New York Times, Thursday, August 19, 2021

I'm chuffed to bits to have my first puzzle published in the Times. I constructed this one in a rare fit of lucidity in the early days of the pandemic, part of a string of diversionary hobbies that would grow to include backgammon, chess, bread baking, Rubik's cubes, abstract painting, pottery throwing, thoroughbred handicapping, and screenwriting. This puzzle is the sole public fruit of these labors.

I'm a journalist, and having a puzzle out brings the same sort of excitement as having a piece out — along with an extra tinge of sadistic thrill. To my mind, crosswords are a potent democratizing force. If you solve enough puzzles, there are few things or concepts in the world, in all its weird and diverse majesty, to which you will not be exposed, and these things and concepts are all presented on level terms. Constructors are torchbearers of this ethos and I'm honored to join them.

As for the specifics of this puzzle, the theme idea came from the same place as every idea I've ever had, which is to say some mysterious and unknowable recess — perhaps, in this case, a deep-seated association between the puzzle and breakfast. The net result, I hope, is a pleasurable solve and an aesthetically pleasing finished grid that, if you squint, looks like something you might eat in the morning.

I had the pleasure to hang out with Ollie at the ACPT a few years ago. I've rarely met anyone with such a wide range of interests — and who's so skilled at so many of them. He publicized Saul Pwanson's data and analysis about the Timothy Parker plagiarism scandal at 538, so the crossworld owes him a big debt of gratitude. Check out his book of puzzles, BTW. I've had fun trying to work them out. I'm still stuck on the first one, but I'll get it by the time I'm age 538.

I'm not simply being modest about my slowness. Exhibit B: I solved the OAT rebus squares, saw that they were arranged in a circular shape, and the revealer was CEREAL BOXES. Then I asked Jim Horne if he was bothered by some cereals not having OATs as ingredients.

"Are Cheerios — the circular cereal made of OATs — not as popular in America as they are in Canada?" Jim asked, trying mightily to allow me to save face.

It's a shame that Ollie didn't write a "For Dummies" version of his book.

I had a tough time with the south section, this finance guy only vaguely knowing Robert FOGEL, and MOILS not registering as a word. Along with THE GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) tough to see as part of a rebus, that nearly did me in.

I had to guess on RIALTO / BARI but got it right. Better to be lucky than good! I admire Ollie's audacity, picking longish theme answers in both Across and Down directions; for example, FIT TO A TEE and BLOATWARE. Made for some rough trade-offs in short fill, though.

I'd have loved CHEERIO as a secondary revealer, clued as [Brit's "ta-ta" … and a hint to the shape formed by six squares]. That's too much theme material, though. This is a rare case where I wanted the puzzle to expand into a Sunday grid, allowing more room for the secondary revealer, as well as even more long themers as strong as COAT OF ARMS.