Friday, August 31, 2018

Friday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: August 31, 2018

My time: 15:46.

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Peter Wentz is the brainchild behind this themeless Friday.  There's some genuinely tough stuff here, in terms of unexpected fill and vague cluing.  "He works with kids" is STAY-AT-HOME DAD --- I was half expecting it to be a joke about a shepherd.  "Go all out, whatever the cost" is SPARE NO EXPENSE.  "Pandora's domain" likewise tempts you thoughts of Greek mythology, but it's INTERNET RADIO.  "Dolly, e.g." is a cleverly vague clue for EWE.

"Garage installation" for SHOCKS isn't a clever clue so much as it is frustratingly vague.

I only know the word chintzy meaning cheap or tawdry; I didn't know that CHINTZES were a type of textile with floral decorations.

Not being a classical music guy, I have never heard of an OBOE d'amore.  It is a larger, alto oboe.

I know hip author TA-NEHISI COATES from his viral article on slavery reparations and for his celebrated "Black Panther" run for Marvel Comics, but I had forgotten he had a book of musings on race in America called Between the World and Me, and that he is a MacArthur Fellowship winner.  What a name!  What a great fill!  Love that he's in the crossword.

HART CRANE is a familiar name in American poetry, but I didn't know his debut collection was called White Buildings.

Apparently there is a museum dedicated to Salvador DALI in St. Petersburg, FL.  It is called The Dali Museum.  I'd like to go!

Of all the portrayers of the Hulk (technically of Dr. Banner, not the CGI id-monster), the one least in my mind is ERIC BANA.  Unfortunately *ED NORTON fits, and that's what I put.

Traditionally, a BRIS is performed on the eighth day of the infant's life.  Ew, how gross.

I vaguely remembered the name of architect Frank GEHRY, who designed Walt Disney Concert Hall, but needed crossfill to complete the middle letters.

I wasn't aware that BEET salad was a thing.

Alanis Morissette's debut album ALANIS was an answer on June 23.

'80s country singer K.T. OSLIN appeared on September 19, 2017, but I had forgotten, sadly.

Clever clues: "Can opener?" is HARD C.  "Source of many box office bombs?" is WAR MOVIE.  "Court order?" is OYEZ.  "Support staff"is CANE.  "Manufacturer of indoor cars" is OTIS.  "Plot element?" is ACRE.

This was a great Friday puzzle.  Fun fill, not too terribly hard, but challenging.  The END.

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