New York Times, Friday, July 20, 2018
| Author: | Robyn Weintraub |
| Editor: | Will Shortz |
I have no interest in poker, yet curiously I have now debuted both POKER TABLE and POKER TABLES to the New York Times crossword puzzle universe. The singular entry shows up today, and the plural one appeared in my first published NY Times puzzle in 2011 — which feels like a million years ago.
I do love cooking, however, and this puzzle is chock full of food related terminology: EATS, SPAM (ew…), ANISE, SABRA (hummus), RAISINS, PINK SALT, SPATULAS, NOSE TO TAIL, and that's without counting EGG HUNT or DEWARS. Hmm… this write up is making me hungry. I'm going to get some breakfast while you enjoy the puzzle.
POKER TABLE is a standout example of a perfect themeless entry/clue pair. Not only is POKER TABLE a great phrase on its own, evoking stogie-filled back rooms and the hilarious "Ocean's 11" scene where Topher Grace boasts about having a hand that's "all red," but what a clue! [Place where lots of calls are made] hints at a phone booth, or a coffee shop WHERE I'M JUST TRYING TO DO A LITTLE DARNED WRITING YOU CHATTERING TALKERS!
No, POKER TABLE calls are where a player matches a raise. Perfect!
BARBIE DOLL is a colorful phrase, no doubt. And the clue is excellent, too, referring to Barbie's Dreamhouse.
Man, I'd pay through the nose to keep my daughter away from Barbie, though.
I thought Robyn did a great job weaving in a ton of snazzy phrases, from AVERAGE JOE to START SMALL to ROLLER RINK to SEA TURTLE. As usual, she's IN RARE FORM!
There were a few long entries that gave me pause, though. WORKMATE – is that similar to a co-worker? Maybe British usage or something?
A HALF DOOR is a … half a door?
And NOSE TO TAIL is so descriptive, but is that a real thing? Apparently so! The Google first tells me it's a British term describing bumper to bumper traffic. But Googs don't lie! There's a book called "The Whole Beast," about eating the pig from snout to the tip of the tail.
I'm an adventurous eater. But there are certain parts of a pig you couldn't pay me enough to choke down.
Along with a smattering of RUR, DONA, OTRO, NRC, ENOL, I felt like this wasn't quite POW! quality.
Close though, especially given some of the fantastic clues. I mean, [Getty oil, e.g.] for ART, playing on the Getty museum. Brilliant! SPATULAS can get (cake) batters out! A BRIT happy to gain an extra few pounds! Lovely stuff; super entertaining.
Overall, oh so close to getting my POW! stamp. But not quite there, given my high expectations of Robyn.
1 B | 2 A | 3 R | 4 B | 5 I | 6 E | 7 D | 8 O | 9 L | 10 L | 11 S | 12 P | 13 A | 14 M |
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15 A | V | E | R | A | G | E | J | O | E | 16 T | O | N | E |
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17 L | I | V | I | N | G | W | A | G | E | 18 A | K | I | N |
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19 M | A | S | T | 20 H | A | I | G | 21 P | R | E | S | S |
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22 F | U | R | 23 E | 24 R | I | T | R | E | A |
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25 R | 26 A | 27 I | 28 S | I | N | S | 29 D | U | N | S | T | |||
30 U | P | N | E | X | T | 31 W | O | R | K | M | A | 32 T | 33 E |
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34 B | O | R | A | T | 35 H | A | N | 36 S | A | B | R | A |
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37 S | P | A | T | U | 38 L | A | S | 39 B | A | L | L | O | T |
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40 R | U | R | A | L | 41 P | E | L | L | E | T | S |
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42 T | 43 H | E | R | E | O | F | 44 A | R | T | |||||
45 H | A | F | T | S | 46 D | 47 O | N | A | 48 O | 49 G | 50 L | 51 E |
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52 E | N | O | L | 53 N | O | S | E | T | 54 O | T | A | I | L |
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55 F | O | R | E | 56 R | O | L | L | E | R | R | I | N | K |
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57 T | I | M | S | 58 C | R | O | S | S | B | O | N | E | S |
| Across | Down | |
| 1. Dreamhouse resident : BARBIEDOLL 11. Food portmanteau : SPAM 15. He's nothing special : AVERAGEJOE 16. Get fit, with "up" : TONE 17. It gets you what you need : LIVINGWAGE 18. Analogous : AKIN 19. Schooner feature : MAST 20. Secretary of state after Muskie : HAIG 21. Times, Post, News, etc. : PRESS 22. Stole, maybe : FUR 23. Neighbor of Djibouti : ERITREA 25. Gorp ingredients : RAISINS 29. Actress Kirsten : DUNST 30. About to go : UPNEXT 31. One might be by the water cooler : WORKMATE 34. Title character of a 2006 mockumentary : BORAT 35. ___ characters (Chinese script) : HAN 36. Israeli-born Jew : SABRA 37. What can get batters out? : SPATULAS 39. Chad's place : BALLOT 40. Not built up : RURAL 41. Kibble form : PELLETS 42. From that, formally : THEREOF 44. Getty oil, e.g. : ART 45. Sword grips : HAFTS 46. Portuguese woman's title : DONA 48. Check out, in a way : OGLE 52. Hydroxyl-bearing compound : ENOL 53. Like cooking that goes whole hog? : NOSETOTAIL 55. Warning from one holding an iron : FORE 56. Place to spin your wheels : ROLLERRINK 57. Rice and Robbins : TIMS 58. Skull accompanier : CROSSBONES |
1. Topical treatment : BALM 2. Running shoe brand : AVIA 3. Short spins? : REVS 4. One who's happy about acquiring a few extra pounds, informally : BRIT 5. Janis with the 1975 hit "At Seventeen" : IAN 6. Activity for a basket holder : EGGHUNT 7. Bacardi brand : DEWARS 8. Tourist city in Ventura County : OJAI 9. Got access, in a way : LOGGEDON 10. Catwoman portrayer Meriwether : LEE 11. Not bite off more than one can chew : STARTSMALL 12. Place where lots of calls are made : POKERTABLE 13. Star ___ (pho flavorer) : ANISE 14. Intelligence community? : MENSA 21. Colorful seasoning that originated near the Himalayas : PINKSALT 22. Pipe fittings and such : FIXTURES 24. Play from which the word "robot" comes : RUR 25. Alternatives to marinades : RUBS 26. For one : APOP 27. At one's best : INRAREFORM 28. Creatures that divers sometimes swim with : SEATURTLES 31. "Time ___ ..." : WAS 32. Pleasant pace : TROT 33. Chuck wagon fixin's : EATS 35. Divided barrier : HALFDOOR 38. Language similar to Thai : LAO 39. Knocks loudly? : BERATES 41. Storyboard parts : PANELS 42. "Five-finger discount" : THEFT 43. Five-letter capital written as two words in its native language : HANOI 47. 2017 Tony winner for Best Play : OSLO 48. Other: Sp. : OTRO 49. Appreciation : GAIN 50. A cameo might have one : LINE 51. Group to which five U.S. presidents have belonged, from Harding to Ford : ELKS 53. Government org. concerned with radioactive waste : NRC 54. Scepter accompanier : ORB |
Answer summary: 10 unique to this puzzle.
Found bugs or have suggestions?