Lost in the Cross
@lostinthecross.bsky.social
Two women (E & M) spending their 20s doing the crossword | Semi-daily reviews of the NY Times crossword
All in all I think the fill was the most enjoyable part of the puzzle. It felt like it had few repeats without being too difficult for a Tuesday. I had fun and I hope you did too! 17/17
February 14, 2024 at 5:23 AM
All in all I think the fill was the most enjoyable part of the puzzle. It felt like it had few repeats without being too difficult for a Tuesday. I had fun and I hope you did too! 17/17
The theme itself was fun, even as someone with less sports knowledge. The themers were solvable even without that, but I liked seeing the common thread that tied it all together. 16/
February 14, 2024 at 5:22 AM
The theme itself was fun, even as someone with less sports knowledge. The themers were solvable even without that, but I liked seeing the common thread that tied it all together. 16/
I agree with E about 15A (“Binary pronoun with a slash.”) I was expecting more like he/him as opposed to HE/SHE. I don’t see when HE/SHE would be used aside from, like, official medical forms, whereas he/him is more common, at least in my world. 15/
February 14, 2024 at 5:22 AM
I agree with E about 15A (“Binary pronoun with a slash.”) I was expecting more like he/him as opposed to HE/SHE. I don’t see when HE/SHE would be used aside from, like, official medical forms, whereas he/him is more common, at least in my world. 15/
And, like the Disney fan I am, I liked 36A (“Friend of Thumper and Flower” BAMBI). 14/
February 14, 2024 at 5:22 AM
And, like the Disney fan I am, I liked 36A (“Friend of Thumper and Flower” BAMBI). 14/
I liked other parts of the fill. 30D was especially nice (“Best Picture winner that becomes an earlier Best Picture nominee when an "F" is added to the front” ARGO.) 13/
February 14, 2024 at 5:22 AM
I liked other parts of the fill. 30D was especially nice (“Best Picture winner that becomes an earlier Best Picture nominee when an "F" is added to the front” ARGO.) 13/
I think it’s a southern thing, because my friends from undergrad (who were not from the south) gave me the weirdest look when I first said it. I stand by it though! Lollipops are flat, suckers are round. They’re not the same! 12/
February 14, 2024 at 5:21 AM
I think it’s a southern thing, because my friends from undergrad (who were not from the south) gave me the weirdest look when I first said it. I stand by it though! Lollipops are flat, suckers are round. They’re not the same! 12/
M’s review: Okay, before I include the clue, what is the term you use for the type of food that DUM DUMS are? Lock in your answers now. Would you agree that DUM DUMS are “Branded lollipops” (42D)? I would call them suckers, but I’ve since learned that’s a regional term. 11/
February 14, 2024 at 5:21 AM
M’s review: Okay, before I include the clue, what is the term you use for the type of food that DUM DUMS are? Lock in your answers now. Would you agree that DUM DUMS are “Branded lollipops” (42D)? I would call them suckers, but I’ve since learned that’s a regional term. 11/
To end on a positive, I find 58A: [Plot line?] (AXIS) quite cute. A line on a plot (as in graph)! I have spent a fair amount of time making graphs and it’s always a love-hate relationship. You hate it until it’s done. Then it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. 10/
February 14, 2024 at 5:21 AM
To end on a positive, I find 58A: [Plot line?] (AXIS) quite cute. A line on a plot (as in graph)! I have spent a fair amount of time making graphs and it’s always a love-hate relationship. You hate it until it’s done. Then it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. 10/
There is absolutely no reason to still be using “he/she” these days. Just use “they”!!!It includes everyone and is a million times less awkward. 9/
February 14, 2024 at 5:21 AM
There is absolutely no reason to still be using “he/she” these days. Just use “they”!!!It includes everyone and is a million times less awkward. 9/
I wasn’t even thinking of it like that. I thought maybe it would be “he/him” since that is more commonly used by people on one side of the binary?? Even that would have been odd. 8/
February 14, 2024 at 5:20 AM
I wasn’t even thinking of it like that. I thought maybe it would be “he/him” since that is more commonly used by people on one side of the binary?? Even that would have been odd. 8/
Another clue with an old-timey feel that I *am* opposed to is 15A: [Binary pronoun with a slash] (HE/SHE). I guess by putting “binary” in the clue they’re trying to acknowledge that this very much hews to the gender binary, but… 7/
February 14, 2024 at 5:20 AM
Another clue with an old-timey feel that I *am* opposed to is 15A: [Binary pronoun with a slash] (HE/SHE). I guess by putting “binary” in the clue they’re trying to acknowledge that this very much hews to the gender binary, but… 7/
The rest of the puzzle feels a bit… quaint? There’s 22A: [Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” e.g.] (WIDOWER) and 29A: [Mix drinks] (TEND BAR) and 4D: [Diner or bistro] (EATERY). All fine, but skewing towards old-fashioned. 6/
February 14, 2024 at 5:20 AM
