SURF’S UP: [ ACROSS LITE][ PDF]
PROGRAMS: [Across Lite] [Adobe Reader]
For my birthday this year Liz got tickets to see Brian Wilson perform “Pet Sounds” in its entirety. With the Boston Pops backing up his already crackerjack band. Better still, one of my friends in the Pops gave us a tour of the backstage before the concert began. Those are wins all around. Anyway, my friend was pretty funny about the tour. She said Brian rested on a Barcalounger just off stage before the previous night’s concert, and sure enough, he was doing the same thing before ours. And yes, her tour walked right past the guy himself. I am ashamed to admit it, but I froze for a moment to wonder if I should have said something to the legend. Dare I say, even take a photograph with him. Or, heaven forbid, a selfie with the unsuspecting Beach Boy in the background. Alas, I did nothing, which is probably the right move, but that missed opportunity does stick with me. A bit. I will say this, he didn’t look particularly healthy.
Anyway, for some reason they didn’t play “Surf’s Up” that night. Talk about missed opportunities.
Share the puzzle. New one on Monday.
You must still be giddy. Today is Thursday. Not to worry. I felt the same way when I saw you on the street. Had to get up my courage to say “hi”. Fortunately the similarity ends there. You looked fine. The Beach Boys performed at the Esplanade a few years ago. It was hard to look at their tired faces as they sang “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older”. Gotta be careful what you wish for.
I don’t quite get 29-A. I’m guessing the question mark indicates that it’s jocular or humorous in some way, but even with that I’m having a difficult time. Perhaps someone can explain it to me.
@Hathor, I agree. I don’t get 29A either. Personally, I would have reworked that section. The two partials could have been replaced with these changes to the down answers:
21D. Rigel, for one [BSTAR]
23D. Robert De Niro spy thriller [RONIN]
This would have given as across answers:
21A. “Feel the ___” (2016 campaign slogan) [BERN]
29A. Job openings [SLOTS]
33A. Pewter, mostly [TIN]
(These are the most recent clues from the New York Times for each of those answers.)
SPOILER ALERT (regarding the aforementioned 29A)
They’re “busy” as in “having sex”. Frankly, this struck me as pretty churlish, but there it is.
What I didn’t understand was 20A.
@guh, think of a musical or a drama.
And in fairness, I see what 29A means, but I’m not sure I would have used the word. Even with a question mark, the jocularity is questionable. That’s why I suggested reworking the section.
Yeah, BEQ definitely should/could have done better on 29A. Or maybe reclued “Word used to shame women.”
Thanks, but I actually did think of it in terms of a musical or drama, especially after having gotten it via the cross clues. But it still doesn’t really make sense to me. Its clue seems like… an awkward and unnatural way to describe its answer? At best forced?
You spelled listen wrong and it’s fucked with me all day. Not happy with your crossword.
Tenzing Norgay was not Hillary’s assistant. He was an elite mountaineer and Hillary’s partner.
You forgot to “hang ten.”. it becomes listen in
Wow, BEQ has both a sexist and colonialist clue all in one puzzle. 😉