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Puzzles for August, 2020
with Jim Horne comments

POW Sat 8/1/2020
KRZYZEWSKIISH
NEATASAPINAMMO
IDIDNTCATCHTHAT
FURYAKASTORS
EXESTOGANINTH
IRESIGNCOHO
DRAPESFEEDROW
NAUSEAMSCUSEME
AIDFLEAREADER
SNIPEELROLL
ADORNTEAMTECH
METEORCABCIA
PLAYWITHINAPLAY
LAPSCHANCECARD
EYEKYRGYZSTAN

"The play's the thing." The Murder of Gonzago, you'll recall, is Hamlet's ploy, "Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King."

Sun 8/2/2020 PUZZLIN'
ICEBERGSHARPTONCUSS
MATINEECOMEHEREASET
STANDINGROOMONLYBEAR
ENTRAPSNAYMEADE
ZANYSLOPJENSALLOW
EPEESEVERLASTINGLOVE
BIRTHSERVINEDEMOTED
RADIOCARTEIXEIRA
ASAOAREROSBOTCAAN
FALLINGRAINMOMJAYNE
IMEANTARPSAOSIRENS
SOROSIINPARKINGRAMP
HATSDMSTRIXRAGYER
LEGALAIDEAGLEEYE
SCAPULAONETONSENSES
QUALIFYINGROUNDSTIRS
UPLASTNGOCUREORSO
IRATEPLOACHIEVE
SORTFEAROFMISSINGOUT
HUGEANTIPODESTOOPTO
YSERTHEATERSYESISEE
POW Mon 8/3/2020
SAMOAABSSIGH
ALARMBELLSOTRO
GASSTATIONSHEA
ASTOCABOBOOER
SOLIDGROUND
IMDOWNLANG
MARDIOLMECHOP
PLASMASCREENTVS
SIMSTUDSLOSES
AGUARETORT
LIQUIDASSET
ADULTQUIPONIT
NOELJUSTAPHASE
ALEEDAISYCHAIN
ISNTSSEPINTS
Tue 8/4/2020
JOISTBEBOPPBJ
APNEAALONEHOE
PETESDRAGONONE
ENOTRONCATER
BEANCAIRO
CHRISTSCOLLEGE
YAHOOOLESEAM
TRIFORSAKENGO
EDNAWIEPRIED
GODSLITTLEACRE
CHESSWOES
THEDATERIMAD
CARHEAVENSGATE
BROARNAZTALON
YESGRADESLEPT

Theda Bara was a huge star in pre-code Hollywood. The image above shows she was also a snappy dresser.

Wed 8/5/2020
TUNAORATEOBIT
ADAMFELONPOOH
POPPYFIELDESTO
ENAMELCLOWNCAR
SISEWES
PREVMINDNESS
LIKEMIKEITSELF
EVERYTHINGBAGEL
DEBUGSGANYMEDE
TYCOOHNOELSE
ASAPORB
SMASHHITAURORA
LAVAONIONDOMES
IDOLRELICMEEK
DENTADELEENDS
Thu 8/6/2020
MARTSEATEGGG
OWNERFILCHNOAH
AANDEALICEDOMO
THEGPANTHERSNIL
RAILSUSMARINE
BLINDPIGSOLONG
RECDOTRASML
ONEBCEARPALLAH
LAOYEASIONE
SHUNTSARMENIAN
SHOESHOPTONGS
NAPTELLINGAGLIE
OLESLEAVECOAST
WISELINERTUNIC
GTOPOLAYSTES
Fri 8/7/2020
BODYSHOTTRADER
OPEDPAGEMONAMI
FANSITESZAGNUT
FLYTEETHCENSE
KIRRASHLY
BESOTAURASOWN
ONCLOUDNINECEO
CRONUTSSKATEBY
COOTHATSASHAME
INCHELEATENDS
HEDRENZEN
PHOTOSUPERCCC
LOVETOROLEPLAY
UBEREDEPIGRAMS
MOROSEDOGGEDIT
Sat 8/8/2020
TAMPACHICFAN
OCEANTRUMANERA
MEGYNGEMSTONES
BRATBEADDIDNT
MODELMINORITY
ELAINENOG
DOLLARSIGNSPAR
ISLEROPESHALO
TESTUFOREPORTS
TNTNEWTOY
POTDISPENSARY
UNHIPEVIEOHMS
STOMPEDINGOOUT
HORSERACEEMPTY
YENDELTESSEX
Sun 8/9/2020 CRAFT SHOW
FACADEARROZVACAAS
ERODEDSLOANEIDASLO
NOODLEMECHANICALSUN
CALLINSICKPICKMEAMI
ERSMITTWRATHNSYNC
LICEBEERHATDESI
ORNOTPRELLTUPAC
LEOVSKISLOPESTRUTS
EDGEAIMSALPHARITA
HOTRODSITSASKIMPY
WEARYSHIPSHAPEATEIN
WARIERODOMANALYSE
IDEAOTTERCYTOLIRA
SANCTASTORYARCINRI
GRILLMASSEINKED
SALECULPRITNYSE
TONEDPALINNCOSCDS
NWTINDIRAFISHMARKET
OHITOWNSQUAREAREOLA
TACOUIOUTLAWMAINLY
ETSRNSNEALEAENEAS
Mon 8/10/2020
CUBABOASHAM
AHABHORDECOLA
ROBEORGANDONOR
SHYMUGGARRETS
BARNTITAN
FLORIDAROOMGMT
RANGSRORAHRAH
OWNUPFIGSUEDE
SNEERSKIANERF
HSTATLASROCKET
CYRUSMOHS
CICADASDOHARK
LOCKOFHAIRCLUE
ANNEELWAYEASY
PSYDYESODES
Tue 8/11/2020
RAZEDSPECSBCC
IHEARARROWAHA
DERRINGERPISTOL
EMOLEAPSNIHIL
ELSRIFT
REWRITESHISTORY
ETHANLEECHWOE
CHETEIEIOHELM
AERANTISWALLE
PRESIDENTWILSON
FIRSINS
UBOATBEAKSTSA
VERMICELLIBOWLS
EVEMURSEIDIOT
AYSEDGESGETGO