The rest of the puzzle feels a bit… quaint? There’s 22A: [Captain von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” e.g.] (WIDOWER) and 29A: [Mix drinks] (TEND BAR) and 4D: [Diner or bistro] (EATERY). All fine, but skewing towards old-fashioned. 6/
I also think it’s cool how some theme answers are acrosses and some are downs. Not something we see terribly often! 5/
February 14, 2024 at 5:20 AM
I also think it’s cool how some theme answers are acrosses and some are downs. Not something we see terribly often! 5/
E’s review: This is a solid easy theme concept and is executed well. The only issue is that I have very little knowledge of sports teams and no desire to learn. Do sports players actually say things like “I’m a Sun”? I can only assume so from the puzzle. 4/
February 14, 2024 at 5:20 AM
E’s review: This is a solid easy theme concept and is executed well. The only issue is that I have very little knowledge of sports teams and no desire to learn. Do sports players actually say things like “I’m a Sun”? I can only assume so from the puzzle. 4/
Theme answers consist of two words, each of which is the name of a sports team (and hence could be used to refer to a player on the team)—e.g., 33A: [*Louis XIV’s nickname [N.B.A.]] (SUN KING). The Suns and the Kings are both NBA teams. 3/
February 14, 2024 at 5:19 AM
Theme answers consist of two words, each of which is the name of a sports team (and hence could be used to refer to a player on the team)—e.g., 33A: [*Louis XIV’s nickname [N.B.A.]] (SUN KING). The Suns and the Kings are both NBA teams. 3/
Theme: TEAM PLAYERS [49A: Ones unconcerned with individual achievement… or what both words in the answers to the starred clues are examples of]. 2/
February 14, 2024 at 5:19 AM
Theme: TEAM PLAYERS [49A: Ones unconcerned with individual achievement… or what both words in the answers to the starred clues are examples of]. 2/
I know that EPI is a “Commercial lead-in to Pen” (36D) but it still feels weird to hear since that’s become more the name of the product than a specific brand. 15/15
February 13, 2024 at 2:25 AM
I know that EPI is a “Commercial lead-in to Pen” (36D) but it still feels weird to hear since that’s become more the name of the product than a specific brand. 15/15
But hey! This puzzle acknowledges THEY “___/them pronouns” (13D) and POT BROWNIES (10D “Baked things that might get people baked”) so what’s not to love? 14/
February 13, 2024 at 2:25 AM
But hey! This puzzle acknowledges THEY “___/them pronouns” (13D) and POT BROWNIES (10D “Baked things that might get people baked”) so what’s not to love? 14/
I’ve never tried the meatballs at IKEA (66A “Furniture store known for its cafeterias' meatballs”,) though I’ve heard that that is a travesty. I’ve also never tried a BONE (1D “Chicken leftover”) but that’s not an experience I really need to have. 13/
February 13, 2024 at 2:24 AM
I’ve never tried the meatballs at IKEA (66A “Furniture store known for its cafeterias' meatballs”,) though I’ve heard that that is a travesty. I’ve also never tried a BONE (1D “Chicken leftover”) but that’s not an experience I really need to have. 13/
And I always love seeing VIOLA clued as “EGOT-winning actress Davis” (32D) as opposed to the instrument. We did get an instrument in 14A (“Long, cylindrical instrument” OBOE) whose clue was a bit of an innuendo itself. 12/
February 13, 2024 at 2:24 AM
And I always love seeing VIOLA clued as “EGOT-winning actress Davis” (32D) as opposed to the instrument. We did get an instrument in 14A (“Long, cylindrical instrument” OBOE) whose clue was a bit of an innuendo itself. 12/
I liked seeing The Little Red Hen mentioned (42A “Response to the Little Red Hen”) NOT I because that story had been stuck in my head the other day and I couldn’t remember what it was titled until I saw it in the puzzle. 11/
February 13, 2024 at 2:24 AM
I liked seeing The Little Red Hen mentioned (42A “Response to the Little Red Hen”) NOT I because that story had been stuck in my head the other day and I couldn’t remember what it was titled until I saw it in the puzzle. 11/
M’s review: This was an all-in-all solid Monday. The theme was fine and easy to follow. And all the answers made sense and were phrases I’d heard before, which sets it apart from some other Mondays we’ve had. I don’t really have more to say about it beyond that. 10/
February 13, 2024 at 2:24 AM
M’s review: This was an all-in-all solid Monday. The theme was fine and easy to follow. And all the answers made sense and were phrases I’d heard before, which sets it apart from some other Mondays we’ve had. I don’t really have more to say about it beyond that. 10/
That’s pretty much it. PEACE! (40A: [“Later, dudes”]). 9/
February 13, 2024 at 2:23 AM
That’s pretty much it. PEACE! (40A: [“Later, dudes”]). 9/
I recognize that most people will be fine with 57D: [Frosts, as a cake] (ICES), but it bothers me because in my dialect icing is not a subcategory of frosting. Icing is thinner and more delicate, and frosting is thick. So for instance, you only have buttercream frosting, not buttercream icing. 8/
February 13, 2024 at 2:23 AM
I recognize that most people will be fine with 57D: [Frosts, as a cake] (ICES), but it bothers me because in my dialect icing is not a subcategory of frosting. Icing is thinner and more delicate, and frosting is thick. So for instance, you only have buttercream frosting, not buttercream icing. 8/