Inaugural edition of the NYT crossword clue rankings! Simply because I’m bored and spend a little too much time on solving this puzzle.
Overall theme was pretty fun, a non-rebus rebus is quite cool, and gave me that little tinge of joy when discovering the whole hole-shtick (pun very much intended). Especially loved piehole and manhole, even though manhole made ZERO sense on my first go-around even after I realized the theme…
Felt like a lot of clues were vocabulary-based, but there was some silliness I expect from a Thursday as well. Overall an easy(ish) solve, but required a bit of guessing in the end.
Delighted by:
- Noodle (20-Across): I mean noggin is just cute, period.
- Character with a famous opening line? (37-Across): hard to narrate this category. I was delighted.
- Slangy mouth found in 20-Across (2-Down): I love a good rebus, especially when it’s not a rebus!
- Cat that can purr but can’t roar (43-Down): Didn’t know that about PUMAs and I’m delighted that I do know it now!
- Polyhymnia or Clio (53-Down): Feels more Friday/Saturday, my delight comes from actually knowing the answer
Well at least I learnt something:
- Big laugh (27-Across): I’ve never heard YUK before. TLI, I guess
- Hastens (52-Across): I should HIE and learn more old-timey words
- Its motto is “Industry” (56-Across): Interesting for a state mostly famous for LDS.
- Hearty (29-Down): So many new words for me today. Usually a Friday phenomenon
I’m afraid this will age:
- Apple purchase (53-Across): Already aged, I think, especially annoying with the APPS in 1-Across.
- Complete fiasco, slangily (66-Across): As a millennial I’m all too conscious that the slang of our youth is cringe (or whatever word the youths use for the feeling or cringe nowadays). Is this gonna age badly or does it signal that we have arrived to crosswording as a generation?
- Many a “Bridgeton” lady (8-Down): Is Bridgeton good enough to stay with us long-term? There’s only so many children in that family to keep up the hype.
US-isms:
- Show with the classic episodes “The Puffy Shirt” and “The Little Kicks” (17-Across): Seinfeld is sort of a cultural mainstay, but at least in our corner of Europe it never really gained traction. If my partner didn’t go on and on about it because his obsession with George Costanza I’m not sure I would clock this. And maybe too easy for a Thursday for the US crowd?
- March Madness org. (45-Across): I don’t care for sports. This crossword is trying to enlarge my sports vocabulary. Please stop.
Please retire:
- Successes for sluggers, for short (23-Across): the most crosswordy clue of them all. I’ve typed RBI enough times already, thank you.
- “Please give this a high priority!” (36-Across): I need ASAP and STAT to retire ASAP (or STAT, I guess)