Finish a part of a violin bow / SAT 5-17-25 / Kind that is suitable with everybody, briefly / Sitcom set in a nook retailer run by a Korean Canadian household (2016-21) / Museum with works by Hockney, Turner and Millais / First president of the S.C.L.C. / One thing to absorb from a ship / Humiliated (or honored), as on Nickelodeon / Chain whose title got here from a Boston resort whose signal was too costly to take away / Sultanate that controls the exclave of Madha

Constructor: Ryan Choose

Relative issue: Straightforward-Medium (extra Straightforward than Medium)

THEME: none 

Phrase of the Day: Pete ALONSO (62A: M.L.B. star Pete who holds the single-season file for homers by a rookie (53)) —

Peter Morgan Alonso (born December 7, 1994), nicknamed “Polar Bear“, is an American skilled baseball first baseman for the New York Mets of Main League Baseball (MLB). Internationally, Alonso represents the US.

Alonso performed school baseball for the Florida Gators earlier than the Mets chosen him within the 2016 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut on Opening Day in 2019 and received the Nationwide League Rookie of the 12 months Award that 12 months, setting a significant league file for rookies with 53 dwelling runs. Alonso is a four-time MLB All-Star who led the league in dwelling runs in 2019 and in runs batted in in 2022. He has additionally received the MLB House Run Derby twice, in 2019 and 2021. (wikipedia)

• • •

Not sufficient good marquee fill for my style. Stuff like ONE TO TEN and EATS A LOT is only a horrible waste of lengthy solutions. See additionally MINIMART. Boring. An excessive amount of of that, not sufficient great things. Additionally, and I say this as a sports activities fan (of kinds): an excessive amount of sports activities. You possibly can put no matter you need in a grid, however you should not keep in a single pocket of trivia for too lengthy, and this one Actually hangs out within the sports activities pocket. From the ACC (which I assumed was the AFC) (12D: Miami is in it, for brief), to LAKER (basketball) (1D: Athlete who shares his dwelling venue with the Sparks), ARI (soccer) (21A: Playing cards’ dwelling), RAVENS (soccer) (53A: N.F.L. group whose title is a literary reference) (Poe!), ALONSO (baseball), ASTROS (baseball) (48D: Group whose emblem accommodates an “H” on prime of a star). These items wasn’t arduous for me, however I might really feel myself getting irritated by the same-same-ness. I simply stored considering “OK, transfer alongside.” If the marquee stuff had been banging, it is probably I would not have gotten so delay by the sports activities trivia avalanche. Which is why you’ve got One Job in a themeless—make the marquee solutions *fascinating*. Flashy, elegant, authentic, one thing. Not just some of them—virtually all of them. After which make the remainder of your fill easy and (vital) *diverse*. I imply, that is a wholly satisfactory Saturday, and it is acquired some highlights for certain, but it surely did not really feel particular sufficient for the NYTXW. It is acquired diagonal symmetry, although, so should you’re a fan of that … there’s that.

Some folks will love KIM’S CONVENIENCE as a result of they love KIM’S CONVENIENCE. It is definitely marquee-worthy, and authentic. I’ve by no means seen the present, however I am conscious of its existence, so it was an enormous gimme up prime, which actually helped transfer the clear up alongside. The one longer reply I actively *preferred* although, had been… “SO THAT’S THAT,” that was fairly good. SPILL THE TEA is OK, however I really feel like I’ve heard it a lot that it sounds extra “cliché” than “authentic” now. “ANY ADVICE?” is sweet, although the clue felt a little bit awkward to me (15A: Tip line?) (a “line” you may say should you wished some “ideas,” I get it, however I do not adore it. Unsure why, however “line” would not strike me as sincerely interrogative. I imply, “what’s your signal?” or “come right here typically?” are definitely “strains” within the “dangerous bar come-ons from the ’70s” sense, and people are questions, technically, however a sensible, earnest query that is not about hitting on somebody … I simply would not name {that a} “line.”). Hate the concept of doing any promoting for something associated to Bezos, so SAME-DAY DELIVERY was an actively unfavourable expertise for me (3D: Prime selection). FLYING SOUTH is ok however provided that the clue is expounded to birds, which this one wasn’t (31A: Happening, in a means). That BANANA SPLIT clue was definitely Saturday-hard, however once more, the “humor” on the clue felt pressured, and on this case, oddly old-timey. Is anybody calling the dish a BANANA SPLIT is available in a “boat” any extra? Have been they ever? Gravy is available in boats. I do not suppose a lot else does, food-wise (6D: One thing to absorb from a ship). Since a “banana boat” is an precise factor (or a model of sunscreen, a minimum of), it took me a very long time to get my “boat” out of the water and into the ice cream parlor.

