Constructor: Jeffrey Lease and Jeff Chen
Relative issue: Hardish in case you remedy Downs-only (as I do on Mondays); in all probability normalish in any other case
THEME: TEN-TO-ONE ODDS (53A: Massive payout potential … or a touch to the phrases within the shaded squares (and the clue numbers on which they start) — the phrases “TEN” and “ONE” are embedded in 4 longer solutions (in shaded squares) and each “TEN” and “ONE” start in squares with odd clue numbers in them)
Theme solutions:
- “TENNIS, ANYONE?” (19A: Courtroom summons?) [TEN starts at 19, ONE starts at 21]
- WELL-INTENTIONED (27A: Having a benevolent aim in thoughts) [29, 31]
- TENOR SAXOPHONES (45A: Devices for John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins) [45, 49]
- TEN-TO-ONE ODDS [53, 55]
Phrase of the Day: ENOS (68A: First son of Seth, in Genesis) —
Enos or Enosh (Hebrew: אֱנוֹשׁ ʾĔnōš; “mortal man”; Arabic: أَنُوش/يَانِش, romanized: Yāniš/’Anūš; Greek: Ἐνώς Enṓs; Ge’ez: ሄኖስ Henos) is a determine within the Ebook of Genesis within the Hebrew Bible. He’s described as the primary son of Seth who figures within the Generations of Adam, and can also be referred to inside the genealogies of 1 Chronicles.
In line with Christianity, he’s a part of the family tree of Jesus as talked about in Luke 3:38. Enos can also be talked about in Islam within the numerous collections of tales of the pre-Islamic prophets, which honor him in an an identical method. Moreover, early Islamic historians like Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham all the time included his identify within the family tree of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, (Arabic: ’Anūsh أَنُوش or: Yānish يَانِش). […]
Genesis 4:26 says: “And to Seth, to him additionally there was born a son; and he referred to as his identify Enosh; then started males to name upon the identify of the Lord”. The normal Jewish interpretation of this verse, although, implies that it marked the start of idolatry, i.e. that males begin dubbing “Lord” issues that had been mere creatures. It’s because the earlier generations, notably Adam, had already “begun calling upon the identify of the Lord”, which forces one to interpret הוחל huchal not as “started” however because the homonym “profanated”. On this mild, Enosh suggests the notion of a humanity (Enoshut) considering of itself as an absolute reasonably than in relation to God (Enosh vs. Adam). (wikipedia)
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Looks as if an elaborate theme for a Monday. An elaborate theme that does not fairly work (solely one of many themers (“TENNIS, ANYONE?”) really goes from TEN (initially) to ONE (on the finish)), and one whose core premise is tough to care about in any respect—half the rattling clues in any puzzle are “odd” (clearly). Sure, you have to get the numbers to line up proper for the “TEN” and the “ONE” and I am certain there’s architectural problem concerned there, however why ought to anybody care? The truth that solutions or components of solutions begin in bins with odd numbers in them … that provides nothing to the fixing expertise. It is a “look-at-me!”-type factor that solvers are solely going to see after they’re achieved, after which what? Ooh and aah? Looks as if a number of work on the constructors’ finish for little or no puzzle payoff on the solver’s. The theme solutions themselves are completely good stand-alone solutions: strong, colourful. And for a grid with such apparent structural complexities, it is exceptional that the fill total got here out as properly because it did. However conceptually, this did not fairly work for me. I recognize the trouble it will need to have taken to make the grid work, on a bodily degree, however that effort did not actually translate into fixing enjoyment. I desire a Monday to be easy, elegant, perhaps humorous, and I positively need the revealer to stay the touchdown. Most of that did not occur immediately.
Different Downs-only struggles adopted. Could not get to “C’MON!” from 7D: “Time’s a-wastin’!”—the clue phrase is cutesy/archaic, which the reply phrase actually is not. I wished one thing like “STAT!” or “ASAP!” regardless that the equivalency there was dangerous too. I ended realizing EMINEM songs round 2002 (when 8 Mile got here out), so the Monday-level track for me would’ve been “The Actual Slim Shady” or “Stan” or “Lose Your self” or one thing like that. “Rap God” was from 2013—new sufficient that I missed it, sufficiently old that if I did comprehend it sooner or later, I forgot it. I did guess EMINEM right here, however solely as a result of it is a rapper in six letters, who else is it more likely to be (on a Monday)?
The PENTIUM clue confused me as a result of it made me consider precise components, not the element-like ending -IUM (15D: Intel chip whose identify seems like a component on the periodic desk). I used to be like “is there a Pentel URANIUM … one thing?” I needed to guess on the “Pokémon protagonist” (11D: ___ Ketchum, “Pokémon” protagonist). Card video games have protagonists? I’m by no means going to grasp Pokémon. It is a child’s recreation and I used to be an grownup earlier than it ever got here out and my very own child by no means went close to it, so nope. No hope. Oh, sorry, I am being informed that ASH is from the Pokémon anime, not the cardboard recreation per se … sigh, OK.
The anime initially targeted on Ash Ketchum and his travels throughout the Pokémon world together with his companion, Pikachu. They had been retired as protagonists after the twenty fifth season, and Pokémon Horizons launched two new protagonists, Liko and Roy. (wikipedia)
Bullets:
- 20D: “___ had been you…” (“IF I“) — IFI is … not the best fill. IFI seems like a Pokémon character to me. Possibly IFI, OPI, and COO are, like, ASH’s pals or one thing, I do not know…
- 54D: Org. involved with defending employees (OSHA) — all these authorities oversight company clues really feel fraudulent in 2025. I really feel like it is advisable add the phrase “putatively” or “nominally” … or else “as soon as” (as in “this company as soon as protected employees / the atmosphere / no matter … I bear in mind these days … good occasions…”)
- 24D: Baseball rating as a result of defensive crew’s error (UNEARNED RUN) — this can be a beautiful debut reply. Additionally beautiful—this Tigers spotlight from yesterday (these runs are all earned, I am afraid…):
That is all for immediately. Due to Eli for filling in for me this weekend whereas I used to be away doing this:
That is proper: We … are the champions. Pairs Division champions. Extra on this tomorrow, after I’ve had extra relaxation, and extra time to course of all the pieces from my actually fantastic weekend on the 2025 American Crossword Puzzle Event (full outcomes right here). When you had been there too, and you’ve got footage to share, please ship them alongside (rexparker at icloud dot com). OK, I am going again to mattress now. See you subsequent time.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
P.S. congrats to Paolo Pasco, who gained the People Championship … which can also be, I hear, prestigious:
