New York Times, Tuesday, July 14, 2020

When I started constructing again last year, I said I was going to stick to themeless puzzles. I mean, how on-brand is that for someone who spends as much time as I do complaining that the NYT puzzles are too easy? But I suppose eight years of collaborating with Bruce Venzke meant there was always some part of my brain subconsciously putting themes together, and that part woke right back up.

Although I've already had two other solo submissions, both themeless, published in NYT since I became a solo artist, this is the first puzzle of mine that he accepted back in June 2019. I was worried that when I looked at it again more than a year later, that I'd hate it. But I still like it. Phew! "Phrases with related words at end" is not exactly the most innovative theme trope in the world, but I think I get some points for execution.

I grew up in the Bay Area during the Joe Montana era, so it took me a while to get over Steve Young pushing out Joe Cool. A young buck who wore a HAIR SHIRT under his jersey? Turns out, my ignorance was shameful; Steve Young was well up to the task. Watching him dominate a Super Bowl was a sporting highlight of a generation.

One-word Broadway musicals have been tapped for crosswords many times over the years, a quick search for RENT phrases turning this one up. I appreciated Stella's attempt to freshen the concept with phrases rarely seen in crosswords, HAIR SHIRT and WICKED GOOD likely to be new to some solvers. The latter is a Bostonian phrase in usage a few decades ago.

ANNIE HALL was a standout, as there's something clever about repurposing a movie to create a kooky Broadway-related phrase. I wasn't hot on WICKED GOOD because it's so tortured-sounding as a terse review, plus, if you didn't know the phrase already, you might have trouble figuring out the intent of the theme.

Tough way to start an early-week puzzle, with LORCA and EVERT crossing CREE. That would be fine for a later-week puzzle, but that corner could stop newbs in their tracks. As interesting as it is to feature the poet LORCA, I don't know that it's a sound choice for a puzzle with a simple theme, especially crossing CREE.

This puzzle would be a tough sell to even mid-level solvers, what with EEOC, GPO, IRR, NORN, NSF, too. Toss in ABU RIIS and TELEX and I'd have liked a polishing revision.

I did appreciate SHERLOCK, WHOLE HOG, and PRICE WAR, though. It's great to get some juicy bonuses to keep up one's interest.