The one arduous a part of the puzzle for me was the FROG / O NEG crossing (31D: Finish a part of a violin bow / 39A: Kind that is suitable with everybody, briefly). I can not preserve monitor of what all of the blood varieties do or do not do. Some letter, POS or NEG, no matter you say. I simply work that stuff out from crosses. However when that single letter (right here, the “O”) shouldn’t be crystal clear within the cross, then yikes—bother. And as we speak, it could not have been much less clear. Part of a violin I’ve actually by no means heard of??? Ugh. I sincerely thought this was some non-violent means of cluing FRAG, and A NEG appeared … believable? However then I assumed “what monster would use FRAG when FROG is true there? I will assume the constructor shouldn’t be a monster, and guess FROG, despite the fact that that’s the dumbest violin bow-part title I can think about, and FRAG really looks like a greater guess had been it not for the cross.” So I guessed FROG and was proper. Dangerous enhancing. Do not try this. With initials and different single letters that are not assured gimmes, cross them clearly. The FROG as we speak ought to’ve been amphibious. Or the sort you get in your throat. You can also make the clue arduous, simply do not make it completely inscrutable (no approach to get from violin bow to FROG by inference of any type). 

Bullets:

• 24A: Humiliated (or honored), as on Nickelodeon (SLIMED) —do they nonetheless “slime” folks on Nickelodeon? The clue feels bygone and sort of corny. “Sadly, sliming ain’t what it was once.  With the so-called “Glory Days” of Nickelodeon waning (num​bers took a pointy downturn in 2012), slime has been relegated to award sho​ws and YouTu​be clips. The Nickelodeon Studios theme park, the place children might go to get slimed in actual life, was shut down in 2004. The one place to get doused in inexperienced goo appears to be a N​ickelodeon-themed resort in Orlando the place water-park video games embody the occasional sliming” (vice.com). When you completely positively have to make use of “slime” as a verb, make it a Ghostbusters clue. Please.

• 38D: Chain whose title got here from a Boston resort whose signal was too costly to take away (SHERATON) — completely no thought. Why is that this an excellent clue? It isn’t good trivia? The clue has Completely Nothing in it that implies SHERATON particularly. In an elaborate trivia clue like this, you anticipate some a part of that clue to be hinting at, a minimum of faintly suggesting, the content material of the reply. However SHERATON is simply … a reputation? Nothing about it says “Boston” or “costly signal.” It is such as you took probably the most boring reality a few resort chain you might consider and made it the clue. If you are going to attain into obscure trivia in your clue, give us one thing good. Please.
• 62A: M.L.B. star Pete who holds the single-season file for homers by a rookie (53) (ALONSO) — I do know I complained about “an excessive amount of sports activities” however I used to be actually complaining about “an excessive amount of of 1 factor,” not sports activities per se. Personally, I liked seeing Petey’s title right here. Polar Bear! I acquired to appear him play a few instances when he was on the Mets’ Double-A affiliate, which occurs to be my hometown group: the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. On one wonderful summer time day six years in the past I acquired to see each Pete ALONSO and Vlad Guerrero on the identical area, with each of them hitting towering dwelling runs. You may inform simply by them that these two had been on one other planet from everybody else on the sphere. ALONSO hit the ball So Arduous. What I bear in mind most, although, is his rear-end thickness. Only a large ass and thigh area (he performed 1st and our seats had been within the outfield down the first final analysis, so I had an excellent view). Not fats. Highly effective. A very spectacular energy supply.

• 41D: A part of a chilly pack? (KLEENEX) — once more, this puzzle’s ear for “?” clues feels very tinny. Sure, I get it, when you’ve got a “chilly” you may attain for a “pack” of KLEENEX. It really works on some primary wordplay stage. However the floor stage of the clue simply would not zing. I acquired this simply as a result of the “X” was in place earlier than I ever noticed the clue. However yeah, I am simply mad on the “?” clues and different wordplay misdirection as we speak. Simply would not appear intelligent or elegant sufficient. Defensible, however semi-tortured.

I’ll confess to not being within the finest temper as I write this, as I’m nonetheless recovering from surgical procedure and thus nonetheless in an honest quantity of ache (the ache is managed, however not but extinguished, to my nice annoyance and impatience) (so many “chilly packs”!). If you wish to heap laurels on this puzzle, be my visitor. I am certain it is acquired virtues that I am simply not noticing. Like I mentioned, it appeared fantastic, however NYTXW puzzles ought to be greater than fantastic. 

Thanks a lot to Mali and Rafa for filling in for me the previous few days. I am grateful to have them there once I want them. That is all—see you subsequent time.

Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld

[Follow Rex Parker on BlueSky and Facebook]