I'VE GOT A FEELING ...

Howard Barkin, of Hillsborough, N.J., is a software quality assurance specialist. He has been making crosswords for The Times since 2014.

The theme of this one started when he was driving one day and 15-Down "randomly came to mind" — which maybe reveals something about Howard psychologically? (Solve the puzzle to see.) But don't judge. Traffic in New Jersey can be vicious.

I thought of the BOTTLED UP ANGER connection during a drive, but not really as a puzzle entry until a bit later, when I started thinking about double-meanings in emotion-related phrases. Since there isn't really a hidden trick or revealer, I especially try to make the non-theme parts of the puzzle fun and quirky.

If this is a bit too easy or not tricky enough for you, I understand completely — but also remember that many of us (that don't read puzzle sites and blogs) are also regular solvers who want a challenging but satisyfing experience, so I try to take everyone who attempts the Sunday into account — it may be their first try! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Howard! It's neat to see someone at the top of the crossword solving community continue his work in the crossword construction community. It's such a pleasure hanging with Howard at the ACPT, a great guy to be around and incredibly welcoming.

Welcoming puzzle today, too, a common theme type — reimagined in-the-language phrases — that even newer solvers maybe have encountered before. I enjoyed how apt they felt, BOTTLED UP ANGER something the Genie of the Lamp would undoubtedly harbor. I've heard the pun of farmers experiencing GROWING CONCERN before, but it still gave me a smile.

I was shocked that I hadn't heard the CULTURE SHOCK pun before, because that was the big winner. So entertaining to imagine a scientist go full drama queen upon making a bacteriological discovery.

GUARDED OPTIMISM wasn't as strong as the others, since a guard is never described as "guarded." Sometimes puns are measured by their groaniness, though, so in that regard, it succeeded.

A lot to admire in the grid, CON ARTIST and BUGS BUNNY excellent features, along with BOBA TEA and IPANEMA adding color. I'm a big Kevin Bull fan, so ALOPECIA was an asset in my book, too. I can see how that ALOPECIA / CECE crossing would be rough, though, if you've never seen "New Girl" (you're not missing much).

Some other hiccups, things like LABELLED and VIGOUR making each other more noticeable. I only know NINGBO from a previous crossword, and I wouldn't know OENO outside of crosswords. Crossing them is borderline unfair.

Laying out two of eight themers vertically can sometimes cause more problems than it solves. I'd be curious to experiment with an all-horizontal layout that had the shorter pairs — COMIC RELIEF and UNBRIDLED JOY — overlapping a little in adjacent rows.

Overall, though, it's difficult to hold my attention through a Sunday puzzle, and Howard's fun themer selections kept me going.