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New York Times, Monday, October 8, 2018

Author:
Jacob Stulberg
Editor:
Will Shortz
Jacob Stulberg
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
2912/25/201310/8/20180
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3448640
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1.59790
Jacob Stulberg

This puzzle:

Rows: 15, Columns: 15 Words: 78, Blocks: 36 Missing: {JQUX} Spans: 2 This is puzzle # 29 for Mr. Stulberg. NYT links: Across Lite PDF
Jacob Stulberg notes:
The Northern California mini-theme in today's puzzle is sheer coincidence. I couldn't pass up the chance to name-drop my adopted ... read more

The Northern California mini-theme in today's puzzle is sheer coincidence. I couldn't pass up the chance to name-drop my adopted hometown via CANNERY ROW, and GOLDEN GATE just happened to have a matching length.

Another coincidence: today's puzzle may be the first to contain the first names of both its constructor and its editor. (Neither was in the version I submitted: 34-Across was originally STILL, and 2-Down was clued as "Rebecca's daughter-in-law.")

Jeff Chen notes:
Beautifully tidy, orderly puzzle. What do you look for when you're at the AIRPORT? Which TERMINAL you're leaving from, the GATE ... read more

Beautifully tidy, orderly puzzle. What do you look for when you're at the AIRPORT? Which TERMINAL you're leaving from, the GATE number, ROW number, and SEAT assignment — this sequence contains everything you need, laid out in perfect order. Ready for takeoff, captain!

BATTERY TERMINAL isn't going to win any awards for snazziness – it's often the clue for the common crossword entry ANODE – but it's decent. Thankfully, the other themers were strong, at least for this Bay Area native. The GOLDEN GATE logo on the Warriors' jerseys, woop woop!

I appreciate that Jacob didn't try to do too much with the grid. Since he needed five themers, it's a solid decision to work in two pieces of long fill – the excellent WINE COOLER (anyone else think of Bruce Willis singing that Seagram's song?) and the amusingly-named LIMP BIZKIT (rock group). After that, he kept his focus solely on making the grid super-smooth.

Uncomplicated Monday themes ought to have uncomplicated Monday grids, and this does the trick nicely. My my my my!

A couple of great clues, too. You have to be careful for a Monday puzzle, making sure that clues aren't so clever as to go over too many newbs' heads. But an ELBOW being something up one's sleeve? Yes! A great piece of trivia in TYLER referred to as "His Accidency"? That's the way to do it.

Tidy. Ordered. And a little interesting. Can't ask much more from a Monday puzzle. Well executed; up for POW! consideration.

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© 2018, The New York TimesNo. 1008 ( 25,171 )
Across
1. Something up one's sleeve? : ELBOW
6. To's opposite : FROM
10. Fool : TWIT
14. Fashion designer Geoffrey : BEENE
15. Four-star review : RAVE
16. "Lovely" Beatles girl : RITA
17. Anode or cathode : BATTERYTERMINAL
20. Onetime leader of Iran : SHAH
21. Former Disney C.E.O. Michael : EISNER
22. Antlered animal : ELK
23. Land for O'Connor or O'Casey : ERIN
25. Unspoken but understood : TACIT
27. Iconic San Francisco bridge : GOLDENGATE
33. Chanel of perfume fame : COCO
34. Response to "Who wants to go?" : IWILL
35. In order that one might : SOASTO
37. Jewel : GEM
38. Where to find the ends of 17-, 27-, 50- and 65-Across : AIRPORT
41. Vinyl records, for short : LPS
44. Hester of "The Scarlet Letter" : PRYNNE
46. "Water Under the Bridge" singer, 2016 : ADELE
48. Frozen dessert franchise : TCBY
50. Steinbeck novel set in Monterey : CANNERYROW
53. Admission of perjury : ILIED
55. Daytime store window sign : OPEN
56. Candy from a dispenser : PEZ
57. Urbana-Champaign students : ILLINI
61. Rock music boosters : AMPS
65. Letting others occupy the spotlight : TAKINGABACKSEAT
68. Roman poet who wrote "Ars Amatoria" : OVID
69. Hat's edge : BRIM
70. Pioneering name in video games : ATARI
71. Garfield and Odie, for two : PETS
72. Subdue through electric shock : TASE
73. 1800s president nicknamed "His Accidency" : TYLER
Down
1. ___ and flows : EBBS
2. Jacob's first wife, in the Bible : LEAH
3. Software version for testing : BETA
4. Discreetly, informally : ONTHEDL
5. Tiny : WEE
6. Cooking in a pan with oil : FRYING
7. "Confound it!" : RATS
8. Place to cook a turkey : OVEN
9. Only : MERE
10. The first "T" of TNT : TRI
11. Relative of alcopop : WINECOOLER
12. Like tilted type : ITALIC
13. Address, as a listener : TALKTO
18. Bridle strap : REIN
19. Action star originally known as Laurence Tureaud : MRT
24. Team race : RELAY
26. Make a scene? : ACT
27. Band's booking : GIG
28. "You ___ me one" : OWE
29. Rap rock band with the 7x platinum album "Significant Other" : LIMPBIZKIT
30. "Quaking" tree : ASPEN
31. Excessively : TOO
32. Distinctive feature of Mr. Spock : EAR
36. Look that might "shoot daggers" : STARE
39. Abbr. ending a company name : INC
40. Genetic stuff : RNA
42. West Bank-based grp. : PLO
43. Make clothing : SEW
45. Ingredient in a manhattan : RYE
47. China's Ming or Manchu : DYNASTY
48. Pinnacle : TIPTOP
49. Synonym for both "adhere" and "split" : CLEAVE
51. Undistinguished : NONAME
52. "Beowulf," e.g. : EPIC
54. Loud noise : DIN
58. Pride parade inits. : LGBT
59. Actress ___ Flynn Boyle : LARA
60. Long-legged wader : IBIS
62. Offering now discontinued by most discount carriers : MEAL
63. Cut (down) : PARE
64. Keep the sauce from congealing, say : STIR
66. Passports et al. : IDS
67. Kit ___ bar : KAT

Answer summary: 1 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Shortz Era but used previously.

Found bugs or have suggestions?