Constructor: Paula Gamache
Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging
THEME: -NCE to -NTS — spelling change creates WaCkInEsS
Theme answers:- 17A: What Ali Baba found on the treasure in the cave? (PRINTS OF THIEVES)
- 27A: Sign of a failed practice? (LOSING PATIENTS)
- 43A: Puzzles as gifts? (PRESENTS OF MIND)
- 58A: Be startled by singing monks? (JUMP AT THE CHANTS)
Word of the Day: PAH (
9D: Sound of disgust) —
interj.
Used to express disgust or irritation. (answers.com)
• • •
Dull theme, decent (if unexciting) fill. Seems like an olde-timey theme. Solid concept, but not that amusing in practice (though
JUMP AT THE CHANTS is pretty good). Played very slow for me, for reasons I don't really understand. I think
PAH had something to do with it. Had BAH and UGH in there at various points. Also had serious trouble with
PLUGS (
29D: Toupee alternative) because neither "-INT trap" nor Jonny LAN- did anything for me (
41A: Grammy-winning blues guitarist Jonny). P-U-S was inscrutable. I don't think a lot about hair replacement, as I have no patience for that crap—I just shaved my head. Done and done. [
Digs in an old warehouse] is an interesting clue for
LOFT. Briefly thought "Digs" was a verb. [
Coloratura's practice] also misleading, or at least confusing, as the four-letterness there suggests ARIA. Never would've considered
RUNS. Got that one all from crosses.
There's not really anything to say about this puzzle. And baseball is on. So I'm gonna go.
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
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