Wednesday

Randall Hartman's Wednesday NYT has a nice double-homophone theme. It's also got the new (at least according to the Cruciverb database) entry SMATTERING. And a new clue for EROTIC, "like the Kama Sutra"—other clues used frequently in the past include steamy, titillating, hot, and arousing; variously, past clues have also alluded to R, X, and XXX ratings (so which is it?). There's also a possible medical myth in the clue for FEVERS, "they're dangerous when they're high"; I could swear my kids' health reference books assure me that even a high fever poses no risk in and of itself.

Ed Early's NYS puzzle features a quote from Andrew Young, spiced up with the "feigned laughter" HAR HAR, MOISTURIZER, and the potent potables ZIMA and OUZOS.

Updated:

Ben Tausig's "That's Rich" puzzle was deliciously chocolaty (though I'd prefer a MILK, DARK, and SEMISWEET theme—WHITE chocolate does not deserve the name). Using the recent movie DARK WATER for one theme entry lent the puzzle the standard Tausig contemporary touch. I also liked "Calvin going, often" for DECAL and the game STRATEGO (who remembers the old TV commercials for that?). Surely I'm not the only one who sees a certain string of letters and fills in ARSENIC before seeing that the clue is for ARSENIO? Happens every time.

Bob Klahn's CrosSynergy puzzle is another one of those ones with the bundled theme sub-entries of indeterminate length (e.g., "play by play by play" FOUL MIRACLE FAIR). A CrosSynergy puzzle that took me longer than the Sun and NYT puzzles? Astonishing!

CS 4:32
NYS 4:27
Tausig 4:17
NYT 3:44