Today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper, by Steve Mossberg, a constructor whose crosswords have at times given me fits. In today’s puzzle, take, for instance, 1-A, five letters, “Above what is orally correct.” What? Or better — wut? But solve we must, and I was both happy and surprised when I finished this puzzle. And 1-A was one of the last answers I filled in.
Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:
5-D, twelve letters, “Parlor game experts.” Twelve letters? CHESSMASTERS, of course. No? Oh. Moral: read the clue carefully.
8-D, nine letters, “Elemental.” Pairs well with 27-D.
10-D, eleven letters, “Unthinkingly.” Pretty novel.
11-D, ten letters, “F. Scott Fitzgerald, by birth.” My starting point. I have no idea how I know that. But I don’t know that. It just seemed right.
17-A, ten letters, “Pre-quitting comment.” Was someone watching me attempt to relight the water heater?
25-A, six letters, “They’re left in London.” I was thinking traffic.
27-D, ten letters, “8 Down entertainment.” Heh.
30-A, nine letters, “Olympiad game.” If you say so. I’d prefer a less lofty nine-letter answer.
30-D, nine letters, “Part of a small breakfast.” Like 10-D, a novel and amusing answer.
36-A, nine letters, “Turning points.” I don’t think so.
54-A, four letters, “Take on a page.” Nicely opaque.
No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Today’s Saturday Stumper
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comments: 9
SHARP. POOLHUSTLERS. BAREBONES.
MINNESOTAN. ONEMORETRY. LABOUR. BASICCABLE.
There’s a Mind Sports Olympiad, where you can play a MINDSPORT — that is, a BOARDGAME.
MINIBAGEL. EXITLANES. (But to exit is not to turn.) OPED.
“Unthinkingly” is not a MINNESOTAN and MINNESOTAN is not 11 letters so we have an errant answer.
Did you ever resolve the “wut” for SHARP ‘cause that seem to bear no relation to being “above what is orally correct” nor aurally...
No, we just have someone who missed an answer when typing them out: ONAUTOPILOT. (C’est moi!)
I think 1-A is about singing a note sharp, out of tune.
If so, bad crossword setter. The mouth does not control the pitch but only contributes to the timbre.
If so, my “aurally” is correct then: Above what is aurally correct.
Makes much more sense that way.
Unless there’s some other way to understand the clue and answer, I think you’re right. I’m wondering if it’s a topic of discussion at Crossword Fiend.
I might say, "Turn off at the third Jackson exit," and they would understand to take the exit ramp.
Further, you can detect a SHARP tone/note aurally, but it is produced by a mistuned instrument or a note produced orally, so....
When I finished that puzzle in one sitting, I knew you wd brand it 'easy' ....tsk. I am sidelined after Mohs procedure on my L hand so I am hard up for passtimes....and unbroken sleep. But glad for good medical care.
“Turn off”: sure. But think of what Google Maps says when there’s an exit: “Keep right,” not “Turn right.” I’d like “Ways off” as a Stumper-y clue. I’m gonna leave SHARP alone.
Elaine, I didn’t think this puzzle was easy — it took me about twenty minutes.
I hope your hand feels better soon.
Turn off? Perhaps. I’d be more likely to take the next exit. As much as I’d take the ‘A’ train, take that, take me out to the ball-game, take a look, and maybe even give and take…
Steven
If you should take the A train, you’ll get to where you’re going in a hurry: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY.
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