Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues | Solving Tip
MONDAY PUZZLE — Oh, hello. I didn’t see you there. I was busy kvelling over a clue at 53-Across from today’s crossword, which was constructed by Sam Buchbinder: “Morsel a horse’ll enjoy.”
That’s it. No notes. I feel as if I could discover this brilliant little rhyme again and again without ever getting bored. And I’d say that’s the mark of a successful crossword, too: the ability to make you feel as if you’re discovering words for the very first time.
Shall we discover a few together?
Today’s Theme
Our revealer at 38-Across stretches across the entire grid with a phrase that means “Having initial success,” which is OFF TO A GOOD START. In kind, all of today’s themed entries start with words that mean “good.”
The “Miles Davis classic that’s the all-time best-selling jazz album” (17A), for example, is KIND OF BLUE. A “Big member of the string section” (47A) is an UPRIGHT BASS.
And in case your initial solving success peters out, you can click to reveal the other themed entries below.
Tricky Clues
10A. I’ve always wondered why DAHS are the so-called “units of Morse code” represented by dashes. I mean, why not just call them dashes? Today, I finally learned the reason for the substitution: the words “dah” (for a dash) and “dit” (for a dot) are intended to mirror the actual sounds one hears over a receiver. Well, dah.
16A. ULAN Bator is the name of Mongolia’s capital city, though another accepted spelling is Ulaanbaatar. (I trust an ambitious constructor will introduce this version into a future grid.)
43A. The clue word “Itty-bitty” has so many diminutive variations that it’s impossible to say which answer it’ll take in any given crossword. Here, the answer is EENSY. (In other puzzles, it’s weensy, teeny, itsy, bitsy, weeny and just about any rhyming combination of those that you can come up with.)
10D. An “Elevator for transporting food” is called a DUMBWAITER for entirely obvious reasons, and I think we as a society can do better. Any suggestions? I nominate “mealavator” or “food flight.”
35D. “Is the view OK?” is a clue that feels personal. If you have never been asked “CAN YOU SEE?” at a standing-room-only concert, then you are the beneficiary of what I call “tall privilege.” Kindly use your privilege help me reach the flour on the top shelf of my cabinet.
61D. A clue that asks for the “bookend” letters of a phrase can be ambiguous, because we have to figure out which ones are relevant to the clue. Here, we’re asked to select those letters that best describe “Google Maps” — that gives us G.P.S.
Solving Tip of the Week
Naming Names
Names in crosswords tend to follow a matching rule: If a clue gives you the first name of one figure as a hint for another person, you’re expected to answer with a first name. The same goes for last names. Here are some examples from past puzzles:
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“‘American Idol’ panelist alongside Paula and Randy”: SIMON (not “Cowell,” because the clue offered first names).
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“President after William”: WOODROW. (Were it “President after Taft,” the answer would be WILSON.)
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