Constructor: Jacob Reed
Relative issue: Straightforward
THEME: “Numbers Recreation” — theme clues are written as numbers on a CALCULATOR read-out, and it’s important to learn them UPSIDE-DOWN as a way to make sense of them:
Theme solutions:
Phrase of the Day: MUKBANGS (33A: Meals-centric broadcasts originating in South Korea) —
A mukbang ( MUK-bang, MUK-bahng; Korean: 먹방; RR: meokbang; pronounced [mʌk̚p͈aŋ] ⓘ; lit. ‘consuming broadcast‘) is an internet audiovisual broadcast wherein a number consumes numerous portions of meals (usually from simply accessible and in style fast-food restaurant chains) whereas interacting with the viewers or reviewing it. The style turned in style in South Korea within the early 2010s, and has develop into a world pattern because the mid-2010s. Styles of meals starting from pizza to noodles are consumed in entrance of a digicam. The aim of mukbang can be generally academic, introducing viewers to regional specialties or connoisseur spots.
A mukbang could also be both prerecorded or streamed reside by a webcast on a number of streaming platforms similar to AfreecaTV, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch. In reside periods, the mukbang host chats with the viewers whereas the viewers sorts in actual time within the reside chat-room. Consuming reveals are increasing their affect on web broadcasting platforms and function digital communities and as venues for lively communication amongst web customers.
Mukbangers from many various international locations have gained appreciable reputation on quite a few social web sites and have established the mukbang as a attainable viable various profession path with a possible to earn a excessive revenue for younger South Koreans. By cooking and consuming meals on digicam for a big viewers, mukbangers generate revenue from promoting, sponsorships, endorsements, in addition to viewers’ help. Nevertheless, there was rising criticism of mukbang’s promotion of unhealthy consuming habits, notably consuming problems, animal cruelty and meals waste. (wikipedia)
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Did this idiot anybody? In any respect? For any period of time? I took one look—one look—on the first theme clue my eyes landed on, and instinctively, instantly learn it UPSIDE-DOWN.
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Learn that clue (20A) UPSIDE-DOWN and also you get “Massive sleigh boss”—not arduous to decipher from there. Who else is that gonna be apart from Santa? I shouldn’t be in a position to enter a theme reply on a Sunday with completely no assist from crosses—with completely nothing else within the grid, even. Studying calculator read-outs upside-down like I am a ten-year-old whose pal has simply proven him that “58008” upside-down spells out “BOOBS” … no, this did not do a lot for me. The clues are often intelligent, and artistic, as they’d should be, given that you’ve solely 9 letters to work with (“9” is the one numeral that does nothing, letterwise, if you flip it upside-down). I needed to suppose a bit about “BILBO’S-O,” so the clues weren’t all clear. However this was a one-trick puzzle, and when you uncover the trick (which, once more, for me, occurred instantly), then there’s not a lot shock left. Briefly, it’s spectacular that anybody *might* do that, however I am not so positive anybody *ought to* have. It is too simple, and never terribly enjoyable to unravel.
The fill has some main points as nicely. Normally, it appeared clear sufficient, and a few of the longer stuff was often attention-grabbing (“SO NOT TRUE!,” MEDIA FASTS), however there was some stuff that appeared odd or dated or each. “I’M A MAC“? How outdated is that slogan now? Seems to be prefer it was a factor from roughly ’06 to ’09. Absurd. Not simply bygone, however barely there to start with. It isn’t even that snappy—does not keep on with you. It is one thing your wordlist convinces you is legitimate, however … you gotta make these judgments your self. Not all the pieces in your wordlist is sweet. For instance, ON A LEAD—not good. Particularly not good as clued (24A: How detectives may act). You may comply with a lead, however you act on a tip. Your canine is likely to be ON A LEAD (i.e. a leash). However even that clue would not make me like ON A LEAD as fill.
However the greatest downside with the puzzle might be the MUKBANGS / IGA cross, which I guar-an-tee you goes to baffle a non-zero variety of solvers at the moment. It isn’t that both of those phrases lacks crossworthiness. MUKBANGS specifically has lots going for it—unique, fashionable, stuffed with crooked letters. And IGA Swiatek has gained 5 Grand Slam titles, together with 4 French Opens. However crossing two non-English names of non-universal fame at a totally uninferrable letter is all the time, all the time a foul thought, since you ought to by no means, as a constructor (or editor), enable for crosses that you just *know* will likely be Naticks for an excellent variety of folks. You gotta do higher dealing with your crosses. [Semi-illustrative: I knew IGA but not MUKBANGS (though maybe I’d heard of it before); my daughter (24), on the other hand, knew MUKBANGS but not IGA … or “STAYIN’ ALIVE,” apparently! I know this because I just found her nearly completed puzzle downstairs, where MUKBANGS is filled in just fine, but a huge swath of “STAYIN’ ALIVE,” including the “A” in IGA, is missing—the only part of her puzzle that isn’t completed. I’m not surprised at all that she doesn’t know IGA Swiatek, but “STAYIN’ ALIVE“? How could I have failed to provide her a proper Bee Gees education!?].
