Constructor: Kiran Pandey
Relative issue: Simple-Medium (solved Downs-only)
THEME: “OH GEEZ!” (69A: “Yikes!” … or, phonetically, a touch to 17-, 28-, 46- and 61-Throughout) — two-word phrases the place the primary phrase begins with “O” and the second with “G” (so all of the themers are “OGs”:
- OLIVE GARDEN (17A: Informal eating chain with limitless breadsticks)
- OLYMPIC GAMES (28A: Occasion whose image is 5 interlocking rings)
- OPERA GLASSES (46A: Theater binoculars)
- ORANGE GROVE (61A: Place to begin for Tropicana or Florida’s Pure juice)
Phrase of the Day: D’Angelo (38A: Musical style for D’Angelo and Erykah Badu => NEO-SOUL) —
Michael Eugene Archer (born February 11, 1974), higher recognized by his stage identify D’Angelo (), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and file producer. He first garnered consideration after co-producing the one “U Will Know” for R&B supergroup Black Males United. His debut studio album, Brown Sugar (1995), was licensed platinum by the Recording Business Affiliation of America (RIAA) and acquired widespread acclaim from music critics, who’ve credited the album for ushering within the neo soul motion. His third single, “Girl“, reached the highest ten on the Billboard Sizzling 100.
D’Angelo would then collaborate with artists reminiscent of Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and then-girlfriend Angie Stone. His subsequent album, Voodoo (2000), debuted at primary on the US Billboard 200 and continued to obtain vital acclaim. The album’s lead single “Untitled (How Does It Really feel)“, earned him the Grammy Award for Finest Male R&B Vocal Efficiency; likewise, Voodoo gained Finest R&B Album. Following this era, D’Angelo turned more and more uncomfortable along with his rising standing as a intercourse image. This was adopted by quite a few private struggles, together with alcoholism, which resulted in restricted musical output for a number of years.
After over a decade spent principally out of the general public eye, he then launched his third studio album, Black Messiah, in 2014. The album was met with vital acclaim and peaked at quantity 5 on the US Billboard 200. The identical yr, D’Angelo was hailed as the following Marvin Gaye by GQ. D’Angelo additionally contributed to the soundtrack for the 2018 online game Purple Lifeless Redemption 2, performing the tune “Unshaken“. (wikipedia)
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This puzzle offers a great instance of the worth of Downs-only fixing. Solved usually, I feel I would’ve discovered this just a little simplistic. The revealer’s advantageous, intelligent even, however the theme solutions themselves aren’t any nice shakes, and there are at the least a small handful of weak brief solutions that might’ve irked me extra, I feel, if I might encountered them at velocity. DAV and FAE are simply dangerous, IMO. They don’t have any place in any grid that is not taxed significantly by the theme (or by stunning longer fill, in a themeless). On a Monday, with a comparatively easy theme, no, they shouldn’t be right here. All of the petty little issues concerning the puzzle would’ve stood out extra, or I might’ve seen them extra, as a result of there wasn’t sufficient stuff to occupy my consideration in any other case. However fixing Downs-only … now I am on an journey. Sure, FAE and DAV nonetheless grate, however I’ve acquired greater fish to fry, as I attempt to wrangle the longer Down solutions (which find yourself being a number of the finest fill the grid has to supply). I loved the wrestle to get CUSTOM FIT (which is an effective reply). I loved attempting to recollect deodorants and never with the ability to use Throughout clues to assist me out—gave me longer to scroll by way of merchandise, commercials, and many others. as I ultimately inferred a handful of Acrosses after which had OLD SPICE leap out at me (I used to be considering of these bizarre half-man / half-horse commercials, so after I discovered the reply, I had a real “sure! that is what I used to be considering of!” second. I loved being baffled by what “woodwind” in a jazz orchestra might doable have seven letters and an “L” in its second place. I might consider solely three believable woodwinds in a jazz orchestra, and none of them match the profile. I forgot to reckon with the completely different saxophone *varieties*. ALTO! That is what that pesky “L” was doing there. These are the miniature battles, fought and gained, that make Downs-only fixing way more fascinating than common fixing on a Monday. This puzzle looks as if a good, common Monday, however I had an above-average expertise as a result of the way in which it performed Downs-only was genuinely entertaining (and since, not like a regularly-solved Monday, it really required a little bit of effort on my half).
