It was Pub Trivia night and I forgot about the eclipse. I found the puzzle about right for Thursday, but if not for the SW I would have said relatively easy. That slowness came from entering CDDISCS and trying to make it work. I gave up when I couldn't figure out how you could turn a manse upside down.

As to the theme, how about... Samuel Colt's government request - GUNPATENT and I wish I could stretch this to work, A Southerner addressing an American Idol winner- MADAAMCAIRRE

Nuts to it all.
PhillySolver | 02.20.08 - 11:26 pm | #

I'm with you on ETC. The funny thing is, when I read the clue I knew immediately what the answer was even while knowing it didn't quite make sense. It tapped into something there.
JimH | Homepage | 02.21.08 - 1:56 am | #

Relatively easy Thursday for me, just over 10 minutes - mostly slowed down by applet (sp?) not allowing tabbing.
I didn't deal with the theme until after I finished the puzzle and glad of it. I think it would have slowed me down more. I'm somewhat embarassed to have gotten Susan Isaacs so easily.
richard | 02.21.08 - 7:10 am | #

If you're going to put an actor from the 1930's next to a "political hostess" from the 1950's, at least have the courtesy to cross it with something more common than amnion.

I found that to be an annoying section. No idea who either of those people are.

Certainly, I've heard of amniotic sac, but it still didn't click with me that "amnion" went in there.
Mark | 02.21.08 - 7:35 am | #

Richard, try the return key. It's hard to adapt when we're used to tabbing with the left hand but now nothing happens, isn't it? I still hammer away at the tab key and find the cursor just sitting there reproachfully.
Orange | Homepage | 02.21.08 - 8:56 am | #

When I realized this was Oscar week at the NYS, my anticipated moment of relief was that (a) this would be only a 4-day week, and (b) there'd be a themeless to break up the monotony. Looks like I was wrong about (b), since there was a Warrior last Friday. Tomorrow seems certain to bring yet another Hollywood theme.

Don't get me wrong, I know there are lots of movie lovers out there. What I don't get is the single-mindedness of it. Isn't one Oscar tribute--okay, maybe two--enough? I find the whole thing pretty boring, and it gets trivialer and trivialer as the week wears on. Today I knew Hepburn and Eleanor; the rest came, eventually, one letter at a time, slowly, painfully, with none of the solving satisfaction one would get from theme answers we at least begin to recognize after a few letters.

And all this from an editor who, if I remember correctly, didn't run a single Christmas puzzle. Interesting priority as to what's worthy of celebration.
Jim | 02.21.08 - 10:22 am | #

Hey watch it, Mark. I thought this puzzle was an homage to me with an anagram of my last name--and I have it on good authority from most of my friends that I am nuts!

Steve
Steve Manion | 02.21.08 - 10:44 am | #

Jim, I hope you're not suggesting that it's, say, un-Christian to avoid running a Christmas crossword theme in a secular newspaper that doesn't publish on holidays and is based in an incredibly diverse city. I rather doubt it hurts Jesus's feelings to have retail employees say "Happy Holidays" or to not be in a crossword puzzle.
Orange | Homepage | 02.21.08 - 10:51 am | #

Orange, I look forward to the daily variety we usually get in all the major puzzles--NYT, LAT, NYS, etc. When one of them gets fixated for a week on a subject that I don't find very compelling, it's a disappointment. Movie stars, movie titles, movie roles. It's just a weeklong movie trivia quiz disguised as crosswords. I don't find that entertaining. That's all I meant. No more, no less, and certainly nothing "un-Christian."

Speaking of which, I noticed you took a gentle pot shot at an ARK clue this morning in one of the puzzles. I know that's a pet peeve of yours, but I don't understand why you refer to such clues as "masquerading as fact" (or similar words). Today's NYS has a clue "Sheriff Lobo's first name." No mention of fiction--so wouldn't that also masquerade as fact? But we all know Lobo wasn't real. It's the same, I think, with Bible clues. When "First man" turns out to be ADAM, we all know it's from the Bible. Many people feel much of the Bible is fact. Many don't. But I don't see much risk, or any intent to deceive in a harmful way, in a puzzle clue that involves unannounced Biblical references, any more than in one that has unannounced fictional references.

Okay, that's way more than I meant to write. Sorry for taking so long.
Jim | 02.21.08 - 1:38 pm | #

The Oscars are bigger than Jesus!

No? Well, maybe not. But in any case, I don't think it's a matter of priorities (whatever that means) as much as it is finding fun, fresh material for puzzles.

Christmas has been used for a lot of puzzle themes over the years. It's not so easy finding a new approach. (Same with other holidays, like V-Day, which had a very nice puzzle a week ago but still drew a few complaints because a heart rebus had been done before.)

Oscars and movies (like sports) are good fodder for puzzles because they tend to have lots of curiosities and trivia about them, the kind of thing that, I think, most crossword fans enjoy. Plenty of "aha" opportunties, plenty of ways to have fun, with maybe altogether more directions to take a puzzle theme.

Anyway, the puzzles this week seem fresh and enjoyable to me.

I got in late last night, hadn't had dinner, so I sat down with the Times puzzle and the easiest munchies I could find, a bag of cashews. I guess you could say I was on the right wavelength.
JJF | 02.21.08 - 1:47 pm | #

Sidestepping the whole religious topic, the Sun puzzles are a rough ride for me too this week; even though I watch and enjoy movies, I never remember much about the particulars of acting, movie trivia, roles, etc. Just a weakness, I suppose. So this week's Sun puzzles lose a major bit of the fun factor for me.

I try to enjoy the offbeat cluing found outside the themes instead, and not worry about timing myself or any of that. I'd also guess that on the flip side, there's plenty of people for whom the film puzzles are a little bonus; a chance to use those brain cells saved just for movie knowledge, and that's great. Me, I'll stick to IMDB if I need a cinematic trivia fix.

Perhaps next week they'll cater to me and create a whole week of puzzles based on 1980's one-hit wonders and obscure pro hockey players. ;)
Howard B | 02.21.08 - 5:43 pm | #