*snake voice*

Some crosswords are a linguistic masterclass - a meshing of words, phrases, and wordplay wrapped in a tight package that makes you say wow, that was incredible and must have taken a hundred hours. Others sneak in something so dumb, so cheeky, you know the constructor is sitting somewhere, thinking about you solving it and looking like this.

The Tuesday NYT crossword this week was a great example of the latter - kudos to Erik Agard for sneaking in this ridiculous number for 66-Across.

Today’s YEGwords crossword has not gone MAXIMUM cheeky - but is it a little silly? Yeah. I’d say so.

Discussion (and spoilers!) below the break.

Play

Discussion

Content warning: Snakes

Indiana Jones is iconic for so many things, only one of which is his, well, distaste for snakes. And specifically ASPS - they don’t make an appearance here, but frequent crossword solvers will know they are a constructor’s favourite snake.

Today’s Theme

The answers to the asterisk’d clues with bonusss esssesss should be written with the same (like NAIL SSSALON), creating a 3×3 box of S in the middle of the grid - a pit of snakes!!! 😱

Tricky Clues

18A. Perhaps one of those acronyms like “lol” that started online, then made appearances in real life - for the recipient of [“You’re so dead!”], a premature RIP might be in order.

28A. I mean, [What's a pirate's favourite letter?] doesn’t need an explanation, but how can one resist a dumb joke in a dumb puzzle? Not I, apparently.

30A. Anyone who sends a first email with RE in the subject is either very organized, a sociopath, or both.

1D. Shout out to my fellow STEM grads out there - physicists love that tricky little triangle DELTA.

4D. The phrasing of [Some of the details (the rest are outs)] is a bit funny, but "some” of the INS AND OUTS (details) would just be “INS”.

24D. Anyone else grow up on Garfield? If so, you’ve probably seen the name Jim DAVIS hundreds of times. And regardless if you have, you should check out Garfield Minus Garfield. Really makes you think.

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Until next week-ish,

Brandon