Theme: "THE MATH AIN'T MATHING" - Each math term is rephrased as a non-math concept.
22. Allocation of royal flags before the King's speech?: STANDARD DISTRIBUTION.
33. Consideration when switching religions?: CONVERSION FACTOR. Mardia was baptized at 16 in a river back in Liberia. She's now preparing to convert to Catholicism. My classmate Mary grew up Catholic but explored other faiths as an adult. Both of them have to do their confessions before they’re confirmed next Easter. I don't. Yay!
58. San Andreas Fault?: LONG DIVISION.
67. Lab surface for a geneticist?: MULTIPLICATION TABLE.
78. Birth announcement?: ADDITION SIGN.
99. Show tune that makes no sense?: IRRATIONAL NUMBER.
118. FOMO, for "Fear of Missing Out," e.g.?: SIMPLIFIED EXPRESSION.
I like this playful turn of phrase throughout the set. A broad range of math vocabulary. The clues are key to this type of rephrasing theme, and they all land humorously.
Heavy themage. Total 115 squares.
Can you read this page? It says Adam is Canadian living in San Francisco. Video game designer. And you'll know Katie, assistant to Patti and generous mentor to many newbies.
Across:
1. Sermon giver: PASTOR. Sigh, my Pastor Mark sounds like Pasta Mark.
7. Cold water entry, maybe: PLUNGE.
13. Part of a Sheets or Slides username: GMAIL.
18. "Gimme, gimme!": I NEED IT.
20. No-handed cartwheel: AERIAL. Aerial cartwheel.
21. PD rank: SARGE.
25. "Curses": DAMN.
26. Stripes partners: STARS.
27. Ending for sub-: URB.
28. Units of pop: LITERS.
29. __ first-name basis: ON A.
30. Auto repair chain: MAACO.
31. MacGraw of "The Winds of War": ALI.
32. Like puppies: CUTE.
37. Laotian pork salad: LARB. Our local Asia store has freshly-made larb.
41. Beer merchant selection: ALE.
42. Light touch: PAT.
43. Overnight __: OATS.
45. Big cat in the sky: LEO.
46. "If You __ Been There": Dolly Parton track: HADN'T.
49. Comedian Lydic: DESI. New DESI angle!
51. Popcorn seasoning: SALT.
53. Boat bodies: HULLS.
55. Sushi-grade tuna: AHI.
56. Part of a bedding bundle: SHAM.
61. Brand name derived from the Danish for "play well": LEGO.
63. Gulf State leader: EMIR.
65. Small waterway: RIA.
66. St. __: English surf town: IVES.
73. Beseeched: PLED.
74. Nice negation: NON. Nice the city.
75. Rose Bowl org.: NCAA.
76. Days of __: YORE.
83. "Go no farther": HALT.
85. Chivalrous title: SIR.
86. Old news source: CRIER.
87. Facial treatment: PEEL.
88. Pokémon that evolves into Lairon: ARON. Another new cluing angle.
90. Total: UTTER.
92. Damage: MAR.
93. On a transatlantic crossing: ASEA.
95. African grazer: GNU.
96. "U almost here?": ETA.
97. CPR experts: EMTS.
107. Forearm bone: ULNA.
109. Beseech: BEG.
110. Treacherous schemes: SCAMS.
111. "__ got to hand it to you": I'VE.
112. Fictional island paradise: UTOPIA.
115. Early AOL rival: MSN.
116. "Ya fell for it!": SUCKA. Sucker.
117. "Bring on the weekend!" letters: TGIF.
122. Stink: SMELL.
123. Dark horse and sitting duck: IDIOMS.
124. Element with atomic number 33: ARSENIC.
125. Actress Rapp: RENEE.
126. Up to this point: TIL NOW.
127. Come to terms, in a way: SETTLE.
Down:
1. Italian sculptor Nicola: PISANO. Learning moment for me. Wikipedia says "Pisano is sometimes considered to be the founder of modern sculpture."
2. Diminutive Marvel hero: ANTMAN.
3. "Temperature" rapper __ Paul: SEAN.
4. Q tile score in Scrabble: TEN.
5. "If I had to guess ... ": ODDS ARE.
6. Rawhide ropes: RIATAS.
7. Rollerblading gear: PADS.
8. Luau adornment: LEI.
9. Disney villain with a garden of trapped merpeople: URSULA. Scary.
10. __ acid: NITRIC.