Since you asked, yes, there's a regex to find words that match the EIEIO pattern with no other vowels.

Interesting that besides PRESIDENT WILSON, three others make the list: PRESIDENT CLINTON, PRESIDENT NIXON and PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

You'll also find REINFECTION. Uh, don't use that one.

Wed 8/12/2020
NADIRSABLESRS
ALONEAMAINHOT
BENGALTIGERAGO
ELGINOFFER
ABSBROWNBETTY
COLLATEHEEL
URIAHTOOTASK
REDWHITEANDBLUE
ADESVIASAINT
USAFKILDARE
INDIANFOODSAL
PARTBSPOCK
ACEOHIOPLAYERS
SHATITLEBREAK
SODSTEELSALTY
Thu 8/13/2020
SPFWRENCHHAMS
ARAHONOREAMOI
FONEINGROCKZALL
ASTERWHEELIE
RHALLVONEEYGEN
IOSSEVERSTART
SPYSGATSIMMER
PHALLCONE
ADRIANOARNOMO
POETSMSNBCNAN
OLASLYSTONEALL
SPILLITONLAY
THREEMUSKETEERS
LIENBRAISERIO
ENDSONYXESTAN

I've skated on plenty of ice rinks, but never on an OVAL one (24-Down.)

This is the kind of nit-picking that exasperates solvers. Rinks are rectangular with rounded corners. Their opposite sides are parallel straight edges. Ovals are nothing like that.

Well, more or less. Crossword clues, especially later-week ones, have this strange balance where sometimes absolute parsing precision is required — is "flower" a plant or a river? — and other times, over-generalization is the key. Both approaches are designed to fool you, which is the point of the game.

ELLIPSE would be clearly wrong, right? OVAL is more mushily defined. And since English dictionaries are famously descriptive rather than prescriptive, if "people" call rinks oval, then they're oval.

Much hair has been yanked over these sorts of details. As a solver, you can either choose to be annoyed or amused. You'll have plenty of company in either camp.

My opinion on this particular clue: I don't like it. I realize, though, that I'd likely live a longer, more enjoyable life if I just went with the flow-er.

