Monday's New York Times puzzle solved: May 7, 2018

My time: 4:55.

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Julie Bérubé used all the crossword-constructing skills in her TOOL BOX to give us this puzzle.  The theme, which I literally had no idea of until I came up for air and actually looked at the circled squares, showcases the names of tools hidden in phrases.  GROUNDS CREW has screw; the Allmann Brothers album EAT A PEACH has tape, STAYS AWAY has saw; TUNA SASHIMI has shim; and so on.

I was a little shaky on the spelling (and pronunciation) of ESPADRILLE, a "shoe that ties around the ankle."  The name comes from the esparto rope that makes up the sole of the shoe.  For some reason I always think this word refers to a kind of dance.

ASH BLONDES ("some women with light-colored hair") is good fill.

On April 26, we got NIMBI, grey rain clouds.  Today it's STRATI: sheetlike, flat, hazy clouds, low in the sky.  Geez, get your clouds right, Michael.

"DuPont fiber" is ORLON, which was showcased on February 26.  I had forgotten.

American Dance Theater founder ALVIN AILEY (holding a nail) appeared on April 19.

Clever clue: "One always making adjustments on the job?" is TAILOR.

This was pretty EASY, and fun.  Still, I can't help wishing I had done it in LESS time.