Constructor: Elliot Caroll
Relative problem: Medium (solved Downs-only)
THEME: “YOU CAN CALL ME AL” (55A: 1986 hit music for Paul Simon … or an instruction from the begins of 20-, 34- and 41-Throughout) — first phrases of themers can all be abbreviated “AL”:
Theme solutions:
- ALABAMA SLAMMER (20A: Cocktail made with Southern Consolation, sloe gin, amaretto and orange juice)
- ALUMINUM FOIL (34A: Crinkly kitchen wrap)
- ALBERT BROOKS (41A: Author, director and co-star of “Defending Your Life,” 1991)
Phrase of the Day: ON BLAST (44D: Subjected to public condemnation, in fashionable slang) —
put somebody on blast (third-person singular easy current places somebody on blast, current participle placing somebody on blast, easy previous and previous participle put somebody on blast)
- (slang) To embarrass by publicly denouncing or exposing, particularly through the use of social media. (wiktionary)
• • •
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| [two “L”s, two “T”s] |
OK, to begin with, this constructor’s title is sort of a double-dog-dare problem. Is it the two-L “Elliot” or the two-T “Elliott” or the combo of each or is it only one “L” one “T,” two “L”s one “T” … if I did not have a pc to recollect it for me, I might be misspelling all of it day lengthy, perpetually and ever. After which add within the final title of “Caroll,” which has Precisely The Identical Spelling Points. One or two “R”s? One or two “L”s. Each? Neither? Nightmare. Stunned the constructor may even spell their very own title. Clare Carroll has been writing for me (on the final Tuesday of each month) for years now, and I am *nonetheless* like “… is it Claire with an ‘I’? With out? Two “R”s? Two “L”s? Each? Neither?” Anyway, congrats on the debut, two-L’s one-T one-R two-Ls Elliot Caroll. Man, I simply realized that this title additionally has the 2 first names / two final names concern. Carol Eliot. Elliot Caroll. It is the slipperiest title possible. And so innocuous-looking. Additionally gender ambiguous! Many of the El(l)iot(t)s I do know are males, however right now’s constructor is a lady. I am actually in awe of this title. It will be a lot simpler to simply name her “Al,” however the place’s the problem in that? In semi-conclusion, Elliot Caroll is a stunning title, even when I’m doomed to by no means spell it appropriately on the primary attempt.
Just a few locations within the grid felt considerably harder than the same old Monday fare, however these had been additionally essentially the most fascinating / thrilling / entertaining (non-theme) elements of the puzzle. I used to be initially stunned to see THE MENU, a film I noticed, however one that does not appear Monday-puzzle well-known to me. Then, after a number of beats, I remembered that it was truly a fairly standard film—a real, money-making hit in theaters, with some reasonably large film stars on the forefront (Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Pleasure). Plus, it is a seven-letter reply ending in “U,” do you’ve any thought how uncommon these are? Legitimate terminal-“U” solutions are all the time going to be crossword gold, so anticipate to see THE MENU for years to return. The opposite reply that made me elevate my eyebrows (in an “Oh, OK, I see you, good” method) was ON BLAST, a slang phrase I do know properly, and one I’ve identified for years, however one that also feels very present. Like a lot slang attributed to “Gen Z,” ON BLAST truly originated in (primarily) Black tradition of an earlier technology, particularly the hip-hop tradition and rap music of the ’80s and ’90s. Rap music is definitely how I realized it. To place somebody ON BLAST is to publicly denounce or expose or in any other case humiliate them (began out as reference to enjoying music loud, then … developed). Regardless of being many years previous, the expression continues to be in use, and provides the grid a pleasant increase of contemporary taste. Oh, and HUNDO, similar—stunned to see it, realized it from rap music, contemporary contemporary (63A: $100, in slang).
[7D: Collectible cardboard caps of the 1990s]
That is all for the puzzle, now it is time for extra Vacation Pet Pics (I began posting these yesterday).
Coco appeared final yr, so regardless that there’s nothing notably “Vacation” about this image, she will get in due to seniority. And that tongue.
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| [Thanks, Kitty] |
Stanley appreciates this elaborate cat mattress that you’ve got constructed particularly for him, please go away now, he must sleep
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| [Thanks, Sarah] |
Subsequent up is Pumpernickel! Look how arduous he is attempting! “Is that this … seasonal?” It’s, Pumpernickel! What a very good boy!
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| [Thanks, Marty] |
These final two are memorial photographs. R.I.P. to candy Harpo right here, who was the perfect tree guarder of all time, clearly
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| [Thanks, Pamela] |
And as for Lex, properly, what are you able to say a couple of cat that will get itself into this sort of predicament.
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You’ll be able to nearly hear the needle scratch adopted by the voiceover (“I am going to wager you are questioning how I ended up right here…”). I am going to let Barbara inform it: “That is Lex – petite, mercurial, fierce – sadly departed, however vivid in reminiscence. She’s stoned right here on what should have been ultra-potent catnip (in a brand new Christmas toy), having simply wriggled her method into this paper hat, which had been mendacity discarded on a footstool.” We love a excessive and mischievous cat. You might be missed, Lex.