Fri 8/14/2020
KAMASUTRAANGST
ATITAGAINSERTA
FLATWHITESHOOP
KATELAWYERUP
ASANASERUPTS
DRUMBEATCHI
LAMPOONSTHAN
GINSDUOBOAT
DAFTBANKRUPT
ALESOLDIERS
BOSSEDPREGGO
SWANSONGCHOU
SHOTSPELLGRANT
EERIEEYEOPENER
ASKEDDONTSTARE
Sat 8/15/2020
ASISCANTGOMSG
RITAARCHERAOL
ADCLICKRATEDUO
BEHESTSTAMPER
SAYSHICISLANA
HUSHANON
SECRETSOCIETY
LIQUORLICENSE
SAMUELBECKETT
AQUALARK
CULTSLYLOLITA
ICEDUPWIDENET
DNAOPENANEWTAB
ITSETRADEIRMA
PATROTTENSOOT
POW Sun 8/16/2020 ALTERNATIVE CINEMA
MAOISTSSTAMPSMORASS
UNPLAITIAMTOOAVENUE
TWELVEANGRYMENRANKED
EARARRANTICIALDA
DRAWNTHEAFRICANQUEEN
ETTUDRIEDPAULS
FLANUPINILROTORS
DOCTORSTRANGESATCAT
IGETITDEPENDONASKME
COROLLANUYSPACPSST
BYEBYEBIRDIE
AMIESOOSMEEEDHELMS
SANDLUNTHAWEDRODEOS
PTAACTWATERSHIPDOWN
SANRIOYRSLIVINNS
YELLSLOUISTEVA
THELADYVANISHESALUMS
RAVIBMISAVOIRSAL
UNEEDAAMERICANBEAUTY
CONFITNOLUCKGESTATE
KITSCHDRINKSSTEELER
Mon 8/17/2020
WOOSPALSADLIB
AUNTAVOWAIOLI
LIEUWAVESHELLO
LOAFSIDEST
SURFTHENETSELF
TIMRAYTONER
POLESSADDAY
SHELLSOUTCASH
BEETLESNITS
TARTSURIBAE
USERPALMSCARDS
ISDUESCOOP
BEACHFRONTHORA
LATKEANEWOMEN
TRESSSEGOOSSA
Tue 8/18/2020
ARIATSPSROLE
BARKRAREERIE
AMOIALICEPAUL
CONSTITUTION
UNISONSONGDP
SACKELRETIRE
FERALANAL
WOMENSSUFFRAGE
ALUMSNOUT
VASSARARTTAB
ENTDUEKOSOVO
AMENDMENTXIX
TENNESSEERIAS
ARGOTEMPANNE
GASPOLESPSST
POW Wed 8/19/2020
LIFEBOATSHOW
IMAMONCENORAD
FILASMUTIDAHO
ENLISTERAPATOW
LEOACMEEON
TURBANSABRA
IDOLATARIFLOP
MOMACYCLETOIL
ENOSCLEANETNA
TREESTARSKY
FOYENDSNAB
ARENDTTWOSIDED
CANOENEHIROME
ENTRYANOSTVMA
GAMEHOMEHEAD
Thu 8/20/2020
ICINGSPHSCALE
MINIMEDOILIES
SENTENTALVALUE
ERENOWEAR
TARORIMSELLA
WHATEANTWAS
CELLIAWESOME
OXOTSETSEREA
SCRIMPSDIDST
MORTERMOUSE
ONEAOEDSSORE
LOCIVELAW
AWRINKLEINTIME
PANACEASOONER
PLANETXASPENS
Fri 8/21/2020
CARRSAINTBASH
ASIAERDOSAUTO
BASILSCATHEDRAL
ONENOTEPILLAGE
TANGOEDCREASES
OPTTNN
REDDYJOBADDTO
EXESSEARSSEAN
DHSGOTREALAQI
SADPULSATEDUO
QUEPASAKITCHEN
USMAAGREELORD
ATONEGOVMARIO
RENALEVEASSAM
EDAMSDENTHESE
Sat 8/22/2020
SHHSHAMUCFOS
KEEBLERELFRIPA
INYOURFACEAXIS
PRYORREMMAUS
SIAMROARATTMI
TVADSUEDE
GOESONABENDER
PAWNPROMOTION
BARNEYSTINSON
ANISETEEN
SIBREPAYSJAGS
SCADPASLAURA
ABLEITSASECRET
LADSCHEAPSKATE
ERIKSTAYSSAD
Sun 8/23/2020 MUSICAL INTERLUDE
BASKALLINBFFCHEERS
ORCANUTRIRAEHOLDIT
AMAZINGDOGRACEENLACE
REMOTESBITTEFAKETAN
DEPOTFORESTERPARENT
YESITISROOT
DIMNPRCROWSAKIN
ORGANDOMINATIONGRATE
TAUTESTMACROANTLER
STEIGINAPTTYPOEMO
SCARFACERESOURCES
ADSTOYSENORMCRABS
DONKEYMUSTIMAHALIA
AVOIDPARASOLMILITARY
METACAGEREEGODD
SOSOSEAGRAM
GLAREATGRANDMASHAMS
REMORSEECIGSWIRETAP
ONESETTHEPITIEDPIPER
ATNINEOARNEPALSAVE
NODEAREBBGLORYTREE
Mon 8/24/2020
SNITBOORGESSO
WINEANTEAGAIN
EXTENSIONBORNE
DEOESTHERCAP
EDWARDEXCLAIM
NORTHSHES
PASTURISINTWO
EXCOMMUNICATION
REUNEETCHICES
LISTSKILL
EXPOSESCOSMOS
PETALASKAARI
INUSEEXPENDING
CORERELANANON
SNEERKEYSBETS
Tue 8/25/2020
AJARCRAGACURA
NOGOPAIRFETUS
THEPOUNDOFFLESH
INDEXTETRASHY
IIITAIL
LENDMEYOUREARS
EEGEPEESNEAK
LARDSLACKTINY
BREADTOOLODE
AYTHERESTHERUB
LEESLEA
AWWPICKSDINAR
WHATSDONEISDONE
LEVEEREALETNA
SWEETTELLREED
Wed 8/26/2020
OTISSARAHCADS
ROMPAIOLIOLIN
COMEDYGOLDCORE
KUNISWEAKTEA
RANDRBEEFSTOCK
AVEKNELTTAFT
MOTTATTARI
WORKPORTFOLIO
ANEAVASTLO
HUGOTIARASIR
IONICBONDAGAVE
STICKONPROLE
LOSEMENUOPTION
ANONBURNSAVIA
MENDSPACETELS
Thu 8/27/2020
HIJABBASKSCAT
AMOURUCLAHATH
TALKINGOUTECHO
EMTDOORMENHEN
BARONEKING
IMPELIOWANS
MIENWHADDAYNOW
INNFEARNOTAHA
NINJARRIORITIS
SEABEEPREOP
PEPSIALPHA
ERAOATMEALALE
PISACHATTERBOX
PETSMESAGOUGE
ASAPEASTMOTES
Fri 8/28/2020
APSETTOPSPTAS
TOOTRAMENDOCK
ALBAUNITEANTI
LISBEETREDSUN
OSTRICHARABIAN
SHOEPRINTRALLY
SURFISOITS
PYRAMIDSCHEME
ALETAETEST
SPOILGOLDTEETH
WANNABEELANTRA
IREYELLSATCOT
TRAMSPURTRUGS
COCOTENETITEM
HTTPSNAPEGENE
Sat 8/29/2020
CASHONLYHOTMIC
AFTERYOUINVADE
LAYANEGGRUSHIN
REPOBIKESNOS
TROOPSSATE
LOSSHOHOSIMP
CHINOOKPLACARD
DIDIONAHCHOO
STEPPEDTYLENOL
SHESAMIEDAFT
LOUDCHOPRA
ENSPILOTCHUM
ANTMANSOCIETAL
POLANDHEADFAKE
SWEATYUSVSTHEM

