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Slight spoiler today, which starts just after the bold face. But before we get to that, reminder: Summer’s mini-drive is on. Fear not, I’m NOT building up a paywall. This site remains free. All I ask is if you like what you’ve been solving, buy me a six pack. If you can tip in just $10 between now and Independence Day, I’ll be your best friend forever. Also, I’ll hook you up with two bonus Sunday-sized puzzles: one themed, one themeless. Even if you can chip in, that’s fine too. I am qualified to do nothing else in life and therefore, I doubt I’ll ever stop making crosswords. So at the very least tell me you liked ’em. Lastly, one randomly selected donor will get a copy of “Drunk Crosswords.” Thanks ahead of time to all.
Slight spoiler begins: Life inspires puzzles. It’s a preposterous thing to say, really. Did you really think that these things just happen in a vacuum? No. I can guarantee I get more ideas while vacuuming than being in a vacuum. But anybody who’s been in our house lately can call my bluff, as the mess is well, obvious. And our vacuum is broken. But I digress. Life, puzzles. Right. So today’s puzzle is a textbook example. The family went camping a few weeks back, and well hilarity ensued. I mean, we’re total city slickers. We like our breakfast bagels and coffee on a patio/café. So, we brought bagels (step one checked), and struggled mightily but ultimately achieved caffeination with our new percolator (step two, nailed). The patio/café part, not so much. I’m teasing slightly, cuz we do like being outside. The “roughing it” bit is a work-in-progress. Regardless some, but defintely not all of today’s puzzle’s theme was inspired that camping trip. Enjoy.
Share the puzzle. New one on Monday.
Shouldn’t the clue for 35D be “refractor” of light, not “reflector”?
I had to pause doing the puzzle to say that 24D is not a “light red wine”. You may be referring to that abomination that is the “white” variety, but the red variety is, even in its worst incarnations, medium bodied at the very least.
You referred to it thus in a previous puzzle, but as this is the second time, I can’t let that go.
Otherwise an enjoyable puzzle.