In fact, this puzzle solves like an extra-large themeless grid (21 x 22, if you’re one who counts columns), with an interesting letter recurrence, until you get to that revealer. That revealer, by the way, is crucial to understanding the title of today’s puzzle, “Snoozefest,” but it’s a one-way street - I didn’t make much of the title until the whole puzzle was done, when it gave me a chuckle, but I don’t think it helps with the solve. Charlson’s style to a T (if that letter only had a higher Scrabble score). What we really have is a theme letter, which fits Mr. But when you get the revealer, you realize that it encompasses many words that aren’t included in the smaller theme set. If you follow their symmetrical arrangement, you could say that there are six theme entries in the acrosses, as well as a revealer. (And something that we’ve encountered before, but I forgot until I saw it again.) I had to look at 36D about five times over three days to register that “bakery” is part of the palindrome for YREKA _, which is brilliant.
There’s something very whimsical about the word DEANERY, especially when you’re trying to deduce it and think of “beanery.” I settled on “de anero,” from the Latin for expensive Catholic church officials ( mucho de anero), but I couldn’t figure out how to make that final “o” work in the palindrome at 36D. I had a couple of little misdirects that could slow someone down - “holds” for HOSTS (it’s been too long since I’ve had someone over, I guess) and “toe” for TOY in a stocking.ģ3A: This entry made 10 appearances in the crossword puzzle between 19, but it’s a new one for me. Tricky Cluesīecause this puzzle goes off-road quite a bit, some explanations of difficult entries may appear in the next section (which can be taken as a small hint to their content). In this case, that “factor” should be preceded by a different letter, and that freewheeling playfulness involves dad geography jokes, religious arcana and Dr. Charlson says, “I value the sort of ‘X-factor’ that makes a puzzle feel playfully and distinctly ‘human.’”
(It’s actually been less than five years, but he’s prolific - 32 puzzles and counting.) Will Shortz makes note of the modern tools of crossword construction, software and programs that help create thrilling word lists like the one here, but that’s really just part of the equation. SUNDAY PUZZLE - Today’s print introduction mentions that Trenton Charlson is 25, which makes me doubt time, frankly, because it feels as if we have been solving his Scrabbly grids forever.