Bloggers, prepare for diatribes on why LEM at 59-Down is inaccurate.

POW Sun 8/30/2020 ALL AFLUTTER
SHOPGOTTAULCERECON
TONIENEWSNIHAOSADE
ALEECHAOSTHEORYSNIT
BESPOKEAURASPCGAMES
MANORCRYPTSEEYA
MANATEMPOTSKS
JULGARBDEYCALFETC
ESLELVESMOVERARE
SITRASSLEHECATELEN
SCHISMTORNADOBELLAS
IMINOFFTODIARYATMO
CANDOORCSJAPEETHER
ANGERSIATUESEERS
BUTTERFLYEFFECT
STATBENLAOFEDORTS
PHIBARDORRSRTAERA
ARRAYAWAKEWIPED
DIFFERENCEINTHEWORLD
EVALADEEREDITSWILE
SERAGEARSSORTAASIN
SETENTSREPSNES

This is the seventh NYT crossword for Olivia Mitra Framke. Jeff Chen has awarded his POW to four of them.

Mon 8/31/2020
DISCDROMABYSS
AREAROMALOOPY
TILRODESHOTGUN
ASLEEPNAOHARC
BETSYDUAL
ALYRAISMANMBAS
LADKNEEDIALIN
INANERRSNOOSE
ACTORSGOODOLE
SEEDWHEYPOWDER
ERIEAUNTY
USBANALLESMIZ
CHANGELANESAKA
LUNGEEVENIREC
ANDORRASTAYAK
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