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Leap to: Tricky Clues | Today’s Theme
SUNDAY PUZZLE — Will Shortz, in his print introduction to this grid, writes: “Hoang-Kim Vu, of Washington, D.C., works in international public well being. That is his tenth crossword for The New York Instances — becoming, given the theme! — and his first Sunday. He wished a theme that made full use of the bigger grid, which resulted on this formidable and spectacular interlock. As a born-and-bred New Jerseyan, he hopes solvers will excuse 34-Down, with which he’s ‘most likely extra comfy’ than most.”
When you’re carried out with this grid, take a step again and observe it as a complete. The talent concerned in its development is dazzling.
Right now’s Theme
I are likely to circle Sunday puzzles for a bit to let a theme swim into focus, quite than homing in on it from the get-go. (It’s type of like consuming your favourite factor on a plate final, which not everybody does, for those who can consider it.) So I used to be the right buyer for what Mr. Vu was promoting right here: a refined theme set of unclued letter runs that not solely share a class, but in addition observe a strict sequence as they make their manner down the grid. When it clicked for me, it was a stellar aha second.
You’ll discover that 10 clues, at 1-, 25-, 32-, 48-, 61-, 72-, 81-, 109-, 116- and 121-Down, consist merely of a hyphen. These are the one apparent elements of a theme set. I think about that some solvers discovered their frequent trait by filling out one or two utilizing crossing letters, however that was not my expertise.
As a substitute, I discovered myself bemused and confused by a few seemingly unrelated Throughout entries. To begin with, at 24-Throughout, “It would make it easier to sustain with previous classmates,” I bought ALUMNWS LETTER, which was a letter away from satisfying me. I’d have accepted “alumnus letter” right here. I used to be certain about that “W” although, from 11-Down, “Edward Jenner used it when growing the world’s first profitable vaccine,” which I knew was COWPOX. I entertained the notion of a letter swap right here; “U” for “W” had wordplay potential. And I stuffed within the “N” in ALUMNWS with out eager about the entry that it begins, which is 25-Down — it didn’t even catch my eye.
Then, at 108-Throughout, “Concern on the finish of an area journey,” I used to be flummoxed. I bought EAR __ NTRY, which made me briefly consider eustachian tubes and whether or not astronauts’ ears pop throughout an, um, “ear entry.”
However that was an excessive amount of of a attain to be doable, and at this level I had arrived at 71-Throughout. I think about it the clearest instance of the theme set due to the way it’s organized. The clue is “Break for a bit”; I bought the primary 4 letters, T-A-Ok-E, on crosses, and the ultimate sq. can be the primary sq. of 72-Down. I had a few letters crossing that entry and realized that it was FIVE, which completed the thought began at 71-Throughout. Begin with T-A-Ok-E-F, end with I-V-E, studying down. Now, I had TAKE FIVE, or “Break for a bit,” and an thought of what these hyphen clues is likely to be.
Returning to ALUMNWSLETTER, I noticed straight away that if 25-Down had been NINE, I might have a way more wise ALUMNI NEWSLETTER. And if 109-Down had been THREE, 108-Throughout could be EARTH REENTRY.
It nonetheless took a second to daybreak on me that the only digits had been all on this grid, represented by the hyphens within the clues. It took one other second to know that these numbers appeared so as, from 10 to at least one, beginning at 1-Down with TEN and ending within the next-to-final entry, 121-Down, with ONE. What a superb “Countdown,” because the puzzle is aptly titled!
Tough Clues
38A. For “Sure porter,” I considered a beer, a stout, a beer — nothing match. The reply is a time period for a railroad porter that has been around since the 19th century, a REDCAP.
7D. This entry is a pun: “One taking curiosity in your training?” is SALLIE MAE, an organization that was began by Congress in 1972 and has cornered the market on student loans (take a look at these rates of interest, and seethe a bit of). This can be a debut, and for those who don’t comprehend it, you’re fortunate, previous or each.
10D. I think about guide typewriters and a luxurious previous workplace after I consider this anachronistic entry: “Heaps at publishing homes” solves to SLUSH PILES. Folks used to ship manila folders with manuscripts and self-addressed envelopes by means of the mail, unsolicited. Poring by means of them was a hazing ritual for editorial assistants, however you by no means know! Works by Martha Grimes and Tom Clancy, of all individuals, had been slush pile discoveries.
36D. “Landed on a licorice house in Sweet Land, say,” is very particular trivia: When it occurs to you whilst you’re taking part in this board game, it implies that you’ve LOST A TURN.
71D. This clue roused an odd reminiscence for me that appears to be predigital, maybe from an previous Foxfire magazine: “Birch bark and pine cones, e.g.,” makes me consider descriptions of outhouses. (I feel the pine cones had been décor, not purposeful.) The reply can be old school. They’re TINDERS, for lighting a wooden range or one thing like that.
Constructor Notes
This grid was a little bit of a bear to assemble in a manner that was nonetheless comparatively easy but in addition felt true to the puzzle’s conceit (i.e. progressing so as, in a manner that will be learn naturally left to proper and high down), given how interconnected the entire theme solutions would find yourself being. So to do this, some trade-offs had been obligatory, like giving solvers a leg up from the leap at 1-Down and having a much less hidden model of the theme at 71-Throughout. Additionally, my apologies upfront to all French audio system — although particularly to my mother — for utilizing the Anglicized, however grammatically incorrect, model of 80-Throughout. All that mentioned, I used to be actually pleased with how the entire thing turned out and hope you loved it!
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