Constructor: Kathy Bloomer
Relative issue: Medium-Difficult
THEME: CEREALS AISLES (23D: Locations to seek out gadgets on the ends of 4-, 8- and 14-Down) — peculiar phrases was cereal puns:
Theme solutions:
- ENDORSED CHEX (4D: Got here out in favor of a sure breakfast product?)
- GETTING ONE’S KIX (14D: Performing some breakfast buying?)
- WHOLE BAG OF TRIX (8D: Sugary bulk breakfast buy?)
Phrase of the Day: “A Drop of Nelson’s Blood” (60A: “Nelson’s blood” = RUM) —
“A Drop of Nelson’s Blood” is a sea shanty, often known as “Roll the previous chariot alongside” (Roud No. 3632) The origins are unclear, however the title comes from the road: “A drop of Nelson’s blood would not do us any hurt”. Usually described as a “walkaway” or “runaway refrain” or “stamp and go” sea shanty, the music options on the soundtrack of the 2019 movie Fisherman’s Buddies. The refrain comes from the nineteenth century Salvation Military hymn, ‘Roll the previous chariot’.
Every line is sung thrice and describes one thing that the singing sailors would miss whereas at sea for a very long time. The final line is all the time “And we’ll all dangle on behind”, though some variations say “we can’t drag on behind”. // Following his victory and demise on the Battle of Trafalgar, Nelson‘s physique was preserved in a cask of brandy or rum for transport again to England. Although when information of Nelson’s demise and return to British soil reached most of the people, folks both 1. argued rum would’ve been the higher various or 2. wrongly assumed the physique was preserved in rum to start with. ‘Nelson’s blood‘ grew to become a nickname for rum, however it may additionally imply Nelson’s spirit or bravery.
The shanty was sung to accompany sure work duties aboard crusing ships, particularly people who required a brilliant strolling tempo. Though Nelson is talked about within the title, there is no such thing as a proof that the shanty dates from the time of Nelson, who died in 1805. (wikipedia)
• • •
This performed so sluggish for me, for a Wednesday. It is attainable I simply did not get sufficient sleep—it is all the time attainable I simply did not get sufficient sleep—and a few of it additionally could be a common wavelength mismatch. However I believe a few of it’s that the idea, and notably the enhancing, is only a bit … off. So many issues concerning the theme simply do not fairly work. I am going to begin with the revealer, which … once more, it is DEF attainable that I am lacking one thing, however I do not see how the AISLES a part of CEREAL AISLES connects to those solutions. Particularly, what does it should do with the very fact all of them finish in “X.” The “X” half seems like a very necessary function of the theme, however how does AISLES get me there? How does AISLES get me wherever? Is the truth that the solutions are Downs associated? However then … why could not AISLES simply as simply run Throughout? Not getting the connection between Down-ness and aisle-ness. AISLES … isles? … I am stumped. There have to be one thing right here, one thing to make that revealer an actual bullseye, however I simply can’t see it. If there’s some component I am lacking, please let me know.
Additional notes:
- 1A: Like some colours or Zoom customers (MUTED) — intelligent, however very robust clue to begin on. Wanted many crosses.
- 34A: Type of solitaire gained when solely the 4 highest playing cards stay (ACES UP) — no thought. None. By no means heard of it. Another excuse the puzzle simply performed sluggish to me. I ended up with ANESUP right here due to 27D: Fella (MAC), which I had entered as MAN.
- 62A: Information taxes in June, maybe (IS LATE) — very unhealthy fill (random “IS + adjective” phrases? You are able to do that?). The try and cowl up the badness with timeliness (tax day was yesterday) was noble however in the end doomed.
- 21A: Common Mills model (TOTAL) — I assume that is speculated to be a wink on the theme (??) however it feels much less winky, extra sloppy. You’ve got acquired a cereal theme, so maintain cereals out of the remainder of the grid. Or, if you are going to wink, actually wink. This appears fairly half-hearted, as winks go.
- 55D: Merchandise with peak gross sales earlier than Easter, say (DYES) — one other try at timeliness (it is Easter Week, in spite of everything), however certainly DYES is a woefully partial reply for this clue. It is EGG DYES. To have this reply simply be DYES is … weak. There are many DYES on the planet, DYES whose gross sales are in now approach tied to Easter. Hair DYES, as an example. Additionally, why is “say” on this clue? Once more, the enhancing logic eludes me right here.
- 69A: Previous long-haul hwy. from Detroit to Seattle (US TEN) — why is it “previous?” Does it not exist any extra? It acquired clued as “previous” again in ’09, however it’s appeared six extra occasions since then with out the “previous” … and now we get the “previous” once more. Complicated. Seems like US TEN (which nobody however nobody writes that approach, it is US 10) is “not a cross-country freeway, and it by no means was a full coast-to-coast route. US 10 was one of many unique long-haul highways, working from Detroit, Michigan, to Seattle, Washington, however then misplaced a lot of its size when new Interstate Highways have been constructed on prime of its right-of-way.” The wikipedia entry itself wavers between “is” and “was” for this freeway, so the complete freeway, from Det. to Sea., does not exist any extra, however some a part of it nonetheless does? Sure, that seems to be what’s up—the present incarnation runs solely from Bay Metropolis, MI, to Fargo, ND.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
**kealoa = a pair of phrases (usually quick, frequent solutions) that may be clued identically and that share a minimum of one letter in frequent (in the identical place). These are solutions you’ll be able to’t simply fill in shortly as a result of two or extra solutions are viable, Even With One or Extra Letters In Place. From the traditional [Mauna ___] KEA/LOA conundrum. See additionally, e.g. [Heaps] => ATON or ALOT, [“Git!”] => “SHOO” or “SCAT,” and many others.
