Three unrelated things: first, I think it was just yesterday that Brendan Emmett Quigley posted what looked like a bizarre, inside joke on Facebook (“Too many cooks, indeed” or something like that). I didn’t even bother to look up what he meant. But then just as I picked my wife up from work yesterday evening, she immediately said, “Have you seen the ‘Too Many Cooks’ video?” Apparently the whole world was raving about it and I knew nothing, but then my friend Ron showed it to me. And It. Is. Glorious.
Second, one reason that this puzzle is coming in a bit late was that I excised the answer SURE TO WIN from the grid just last night and refilled maybe 25% of it. The phrase Googles reasonably well enough, and I even had a decent clue for it [Like a lock, say]. You could probably have gotten it on crosses. But after staring at it for a long while, it just sounded too arbitrary to my ear. I think I made the right call, though if anyone wants to defend it, feel free. I’ll probably be tempted to have answers like SURE TO GO or SURE TO PUNCH. You can’t stop me from using them in my puzzles. But hopefully I can.
Finally, will the Devil Cross solver named Chris Cain please e-mail me? Much thanks.
Enjoy this puzzle, a slightly expanded 16×15 grid for slightly expanded fun. There will be a new one on November 22.
Update, 11/8/14 @ 7:30 pm ET: There’s some new info about the Indie 500 Crossword Puzzle Tournament that may be of interest to you new, indie puzzle constructors out there. We’re looking for a 6th constructor, and that could be you. Go to the site here and click on “Submit” to get the details.
I don’t think I knew any of the names or references so this was a tough puzzle for me. Favorites were the clue for RBIS, stuntmen and I laughed at “Cool story, Bro.” Another good puzzle. Now, what’s so great about the Too Many Cooks video. It’s riffing off the Full House intro or some other show? But what’s the joke about?
It’s a riff off those early ’90s TGIF show intros like “Full House” and “Family Matters,” but I love the other crazy stuff it does, like when they shape the text of the actors’ names into people and their bodies become splashed across the screen. Plus, after all of that bizarre intro, the actual show is maybe 3 seconds long.
Wowza! Add another chili pepper for me… or two… almost DNF- couple of breaks for sanity reasons. 18-Across rules, even if it took me forever to see (as a teacher, I’ve heard lots of sarcastic responses to my boring lectures, and I couldn’t get outta that mindset). 59-Across is so meta it actually hurts my head. Thanks, Evan!
FYI- started to figure out 18-Across when IDRATHERLIGHTMYTESTICLESONFIRETHANLISTENTOYOUSAYANOTHERWORD didn’t fit.
That was going to be my next quote puzzle, actually. Thanks for ruining it.
I was waffling between a Spicy and Super-Spicy rating on this one, but hoped that the grid would be smooth enough that a few right answers would trigger the others on crosses.
I showed a bit of love for my alma mater @haverfordedu in my latest Devil Cross puzzle. http://t.co/tPamcuyVWA http://t.co/ODZ0TWU71A
Someone had posted that Too Many Cooks video on Facebook a few weeks ago. I figured I didn’t have eleven minutes to waste, so I skipped it. Then you mention it and I thought “Ok, fine, what is it?” I’m so glad I watched it because you’re right. It is brilliant. I figured out about a minute in that it was just going to be one long jingle, but I had no idea how bizarre it was going to get. So surreal, so meta, so dark. Can you tell I loved it?
Oh, and good puzzle too
Loved the “flower” misdirect with 9D.
Also liked it that “RBIs” crossed “left on base.”
Speaking of baseball, are you really a Cub’s fan?
In general, it is clear that you think carefully and creatively about your clues.