MONDAY PUZZLE — At a certain point, a metaphor becomes so overused that we barely remember the imagery it was intended to invoke in the first place. We don’t picture the baseball meaning of “dropping the ball,” nor do we perceive any geometry in the “angles” of op-ed essays. If we’re not careful, we risk losing sight of the imaginative tactics that make the English language so much fun in the first place.
That’s why it’s nice to solve crosswords like this one, constructed by Max Schlenker. In one sense, the theme uses wordplay. In another, it merely connects a metaphor back to its source . Regardless of how you perceive the joke, you can appreciate how it illuminates (see what I mean?) a bygone connection between thing and thought.
Today’s Theme
The revealer at 60A tells us that a colloquial expression for [ “It all makes sense now!” ] is what one might exclaim after [combining the ends of 17-, 23-, 36- and 51-Across]. A tip for newer solvers: The “end” of an entry is generally its last word, though in some cases the term refers to a fragment.
Let’s identify the means to those ends, shall we? At 17A, the [Activity that helps one release pent-up feelings] is an EMOTIONAL OUTLET. The [Hexagonal mesh used to fence in poultry] at 23A is CHICKEN WIRE. At 36A, [Early bloomer?] has nothing do to with puberty — it’s a springtime TULIP BULB. And to [Be up-to-date with the news], at 51A, is to STAY CURRENT. Plug a wired bulb into an outlet and send a current through it, and you’ve got yourself a reason to shout, “I’VE SEEN THE LIGHT!”
Tricky Clues
11A. The shortening of “organization” to “org.” in [Org. that now offers merit badges in Kayaking and Nuclear Science] indicates an abbreviated entry. I’m familiar with the program née Boy Scouts of America, but didn’t realize they now go by Scouts B.S.A.”
50A. [Where heroes are made?] ends in a question mark, which means the answer involves wordplay of some kind. In this case, the solution hinges on an alternate definition of “heroes”: a DELI sandwich.
56A. [What a successful party is] could also have been clued as [Like a successful party], but then it might run afoul of those who believe that FUN can’t be an adjective.
1D. This term for [Highest-caliber athlete, to fans] must have emerged sometime circa mid-2021, because that’s when THE GOAT — short for “greatest of all time” — started showing up in Times puzzles. (Ditto without the definite article.)
9D. Clues that use quotation marks indicate spoken phrases, and their solutions should be equally colloquial. A natural fit for [“___ soon?” ] is TOO, as in the question one asks when joking about a sensitive subject.
39D. It’s been 25 years since this [Home installation providing propane to a grill or fireplace], GAS PIPE, last appeared in a Times Crossword.
Constructor Notes
I once asked a constructor friend, Finn Vigeland, how he decided when it was time to abandon an idea that wasn’t working. “Never,” he said, because some puzzles require years to hibernate and evolve, and he often returned to half-formed grids hoping to inject them with new life.
This was not the answer I wanted to hear. The theme entries for today’s puzzle had arrived in my head fully formed, a true lightbulb moment, but grid construction was taking months. Placing TULIP BULB in the center required splitting the grid in half, with stacks of 7-letter entries in every corner and a theme-dense center. I considered settling for less-shiny theme entries that would allow for more options, but Finn’s advice convinced me to stay the course. Finally my stubbornness won out, and I eked out a puzzle I feel is one of my best. Turns out great work may start with a flash of inspiration, but it’s finished through long stretches of unglamorous effort. Another point for Aesop.
Who knew crossword construction could be my own EMOTIONAL OUTLET? In an alternate universe where I construct Sundays, I would have included “shameless plug” and “social battery” as additional theme entries. In the puzzle’s Monday form, I hope it brightens your day!
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