Having Initial Success
43A. The clue word “Itty-bitty” has so many diminutive variations that it’s impossible to say which answer it’ll take in any given crossword. Here, the answer is EENSY. (In other puzzles, it’s weensy, teeny, itsy, bitsy, weeny and just about any rhyming combination of those that you can come up with.)
10D. An “Elevator for transporting food” is called a DUMBWAITER for entirely obvious reasons, and I think we as a society can do better. Any suggestions? I nominate “mealavator” or “food flight.”
35D. “Is the view OK?” is a clue that feels personal. If you have never been asked “CAN YOU SEE?” at a standing-room-only concert, then you are the beneficiary of what I call “tall privilege.” Kindly use your privilege help me reach the flour on the top shelf of my cabinet.
61D. A clue that asks for the “bookend” letters of a phrase can be ambiguous, because we have to figure out which ones are relevant to the clue. Here, we’re asked to select those letters that best describe “Google Maps” — that gives us G.P.S.
Solving Tip of the Week
Naming Names
Names in crosswords tend to follow a matching rule: If a clue gives you the first name of one figure as a hint for another person, you’re expected to answer with a first name. The same goes for last names. Here are some examples from past puzzles:
“‘American Idol’ panelist alongside Paula and Randy”: SIMON (not “Cowell,” because the clue offered first names).
“President after William”: WOODROW. (Were it “President after Taft,” the answer would be WILSON.)
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Source: The New York Times
