New York Times, Thursday, May 20, 2021

This one came from the realization that SIX FEET UNDER would make a good revealer for a letters-below-the-grid puzzle, but my original idea was to have FOOT underneath the grid six times, until I couldn't come up with enough symmetrical theme answers. Once I eventually hit upon the solution of using FT instead, it was still some time later before I came up with the 17-letter IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT to match the grid-spanning WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.

Even then, I wasn't sure I would be able to get a grid to come together, given all the theme material in such close proximity at the bottom of the puzzle, so I was pleased to find a nice arrangement for stacking some of the themers. It was important to me to have the bottom part of the puzzle connected to the top by more than just the grid-spanners, particularly as the grid spanners appear incomplete until you understand the trick. Fortunately, running non-thematic 10s alongside them ended up working out, without having to make too many concessions. In the bottom portion of the grid, I thought SPY SWAP and ASH TREE were nice answers crossing three themers apiece, and I'm partial to the quirky lower-right corner where OAR and ORR meet ORZO and ORDER (I hope ORE and OREO don't feel too left out).

As far as clues go, a few of mine I'm glad to see make the final version are those for 27-Across, 32-Across, 44-Across, 61-Across, and 9-Down. I thought the new clues for 43-Across and 1-Down were nice additions from the editorial team. I'm also a bit impressed that they were able to come up with a colloquial equivalent for IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT without repeating any of its words, which I found monstrously difficult to clue for that reason, resignedly going with the not-at-all ungainly [Colloquial phrase which suggests that there is an inference to be drawn from the preceding statement]. Yeah, I know, it rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?

Until next time, happy solving!

Been a while since the last "letters outside the grid" puzzle. Today's reminded me of a BURY THE HATCHET one; similar notion of digging deep (sorry) to achieve one's goals.

One aspect I enjoy about "outside the grid" puzzles is their ability to include theme entries longer than 15 letters. At 17 letters, IF YOU CATCH MY DRIFT feels fresh and spicy. My only tidbit of recollection about WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT is that he went on to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but now I'll remember him for his full name in today's puzzle.

Solid choices for themers. PARTING GIFT is so evocative. EYES LEFT and SEMI SOFT are more neutral than SCISSOR LIFT, but they work.

All in all, a nice variety of -FT ending words, although it'd have been great to get a -UFT ender to round out the set. A search for *UFT in our Finder turned up the STAY PUFT Marshmallow Man. That would have been a great throwback, although its U may have made gridwork tricky.

I'm a huge fan of mirror symmetry, and even more so when we get neat visuals like Trenton's torch in the center. Doesn't have anything to do with the theme, but man, is it pretty.

Crossword radar activated … thinking of flame-related ideas …

I should explain ORDER's clue — it's bigger than a family, in that it's one step up in the levels of taxonomy. Fun clue.

Also UNALASKA. What an Unamerican thing to do, including anti-Alaska sentiments … oh. It's a city in Alaska. Ahem. I knew that.

The NYT crossword has had a long history of "letters outside grid" puzzles. An early one impressed me most with its perfect single square popping out, and MAN OVERBOARD is high in my list of perfect rationales for breaking outside the box. This one was too much like Tim's BURY THE HATCHET for my long memory, but I enjoyed the novelty of the gridwork.