Today’s Saturday Stumper

Today’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper, by Matthew Sewell, is on the tough side. I missed by one letter, and the last time that happened was November 2020, with a puzzle by — yes, Matthew Sewell. I don’t keep track of these things, but my blog posts do.

I blame the constructor and myself: the clueing in today’s puzzle is a bit strained and sneaky, but I missed a bit of context that would have helped. Lookit: 4-D, six letters, “Stylistic bands.” That clue is rather strained, and two answers fit, with their fourth letters differing. The answer I chose seemed to me vaguely plausible. The answer the puzzle wants doesn’t, to my mind, seem nearly as plausible: indeed, it’s pretty farfetched. 4-D crosses 18-A, four letters, “Site of the craters Casanova and Valentine,” and here again, two answers fit, with their third letters (the fourth letter of 4-D) differing. I chose the four-letter answer I thought would fit. But I should have thought more about Casanova and Valentine. Sigh.

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

8-D, eight letters, “Korean rice dish.” I had it this summer, streetside. I heartily recommend it, and I like its name.

15-D, four letters, “Silents superstar as Cleopatra, Salomé, etc.” I know I’ve never seen her on screen, but I also know that I know the name.

28-D, six letters, “More than a long-distance caller.” This clue-answer pairing feels extremely strained. I would borrow some rice from 8-D: rest, ice, compression, elevation. And I’d get a better clue.

47-A, seven letters, “Trailer classification.” I thought first of big rigs.

56-A, six letters, “Second Lady of the ’60s.” The name makes me think of a Tom Waits song. Careful with that spoiling link.

57-A, eight letters, “Prepares for prognostication, perhaps.” Or perhaps not!

58-A, five letters, “Folkloric banisher of the sea monster Caoránach.” I’m sorry, but that’s not the banisher’s name.

No spoilers if you don’t click on the Tom Waits link; the answers are in the comments.

[If the Newsday paywall makes it impossible for you to access the Stumper, you might try this link. Or try a different browser. Or try another source — GameLab, for instance. Newsday would do well to offer a crossword subscription. I’d happily pay for the puzzle, but I won’t pay $6.98 a week for a digital subscription to the paper.]