Jump to: Tricky Clues | Today’s Theme
SUNDAY PUZZLE — Will Shortz, in his print introduction to this grid, writes: “Andrew Colin Kirk was born and raised on a cattle farm in Scott City, which is in western Kansas. For 15 years he worked as a management consultant for federal agencies in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, he was laid off recently. On a positive note, he and his husband are in the process of moving to Denver. ‘We’re looking forward to getting The Times’s puzzles digitally at 8 p.m. instead of 10,’ Andy says. This is his first crossword for the paper.”
What a blast this whole puzzle is, and it’s especially impressive coming from a first-timer. Even if you know where the theme is going, the ride there is like being on a roller coaster and going through a fun house.
Today’s Theme
There are six entries in this theme set, at 23-, 36-, 47-, 67-, 86- and 93-Across, as well as a revealer at 115-Across. The revealer comes with its own clue, [Classic breakup excuse]. When I read that after noting the title of the puzzle — “Where’d You Go?” — I knew what was going on before I had actually figured out any answers. I tend to dread when this happens, but Mr. Kirk’s brilliant cluing made this solve hilarious and, yes, surprising.
I wasn’t able to predict a single answer, even knowing the simple formula required. Take 23-Across, for example: [Stay in one’s lane?]. This solves to RESIST THE MERGE. It makes sense when you think of driving, but this is wordplay on a common expression: “Resist the urge,” with a critical letter substitution.
The answers to 36-Across and 47-Across both start with the same three letters, and that actually threw me off. 36-Across, [CliffsNotes version of Holmes and Watson stories?], solves to MEN SOLVED MYSTERIES and 47-Across, [“When do you need this patched up?” “Do you have the missing button?,” etc.?], solves to MENDERS LINES. Ignore the N in MEN and swap ME with U once again to get “Unsolved Mysteries” and “Underlines.”
Have you figured out the [Classic breakup excuse] that the revealer indicates? In this puzzle, the ME in each theme actually stands in for a U, and the entry at 115-Across is IT’S NOT YOU IT’S ME.
Does anyone ever buy that line when it’s used on them? I’d walk away in a huff, and that makes the title of the puzzle pretty funny to me. It’s also a cute additional hint to the theme’s pun — “Where’d U Go?”
Tricky Clues
25A. [One place to redeem tickets] is an ARCADE. I thought of paper slips at first, and wondered if they were still in use; they seem to be close to extinct, but there are digital equivalents.
119A. [Dartmouth’s colorful nickname] is BIG GREEN, which last appeared in a New York Times puzzle in 2006; the moniker itself refers to the official college color, which was adopted in 1866.
121A. It might be a coincidence, but this entry echoes the theme revealer a little bit. [“Too bad for me!”] solves to MY LOSS.
35D. I stared at this forever and need to get out more. [It might have “-GUEST” in its name] solves to FREE WIFI (which is safe to use now, according to the government).
97D. Did anyone else read this pun clue too quickly? [Caesar’s addressing?] gave me a chuckle, but I got the wrong joke and put “toga,” thinking of “dressing,” instead of ET TU. Both funny, Brutus.
Constructor Notes
From the moment I completed my first crossword without any hints and heard the triumphant “solving jingle” a decade ago, it’s been my dream to create my own puzzle for The New York Times. Today’s debut is not my first, second or even 10th attempt — I think this is lucky number 11? — so my advice to other aspiring constructors is: Don’t give up!
I can’t really remember my inspiration for this puzzle: No one has ever said the revealer phrase to me during a breakup because [SPOILERS] the breakups were, in fact, usually my fault. The theme answers came from opening a dictionary and applying the puzzle criteria to every word that started with a specific letter or had a specific letter pattern over the course of several weeks. I agonized over the themes, but I was pleased to find zippy entries with symmetrical lengths that could be clued in a fun way. To my pleasant surprise, the editors agreed!
I’m very grateful to Will Shortz and The New York Times Games staff for allowing me to revise my first draft and resubmit with better fill. They also refined some of my clues to make them clearer and more succinct. If this puzzle is a success, it’s due in no small part to their patience and expertise. Many thanks as well to my family and friends (especially the MWO crew) and the crossword community writ large, but most of all, to my loving, supportive husband (also named Andrew) and my loving, but much less supportive, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Waffles).
Thanks for solving and reading, and I hope to have more puzzles for The Times in the future!
Breaking Up (or Down)?
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