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New York Times, Monday, October 8, 2018

Author:
Jacob Stulberg
Editor:
Will Shortz
Jacob Stulberg
TotalDebutLatestCollabs
3012/25/20131/2/20190
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
3449640
ScrabbleRebusCirclePangram
1.597100
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.

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