New York Times, April 19

What a cruel title during such a dark time in journalism. But I’m over it. On to puzzling, where “Extra! Extra!” pretty much guarantees you’re going to be adding a letter or two to a common phrase in order to get your theme answer. But which one(s)?

Cleverly, the letters turn out to be OT — the abbreviation for overtime. Which is what it took for my alma mater, Boston University, to win the national college hockey championship earlier this month. Have I mentioned that recently? 

The first theme answer I figured out was 22 Across, “Spoiling one’s vote?”: WRECKING BALLOT. But that was a little misleading in making me think I’d be adding OT to the end of every theme answer. The next one (I thought) I solved proved that theory wrong: 47 Across, “Child’s toy in the shape of a Shakespeare character?”, which yielded OTHELLO KITTY. At least it did for about 15 minutes, until I realized the answer they were looking for was OTHELLO DOLLY. I like my answer better but, alas, NUKITY is not the answer to the crossing clue, 37 Down (”Reason for an R rating”). That would be NUDITY.

I also was tripped up in parsing the answer to 84 Across, “Booster for a king?” The letters read ROYAL FLUSHOT, like “Royal flush” with OT on the end. But what the hell is a FLUSHOT? Ah. It’s actually a FLU SHOT. Maybe it would have been more immediate clear if I had been drinking coffee while solving.

Creator Will Nediger saved the best for the central, longest theme answer, sticking the OT right in the middle of JOHN MAYNARD KEYNOTES — the answer to 64 Across, “Headline about an economics conference?”

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April 12 NYT: Square PEGS in round holes

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http://crosswordkathy.com/

New York Times, April 12

Remember that TV show “Square Pegs” from the ’80s? I was actually a little too young to watch and/or appreciate it, though I know it involved some of the same people from the classic slacker film “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (which I have now watched more times than I can count).

“Square Pegs” is the theme of this puzzle, which has a visual element a la the “Architectural Drawing” from a couple of weeks ago. Today, you’ll find 10 pre-drawn circles in the grid, each encompassing four squares. What would be a “fitting word” for these round holes made of squares? PEGS.

I solved two of these circles before I really understood what I was looking at. After solving the first one — beginning with 119 Across, “Fizz ingredient, (SLOEGIN) and 123 Across, “Small Mistakes” (LAPSES) — the letters in the circle spelled EGSP when read clockwise. Not helpful. Maybe I got one of the answers wrong, and it should read EGGS? For Easter? Oh, please, Kathy. Will Shortz is better than that.

Then I solved 118 Across, “Spice Girl Halliwell” (GERI) and 122 Across, “Many unread messages” (SPAM) to form the second circle, GEPS, reading clockwise. Clearly the letters were the same as the first … think, Kathy, think … aha!

If you need it spelled out for you, check out 65 Across, “Things that may not go in 69-Across”: SQUARE PEGS and ROUND HOLES.

Questions or comments? Twitter me @crosswordkathy

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