Today’s Newsday Saturday Stumper is one more Lester Ruff crossword that I found exceedingly difficult. (“Lester Ruff”: the puzzle’s editor, Stan Newman, composing what’s meant to be an easier Stumper.) The northwest and southeast were easy, but everything else was a muddle. I was prepared to begin looking up answers when I decided to switch from paper to the screen (here), and I was surprised to find everything that had baffled me falling into place.
Some clue-and-answer pairs of note:
1-D, nine letters, “One with site might.” An ingenious clue.
9-D, nine letters, “Western novel (1918) highly praised by Mencken.” “Western novel” is really misleading, even if it’s Saturday. And who cares if Mencken praised it? Dander, up.
15-A, eight letters, “Grease principal portrayer.” That should read “Grease principal portrayer,” even if it’s Saturday. I’ve seen Grease only in bits and pieces (or spots?), but I know the name from other and much older contexts.
16-A, six letters, “Searches or schmoes.” Schmoes , yes. But searches ? No. Just no.
18-A, six letters, “Last of the Oldsmobiles.” Six letters? A stumbling block for me.
19-A, three letters, “Malaprop, for one.” This one takes me back to high-school English.
30-A, nine letters, “Vegan Thanksgiving entrées.” Anything must be better than TOFURKEYS.
35-D, eight letters, “Tick or mite.” I learned something.
36-A, three letters, “Long shots, briefly.” A really good clue.
37-A, ten letters, “Destination for relaxation.” Does anyone say this? Let’s go to a [blank]?
54-A, six letters, “Aerial self-portrait.” I guessed right. O brave new world, that has such selfies in it.
My favorite in this puzzle: 21-D, seven letters, “Live in the ’50s and ’60s.” Once I realized the context, I could really appreciate the answer.
No spoilers; the answers are in the comments.
comments: 3
WEBMASTER. MYANTONIA. EVERARDEN. YAHOOS.
ALEROS. MRS. (Mrs. Malaprop, in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s play The Rivals (1775).)
ASTORIA. NUTLOAVES. ARACHNID. HRS. (Home runs.)
RESORTAREA. DRONIE.
UNTAPED. (Think of television: live or “on tape.”)
Arachnid! Daddy longlegs are also arachnids, but not spiders.
I couldn't do this puzzle. The clues are mostly too cute and clever for me.
I bet that “Daddy longlegs” would have too direct a clue: legs might make someone think of arachnid.
This was a really confounding puzzle — the clues, yes, but also the way the northwest and southeast were almost landlocked, with limited access to the rest of the grid. Not my favorite.
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