Sunday

Ben Tausig hired himself out to a daily paper for a change, with the Sunday NYT puzzle titled "Switch-Ups." And I'm glad he did, because it means this bang-up weekend of great puzzles continues unabated. I liked the theme, particularly the first theme entry, LIFE OF MY LIGHT. The theme was perhaps a little more challenging than some because the theme entries flip-flopped variably around OF, OF THE, or OF MY. I also liked the energetic fill (ONE VOTE, AIR BALL, SHAKE OFF, AGES AGO, TONGUE TIED, TALKIES, WREAKS) and the cluing—"left homes" for ESTATES, "you can say that again" for MANTRA, "Reed in music" for LOU, "Tony Clifton, to Andy Kaufman" for ALTER EGO, "followers of wells" for UMS, "joined the mob, maybe" for RIOTED, and the etymologically informative "title from which 'admiral' is derived" for EMIR. Congrats on a lovely puzzle, Ben (and Will)!

NYT 9:03
LAT 7:06
CS 4:45 ("Sunday Challenge" from Bob Klahn—check it out)