ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]
PROGRAM: [Java]
PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ THEMELESS MONDAY]
PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]
Straight to the mailbag. I received a handful of e-mails all roughly saying the same thing, so let’s use the letter from the anonymous-sounding Steve Smith of parts unknown as an example:
BEQ,Ya know, I’ve been wondering all week when someone would actually print the name of the Icelandic volcano that’s been screwing everything up in Europe. Finally found it in today’s Globe: Eyjafjallajokull. I kid you not. Think you could get it in a puzzle (a 16×16)? Think you can pronounce it? How about with a Boston accent?
Funny you should ask. I did make a 16×15 with EYJAFJALLAJOKULL right smack dab in the center of what was intended to be a themeless. Thing was, it went over like a fart in church with the test solvers. Normally, they have a threshold for BEQ-BS, but not with that one. I mean, to be sure, EYJAFJALLAJOKULL wasn’t the only thing dodgy about it, plenty of other craptacular variant spellings to make it work. Calling it rough would be an insult to roughness. Having said that, I believe it will appear in the next Washington Post Puzzler Karen Tracey writes.
As for pronouncing it with a Boston accent, I’d say it sounds like “Mosi Tatupu.”
Share the puzzle. New one on Wednesday.
How about 41-down, “Abides.” Shouldn’t that be “Abodes?”
Hate to pick nits. Love the puzzle. 1-across is inspired.
Heck. I don’t know. Maybe it should stet. Would The Dude abide?
The 7th World Wide Flash Mob (WWFM VII) will take place on Saturday, May 15, 2010. Here’s a link to a list of all the events, if you’re interested in being part of one:
http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.aspx?guid=60505686-926c-49a8-b99f-098263879bd9
JEEZ, SO I, EEK. Loved the clues. SO I immediately transported me back to my clumsy high school date requests.
Damn! I’m pretty proud of myself. I finished with no mistakes, and it only took me a measly 67 minutes.Watch out Dan F. and Amy. LMAO.
Lots of older movie clues to remember here. The first one I got fairly quickly was 17A and 18A, because of the “J” in 1D. That was one funny flick. Gonna have to Netflix it.
As to 33A. Slang on top of slang? Now I know why you clued 34A ” as you did. My sentiments exactly.
Bob Blake @1. Technically, abides is clued correctly at 41A, although archaic in this usage. Think of the bible. More likely Brendan is thinking “The Dude Abides” since I’m beginning to see that he is obsessed with the movie at 36D. Learn all there is to know about it, because I’m fairly certain more related clues will be in the offing. Lol.
1A was just too pop-culture for me. I had to get the whole thing with crosses. Even then, I had to take several guesses before Mr. Happy Pencil came up. I didn’t know what truck series belong too Mazda.
Great puzzle, but I gotcha today B.E.Q.
This was more Medium than Hard, IMO. I *never* finish a BEQ themeless Hard without Google’s help. Today, the biggest obstacle I had was whether to use “LEAVE IN” or “LEAVE IT.”
Fun puzzle, Brendan!
This was more Hard then Medium IMO, oh wait that means it is rated appropriately. Kicked my bottom, lots of correct fill in but just couldn’t put it together completely, in any quadrant without help.
For BEQ, I’m thinking I should be allowed to Google. I only saw the original ‘Planet of the Apes.’ I had to have some help with 1A, and it could have been anything.
Kind of wanted ‘pajamas’ for 1D. See, when you’re old, your values change.
Pretty pleased with myself for knowing ERIS, NESTOR, AQUINAS, not to mention ANISETTE…
I guessed EVERETT for the place where Glenn Beck spontaneously formed from pond scum, but when I googled to check, I found three different answers.
What is the problem with [Abides]? I protest the ‘archaic’ label! I put in RESIDES without hesitating. You abide in an abode bide de old mill stream.
This was full of enjoyable clues. Eagerly awaiting Wednesday.
For once I knew the 1-Across clue in this one, so that helped. Not knowing Conan O’Brien’s (2 apostrophes for the price of one there!) haircut made up for it, though. That was pretty bizarro.
Good stuff there today, and thanks for not including the name of that Icelandic volcanic ash-hole in there somewhere.
Knowing 1a, 9a, and 17,18a got me off to a fast start on this one and made it on the easier side of Hard for me. I second the love for the 55d and 34a clues. BUSCEMI was also a gimme which helped with QUIFF which was more of a WTF. Fun puzzle, a nice Mon. challenge.
Sadly Eyjafjallajökull won’t fit in a Washington Post Puzzler, which I’m told can’t have 16 rows or columns. Now you might wonder what made me inquire….
I Think the movie Leap Year was set in Ireland, not Wales;
(47 across).
@bonorusso
I googled the dang thing. It starts off in Wales, detours to Ireland, and then ends in Wales. Happily ever after.
@Karen T, BEQ, et al.
Why not just use JOKULL? Our daughter repeatedly checked out a ‘horse story’ set in Iceland, with ponies Hekla and Jokul (ice and fire, I presumed)… Or do something with circled letters; you know how much people love those!
i found this one hard, all right, and eventually found the NW impossible. FLASIMOV! that’s what i’d name a group of people doing random things.