New York Times, Friday, November 26, 2021

Looking back at this puzzle, I feel like it has the vibe of a 1970s thriller — gritty, heisty, and possibly starring Harrison Ford.

When I started writing crosswords, my wife and I took guesses as to which would come first, my first published puzzle or our first baby. My first New York Times puzzle ran in August 2020 (this puzzle is my 8th). Our daughter Margot was born six weeks ago. Turns out making puzzles isn't as hard as making babies!

I'll leave you with some clues that still make me smile but didn't end up making the cut.

• Organ-ic waste? (5)
• Rising up dough? (9)
• They rack and ruin (10)

(Answers: OFFAL, STRIKE PAY, POOL SHARKS)

One's personal experiences have such a drastic effect on one's themeless enjoyment level. This one is perfect example. These days, Jim Horne and I tend to agree about puzzles more than ever, but I love it when I get a chance to appreciate our differences.

RADIO SHACK was a dingy, disorganized chain where I could never find the capacitor I needed. Jim, however, was an ardent member of the Free Battery Club in his youth, so it brought back great memories.

I loved POOL SHARKS, as one of my career goals was to be one. (Turns out you have to be good, sadly.) Jim had heard many plays on "English" (pool term for spin put on the cue ball) before, though, so it didn't do much for him. Now, if this had been an ice hockey term …

Jim highlighted FRESH MEAT as a fantastic entry, as it brought back fond memories of The Shawshank Redemption and he wasn't aware of any negative connotations. I also loved that movie, but I've heard FRESH MEAT in a horrible sense too many times, so I cringed.

Apt that the puzzle features EASY-A and OFFAL in opposite spots. Vive la différence!

Delightful thoughts behind Katie's extra clues. STRIKE PAY is a fantastic entry, and playing on "rising up" and "dough" is clever. It doesn't quite work all together, but this is the type of creative wordplay that all themeless constructors ought to be employing.

It's funny how individual experiences with just one or two clues can color your view of an entire crossword.

Jeff mentioned my reaction to the RADIO SHACK clue. I spent many hours there as young electronics experimenter picking out just the right diodes and capacitors. (You kids nowadays with your fancy-dancy integrated circuits have no idea what you're missing!) So right away I'm hooked.

Then I hit SALOME. As much as I love Puccini and Wagner, Salome is probably my favorite opera. I love every note. It jumps right into the story without any prologue, and it finishes the whole sordid tale in a single act. The plot, from a play by Oscar Wilde, is well known. Herod pleads with Salome to dance for him. She complies with the infamous Dance of the Seven Veils. Herod is so delighted that he offers to grant Salome anything she wishes. Her recent attempts to seduce John the Baptist had failed, so she asks for John's head on a platter. Seems a bit much, but a promise is a promise. The opera ends when Salome kisses the decapitated John on the lips.