[Some good ALTO SAX in here (25D: Woodwind in a jazz band)]
One other function of Downs-only fixing is that innocuous-seeming phrases can flip all of the sudden perilous. Is it EACH … or APOP!? (31D: Per individual). When you’ll be able to’t simply take a look at the Throughout clues, the dilemma … dilemmas even more durable. See additionally PEEP v. WORD (34D: “Not one other ___ out of you!”). Or what I assumed was a BUTT v. REAR state of affairs that turned out to be a 3rd possibility: TUSH! (41D: Patootie). Then there was the puzzlingly non-“S” plural FEET (9D: Poetical models). I train poetry—entire classes on FEET!—and I nonetheless needed to assume a bit to provide you with that one. CUSTOM FIT was most likely the hardest hurdle of the day, as I in the end needed to accede, nonetheless reluctantly, to the near-certainty that FAE was going to be an precise reply on this puzzle. Had the CUSTOM half and wished FIT however rejected it as a result of, nicely, FAE, come on … however then needed to settle for it as soon as the “-IT” half turned simple. So many little obstacles to beat, however in the long run, they have been all overcomeable. Felt good. The puzzle ended on a barely bitter be aware, as I feel I say “AW GEEZ,” not “OH GEEZ,” however the latter appears completely affordable, so it did not undermine my general good vibes an excessive amount of.
Assorted observations:
- 4D: ___ Pilkey, writer/illustrator who created Captain Underpants (DAV) — I do know that sequence is tremendously, generationally fashionable however for no matter purpose this man’s identify simply did not break by way of. My spouse after fixing this puzzle: “Am I imagined to know who wrote Captain Underpants?” Me: “I do know, proper?” We each simply took an informed guess at his identify, primarily based on the crosses. The “D” in his identify (crossing SPA DAY) was the final of his identify letters for each of us.
- 33A: Discontinued Apple program for organizing pictures (iPHOTO) — the less the discontinued business merchandise, the higher. The much less shilling for Apple, the higher. The one purpose I’ve any form of affection for iPHOTO at present is that it helped me pull off the PEEP / WORD differentiation at 34D: “Not one other ___ out of you!” (“PEEP“).
- 37A: Race of legendary beings, in fantasy fiction (FAE) — the final time this time period appeared was three years in the past, when Erik Agard clued it as [Neopronoun with a nod to folklore] (in a Friday puzzle). Earlier than that, the final time it appeared was … after I was two months outdated. That is proper, January, 1970—when FAE was clued as [From: Scot.]. And earlier than that … there was no earlier than that. You now know the clues for all three lifetime FAE appearances. For perspective, GAE has appeared thirty-three instances, and … “What the hell is GAE?” you rightly ask (allegedly, Scots for “go”). If we’re bringing FAE again, then I feel “Neopronoun” is the one affordable solution to go, ‘trigger if FAE have been viable as “fairyworld,” imagine me, folks would’ve used it, and clued it that manner, greater than Zero Instances.
- 59D: Cohort that grew up with the web (GEN Z) — beginning to get exhausted by all generational labeling and assumptions. There are too many generations now. As a member of Gen X, I apologize. Sure, Child Boomers got here earlier than, however that was a significant demographic as a result of … nicely, it is within the identify. The infants, they boomed. Gen X was identical to “youngsters are completely different now, let’s divide folks up.” And so forth. And so forth. And so forth. And now these gen divisions are all being outlined by tech utilization / entry. They’re arbitrary moments in time. Used to promote stuff and divide folks from each other … normally with the intention to promote stuff. I do know I am yelling into the wind right here (or at a cloud, in the event you want), however I’d love the “Gen” crap to all expire, asap.
- 39D: Movie incorrectly introduced as Finest Image earlier than “Moonlight” (LA LA LAND) — I loved remembering this improbable second of tv.
That is all. See you subsequent time.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
