Constructor: Zhou Zhang and Kevin Curry
Relative problem: Straightforward-Medium
THEME: “Escape Room” — the puzzle is modeled on an escape room (I assume—I would not know, by no means been in a single); a four-letter reply sits on the center of the grid, inside what seems to be like a keyhole, utterly minimize off from the remainder of the grid (69D: [Insert key here]), and to be able to determine what phrase goes there, it’s important to comply with hints present in different solutions (there are 4 such hint-answers: one for every letter of the keyhole reply); the “key” to “unlocking” that heart lock (and thus ending (“escaping”?) the puzzle) is EXIT … and should you determine it out, you’re (based on the puzzle) a BREAKOUT STAR! (42D: Individual everybody’s speaking about … or what you will be after unlocking the lock and finishing this puzzle?)
- 39D: Ultimate cease … or a touch to discovering the primary key letter on this puzzle (END OF THE ROAD) [the “road” in the grid is RODEO DRIVE, the “end” of which is the letter “E“]
- 109A: Children’ ball recreation performed on a court docket … or a touch to discovering the second key letter on this puzzle (FOURSQUARE) [in the “4” square in this grid (see 4-Down, XES) is the letter “X“]
- 93A: “The Little Mermaid” hit … or a phonetic trace to discovering the third key letter on this puzzle (“UNDER THE SEA“) [there is only one “C” in the puzzle (in MEDICI), and directly “under” it is the letter “I“]
- 31A: Is totally oblivious … or a touch to discovering the fourth key letter on this puzzle (DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE) [the one answer in the puzzle that “doesn’t have a clue” is 76A: – (TEE), which stands for the letter “T“]
Phrase of the Day: TIM TAM (38D: Widespread chocolate biscuit from Down Beneath) —
Tim Tam is a model of chocolate biscuit launched by the Australian biscuit firm Arnott’s Biscuits Holdings in 1964. It consists of two malted biscuits separated by a lightweight exhausting chocolate cream filling and coated in a skinny layer of textured chocolate. // The biscuit was created by Ian Norris. Throughout 1958 he took a world journey in search of inspiration for brand spanking new merchandise. Whereas touring in Britain, he discovered the Penguin biscuit and determined to attempt to “make a greater one”. // Tim Tam went in the marketplace on 10 September 1964. They had been named by Ross Arnott, who attended the 1958 Kentucky Derby and determined that the identify of the successful horse, Tim Tam, was excellent for a deliberate new line of biscuits. Pepperidge Farm, a sister firm of Arnott’s, started importing the Tim Tam to the USA in 2008. Tim Tams are nonetheless “Made in Australia” and packaging within the US bears the slogan “Australia’s Favourite Cookie“. (wikipedia)
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Full disclosure … nicely, two full disclosures. One, I hate escape rooms. Or, fairly, I think about I’d, and I’ve zero curiosity in them. They sound like hell. I do know they’re extremely popular, and extremely popular with puzzler varieties, however … not for me, no thanks, no. Fortunately, this actually had no bearing on my enjoyment of this puzzle. Full disclosure two: I met certainly one of these constructors (Zhou Zhang) on the ACPT again in April! And I’ve photographs to show it:
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| [That’s Zhou on my right and Mallory on my left; they were competing in the Pairs division, just like me and my wife. I don’t know what happened between photo 1 and photo 2 to make us all laugh—we were all high on post-tournament adrenaline and/or exhaustion] |
Zhou advised me that her debut puzzle can be popping out at some indeterminate time sooner or later, however, should you’ve ever had a puzzle accepted by the NYT, that that may imply weeks, months, even years (although I am guessing they do not let it get to “years” any extra). So I’ve had my eye out for her identify and, nicely, right here we’re. I am glad to report that I had fun. Thank god fixing the “Escape Room” was comparatively straightforward. I usually do not like an excessive amount of fussy post-solve enterprise, however on this case, discovering my strategy to every of the 4 letters in “EXIT” was truly form of enjoyable. The letters vary in problem; “X” and “T” had been fairly self-evident, whereas the opposite two concerned looking the grid a bit for the reply. I recognized RODEO DRIVE because the “street” in query (re: END OF THE ROAD) fairly shortly (I assume there are not any different “roads” within the puzzle; I did not examine), and at that time I already knew what the lacking vowels had been going to be (you solely want the “X” and “T” to see that the phrase goes to be “EXIT“), however I nonetheless wanted to know *why* “I” was the best third letter. I regarded for the names of precise seas that the “I” may be “beneath” (“BLACK?” “RED?” “CASPIAN?”). No luck. Then I attempted to motive backward from “I” and went in search of “EYE” (!?). I did not contemplate the letter “C” because the “sea” in query till somewhat later, as a result of I figured there have been in all probability plenty of “C”s within the grid … however then I regarded and regarded and there was simply the one “C,” and beneath it, the letter “I.” Puzzle, solved! Room, escaped!
