Sort of a boring one today to be frank, it felt like a slog to get through at times. Also feeling baffled by 1-Across – building up a JENGA TOWER is literally the least tense part of the whole game, took me ages to realize what the clue was hinting at. Maybe start of a tense takedown would have fit better? Also, inaugurate is way too formal for ‘kick off’, amirite? LOSES for drops didn’t make all that much sense either in my eyes, you either drop in a ranking or you lose.
Friday’s can be tricky because the clues have to be harder but there’s usually no whimsy. But still, so many baffling clues.
Delighted by:
- Hit a point of no return? (11-Across): As a moderate-level tennis fan and absolutely useless player I appreciated the shoutout.
- Grammatical case in 48-Across (44-Across): ALL THOSE YEARS LEARNING GERMAN WERE NOT IN VAIN.
- Longtime Pixar character who says “I might be old , but I still got a spring in my step!” (46-Across): Man, I love SLINKY DOG. As a kid I saw Toy Story in my native language, so took a while to come up with the English name but seeing this reference made me smile.
- Use a fork for, in a way (6-Down): Made me hear that little ding in my ears.
- Precise and calculated (21-Down): Strategic, tactical, so many good candidates, loved stumbling upon SURGICAL.
Well at least I learnt something:
- Mars rover named in honor of a 19th-century activist (24-Across): Funky rabbit-hole. The rover was named after Sojourner Truth (dope name, she gave it to herself, made me think of Beloved and I love thinking of Beloved), an abolitionist and civil rights activist. The rover was named in an essay competition – a teenage girl won after filling out a contest form based on a topic she was researching for a contest. This NYT interview with her is quite simply hilarious, especially the little sister’s reaction .’‘It was so annoying,” Valerie’s 13-year-old sister, Josie, complained proudly. ”In school, every time somebody mentioned Sojourner, everybody would look at me and sing, ‘Josie, Josie.’ ” Link
- First country to to elect a female prime minister (1960) (23-Down): Another good rabbit hole.
- Births (41-Down): I love a good proper plural.
I’m afraid this will age:
- Buff (21-Across): The kids will have a new word for this tomorrow (or maybe they already do). What’s next, looksmaxxing?
- Be exceptionally good, in modern slang (33-Across): See Buff. Meh.
US-isms:
- ABC’s realm (17-Across): National as in coverage? National TV makes me think of state-funded (or at least supported) media, and I was fairly certain ABC was private but I might be wrong.
- __ Mai, Grammy-winning R&B singer (20-Across): Maybe I should know, but I most definitely never heard of them
- Agcy. tracking popular baby names (29-Across): I don’t know man, do Americans know this?
- Test not offered in high school, for short (55-Down): Thank you to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for teaching me this one.
Please retire:
- Vaper’s purchase (34-Across): Not the first time seeing this – I’m fairly certain a vaper’s purchase is you know, a vape.
- Super, slangily (49-Across): No.
And the tiers!
The top 3 makes up 36%, not too bad, but always hoping for a 50%. (:
Delightful (7/66): ACED, DATIVE, SLINKYDOG, LATIN, TUNE, SURGICAL, GENESIS
You made me learn something (6/66): SOJOURNER, ERHARD, SLUR, WALLOP, CORONAE, SRILANKA
You made me think a bit (11/66): JENGATOWER, INAUGURATE, PANROAST, SECURELINE, NATASHA, GUINEA, REV, AMIWRONG, EVILEST, DESERTS, PUSHTOY
Okay, I guess (16/66): IRIS, MAGNETS, POTTAGE, MADE, TAKE, ATARIGAMES, OVER, JINGLES, ENAMORS, ONACID, SPEEDSTER, ONLEAVE, THICKEN, VITAMIN, EVIDENT, SOLACE
I’m afraid this will age (2/66): SWOLE, SLAP
Absolute meh (11/66): MOVE, GMAN, LOSES, SIC, VEG, UNHINGES, PRESIDENTS, ORALS, DRAGGY, STINKERS, GURUS
US-isms (5/66): NATIONALTV, ELLA, SSA, TAMALE, GED
Please retire (8/66): IRS, ECIG, HECKA, YENS, AGO, ETTAJAMES, RIRI, ASP
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