10D. The [Hero of Philly?] isn’t Rocky, Bernie Parent, Nick Foles or any of the city’s sports stars, real or fictional. A hero is a submarine sandwich, which any Philadelphian will tell you is actually called a HOAGIE, preferably one from Wawa.
11D. This extremely vague clue — [Where things are happening] — could ostensibly solve to any place or event where anything, you know, happens. A non-exhaustive list of possible answers: poetry slams, Little League games, water aerobics classes, Six Flags Great Adventure, acupuncture clinics, Cirque du Soleil auditions, the Alex Trebek stage at Sony Pictures Studios, reptile houses, Des Moines. Crossing entries reveal the only correct answer: Things are definitely happening ON THE SCENE.
25D. She’s loud. She’s unapologetic. [She has a lot of young followers]. She’s a MOTHER DUCK trailed by her ducklings, but that doesn’t mean she can’t be an influencer too. Smash that follow button to see her top 10 list of the hottest park benches for finding bread.
37D. [Gets started the wrong way?] refers to how car thieves start an engine. The answer is HOT-WIRES.
Constructor Notes
You know, my favorite tip to an aspiring solver is to take breaks as necessary. It’s miraculous — and exciting! — to crack a clue, or a tough corner, or an entire theme concept with fresh eyes.
Well, the same can be said for constructing. I had “YOU KNOW THE DRILL (15) -> YOU KNOW, THE DRILL?” written down in my Notes app for years. It seemed like a kernel of an idea that made me smile, but I’d never known how to expand on it. It was only recently, when my Crossworld pals Christina and Rebecca crafted this gem of a puzzle, that I was inspired to dust off the cobwebs.
I mean, the theme set still took quite a bit to wrangle. There aren’t too many filler words that lend themselves to good wordplay. The WELL example in particular proved difficult, since I really wanted the latter part to change meaning in surprising fashion. And how could I present everything in a way that creates a fun “aha,” yet also puts up enough Thursday-ish resistance?
Like, I guess the commas in the grid aren’t necessary, but it’s ultimately where I landed for a playful balance. Hopefully, nothing gives you too much “pause” — aside from the theme, of course!
Improve Your Crossword Solving
Work your way through our guide “How to Solve the New York Times Crossword.” It contains an explanation of most of the types of clues you will see in the puzzles and a practice Mini at the end of each section.
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