11. Apparel: GARB.
12. "Hostel" director Roth: ELI.
13. Aviator's outfit: G SUIT.
14. Toymaking giant: MATTEL.
15. Singer India.__: ARIE.
16. Composer Stravinsky: IGOR.
17. Binoculars part: LENS.
19. "Last Call" singer Braxton: TRACI. Toni's sister.
23. Turns down?: DROOPS.
24. Say impulsively, with "out": BLURT.
25. __ Hopper: "The Muppet Movie" villain: DOC. Another learning moment.
30. Gooey sammies: MELTS.
31. Toward the stern: AFT.
32. South American kin of a raccoon: COATI.
34. The Mystery Machine, e.g.: VAN. "Scooby Doo!".
35. __ polish: NAIL.
36. "__ you so!": TOLD.
38. "We can't come back from this!": ALL IS LOST.
39. Change ZIP codes: RELO.
40. Chief on deck: BOSN.
44. Deity of destruction: SHIVA. "The Destroyer".
46. A.I. of 1960s cinema: HAL.
47. "Beg pardon": AHEM.
48. Look for a scandal: DIG UP DIRT.
49. Like a wrung-out cloth: DAMP.
50. Expressionist painter Nolde: EMIL.
51. Tantrum: SNIT.
52. Over: AGAIN.
54. Groceries date: USE BY.
57. Supermodel Klum: HEIDI.
59. Red-haired ape: ORANG.
60. Like major organs: VITAL.
62. Jump on board?: OLLIE. Skateboard. I also like the clue for 95. Stand-up job?: GIG.
64. Step on a shampoo bottle: RINSE.
68. Neon-striped fish: TETRA.
69. Loopy shape: COIL.
70. Uno m s siete: OCHO.
71. Tikka masala side: NAAN.
72. Cedar Point expanse: ERIE.
77. Fail to hit save before closing, e.g.: ERR.
78. Fictional company with wacky products: ACME.
79. Wee drink: DRAM.
80. Verdi's realm: OPERA.
81. On one's doorstep: NEAR.
82. Second intro?: NANO.
84. "Black Swan" costumes: TUTUS.
89. Accumulates: RUNS UP.
91. Aberdeen topper: TAM.
94. Biblical mount: SINAI.
96. As a group: EN MASSE.
98. Pliant: SUPPLE.
100. Rappel, in British parlance: ABSEIL. Descend by rope. One more learning moment.
101. Achilles __: TENDON.
102. West African capital: ACCRA.
103. Los Angeles cagers: LAKERS.
104. Shell industry: BIG OIL.
105. Reveal clearly: EVINCE.
106. Call maker: REF.
108. French city that sounds small: LILLE.
112. Cold War rival, initially: USSR.
113. Proctor's call: TIME.
114. Harbinger: OMEN.
115. Skirt that falls around the shin: MIDI.
116. Austin, TX, festival: SXSW. South by Southwest.
117. Add a bit of color: TINT.
119. Go together well: FIT.
120. Angsty genre: EMO.
121. Ready to go: SET.
C.C.
5 comments:
There were a number of
obscurities in this puzzle, too many to mention but you know who you are (“larb”? “abseil”?,etc.) Nevertheless, I got through it.
FIR, so I’m happy.
Good morning!
D-o struggled with the current culture references, but finally succeeded. The top center took the longest; LACTIC acid didn't help. ABSEIL made me think of Frank Abagnale. Don't know why. All the math terms were familiar, and that really helped with the solve. Still, it took 20+ minutes to put this one to bed. Thanx Adam, Katie, and C.C.
DNS (did not start.) Wary when I saw Katie's byline, I scanned the first line of down clues. Seven of the seventeen are A&E, revealing that this one's not for me. I'll save this one for when I have absolutely nothing to do.
Aside to CC: I just finished reading Hunting Time by Jeffrey Deaver. A minor character for the good guys was named Tom Pepper.
Once again, solving the first themer made the subsequent themers child's play with minimal perp help.
Way too many quoted/paraphrased clues for my liking, bringing this puzzle from a 6/10 to a 5/10.
FIR. The only thing I liked about this puzzle was the theme. It was very clever and fun. But beyond that this puzzle was a giant waste of time and energy.
There were so many proper names, too many to mention. Even some crossing like Desi and Emil. That is so wrong!
Add to that words like larb and abseil, and i came close to throwing in the towel. A few WAG's got me through.
Overall not an enjoyable puzzle at all.
Post a Comment