Every once in a while I come across a puzzle that seems like it's going to be great but then either I don't like it or I don't get it. The Wednesday, January 2 puzzle by Patrick Blindauer is a double shot. I don't like it and I don't get it. Probably I don't like it because I don't get it. I've posted the answers here. Maybe you can help me.
When I saw that the theme seemed to be that I had to connect all the Os with four lines I thought there would be some clever trick there. In the never-ending quest for uniqueness or freshness or at least not over-doing the same themes too many times, constructors have had to become more and more creative. A recent trend has been combining crosswords with other puzzle types. In fact, Patrick Blindauer did just that just last month -- combining with a Word Find puzzle. You can see it here.
In fact, let's talk about Patrick for a moment. He did another similar connect the dots trick back on July 4 and a scary face with fangs on Halloween 2006. All great stuff. His very first puzzle was one of the more bizarre crosswords I've seen back on July 21, 2005. You had to solve a simple cipher substitution to reveal the complete answer. That meant he got to include the 15-letter answer word ZPVCSPLFUIFDPEF. You can see all 12 of his NYT puzzles here.
Anyway, connecting the Os wasn't hard and you end up with a nice symmetrical bow tie so that's all cute and all and I'm nearly ready to give major kudos for that, but a couple of things bother me. First, I don't get the theme which is apparently CLARINET RELATIVE. Huh? Is the bow tie some symbol for oboe or bassoon or English horn I don't know about? Is oboe hidden somewhere I can't see? Probably, but I'm not making the connection.
Secondly, I don't like some of the clues. ENOLA has been used 48 times in the database, almost always associated with GAY, and it always creeps me out. For all the slightly naughty or scary words that aren't allowed that would never bug me at all, I hate being reminded of mass killing. "50 degs., maybe" is LAT? Seems lame. The "Mythical king of the Huns" is ATLI. You knew that, right? Yeah sure.
And finally we have TOTO. Used 53 times already so we need a new clue. "Curtain puller of film"? Nobody can see the Great Oz! Not nobody, not nohow! Ok, I'll give him that one.
Happy new year! Best wishes for a puzzling 2008.
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UPDATE: I suspected someone more clever than me would make it all make sense. Ellen Ripstein's comment is important enough to append to my original post, so here it is: "It's an O-bow (bow of O's, pronounced like the instrument oboe)".
Ahhhh. Nice one. Patrick, you're redeemed!
It's an "O-bow" (bow of O's, pronounced like the instrument oboe)
Posted by: Ellen | January 01, 2008 at 10:27 PM
It wasn't fair! Its only redeeming fearture was that it was not full of Anmerican terms and facts designed to stump non US resindents.
I took a colored marker and connected the O's and then it made sense, but that was AFTER it had been completed!
Posted by: Leon | January 02, 2008 at 12:54 PM
Ellen's explanation wrapped it up (bow) but I still found myself saying bow hoo.
Posted by: Lainie | January 02, 2008 at 04:55 PM