Stared for 2 minutes at the 34A/23D crossing in the Puzzler and still got it wrong, because I had fallen for the clue trap at 32A. That's the most devious crossword deception since Stan's BEVEL/LEVEL ruse in the 2007 ACPT finals.
I agree, which is why I went for the J; it still fits the down clue (albeit more obliquely), and makes the across answer inferrable due to it being a known surname. As it stands, it's not quite a Natick crossing, but it's close.
I found the 32A clue especially devious since the alternate reading (adjective, instead of verb) worked pretty well with an O instead of the I. With that O looking solid to me, I could never come up with 23D, and 34A was a Natick for me.
Hook's 12D is Maleskan crosswordese - I must have done enough old puzzles that it didn't faze me a bit. Don't know why we haven't seen the incredibly useful 62D more often - for 12 years he's costarred on the (one-time) most popular TV show in the country. (I also don't know why nobody's used the first or last name of the female star of "Castle"!)
I find the Globe puzzle tends to be more tolerant of obscure entries, perhaps because they're self edited (at least I believe they are). Managed to guess the 12D/27A crossing, I may have heard 12D somewhere before. 77A is one of those older personalities I can remember watching as a kid (yes, I admit it, I watched "Hee-Haw"). These days, that entry is usually clued as his daughter Pam. Also in the I-know-some-old-stuff-better-than-current-stuff category, I'm more used to 62D being clued in reference to the St. Louis bridge.
Stared for 2 minutes at the 34A/23D crossing in the Puzzler and still got it wrong, because I had fallen for the clue trap at 32A. That's the most devious crossword deception since Stan's BEVEL/LEVEL ruse in the 2007 ACPT finals.
ReplyDeleteLast square for me in the Puzzler was 45 A/D; great clue on 45-D.
ReplyDeleteAl, same problem here - though I got it eventually.
ReplyDeleteI figured out that one, but ended up with an error at 49 A/D; I thought 49D was referring to a somewhat obscure card game
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevens_(card_game)
@David: I wonder why Mike didn't go for the J in that square. Makes both entries better, esp. 49A, though I do like the clue on 49D.
ReplyDeleteI agree, which is why I went for the J; it still fits the down clue (albeit more obliquely), and makes the across answer inferrable due to it being a known surname. As it stands, it's not quite a Natick crossing, but it's close.
ReplyDeleteI found the 32A clue especially devious since the alternate reading (adjective, instead of verb) worked pretty well with an O instead of the I. With that O looking solid to me, I could never come up with 23D, and 34A was a Natick for me.
ReplyDeletei had the same error as al, except that i figured out 32a. so, no excuse, really, except for not knowing 34a at all. yikes.
ReplyDeleteanother error on 27a/12d in the hook.
ReplyDeleteoh, and hey, another one in the hook, 77a/62d. geez. i'm actually surprised there were only two.
ReplyDeleteHook's 12D is Maleskan crosswordese - I must have done enough old puzzles that it didn't faze me a bit. Don't know why we haven't seen the incredibly useful 62D more often - for 12 years he's costarred on the (one-time) most popular TV show in the country. (I also don't know why nobody's used the first or last name of the female star of "Castle"!)
ReplyDeleteI find the Globe puzzle tends to be more tolerant of obscure entries, perhaps because they're self edited (at least I believe they are). Managed to guess the 12D/27A crossing, I may have heard 12D somewhere before. 77A is one of those older personalities I can remember watching as a kid (yes, I admit it, I watched "Hee-Haw"). These days, that entry is usually clued as his daughter Pam. Also in the I-know-some-old-stuff-better-than-current-stuff category, I'm more used to 62D being clued in reference to the St. Louis bridge.
ReplyDelete