See the 1 answer word debuted by Li Ding.
L | O | A | F | N | U | M | B | S | O | M | N | I | ||
A | C | N | E | B | R | O | I | L | R | E | A | M | ||
G | E | N | E | R | A | L | T | S | O | B | L | I | P | |
G | A | U | D | Y | S | T | E | M | S | A | V | A | ||
A | N | I | M | E | S | C | O | L | O | N | E | L | ||
R | I | T | E | H | O | S | T | U | N | I | T | E | ||
D | A | Y | R | O | L | O | S | I | N | E | S | |||
F | O | O | D | F | I | G | H | T | ||||||
O | A | S | I | S | I | T | R | Y | S | A | G | |||
B | L | I | N | I | J | A | D | A | M | I | L | E | ||
S | A | N | D | E | R | S | S | C | U | L | P | T | ||
C | D | C | R | E | B | U | S | A | T | E | A | T | ||
E | D | I | T | C | A | P | N | C | R | U | N | C | H | |
N | I | T | E | A | C | T | O | R | A | C | A | I | ||
E | N | Y | A | P | H | O | T | O | L | E | S | S |
★ Appropriate that GENERAL TSO kicks off today's theme because this is a five-star puzzle. Delicious theme, aromatic bonuses, and plated so elegantly, with not even the tiniest smear in sight.
I've thought about GENERAL TSO many a time, since I have a guilty love of Americanized Chinese food. CAP'N CRUNCH and I have fought many a battle, his devious charm and sweetness leading to wild sugar rushes for my kids. Fried chicken is my kryptonite, so the COLONEL and I are well acquainted.
I'm astounded that I've never made the FOOD FIGHT connection. That's thematic gold.
Awesome corners. Only two multi-worders in SIN CITY and GET THIS, but they're both sizzlers. And such color in LAGGARD, OCEANIA, ANNUITY (said the MBA dork); these one-worders sing.
The centered revealer isn't for everyone, as it gives away the game too quickly. A mirror symmetry layout could have avoided this, with the themers running vertically and FOOD FIGHT centered in row 12. That would also have allowed COLONEL / SANDERS to be placed closer together, perhaps at the tops of columns 6 and 8.
Mirror sym isn't for everyone, though — Mike Shenk at the WSJ doesn't like it unless it's absolutely necessary, for example.
It's a rare treat to feast on such a tasty puzzle with so much nutritional value. The fact that it's a debut — and on a Monday, one of the most difficult days to construct for — makes it that much spicier.