Relative difficulty: Medium
THEME: "SPOT THE CODE" — 39A: Title for this puzzle ... which the answers to the eight starred clues will help explain (HLMFFWVDMRV); the answers to the eight starred clues are all four-letter words with -IS- in the center, and so can be read as sentences that reveal The Code, i.e. HISS => H is S, LISP => L is P, etc.
Word of the Day: J. Carroll NAISH (6D: Two-time Oscar nominee J. Carrol ___) —
Joseph Patrick Carrol Naish (January 21, 1896 – January 24, 1973) was an American character actor born in New York City, New York. Naish did many film roles, but they were eclipsed when he found fame in the title role of radio's Life with Luigi (1948–1953), which surpassed Bob Hope in the 1950 ratings. (wikipedia)
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On the easy side for me, but initial times at the NYT puzzle site seem a little slower than normal, so who knows. I split the difference and called it "Medium." This puzzle has a great core concept. The execution, however, has problems. Highlights: all code words are arranged symmetrically, and the gibberish central answer really does draw you in and compel you to break the code, even if (like me) you were able to fill out the entire grid without having any clue what that central answer was supposed to denote. Got a real "aha" moment when (finally) I figured out what was going on. Unfortunately, when I used my "aha" moment to actually solve the code, I was really disappointed—BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE would've been more exciting than SPOT THE CODE. By the time I uncovered that message, I had already spotted the code, so the command is absurdly belated. Also, and I can't stress this enough: if you are going to hang your entire puzzle on a phrase, that phrase should Be An Actual Phrase. SPOT THE CODE isn't a well-known phrase or saying or anything. Deciphering that central answer was immensely anti-climactic (unlike figuring out the gimmick, which was actually kind of cool). Fill was very rough all over, which also detracted from my solving enjoyment. The west is particularly horrible, with XOO crossing XVI (!) and the partial I LEFT (53A: "___ My Sugar Standing in the Rain" (1920s hit)), but weakness can be found all over. RISD is just godawful, but you gotta let it go, I guess, since it's a theme answer. But NAISH?? SEEGER'S? AMER SOV OFID AIRE = part of dismal middle. CSI LIQ ENT=way too many abbrevs. in one place. ERODENT is an atrocious word. Not only is EROSIVE the far, far, far more common word, but searching "ERODENT" will get you a site dedicated to info on gerbils and other (you guessed it) rodents. eRodent. Theme execution and grid quality should be up to the greatness of the concept, and they weren't today.Theme answers:
- 20A: *Let off some steam? (HISS)
- 28A: *___ soup (MISO)
- 30A: *Not get some Z's? (LISP)
- 33A: *Birthday secret (WISH)
- 46A: *Workshop sight, perhaps (VISE)
- 48A: *CD part (DISC)
- 50A: *Providence campus for aspiring artists, for short (RISD) — Rhode Island School of Design
- 59A: *It may be pumped or bumped (FIST)
TAC (55A: Sea-___ Airport) is in the clue for (ugh) XOO (42A: Tic-tac-toe loser). I don't like SERT (60D: Spanish muralist), but I do like SERT doing a u-turn and coming back the other direction, i.e I like SERT next to TRES (61D: Uno y dos). Never heard of NAISH or RAOUL Dufy (15D: French Fauvist Dufy), and have no idea what "MY GAL SAL" is (though I've clearly heard the phrase before) (4D: 1942 musical starring Rita Hayworth). I assume the SAL of that musical is not a mule. Other names didn't flummox me as much. 1A: Explorer Abel who discovered New Zealand (TASMAN) was a gimme (always a nice way to start a puzzle). ESA was also a gimme, but that still doesn't make me like it (38A: Hockey's Tikkanen). NE was the easiest section, primarily because JIGSAW (10D: Puzzle type) went in off the "W," and BON JOVI went in off the "J," bam bam (7A: Band with the 1994 platinum record "Always").Bam bam.
Done.
See you tomorrow.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]
P.S. Every constructor at some point will have an idea only to find out "Patrick Berry Already Did It." Today, Patrick Blindauer Already Did It—in this amazing grid ("Optical Delusions," from the NY Sun, 2/9/07), the same code concept is used, though the central phrase that the solver has to crack is Much longer and Much more interesting (and real, and relevant). Also, the solver really has to crack it — some of the code is revealed through the "* IS *" clues, but the rest must be inferred. Super cool. Honest-to-god "aha" moment when quote becomes clear:
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