Wednesday's New York Times crossword puzzle solved: February 10, 2021

 

My time: 6:15, one minute slower than the record.

Theme: STOUT, the kind of beer, meant to be read as "ST" OUT.  That is, several phrases that start with st have the first two letters removed and then clued as they read.

For example, "the main characters of Brokeback Mountain" is RANGE BEDFELLOWS, a play on strange bedfellows.  And "'Strike three!' or 'Yer out!'" is UMP SPEECH, not stump speech.

I particularly like "way to catch a conger?"  My mind is like an EEL TRAP!

I had no idea that HANOI is so old!  It's "home to the Temple of Literature, built in 1070."  The temple also hosts the Imperial Academy, Vietnam's first national university. The temple was built in 1070 at the time of Emperor Lý Thánh Tông. It is one of several temples in Vietnam which is dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars.

I've watched a Kentucky Derby or two, but couldn't have told you that it's in MAY.  Well, this year it starts on April 30, so I guess the NYT doesn't know everything.

Also in sports, Wayne Gretzky won NINE M.V.P. awards.  In the NHL this award is called the Hart Memorial Trophy, named for Cecil Hart, the longtime head coach of the Montreal Canadiens.

ASH is the tree that can come in green, black, or white varieties.  I was thinking of putting *TEA.

"Sesame Street" segment "ELMO'S World," with his buddy Mr. Noodle, was referenced on July 11, 2020.

This was another puzzle that I just clicked on.  Barely anything new, and with clues that, while somewhat ambiguous *like "appropriate" for CO-OPT), weren't particularly devious.  I liked the funny theme, and I always appreciate a helpful capper that explains the wordplay.