As typical, beginning this puzzle in any respect was the toughest half. I completely struck out within the NW at first move. Could not make something out of [Board game recommendation] or [Spot markers] or [Toddler’s demand] (MAMA?), and thought 17A: Prevailing trend (VOGUE) may be TREND, so I deserted the realm. Now that I look, RUSHDIE is in that part, and he was a gimme, so I do not know why I did not see that clue the primary time via the NW (3D: “Midnight’s Kids” writer, 1981). Bizarre. Anyway, I had SESH and that was it. So I obtained began on this actual roundabout approach, from ODS and ROSIN to PSIS after which down the facet of the “lock” and again up the west coast till I hit the NW nook once more, and at *that* level, I noticed RUSHDIE. My grid regarded like this:
As quickly as I obtained DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE, I knew (or figured) there’d be a (actually) clue-less reply within the puzzle that will assist me determine that one out. However fairly than search for it, I simply stored fixing. Moreover the ultimate gimmick (“unlocking” that central reply), there’s nothing significantly difficult in regards to the puzzle. It is obtained plenty of leisure worth, and for a puzzle with a *lot* of 3-4-5s, it is fairly clear. I solved it like a themeless puzzle, with no actual thought as to how the gimmick labored till the top. Because the “X” and “T” had been apparent, I might simply infer “E” and “I” to make “EXIT,” however I nonetheless wanted to understand how the “E” and “I” hints work—which ended up being the one actual “work” on my finish (after the preliminary flailing round to start out issues).
There have been a couple of issues I did not know, or muffed at first. Let’s begin with … “rest room TRAIN“??? (60A: Phrase with bullet or rest room). Oh my god, I simply obtained it. Each my spouse and I, final night time, had been like “what the hell is a rest room TRAIN?” We thought perhaps it was a rest room … on a prepare? Like perhaps the “with rest room” a part of the clue meant that TRAIN got here not after however earlier than “rest room.” TRAIN rest room. , like this one:
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| [you can’t tell, but Cary Grant is hiding in that toilet; this is a still from Hitchcock’s famous movie, Toilets on a Train] |
I see now that “rest room prepare” is like “potty prepare.” “Practice” as verb (fairly than locomotive). It has been so lengthy since I had a small youngster in the home, the phrase “rest room TRAIN” has apparently grow to be alien to me. I additionally could not make sense of [Breaking maneuver] for some time, since I stored considering it was “braking.” Ultimately, I noticed “breaking” right here referred to interruptdancing. Straightforward crosses meant HANDSTAND ultimately stuffed itself in. Did not know PEPE, which I am assuming means “pepper” (?) (19A: Italian seasoning). Sure, it means “pepper.” My favourite mistake got here at 13D: Sort of joke … or a response to a very dangerous one (GAG). I wrote in “DAD.” There are DAD jokes, after all, after which, in case your dad truly makes certainly one of his corny jokes, you may reply with an exasperated / irritated / eye-rolling “DAD!” As in “Daaaaad, why do you do this, please cease.” Had no thought in regards to the thinker at 1A: Thinker who wrote “The forms is a circle from which nobody can escape” (MARX). I respect (now) the best way this clue subtly introduces you to the “escape” theme. Lastly, the place my ignorance / failure is worried, I do not assume I’ve ever had a TIM TAM, however I do know of them, so I obtained that reply simply after a cross or two.
Extra issues:
- 22A: Its freedom is granted within the First Modification (PRESS) — unsure what “freedoms” any of us are going to have left in any case [waves hands toward wider world] this. I went via a psychological record of 1st modification freedoms and obtained speech, faith, and meeting … after which blanked. Lastly getting PRESS was a particular “d’oh!” second.
- 119A: One taking the phrases proper out of your mouth? (LIP READER) — what an excellent clue. Only a excellent repurposing of a well-recognized idiom.
- 34A: Put a PIN in it (ATM) — once more, intelligent repurposing of a well-recognized idiom. No want for a “?” on this clue, because it finally ends up being fairly literal (PIN = private identification quantity, after all).
- 7D: Journey during which you may carry fairly a load? (GUILT TRIP) — very difficult. I by no means considered the “journey” in that phrase as a “journey,” even metaphorically, so I wanted plenty of assist from crosses on this one.
- 82D: Of extraordinarily unreliable high quality, in slang (JANKY) — love this phrase. Colourful, with high-value Scrabble letters as well. Crossing JANKY with WARTY, actually … vivid.
General, I appreciated this way over I have a tendency to love Sunday puzzles. I declare it non-JANKY. That is all, see you subsequent time.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
P.S. should you’re headed out to any form of pool- or lake- or seaside trip this summer season, or any trip that entails a major quantity of down time, and also you wish to remedy crosswords however do NOT wish to be in your telephone or iPad or no matter on a regular basis, why not choose up a pleasant crossword puzzle e book (sure e book! Fabricated from paper!). I’ve one which I am saving (principally) for my Santa Barbara trip later in the summertime—it is Title That Film—Crossword Puzzles for Film Lovers by Jeff Sinnock and Desirée Penner. I had their Title That Tune crossword e book on my Vacation reward record final 12 months, and now they’ve moved from music to motion pictures. These are comparatively straightforward 17×17 puzzles, all of them movie-themed, with a associated film title it’s important to determine by unscrambling circled letters within the grid. The puzzles are enjoyable, not taxing, and can (perhaps?) enable you with sure pop cultural blind spots that I do know a lot of you will have (as I do myself). 51 puzzles, 13 bucks. Value it. Blissful summer season fixing!
P.P.S. when you have crossword-related stuff you need me to advertise, simply ask. I can not promise I will say “sure,” however I normally do, and it prices you nothing 🙂
P.P.P.S. if I advised you I would promote one thing and have not finished it but, give me a nudge. I really feel like I misplaced observe of this stuff somewhat this previous (busy) spring.
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