My time: 18:07, pretty respectable for Sunday.
The title is "Could You Repeat That Number?" so I was looking for some trick such as a rebus or if the numbers in long answers were written out twice or something. But no, it was straightforward. I figured there was no theme. But I realized later, only in reviewing the puzzle after it was completed, that the theme is in the clues. YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE is clued as "07 film" (without thinking, I assumed that meant a year, and didn't look again — it's actually meant to be read double-O-7 film). And "Day competitor" is meant to be Doubleday competitor. I'm not sure what the purpose of this is, as it isn't particularly clever and doesn't help with the solve. I put in INTERCONTINENTAL for [Double]tree alternative without even thinking about the clue; it just fit.
And "play combo of old" TINKER TO EVANS TO CHANCE? I saw nothing wrong with that clue. It's a baseball play. Apparently a [double]play, but I remain unaware of the distinction.
For "shape formed by an extended thumb and index fingers" I put *GUN but it's the very pedestrian ELL.
Chief Chirpa and others are apparently EWOKS. Yes! It's the Star War superfan's time to shine!
"QB's pass" is ATT, which stands for attempt.
Big Sur novelist is Jack KEROUAC. The book recounts how Jack Duluoz (standing in for the author) grapples with growing fame and his alcoholism. He seeks respite first in solitude in the cabin at Big Sur, on the California coast, and later in a relationship with Billie, the mistress of his long-time friend Cody Pomeray (a stand-in for Neal Cassady).
NAS is back, baby! And he's never going away! Did you know he had a 2003 hit "I Can?" Did you know that was seventeen years ago?!
Toyota PASEOS are a new one to me, although the word in singular has appeared a couple of times clued as a leisurely evening stroll.
"Equity valuation stat" is P/E RATIO, or price-to-earnings ratio.
Film director John CHU directed Crazy Rich Asians and some G.I. Joe movies and some Justin Bieber documentary.
Truman CAPOTE was born Truman Streckfus Persons. It was very simple to get this, since he kept his birth first name; I just wanted to write that out. Streckfus!
"Pig in a poke" or "pigeon drop." Apparently these are types of CON GAME. Sort of. The phrase "pig in a poke" refers to something sold without being inspected, and thus of dubious quality. The pigeon drop is when two confederates trick a man into giving over some money in order to get something they claim is of value but is actually worthless.
IRINA, one of Chekhov's "Three Sisters," was discussed on April 24, 2018. The other two are Olga, the eldest, and Masha. That same day, Patti Page's weepy hit "I CRIED" was also featured.
Muckraker who took on Standard Oil is IDA Tarbell, who has appeared in the puzzle a couple of times before.
Winner of the 1998 Masters Mark O'MEARA came up on December 30, 2017, so I forgot him. But this was a tough patch because of two crosses I also didn't know: Yeah Yeah Yeah singer KAREN O, whom I only just now realize I have heard of, vaguely; and Spanish muralist José Maria SERT, who last appeared on July 1, 2018.
ORA pro nobis, Latin for "pray for us," has been featured before.
I remembered SESTET from a couple of weeks ago!
I wrote more than anyone wanted to know about turn of the century soap RINSO way back on April 19, 2018.
Clever clues: "Dutch requirements" is ROPES, as in double-Dutch. I was thinking, Edams? Do the Dutch have a cheese requirement? "Tower over the field" is SILO.
Overall, this was pretty blah Sunday puzzle. The nature of solving, for me, is usually such that I don't notice nuances in the clues. And with only four themed clues with "double" missing, there isn't much of a payoff here. I think the puzzle makers need to EXERT a little more effort on a Sunday.
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