Robert S. Gard brings us a little sunshine.
Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues
WEDNESDAY PUZZLE — You’ve come here to register a complaint, I presume, about the fact that there’s a rebus in your Wednesday crossword. You’re wondering what it’s doing there and why it refuses to leave.
I can’t make the rebus go away, but it would be a shame to let its presence discourage you from tackling this utterly delightful crossword, constructed by Robert S. Gard. (And in case you’re wondering what the heck a rebus is, here’s a quick guide.) Even solvers just beginning to get their sea legs ought to give this grid a go — it’s a wonderful introduction to the kind of trickery one faces regularly in Thursday puzzles. Let’s size up the puzzle together, shall we?
Today’s Theme
The gambit begins at 17-Across, where the well-known [Coloring implement since 1903], CRAYOLA CRAYON, doesn’t quite fit in the squares allotted. Whenever you encounter an entry like this one — which meets the criteria of the clue exactly, but doesn’t fit where it’s supposed to — check the crossings to verify that more than one entry is affected. Rebus squares, as a rule, must work with both Across and Down entries. 17-Across crosses 2-Down, and the [Reef predator with extendable pharyngeal jaws], known as a MORAY EEL, doesn’t fit, either. That confirms it: rebus puzzle!
A total of six squares require entering R-A-Y to make sense (though if you’re solving online and having trouble entering several letters, the game will also accept just R). These three letters, squeezed into one square, demonstrate the effect of a [Downsizer?] (64A): SHRINK RAY. Note that R-A-Y isn’t shrunken here; a rebus puzzle’s revealer generally lays out the gimmick without repeating it.
Tricky Clues
26A. [Blade runner?] has a clear indicator of deception: the question mark. This clue refers not to a film character but to a blade-bottomed vehicle that moves quickly: a SLED. Many makeshift sleds do not have blades, mind you. I have slid down snowy hills on plastic mats, skateboard decks and inflatable pool toys — whatever floats your butt.
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Source: Elections - nytimes.com
