Hello, everybody! It’s Clare for the final Tuesday in June. Hope everyone seems to be staying cool in the midst of this loopy warmth wave — D.C. is presently horribly sizzling and humid. I’m scripting this after attending an out of doors live performance the place the temperature was 90-plus levels (the live performance was wonderful however ended a couple of songs early due to the intense warmth), and I’m now having fun with the AC in my house… In additional vital information, this month, the remainder of the BTS members returned from their army service, so prepare to listen to much more about them in future write-ups:)
Anywho, onto the puzzle…
Constructor: Ingrid Steffensen
THEME: PARAS (54D: Regulation agency aides, informally … or a touch to 17-, 26-. 48- and 62-Throughout) — Every theme reply is a “pair o’” one thing and when mixed with “para” types one other phrase
- DOCKS DOCKS (17A: A few locations to safe boats … or a logical contradiction?) [Paradox]
- DICE DICE (26A: A few units of recreation cubes … or heaven?) [Paradise]
- LIES LIES (48A: A few fibs … or incapacitate?) [Paralyze]
- FRAYS FRAYS (62A: A few melees … or put into new, less complicated phrases with out altering the that means?) [Paraphrase]
Phrase of the Day: “SMELLS Like Teen Spirit” (43A: Nirvana’s “___ Like Teen Spirit”) —
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” is a tune by the American rock band Nirvana. It’s the opening monitor and lead single from the band’s second album, Nevermind (1991), launched on DGC Information. Having offered over 13 million items worldwide, it is among the best-selling songs of all time. The success propelled Nevermind to the highest of a number of albums charts and is usually marked as the purpose when grunge entered the mainstream. It was Nirvana’s greatest hit, charting excessive on music trade charts world wide in 1991 and 1992, and was primary on the charts in Belgium, France, New Zealand and Spain. (Wiki)
• • •
The theme was fairly creative. It took me some time to know, however as soon as I did, I actually appreciated it. Although, the theme solutions regarded fairly unusual on their very own, regardless of the revealer (DOCKSDOCKS, LIESLIES, and so on.). The repetition actually helped with the remedy after you bought the primary couple, however the theme itself did skew a bit later within the week for me. I loved the a number of layers to every clue and reply and the way it all got here collectively. However — and it is a big one — I’ll go to the ends of the Earth to shout from the rooftop that PARAS (54D) isn’t a brief type for “paralegals.” I don’t care what Google or Wikipedia or anybody else might say (although I feel they principally agree with me anyway). It’s simply not a typical option to consult with that occupation. I work within the authorized discipline and work with quite a lot of paralegals, and I’ve by no means as soon as heard somebody be known as a PARA (54D), not to mention heard that phrase across the workplace. Sorry, that soured me some, apparently!
In any other case, the puzzle felt like a reasonably normal Tuesday remedy. There have been some enjoyable phrases in there — SCOFF (43D: React to a ridiculous suggestion, perhaps), BUNGLE (19A: Muff), DRAM (67A: 1/8 fluid ounce), and SCRUM (23D: Rugby pile), to call a couple of. When you say every of these phrases out loud, they only have a sure panache (one other favourite phrase) to them. APOGEE (4D: Pinnacle) can be phrase. After which the reply YEA (63D: Phrase mentioned in passing?) was intelligent.
Total, the fill was high-quality however nothing a lot to write down house about. The lengthy solutions outdoors the theme have been okay. OPERA FAN (56A: Common on the Met, perhaps), I can see. SEATBELT (21A:
Factor to be clicked in a “Click on It or Ticket” marketing campaign) wasn’t horrible. MINISTERS (35D: Preachers) was meh. NANNY CAMS (3D: Surveillance programs put in by dad and mom) was in all probability my favourite of the lengthy solutions aside from the themes, although they’re quite creepy (until you place one in your room while you go to a live performance to regulate your pet to see if you could ask your roommate to look in on her).
Very, in music) and GELID (33D: Very chilly), significantly with them so shut collectively within the puzzle.
Misc.:
- With PACER (10D: Indiana basketballer), all I really feel is unhappiness for the staff and Tyrese Haliburton and his silly Achilles tendon. Poor man. (For these of you who didn’t watch the NBA Finals — he led his staff to the seventh recreation of the Finals, and into the lead, regardless of a critical calf damage, then tore a tendon.) Having that reply within the puzzle subsequent to ANKLE (11D: Physique half which may be twisted), clued as one thing that may be twisted, felt ominous.
- My pet has an ID TAG (15D: Canine collar attachment) that, on one aspect, says “Pink” and has my cellphone quantity. On the opposite aspect, it says “Oh f*** I’m misplaced. Name my mama.”
- MANO a MANO (16A: (how two foes confront one another) is an attention-grabbing one to me as a result of many individuals appear to suppose mano a mano means man to man, but it surely means hand at hand.
- LEO (6D: Actor DiCaprio, within the tabloids) doesn’t make me consider Leonardo DiCaprio however quite my cousin’s son who’s solely 5 and is trilingual. (My cousin is American, her husband is Italian, and so they reside in Spain, so little Leo speaks three languages fairly properly). I really feel insufficient.
- Proper now, as an alternative of APRIL (51D: T.S. Eliot’s (and the I.R.S.’s) “cruellest month”), June is feeling just like the cruelest month due to this warmth!
And that’s all from me. Right here’s to cooler climate (HAR) and an excellent month of July!
Signed, Clare Carroll (I’m signing off now, so I assume that makes me a PARAGON)
P.S. I actually did remedy the puzzle on the live performance—