Extra:
- 49A: Certainly one of three on the Mayflower (MASTS) — me, seeing “three” and pondering of early colonial voyages: “Let’s have a look at, NINA, PINTA … wait a minute.”
- 52D: Rapper Child ___ (CUDI) — a really robust one if little or no about rap (I do know this describes a whole lot of you). You’ll be able to’t infer something there. Simply 4 random letters. Big profession, a few Grammys, however fame-wise (and definitely crosswordwise), he is no DRE, he is no NAS, he is no ICE-T. Holy cow, that is the NYTXW debut of CUDI!? I’ve seen him in crosswords earlier than—this is the reason I resolve a wide range of puzzles, lots of them extra contemporary-minded, with youthful, extra adventurous constructors (although I knew of Child CUDI earlier than I ever noticed him in a grid). With CUDI, although, in contrast to with IGA, the crosses all appear very reasonable. For the file, KIDCUDI (7) (full identify) has nonetheless by no means been used within the NYTXW. Additionally for the file, Child Cudi has appeared—thrice—in NYTXW clues: for RAPPER ([Kid Cudi or Lil Baby, e.g.]), KID ([Rapper ___ Cudi or DJ ___ Loco]), and, “NITE” ([Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘n’ ___”])
- 62A: Root phrase? (OLE) — i.e. the “phrase” you may use in the event you have been “root”ing for somebody (at a soccer match, or bullfight, I assume)
- 96A: ___ Moriarty, novelist who wrote “Massive Little Lies” (LIANE) — did not love one of many crosses right here, both, particularly the “L”; actual simple to think about somebody who has possibly heard of Massive Little Lies however doesn’t know the writer’s identify … [raises hand] … and likewise just isn’t that accustomed to up to date animated films (LUCA). Any DIANE / DUCAs on the market!?
- 111A: Some giant constructions for pet house owners (CAT CONDOS) — cat interlude!
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| [we call the four-tiered structure Alfie’s sleeping in a CAT CONDO—not sure the one-tier circular structure Ida’s in qualifies as a full “condo.” More of a cat pied-à-terre] |
- 10D: Italian diminutive suffix (-INO) — oy, wished both -INI or -INA right here, since THE ONE RING, as a phrase, does not actually imply a lot to me. (I’ve seen the damned LOTR films, I do know in regards to the ring, I simply did not keep in mind the precise phrase THE ONE RING).
- 12D: Bear’s counterpart on Wall Avenue, as soon as (STEARNS): — collect spherical, children, and I will inform you in regards to the *final* time the inventory market crashed … it was method again in aught-eight …
- 14D: Powerful buyer for a marriage planner (BRIDEZILLA) — I do know it is the identify of a actuality present and all the pieces however I am nonetheless not in love with this time period, esp. when it is being handed off as an odd factor one may name a girl. Performs into silly gender stereotypes. And there is not any male equal. No GOLFZILLA, no Depend Choose-up TRUCKULA, no Abominable Sports activities Fan … the one emotion most dudes enable themselves to specific publicly is anger, and but it is the bride who’s a -zilla? Positive.
- 21D: Hashish selection contrasted with indica (SATIVA) — INDICA & SATIVA are right here to remain, so might as nicely be taught them if you do not know them already. Not that I do know something about these things, however … SATIVA will are inclined to mild you up, whereas INDICA will have a tendency to relax you out.
- 39D: Present that, uh, did not win 43 of its 54 Emmy nominations (LOST) — OK, I really like this clue. It is legitimately humorous, watching the clue attempt to not use the phrase “LOST” within the clue for LOST. Nicely, humorous to me, anyway.
- 110D: Purple yam in Philippine delicacies (UBE) — a super-rare phrase within the crossword till Philippine delicacies went extra mainstream right here within the U.S. That is its third look within the final two years, after having been off-grid since 1990 (when it was clued as [Yamaguchi city])
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on BlueSky and Facebook]
