Saturday, November 23, 2024

Today’s Saturday Stumper

I began Matthew Sewell’s Newsday  Saturday Stumper with 1-D, five letters, “Back with bucks,” which crossed with 19-A, three letters, “Feng shui favorite with fins.” A fierce struggle ensued. When I finally read 35-A, thirteen letters, correctly — “What many football fans flourish,” not where, much of the puzzle fell together quickly. Note to self: read clues carefully.

Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:

8-D, five letters, “Hustled.” Tricky.

10-D, six letters, “Particle accelerator?” Good grief.

13-D, seven letters, “Misters do it.” A weirdly good clue.

14-A, eleven letters, “Couldn't be better!” Sounds like self-deception to me.

24-D, eight letters, “Mexican rice milk.” It’s delicious, but I didn’t know it was rice milk.

27-A, letters, “Name on the cover of the history Broadcast Hysteria.” I think it’s easy to guess. Is it?

28-D, four letters, “Its seeds make caffeine-free coffee.” I had no idea. This puzzle is increasing my beverage knowledge.

32-A, four letters, “Paradoxical posing.” Oh!

33-D, four letters, “‘Justice Is Served’ utensil set seller.” Would that it had been served and we weren’t facing a four-or-more-year hellscape.

45-A, seven letters, “Court figures, formerly.” What sort of court? What sort of figures?

46-D, five letters, “Swung around.” Just a strange word, and not nearly as old as I would have guessed.

47-A, six letters, “Tweeted self-publishing.” Is it still happening?

54-A, four letters, “Place cited in Broadcast Hysteria.” Another easy guess, I think.

57-A, eleven letters, “Classy?” Groan.

58-D, three letters, “Half a kid’s meal.” Cute, and I just saw it spoken — caution, spoiler — by a cat.

My favorite in this puzzle: 50-D, five letters, “Email ancestor.” For sentimental reasons.

No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.

comments: 1

Michael Leddy said...

STAKE. KOI. SOCCERSCARVES. STUNG. SNEEZE.

MOISTEN. TENOUTOFTEN. HORCHATA. ORSON. (Welles.)

OKRA. KOAN. ACLU. JESTERS. SLUED.

ALTLIT. MARS. EDUCATIONAL. DIN.

TELEX. (Here's one from a dear friend.)