No, the solutions are not all “A” or “B”
SUNDAY PUZZLE —Hello world! My name is Reggie, and I am beyond excited to be publishing my first Sunday puzzle for The Daily! Wherever you are, I hope you can enjoy working your way through this set of clues. I am incredibly thankful for the fabulous Games team which has welcomed me and supported me since I’ve begun constructing. There’s no one else I’d rather share rough drafts with! If you have any specific comments about this puzzle, I’m happy to field them at rduerst@umich.edu. For general questions and concerns, please reach out to crosswords@umich.edu. Thank you and happy solving!
Tricky Clues:
24A. “Michigan city or college” refers to ALMA. While a “___ mater” remains a relatively common crossword clue, I wanted to highlight something more local. The college’s pronunciation has tripped me up in the past, so if you’re eager for more information be sure to ask Michiganders about [AL-muh] rather than [awhl-muh]!
69A. “Soccer player Vidal” refers to ARTURO. A former player for Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona, he still(!) plays on the Chilean national team. He has one of the most recognizable haircuts in the sport, so if you are in desperate need of mohawk-styling options, a quick “Vidal” Google search could just solve all your problems.
19D. Harry Potter shoutout! “House elf freed with a sock” refers to DOBBY. Fantasy got a double-feature in this puzzle (see 72-Across), and Dobby makes the list of tricks because he is often not considered a main character. While Harry Potter aficionados may come close to clue-solving records, others may see the strange assortment of letters in this house-elf’s name as some type of witchcraft.
50D. “Earths, in sci-fi” refers to TERRAS. Special mention to my German Sci-Fi class for showing me the abundance of Latin in futuristic studies and musings. Just knowing that it’s there can make themes more accessible, but really, Latin? I suppose this ancient language may not be as dead as we think it is …
Today’s Theme:
I must admit, with graduation growing nearer and nearer I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic. So I decided to go wayyyy back, all the way to the (64-Across) “MOTHERGOOSE” days! In this puzzle, you’ll find a dynamic duo at 18-Across with JACKANDJILL, a solo star at 28-Across with ROCKABYEBABY, and a dream team-captain at 49-Across with LITTLEBOPEEP. I hope some of these clues have allowed you to reconnect with some good childhood memories, and if you’re just now meeting any of these nursery rhyme characters, remember that everyone has a story!
Answer Key:
