Constructor: Rafael Musa
Relative issue: Straightforward
THEME: none
Phrase of the Day: washitsu (47D: Typical flooring masking in a washitsu) —
A washitsu (和室), which means “Japanese-style room(s)”, and ceaselessly known as a “tatami room” in English, is a Japanese room with conventional tatami flooring. Washitsu additionally normally have sliding doorways (fusuma), reasonably than hinged doorways between rooms. They might have shōji and, if the actual room is supposed to function a reception room for friends, it might have a tokonoma (alcove for ornamental gadgets). // Historically, most rooms in a Japanese dwelling had been in washitsu fashion. Nevertheless, many trendy Japanese homes have just one washitsu, which is typically used for entertaining friends, and most different rooms are Western-style. Many new building Japanese residences don’t have any washitsu in any respect, as a substitute utilizing linoleum or hardwood flooring.
The dimensions of a washitsu is measured by the variety of tatami mats, utilizing the counter phrase jō (畳), which, relying on the realm, are between 1.5 m2 and 1.8 m2. (See tatami.) Typical room sizes are six or eight tatami mats in a personal residence. There are additionally half-sized mats, as in a 4.5-tatami room.
Folks sit instantly on the tatami, on zabuton (a type of cushion), or on particular low chairs set on the tatami. For sleeping, a futon is specified by the night and folded away within the morning. Different furnishings in a washitsu could embody a low desk at which a household could eat dinner or entertain friends, and a kotatsu, a selected kind of low desk that accommodates a heating factor used within the wintertime, may additionally be supplied. The kotatsu could also be notably necessary in winter as most Japanese houses wouldn’t have central heating.
The antonym is yōshitsu (洋室), which means “Western-style room(s)”. (wikipedia)
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Easy, straightforward, pleasant. I do not know if DRIVERS LICENSES is probably the most scintillating central marquee solutions I’ve ever seen, however a lot of this puzzle simply hums and flows so fantastically. From GAYBAR to BOSSANOVA to “ALL ABOARD!” as much as SWEAR JAR over HOT SAUCE, right down to INSIDE JOB, EL DORADO, and SLAM DUNK, this puzzle was greater than full of life sufficient for a Friday, with only a few hiccups or weak spots. And whereas paired clues (identiclues?) usually annoy me (as a result of they’ll really feel compelled) I used to be truly entertained by each of immediately’s pairings, primarily as a result of it was just like the puzzle was studying my thoughts a little bit. First thought for 29D: South Asian wraps was SARIS however … nope, DOSAS. However then bam, the puzzle’s all “Had been you on the lookout for this [South Asian wrap]?” and palms me SARI in spite of everything (42A: South Asian wrap). One thing related occurred with the nail polishes, each of which I “know” due to crosswords. I say “know” as a result of I appear to conflate their names—why are there two crossword nail polishes with sassy shade names, O Lord?! So for my first nail polish (28A: Nail polish model with a Raisin Your Voice shade) I wrote in EPI, which I understand now could be due to title conflation: OPI + ESSIE = EPI! It rapidly grew to become clear that EPI was truly OPI (“DUH! I need to’ve been considering of Essie…”), after which the puzzle’s all “Had been you on the lookout for this nail polish model, additionally?” and palms me ESSIE in spite of everything (31D: Nail polish model with a Gossip N’ Spill shade). All this felt just like the puzzle enjoying low-key methods on me, and I did not thoughts. It is enjoyable to truly benefit from the brief fill, for as soon as. Talking of nail polish, and making errors, I screwed up an (apparently) very straightforward Connections yesterday as a result of whereas everybody else on the planet apparently understood that one of many groupings concerned donuts, I fell deep, deep down a fingernail therapy gap and could not get out. “Frost” “Polish” “Glaze” “Powder” … even “Sprinkle,” these are all issues one may do to at least one’s nails. Nobody ought to ever have instructed me the number of issues that may be achieved to nails. I do not even care! The additional data is a burden! Ignorance is bliss!
Continued observations:
- 54A: XXX (TENS) — as a result of “X” is a Roman numeral which means “ten,” and … there are three of them right here … so, TENS.
- 6D: Onetime producer of the Flying Cloud (REO) — come on, that is a cool title. They need to deliver it again. Each automobile immediately is called some dumb one-word cooked-up-in-a-marketing-lab title like SOUL or VOLT or ALTIMA or ELEMENT or AZERA or IMPREZA or IBIZA or no matter. Give me a Flying Cloud, dammit! The long run was purported to be enjoyable and attention-grabbing! Not each automobile wanting the identical and sounding the identical! There weren’t even purported to be automobiles, at this level. What a disappointment the long run has turned out to be.
- 58D: She’s a believer (NUN) — I imply, positive, however heaps (and much and much) of individuals are “believers.” This does not actually get at … NUNness very effectively.
- 47D: Typical flooring masking in a washitsu (TATAMI) — see “Phrase of the Day” above. I used to be not accustomed to the time period “washitsu,” however TATAMI I’ve seen earlier than. Seems I’ve seen many a “washitsu” in Japanese movies. Legendary Japanese movie director Yasujiro OZU is legendary for his use of those rooms in lots of his attractive inside pictures. These compositions also have a title—the “tatami shot.” “Ozu invented the “tatami shot”, wherein the digital camera is positioned at a low peak, supposedly on the eye degree of an individual kneeling on a tatami mat. Truly, Ozu’s digital camera is usually even decrease than that, just one or two ft off the bottom, which necessitated the usage of particular tripods and raised units” (wikipedia). Well-known sufficient to have had a kind of shot named for him … and but nonetheless one way or the other not well-known sufficient to have ever appeared within the NYTXW. If you are able to do UZI, you are able to do OZU. You’ve got actually achieved his title backward 9 occasions (shout-out to UZO Aduba!)—come on, constructors. LET’S GO! OZU me!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
