Interesting to see how different Paula's and my interpretation of this theme were. I remember starting with a giant list of words that can be preceded by DEAD, then going through a systematic process of matching pairs to see what sounded colorful to me. I can't say I ever would have picked out WOOD DUCK or BODY WEIGHT (and I'm kicking myself for missing SEAHORSE!). Neat to see how Paula's personal preferences led to such a different end result. Vive la difference!
I also appreciate Paula's addition of fill that I wouldn't have considered or thought of myself. SAUTERNES is vaguely familiar even to this anti-oenophile, and GOOD FAT is a snazzy answer. Along with other entries like JET BOAT, ON THE MAKE, SHALLOT, and even CAB IT, it feels like a very Paula-voiced puzzle.
I wasn't a huge fan of the grid segmentation, the NW and SE corners virtually cut off from the middle. This does help in filling — especially since there are so many themers, all jam-packed in — but it made for a choppy solve. Additionally, shortly after starting, I dead-ended in that NEO / ONE-D / BENE / EDU section. Gave me the opportunity to study all those short gluey answers concentrated into the corner. Not ideal.
Speaking of short entries, that SAL / LOEB crossing feels nearly like a killer. I wonder how many people know the mule SAL from "I've got an old mule and her name is Sal / Fifteen years on the Erie Canal"? And if you're not from New York, LOEB Boathouse seems like a guessing game. I suppose you could argue that SAL / LOEB is the only reasonable possibility, but for beginning solvers, I could see SAM / MOEB, SAN / NOEB, even SAK / KOEB. I think most all puzzles, especially early-week ones, should set up the solver to ultimate prevail. Crossings like this make that tough.
Good to get another of these "both words can follow" or "both words can precede" themes every once in a while — and getting one with such theme density + great long fill is nice — but they do feel like they're on their last legs.
1 W | 2 I | 3 I | 4 E | 5 S | 6 M | 7 E | 8 C | 9 U | 10 S | 11 S | 12 A | 13 T |
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14 O | P | T | 15 N | A | I | L | 16 A | S | H | O | R | E |
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17 W | O | O | 18 D | D | U | C | K | 19 B | E | A | V | E | R |
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20 L | O | O | T | 21 A | I | R | L | I | N | E |
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22 B | 23 O | D | Y | W | E | 24 I | 25 G | H | T | 26 L | E | A | S |
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27 E | N | Y | A | 28 R | O | O | S | 29 L | O | T | S | A |
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30 N | E | O | 31 E | N | T | O | 32 O | A | T | |||||
33 E | D | U | 34 D | E | A | D | 35 E | N | D | 36 F | 37 F | 38 F |
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39 J | D | S | 40 F | A | T | E | 41 I | L | L |
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42 A | 43 L | 44 L | E | Y | 45 B | A | S | H | 46 T | R | E | E |
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47 V | O | I | T | 48 L | E | T | T | E | 49 R | H | E | A | D |
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50 E | Y | E | B | 51 A | L | L | 52 M | E | E | T | ||||
53 N | O | N | O | N | O | 54 S | 55 E | A | H | O | R | 56 S | 57 E |
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58 G | L | O | A | T | S | 59 A | L | K | A | 60 A | I | M |
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61 E | A | R | T | H | A | 62 L | O | E | B | 63 P | X | S |
Answer summary: 5 unique to this puzzle, 1 unique to Shortz Era but used previously.
Found bugs or have suggestions?