wednesday treat.Just a few more bumps and some outstanding clues that take some time, here and there.
Definitely a delightful theme.
How to I post a link from the Internet to this blog? My picture of the Snake in the Grass was absolutely wonderous.
ReplyDeleteYellowrocks, on the right side of the blog, as you scoll down, is an OLIO section. In there is 'Create Comment Links' that will show you how to create a link.
ReplyDeleteMarti, I enjoyed the puzzle and find it hard to understand Rich's objection to the theme. I'm sure rattlesnakes can sometimes be found in grass and apparently Yellowrocks has found a photo of one. I can't imagine any puzzle solver objecting to the theme.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I would quibble about 6D. If somebody was saying No about something, you could disagree by saying Yes. Also, in 67D, a 4.0 GPA isn't the best anymore because extra points are given for Advanced Placement classes.
So, if I were the editor, I would be OK about the theme but tweak those two clues. That being said, I enjoyed the puzzle. Thanks.
Back from Wednesday cribbage games and had time to do Marti's puzzle. Sorry it took so long to make a comment.
ReplyDeleteI liked the puzzle a lot and found no argument about rattlesnakes in the grass. Rattlesnakes abound here and in moderately warm weather,they are often seen sunning themselves in grassy areas...as well as on rocks, roads, patios and on patches of dirt.