Teenage constructor Natan Last has cooked up a challenging Friday puzzle (answers) that had a mixture of impossible corners and delightful surprises. But first, let's talk about Chico.
Who's your favorite of the Brothers Marx? Most people choose Groucho (my choice) or Harpo, but Chico was an amazing talent who made the others better. Mr. Last is quite right, Chico indeed had a unique style at the keyboard. He made it seem absolutely effortless but try to duplicate it and you'll discover otherwise. One of my pet peeves is that his name is so often mispronounced so since we all care about words here, let's try to turn the tide. It's not "cheeko" as in "...and the Man", it's "chicko" as in "chicken chaser." (We still say "chicks" today to mean young women. Well, we don't say it too often because we get slapped, but you know what I mean.) Groucho made that pronunciation clear on numerous occasions. Get it right, dammit.
There was an impossible letter in today's puzzle. "Invented things" sounds like LIES to me, but of course you can read invented as an adjective instead of a verb and the answer becomes LIED. Which is correct? Only people who recall who wrote The Wandering Heir in 1872 know for sure. That seems like an unfortunate cross. The book, as I'm sure you remember, is subtitled A Matter-of-Fact Romance. It's by Charles READE.
I had several wrong turns. I was positive Sealab inhabitants would be aquanauts. I thought the question while eyeing someone else's plate would be the grammatically correct may I try some. I thought "leaves home" must end with an S. I must have fallen into every trap.
The clue of the puzzle for me was "My parents are gonna kill me!" Knowing Mr. last is still in high school helped me get I AM SO DEAD. Great answer.
Speaking of chicks, I take notes while I solve but I forgot to write about something in yesterday's brilliant John Farmer crossword. 57 Down was "This is not ____" and the answer was A TOY. I wish that had been clued as "A Secretary is not ____ (song by Frank Loesser)" because that would have given me an excuse to quote some of the lyrics.
What the heck, I'll do it anyway. It's my blog, right? The song is from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Here are just a few random verses. And remember: you've come a long way, baby.
Gentlemen. Gentlemen.
A secretary is not a toy,
No, my boy, not a toy
To fondle and dandle and playfully handle
In search of some puerile joy.
No, a secretary is not,
Definitely not, a toy.
A secretary is not a pet
Nor an e-rector set.
It happened to Charlie McCoy, boy:
They fired him like a shot
The day the fellow forgot
A secretary is not a toy.
A secretary is not a thing
Wound by key, pulled by string.
Her pad is to write in
And not spend the night in.
If that's what you plan to enjoy.
No!
You get the idea...