Today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper is by Ben Zimmer. At its center, a trio of stepped thirteen-letter answers and a thirteen-letter answer running down. To the left and right, two fifteen-letter answers running down. But I found the puzzle not especially fun. Too many proper names for my taste — seventeen of sixty-six answers. The nadir: 47-D, four letters, “Czechia’s second city.” I filled in four letters and thought must be. And it was. But when I told Elaine about that clue, she knew the answer instantly.
Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:
3-D, fifteen letters, “Rapper who wrote for 30 Rock.” I did not know that.
11-D, fifteen letters, “Did a swift scan.”
15-A, eight letters, “Chinese character.” Forget about ideograms and logograms.
15-D, thirteen letters, “Offering assistance.”
22-A, four letters, “Capsule review?” I know this answer only as part of a rhyme.
27-A, six letters, “Advisor to Truman through Obama.” I think advisor here is inappropriately misdirective.
27-D, six letters, “Gentle slope (akin to an icy expanse).” For me, gettable only from the crosses, which I imagine dictated the use of this answer.
30-A, thirteen letters, “AFI’s #3 funniest film.” Ah yes, #3, not #2 or #4. Such an unimaginative way to clue a title. I’ve offered a more Stumpery clue in the comments.
33-A, thirteen letters, “Result of $5 1.5-quart ice creams.” Huh? Aren’t the 1.5-quart cartons its result? Or evidence of it?
35-A, thirteen letters, “Where house rules are followed.” Where? Not really a location.
39-A, four letters, “Nellie Bly contemporary.” I knew the answer, but see what I mean about proper names?
42-D, five letters, “High winds.” Beaufort Scale, help!
45-A, four letters, “Mandela in 2013.” See 39-A: another proper name clued with a proper name.
45-D, four letters, “He’s a citrus reversal.” Whatever you say.
My favorite in this puzzle: 37-D, six letters, “Present-day presence.”
No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Today’s Saturday Stumper
By Michael Leddy at 8:55 AM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
comments: 1
BRNO. CHILDISHGAMBINO. GAVETHEONCEOVER.
CAPITALC. COMINGFORWARD.
CRIT. (As in lit crit, In the art world, it’s short for critique.)
GRAHAM. (Billy.) GLACIS. DRSTRANGELOVE. (How about “Sellers opportunity”?)
SHRINKFLATION. GAMESOFCHANCE. RIIS.
OBOES. ELBA. EMIL. STNICK.
Post a Comment