New York Times, Monday, October 1, 2018

Welcome back to another week of "Crossing Words, with Jeff and Jim!" We'll again alternate who leads off and who cleans up.

Innovative idea today, THE END IS NIGH hinting at phrases ending with a "nigh" sound. Chuck did well to uncover BRUNEI, ILLINI, SINAI.

English is such an oddball language.

The idea interested me enough to go look for other "nigh" sounds. Besides Bill NYE — ooh, he's gotta feel snubbed today! — I could only think of DENY. Impossible to DENY that the theme set is pretty tight!

I struggled mightily with DRAMATIS PERSONAE. Turns out that 1.) I had no idea what this meant, which made for easily the hardest Monday puzzle this year, 2.) I've been pronouncing PERSONAE all wrong, apparently, and 3.) PERSONAE (long E) by itself is pronounced differently than when used in DRAMATIS PERSONAE (long I).

Who the *@$%! is responsible for our ridiculous language?

Putting this big theme qualm aside, I appreciated Chuck's efforts to incorporate some bonuses. I like trying to HANG TEN while surfing. FISH FRY? Don't mind if I do! And my favorite, WINGING IT — describes my life to a tee.

Speaking of WINGING IT though, sure was some winging it in the grid. I'm okay with a more somber puzzle, but NEAR FATAL / PISTOL ... crossing FIGHTING and BATTLE? So much for a pleasant solving experience!

And although Chuck did well to split THE END / IS NIGH — that makes for a much easier constructing job, compared to keeping it together as one centered entry — there's way too much IRISE AME GRO IRT LXI OBI. Not an elegant result; quite an unfriendly experience for newer solvers.

Overall, a novel idea lending itself to some neat ways of spelling the "nigh" sound. I would have been much happier if IMPOSSIBLE TO DENY had replaced DRAMATIS PERSONAE though, and if the the puzzle had been run on a Wednesday, where more experienced solvers probably wouldn't blink an eye at entries like ARRAU.

Crosswords are an unusual puzzle type because your experience as a solver depends so much on your life experience. Bloggers and other crossword commentators have to be careful with their "this puzzle is running on the wrong day of the week" objections. It's a normal tendency to assume that "stuff I don't know isn't common knowledge" but that's a trap.

If you grow up loving Shakespeare, DRAMATIS PERSONAE is a gimme. If you love classical music, Claudio ARRAU drops right in. This puzzle is too easy for a Monday!

But, wait a second. 51-Across asks me about some random stupid American college team? How is anyone supposed to know that stuff? Put this disaster of a puzzle on Saturday where it belongs!

Seriously, though, FIGHTING ILLINI is the kind of answer I love. I didn't know the term, but it's inferable enough. Once you parse the theme and when enough crossing letters drop into place, it seems correct. It may well have been a gimme for you. That's how this game goes.