Constructor: Adam Aaronson and Michael Garbus
Relative problem: Simple
THEME: VEGETARIAN (28D: Just like the meals that reply the starred clues, regardless of how their names begin) — fruits/greens which have an animal’s identify in them:
- HORSERADISH (20A: *Most “wasabi” at sushi bars, actually)
- CRABAPPLE (23A: *Fruit whose identify can also be a synonym for a grouch)
- GOOSEBERRY (26D: *Fruit from a bush, a lot utilized in pies and jams)
- TIGER NUT (38D: *Little tuber used to make Spanish horchata)
- CHICKPEA (39D: *Garbanzo, by one other identify)
Phrase of the Day: EARL Sweatshirt (60A: Rapper ___ Sweatshirt) —
Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (born February 24, 1994), identified professionally as Earl Sweatshirt, is an American rapper and file producer. Kgositsile was initially identified by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he started rapping in 2008, however modified his identify when Tyler, the Creator invited him to hitch his various hip hop collective Odd Future in late 2009. He’s the son of South African political poet Keorapetse Kgositsile.
On the age of 16, he gained recognition and significant reward for his second mixtape, Earl (2010). Shortly after its launch, he was despatched to a boarding college in Samoa for at-risk teenagers by his mom, which he attended for a yr and a half. Unable to file throughout his keep, he returned to Los Angeles in February 2012 earlier than his eighteenth birthday. Kgositsile rejoined Odd Future and adopted a recording contract with the group’s guardian label, Columbia Data to launch his debut studio album, Doris (2013).
The album peaked throughout the prime 5 of the Billboard 200, whereas his second and third albums, I Do not Like Shit, I Do not Go Outdoors (2015) and Some Rap Songs (2018), each peaked throughout the prime 20; every obtained vital reward. He then signed with Warner Data to launch his second EP, Toes of Clay (2019)[3] and fourth studio album, Sick! (2022). His fifth album, Voir Dire (2023), was a collaborative undertaking with file producer the Alchemist.
• • •
Love the idea however hate the revealer. By “hate” I imply … probably not “hate,” however … it simply did not work for me, for the straightforward undeniable fact that I’d by no means consult with a fruit / vegetable as “VEGETARIAN.” “VEGETARIAN” is an adjective for folks (who do not eat meat) and dishes (that do not have meat in them). It is a qualifier. You’ll by no means must qualify an apple, say, or a banana. These are crops. There is not any query however that they’re applicable for individuals who do not eat meat. I get that the principle thought of this theme is that the names of the crops counsel (superficially) that they’ve animal elements, so VEGETARIAN would then make clear issues, however nonetheless … I had VEGETABLES and VEGETATION (!) earlier than I had VEGETARIAN, so absurd does the thought of calling a easy plant “VEGETARIAN” appear to me. I’ve additionally by no means heard of a TIGER NUT, although I’ve heard of horchata, and I’ve by no means had a GOOSEBERRY pie or jam, regardless of the clues assuring me that the fruit is “a lot used” for these functions. The tip of VEGETARIAN, the entrance of GOOSEBERRY, and all of TIGER NUT—that was the extent of my troubles at this time. Every thing else went in immediately, simpler than a Monday. It is a fairly vibrant grid, regardless of a preponderance of 3-4-5’s, and it is obtained interesting-looking mirror symmetry. I like all of the mid-range fill within the middle, notably the dreaded STOMACH PIRANHA! Hey, do you know that NIRVANA and PIRANHA have three letters in precisely the identical place? You study this sort of stuff whenever you get actual cavalier and simply fill in solutions based mostly on sample recognition with out truly trying on the clue. Not Beneficial. (enjoyable when it really works, however nonetheless, not beneficial).
