(Preface, by CrossEyedDave:)
Today's is a very special puzzle, we have a new young and talented Constructor, who's first puzzle has created a fun (and for me) challenging suss fest. Not only that, I had an even more fun, challenging, and learning experience trying to explain it all! Nate, I look forward to many more "aha" moment experiences from you. Thank you for this submission...
Commenters: please let our new constructor know how he did with feedback on your personal experience in solving this puzzle.
Theme: Phonetic agreement
They agree, they see eye to eye, but somehow I don't think it's going to end well...
54 Across. *How like-minded people see, or a phonetic hint for the answers to the starred clues?: EYE TO EYE.
18 Across. *Tablet choice: IPAD MINI.
23 Across. *Silent film based on a Leoncavallo opera: I PAGLIACCI.
Canio is the tragic clown in the Opera PAGLIACCI.
There were two silent films titled "I" PAGLIACCI
One in 1915, and another in 1923.
It might ring a bell around the 2 minute mark...
36 Across. *Destination for a day trip from Naples: ISLE OF CAPRI.
Take a cruise, it will be fun, they said...
49 Across. *Lionel Messi's MLS team: INTER MIAMI.
MLS = Major League Soccer.
Let's see if we agree, onward!
Across:
1. Japanese beer brand: ASAHI.
So many choices...
6. Pet adoption org.: SPCA. Not to be confused with ASPCA. Explanation can be found here.
10. Exec concerned with network security: CTO. Chief Technology Officer.
13. Piccata ingredient: LEMON.
Even better, substitute White Wine for chicken stock!
15. Magic spell: HEX. As a noun, it is a curse or a witch's charm meant to cause harm. As a verb (to hex), it means to cast that evil spell on someone. The word comes from the German word Hexe, meaning witch.
16. Inner selves, in Jungian psychology: ANIMAS. Deep dive can be found here: Japanese "Anime" is also (sort of) derived from the Latin Anima, or soul. A deeper dive can be found here... (Be careful Alice, there are rabbit holes ahead...)
18. [Theme.]
20. Friend: ALLY.
22. Poker-faced: STOIC.
23. [Theme.]
27. Overseas greeting?: AHOY. This really got me, I wanted Ciao...
30. Formally turn over: CEDE.
31. Panang curry cuisine: THAI.
32. Summoning contraction: C'MERE. ( not Pssst...)
33. Sweet potato kin: YAM.
34. Filmed: SHOT.
35. Oklahoma athlete: SOONER.
36. [Theme.]
39. DraftKings user, e.g.: BETTOR.
41. Gutter locale: EAVE. I was thinking bowling...
42. Skin pic: TAT.
45. Done (with): FED UP.
46. Architect Saarinen: EERO.
47. Old Testament scribe: EZRA.
48. Pet pest: FLEA.
49. [Theme.]
51. "The Trial" novelist Kafka: FRANZ.
53. Notary imprint: SEAL.
54. [Theme Reveal.]
57. Vin in the "Fast & Furious" franchise: DIESEL.
61. Passing through: VIA.
62. Nautilus captain: NEMO.
63. None too trusting: LEERY.
64. Just right: APT.
65. Garden with forbidden fruit: EDEN.
66. Drum kit drum: SNARE.
Down:
1. Banned Books Week org.: ALA. American Library Association. Fear not! ALA does not refer to a Southern State! Banned books week this year is October 4th thru 10th. If you oppose censorship, and support the freedom to read and learn, you can do something about it here!
2. Capitol Hill VIP: SEN. Senator.
3. French friend: AMI.
4. Show of respect: HOMAGE.
5. Entirely: IN ALL.
6. Slalom, say: SKI.
7. Genre for many an Attenborough documentary, in brief: POPSCI. Short for popular science.
8. Raccoon relative: COATI.
9. Canadian shoe brand: ALDO. Half a Natick with a 50% tariff...
10. Home of the Mayan temple El Castillo: CHICHEN ITZA.
11. Decimal base: TEN.
12. Commercial lead-in to Clean: OXI.
17. Move like a snake: SLITHER.
19. Spanish term of endearment: MI AMOR. (My love.)
21. Early search engine: YAHOO.
23. Distant: ICY.
24. Green shade: PEA.
25. Wave the white flag: ADMIT DEFEAT.
26. Where toe beans are found: CAT FEET.
28. Minecraft mineral: ORE.
29. "__ outta here!": YER.
32. Deal (with): COPE.
34. Low-quality A.I.-generated content: SLOP.
35. Reveled in: SAVORED.
37. E.B. White's "__ Little": STUART.
38. Gives a darn: CARES.
39. One to share a matching bracelet with, informally: BFF. Best Friend Forever.
40. Unagi roll fish: EEL.
43. Radius locale: ARM.
44. __ chi: martial art: TAI.
46. Biological catalyst: ENZYME.
47. Fashion designer Fisher: EILEEN. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
49. "__ a nap!": I NEED.
50. Sends: MAILS.
52. First-rate: AONE. Aone is a casual or stylized spelling of A-one, but personally I believe it should be One A, because A1 is a steak sauce...
54. Actress Longoria: EVA.
55. Puppy noise: YIP.
56. Countless lifetimes: EON.
58. __ salt: SEA.
59. Goof up: ERR.
60. Caustic compound: LYE.
The Grid.
I would be very interested to know what you thought of this puzzle, because, while I am a mediocre solver at best, this puzzle kept tripping me up. Was it just wavelength? Wheelhouse? Or very tricky clues.
(Or maybe I need to retire, lost to many brain cells... I dunno.) here is the list of things that tripped me up, but perpage and sussing made this quite the workout for me to finally finish this Wednesday puzzle.
1a Japanese beer asaki/asahi. If I get beer wrong, I need to stop drinking...
12d Commercial lead-in to Clean: oxo/oxi. Hmm, I got sidetracked in the kitchen...
17d Move like a snake: sidles/slither. Ok, ok, I saw snake and I panicked!
22a Poker-faced: stone/stoic. (Guess I was thinking stone faced...)
23d. Distant: far/icy. (Ooh, this left me cold...)
29d. "__ outta here!": get/yer (really? Get outta here!...)
45a. Done (with): FED UP. ( I tentatively penciled an E as in ended here before the perps confirmed I was done with...)
27a. Overseas greeting?: AHOY. This really got me, I wanted Ciao...
So who did this to me? Who is this constructor who kept me busy as a one armed wallpaper hanger?
I checked the L.A Times, nothing... N.Y Times, nothing... Google Crossword Constructors, nothing...
And then, as I was about to 25 down (admit defeat,) I found this:
Nate, I hope you stop by and tell us how you accomplished this suss fest, ( and how do you know Italian Opera? ) and I hope to see many more puzzles from you. Who knows, maybe one day, we can meet eye to eye!
CE:D out...
≽^- ˕ -^≼
Wow! That was SO
ReplyDeletetough! Even though it had a reveal, it seemed more like a Saturday puzzle than a Wednesday one!
But, somehow, I got through it!
FIR, so I’m not only happy, I’m relieved!
Good morning!
ReplyDeleteWe've been to CHICHEN ITZA, even climbed the darned thing, but didn't recall that it was named El Castillo. When I was on Guam, a five letter Japanese beer would have been KIRIN; ASAHI manufactured Pentax cameras. I recently had ASAHI beer at a Japanese restaurant. It was brewed in Waunakee, WI. The Japanese seem to like Wisconsin. Kikkoman Soy Sauce is manufactured in Walworth, WI. But I digress... I enjoyed this debut offering from Nate -- just right for a Wednesday. Thanx for the detailed expo, CE:D.
FIR, but pta->ALA, far->ICY, tae->TAI, and elleen->EILEEN.
ReplyDeleteWhen DW and I went to the ISLE OF CAPRI we opted for the more expensive hydrofoil. Well worth the extra time in the ISLE.
I thought of Earl Weaver of the Orioles at YER outta here! He was given the heave-ho 96 times in his career.
I want to be gentle with Nate, and I know he doesn't 1) control the puzzle after it is accepted, or 2) decide which day of the week it will run, but I really disliked CMERE, especially on a Wednesday. I had a very hard time with HOMAGE x ASAHI, ANIMAS and IPAGLIACCI. I completed everything else by 0230 (Zoe has a UTI and needs to be taken out every 4 hours or so.) I went back to bed and slept for another 3 hours, then I sort of remembered ANIMA, then my alphabet run stopped when ASAHI seemed to be okay, making HOMAGE apparent.
Thanks to CED for another fun review, and for linking to the SPCA. I've said it before - please donate to your local SPCA, which does not receive funding from the ASPCA. For those that bypass the blogger's links - the CEO of the ASPCA makes around $1.2 million per year. They operate exactly one animal shelter. (Compare that to Frank Siller, the CEO of Tunnel to Towers, who pulls down a $100,00 salary after working for no salary until year before last.)