Constructor: Blake Slonecker
Relative problem: Straightforward
THEME: none
Phrase of the Day: FAIR ISLE SWEATER (52A: Colourful knit high with Scottish origins) —
Honest Isle (/fɛəraɪ̯l/) is a standard knitting model used to create patterns with a number of colors. It’s named after Honest Isle, one of many Shetland Islands. Honest Isle knitting gained appreciable recognition when the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) wore Honest Isle jumpers in public in 1921. Conventional Honest Isle patterns have a restricted palette of 5 or so colors, use solely two colors per row, are labored within the spherical, and restrict the size of a run of any explicit color.
Some folks use the time period “Honest Isle” to confer with any colourwork knitting the place stitches are knitted alternately in varied colors, with the unused colors stranded throughout the again of the work, however that is inaccurate. The time period “stranded colourwork” is relevant for the generic method, and the time period “Honest Isle” is reserved for the attribute patterns of Shetland.
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OK, puzzle, have you ever received all of the chess variants out of your system now? Please inform me that is it for 2025, as a result of I am under no circumstances fascinated by no matter NEO-chess baloney you are attempting to perpetrate. You could possibly put just about any phrase earlier than “CHESS” at this level and I would be like “positive, no matter, sounds nice, who cares?” I could not have informed you precisely what a FAIR ISLE SWEATER is, both, however at the very least it sounded vaguely acquainted, and yeah, it is good. The patterns are enticing. FAIR ISLE SWEATER, sure, ARMAGEDDON CHESS, pfft. One other factor I may go with out seeing for a while is ARO, which has gone from being “recent slang” to grid kudzu in what looks like a heartbeat. Let’s test the ARO-meter, lets?
We have already set a file for Most ARO Appearances in a Calendar Yr … and it is solely June! In reality, there have been three (3) appearances in June alone, and as you may see, June is barely seven days outdated! I am slapping a “Crosswordese” tag on ARO proper now, within the useless hope that constructors will begin utilizing it extra sparingly. Consider it as a NEO-crosswordese. Its excessive prevalence is recent, sure, however at this level it is not likely any completely different from SSNS or OTT to me (although ARO has truly appeared as a lot as SSNS and OTT mixed to date in 2025).
So that is a kind of all-over symmetry puzzles. Mirror symmetry throughout each axis, rotational symmetry each 90 levels. I do not know that it makes for probably the most attention-grabbing fixing expertise—when you may shoot pairs of 15s in all instructions like this, the puzzle tends to play fairly straightforward, and the 15s, being interlocked and restricted by that interdependence, can have a tendency towards the tasteless, tepid, or compelled. At the moment’s maintain up OK, however solely “I KNEW IT ALL ALONG” and MAKE A FRESH START actually did something for me. The remainder of the grid is generally forgettable filler, although I actually preferred SET MENU—unique, very in-the-language, kinda tough to parse (esp. with that terminal “U”). Probably not “digging” (within the 38-Down sense) the sneering angle towards AGING on this puzzle. On the one hand, it desires to be broad-minded and philosophical about it (1D: Pure course of all of us undergo). Alternatively, SENILE!? THE OLDS!? Do folks nonetheless say “THE OLDS?” I really feel like whoever coined “THE OLDS” is now one among “THE OLDS” themselves, however desperately attempting to faux in any other case. Just like the clue for AGING implies, we’re all headed for Medicare PART D, buddy, and that is if we’re fortunate.
Oh, I additionally, mockingly, preferred WOOD ROT (49A: Corruption beneath deck, maybe). That one was a BEAUT. I additionally kinda like SOURS ON, although I’ll confess to observing -OURSON for a non-zero variety of seconds questioning what the hell it may probably be (38D: Stops digging). TOURS ON? No … that is extra [Keeps gigging] than [Stops digging]. Clearly the that means of “digging” was fully eluding me. I used to be considering both of literal digging (like, within the earth with a shovel or one thing like that), or metaphorical digging, like “investigating, prying.” However no: “digging” as in “liking, having fun with, discovering very groovy.” The one different place in the whole puzzle that gave me any bother in any respect was the again finish of 2D: Depart the whole lot behind (MAKE A FRESH START). I needed MAKE A CLEAN BREAK, which match (the area). And match (the clue). However even that did not actually gradual me down, since Mel OTT removed my improper guess in fairly brief order. This puzzle felt extra like a Friday than yesterday’s puzzle did. Higher circulation at present, and simply breezier general.
[thought of this sketch as soon as I saw the constructor’s first name today … and then the puzzle gave me “GLEE” so I had to post it—it’s a twofer! (16D: “Euphoria” synonym that, like “Euphoria,” is also the name of a hit TV show) … oh, and there’s CHESS content too. Threefer!]
Some extra issues:
- 1A: Gather (AMASS) — a gimme proper off the bat. At all times good. Bizarre / attention-grabbing that AMASS sits proper on high of a solution meaning “amasses” (14A: Assembles = GATHERS TOGETHER)
- 9A: Triangular bones that fuse in maturity (SACRA) — take yoga courses for any size of time, and this bone (sacrum) will develop into very acquainted to you. You could possibly additionally simply take an Anatomy class, I suppose.
- 24A: Takes the sector? (MOWS) — like … takes it … away. Goodbye, subject (of grass)!
- 29A: Spiral-shelled mollusks (TRITONS) — not likely positive what these are, however I had a bunch of the center letters on this reply and my mind simply Rolodexed for “one thing Sea-ish” and bam, TRITONS labored completely (Triton is a Greek god of the ocean, son of Poseidon).
- 36A: Doubtless foyer locale in D.C. (Okay STREET) — not likely getting the “Doubtless” a part of this clue. I imply, I perceive the tempting pleasures of alliteration, however … is Okay STREET a foyer or is not it? Looks as if a query that ought to have a definitive reply. It is actually a lobbying locale. [Literal lobby locale]!
- 9D: Directive in lots of a stovetop recipe (SEAR) — first thought: “STIR.” Second thought: “SEA- … SEA- … SEAL?” (no, dummy: SEAR) “Oh yeah.”
- 13D: One facet in historic Greece’s Battle of the 300 Champions (ARGOS) — fully spaced on this. The puzzle was really easy that it did not matter—crosses rapidly helped me out—however I am nonetheless mad at myself for not getting it immediately.
- 45D: Robe go-with (TOWN) — theoretically tough, because the clue appears to be asking for some piece of clothes or an adjunct, however right here, “Robe” “goes with” TOWN within the expression “TOWN-and-gown” which broadly describes the 2 sections of any college city: the university-affiliated (robe) and the remainder (TOWN). Conventionally, there’s imagined to be pressure between these two components, however the entire TOWN-and-gown distinction looks like a barely dated idea to me. I imply, insofar as college students and professors do not go round city in “robes” any extra (as they did within the Center Ages), it is very dated. I feel there was implicit class distinctions that are not *as* operative any extra, at the very least not on the public colleges the place I’ve taught.
- 6D: Some regarding forecasts, in weather-speak (T-STORMS) — we canceled our plans to drive as much as Ithaca to see The Phoenician Scheme yesterday as a result of the forecast referred to as for extreme T-STORMS and I ain’t driving in that if I haven’t got to. However then after all the T-STORMS did not materialize. As a result of summer time climate is like that. You overlook, within the winter, that the summer time is not simply heat—it is chaotic (evil).
See you subsequent time.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