There are every kind of solutions at this time which might be solidly twenty first century, which is to say, they will be new to some folks (regardless of having been within the puzzle earlier than). Not residing in a metropolis with quite a lot of avenue meals, I undoubtedly discovered what ELOTE was from crosswords (possibly a decade in the past?). Whereas I solely discovered what “NO CAP” means a couple of yr or two in the past, in all probability additionally from crosswords (although not the New York Occasions). I keep in mind very clearly asking my college students about “NO CAP” and their confirming that it was a factor (and kinda laughing at stated “factor” popping out of their middle-aged professor’s mouth). I’ve in all probability written about “NO CAP” earlier than … oh yeah, right here we go: CAP (as “lie”) was a Phrase of the Day simply final yr. “NO CAP“‘s first look as a solution solely occurred two years in the past, although, so if you have not absolutely absorbed that little bit of slang but, that is comprehensible. However you must soak up it now. As for EARL Sweatshirt … that is the identify I count on to baffle extra NYTXW solvers than another at this time. That is truly the fourth look of this precise clue ([Rapper ___ Sweatshirt]), however the first look, was solely in three years in the past, so once more, I believe there’ll nonetheless be quite a lot of solver who do not know him and have not assimilated him into their crossword vocabularies but. Not like NO CAP and ELOTE, EARL Sweatshirt did not come to me from crosswords. I would heard his music a bunch of occasions. He is nice. I even purchased a cassette (you heard me!) of his newest album (Voir Dire, a collab. with the Alchemist) simply final yr.
Bullet factors:
- 54D: Muppet who posts on social media within the third individual (ELMO) — “posts on social media”?? He simply speaks that method typically, does not he? “Posts on social media” is a bizarre / odd try to sound “present.” Holy (ca)moly, this Muppet wiki has catalogued Each Single Occasion wherein ELMO has (anomalously) used the first individual, not solely on the present (Sesame Road), however in all merch (!) (direct-to-video specials, CD-ROM video games from the ’90s, and so on.). That is what we name the “good web.” Exhaustively nerdy lists designed solely for obsessive followers—that is why the Web was invented.
- 38D: *Little tuber used to make Spanish horchata (TIGER NUT) — I used to be confused by “Spanish” horchata. Is that completely different from common “horchata,” I questioned? Nicely, seems horchata is initially Spanish, made from soaked, floor, and sweetened TIGER NUTs, however in some components of the Americas, “it is named an agua fresca, and the bottom could be both jicaro (morro), rice, melon seeds, sesame seeds, together with varied spices” (wikipedia).
- 51A: Electronically produced echo impact (REVERB) — a few of that cool mid-range fill I used to be speaking about. Appreciated this one.
- 53A: “Fantastic, I assume” (“OK, SURE“) — favored this mid-range fill an entire lot much less, in that the “OK” half appears completely arbitrary. “OH” “UH” “UM” all really feel like they may work. I believe I used to be an “UH” man myself. “UH” sounds much less positive than “OK,” and the clue appeared to be indicating some hesitancy or uncertainty.
- 23A: Fruit whose identify can also be a synonym for a grouch (CRABAPPLE) — “Crab” is a synonym for a grouch all by itself. Unsure why you’d tack “apple” on to it.
- 2D: 1985 Kurosawa epic that may be a retelling of “King Lear” (RAN) — our “native” (Ithaca) unbiased movie show has a promotional video they present earlier than films that talks concerning the historical past of the theater, and apparently the primary film they ever screened, again within the mid-80s, was RAN. RAN was additionally the primary Kurosawa film I ever noticed. It has been some time. I ought to rewatch. Talking of nice Japanese administrators, I watched Ozu’s Tokyo Story for the primary time simply final evening—a ravishing movie that had me questioning, as soon as once more, how on this planet OZU has by no means appeared within the NYTXW—Tokyo Story was voted the Biggest Movie Of All Time within the 2012 Sight + Sound administrators ballot … that is obtained to be sufficient to get you within the crossword, come on.
Joyful July, everybody. See you subsequent time.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on BlueSky and Facebook]
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