The Value of Working Expeditiously – The New York Times

FRIDAY PUZZLE A puzzle by Robyn Weintraub that fought me, then yielded to me. I know I had a good time, because my cheeks hurt from all the smiling I did.

That is really what I remember from this solve. The process was as follows: Read clue, think about answer, receive a whammy of an Aha! moment, smile.

You cant ask for better than that on a Friday.

One of the things I really liked about Ms. Weintraubs puzzle is that while the puzzle contains only 70 words (as opposed to the maximum 78 for a puzzle that runs earlier in the week), it felt much more open than that. There are some fantastic long entries (LICKETY SPLIT, TIME IS MONEY, DIRECTORS CUT, RICE COOKER, ACT YOUR AGE, MINOR CHORD and DECODER RING stood out to me) and the rest of the fill is not only entertaining, its very clean. The cluing is fun and challenging too.

6A: Yes, I fell into the ALTO trap, too. I tentatively filled in AL-, which were correct. Then I entered the T and that was incorrect (I solve using Autocheck to keep me moving at file five columns a week speed). The role of LIESL, the Von Trapp daughter at 1A, actually calls for a mezzo soprano. So we know that the clue Range for 1-Across is not referring to her vocal range. The range in the clue is the ALPS, the mountains she and her family crossed to escape from the Nazis.

17A: You might be tempted to think about a steam engine for the clue Steam-powered device? but its really a hint at one of my favorite home appliances, the RICE COOKER, which also makes its debut today. You know what also fits in that slot? Instant Pot. But that is not the correct answer for this puzzle.

34A: I admit that I had to run the alphabet on this one. I had CRE_ _, and the pepper herb is CRESS.

38A: I got this from the crossings. ASLOPE is one of those words that you rarely use outside of crosswords, and On the up and up? is an interesting misdirection.

39A: In this puzzle, a Leasing unit is not a room, but a MONTH, because you can lease an apartment month to month.

4D: My nomination for Clue of the Year. There is an art to taking an extremely common word like SHE and figuring out how to dress it up with a clever clue. In this puzzle, we are asked to figure out the subject of the clue Marine mollusk exoskeleton vendor, in a tongue twister?

The trick is not to allow the first four, somewhat complex words in the clue to shut down your brain. First look at the tail end of the clue: in a tongue twister? There are only so many tongue twisters, which immediately narrows down the possibilities.

Now look at those four words at the beginning: How many tongue twisters do you know that revolve around someone selling marine mollusk exoskeletons? Thats right, the tongue twister is SHE sells seashells by the seashore.

10D: Another great clue, to go with an entry that is a lot of fun. The clue asks us for a Useful cryptography tool to have on hand? The key phrase is on hand. A cryptography tools helps people decode messages, and having one nearby or on hand is very convenient. But thats not where this clue is going. It wants us to think about a tool that you would actually have on your hand: a DECODER RING.

24D: Hand up if you entered TAO for the clue The way. I did too. Heres the thing: If we stayed with that answer, then 23A would begin with the letters CT, which is unlikely; 27A would be SHARES, which is not a good answer for Props (up); and 29A would be SHOOERCAP instead of SHOWERCAP. Thats just silly.

So instead, the answer is HOW, as in Show me HOW/Show me the way. Peter Frampton knew that all along.

26D: The Ones turning up the volume are not rock bands. They are LIBRARIANS, who help readers find books (also known as volumes).

29D: [Sound of a record needle being dragged across vinyl] Hold up. I need to climb up on my soapbox for this. Monty Pythons Flying Circus is not what I would call a SLAPSTICK troupe. Sure, they did a few SLAPSTICK things, like pies in the face, being knocked into a canal during the Fish-Slapping Dance and maybe the Ministry of Silly Walks if you really want to count that, but their genre is really satire and surreal sketch comedy. Also, they are brilliant and I love them.

31D: Great misdirection. Winter setting in Tinseltown" sounds like a snowy paradise, doesnt it, with tinseled Christmas trees and snow white expanses as far as the eye can see but its not. Tinseltown is a nickname for Hollywood, Calif. and the time setting on the West Coast is Pacific Standard Time, or PST.

I was very pleased with myself for my clever clue for DECODER RING: Handy cryptography tool? If only Id been able to take it a step further to the absolutely perfect upgrade that appears today: Useful cryptography tool to have on hand. To have on hand! I was so close.

Some of my favorite clues today: This might sound sad for MINOR CHORD, Shopping destination that sounds risqu for STRIP MALL and Marine mollusk exoskeleton vendor, in a tongue twister as a twist on an old clue for SHE.

I was 99.9 percent certain that my original ART HISTORY clue wouldnt make the cut: Major for those who want to learn Manet things?, but I just thought it was so stupidly adorable that I submitted it anyway (does this qualify as a bad DAD(S) joke?). At least I got to share it here.

Almost finished solving but need a bit more help? Weve got you covered.

Warning: There be spoilers ahead, but subscribers can take a peek at the answer key.

Trying to get back to the puzzle page? Right here.

Your thoughts?

See the article here:
The Value of Working Expeditiously - The New York Times