Mumbo Jumbo - Full Size #2

Comments

• kieranjboyd 🤓7:57 · 2024-03-04T10:42:37.478Z

  Nice work! Fun theme - interesting to see the revealer as theme entry 3/4, but I skip past them anyway so it's no biggie for me. I struggled with the NW corner and did some Googling of Hawaiian and American literature, but otherwise got the fill. Good job!

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  • Sendhil Revuluri constructor · 2024-03-04T20:25:30.685Z

    Thank you so much for this thoughtful and specific feedback! I was trying to push myself to get to publish and sort of hand-waved the revealer placement (there are definitely other grid designs with a more conventional "final theme entry" position). You also highlighted well that despite trying to clue non-theme entries on the easier side, some of the entries are more obscure — and I didn't realize that in several places, they cross. I now feel like reworking this theme, and thanks to you I have some ideas on what to do the second time around!

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• JeffsPuzzles 5:56 · 2024-03-04T17:51:43.521Z

  Lots to love in here - starting with the shoutout to Thad Jones (great tone; his big band with Mel Lewis was terrific - saw them once at the Village Vanguard). And the clue for THREE is fantastic - one of my many all-time favorite Monty Python bits. (I like the clue for TRACK as well). I also like how you clued the theme answers two ways - it fits well. A couple of nits: two of the clues (for 5 Down and 24 Down) should be plural, and you don't need the bold in the clue for 26 Across. I got Naticked on the AKON/OKINA cross because I blanked on AKON. Thanks!

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  • Sendhil Revuluri constructor · 2024-03-04T20:32:56.074Z

    Thanks so much! I very much appreciate the solve and the detailed feedback. I (belatedly) see the issues with the obscure crosses (in addition to AKON/OKINA the stats say HORAE/KEAS has also been rough). Also, I fixed the 5D and 24D clues. Not sure why part of the 26A clue is bold, but appreciate the flag — I'll look into it!

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• Sara 18:09 · 2024-03-04T18:34:36.677Z

  Struggled with the top and bottom left corners since pop culture is not my strong suit, but overall fun! I think 5D should be "takes" though since the answer is "eases"

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  • Sendhil Revuluri constructor · 2024-03-04T20:40:48.957Z

    Thanks so much for solving! You're totally right, the left corners have some rough crosses. And the clue for 5D is fixed!

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• kurtalert 🤓5:55 · 2024-03-05T00:50:13.902Z

  Thank you! You always have some unique clueing. Fun to see new stuff in here.

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  • Sendhil Revuluri constructor · 2024-03-05T01:42:45.789Z

    Glad you enjoyed — thanks for solving!

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• Jeanne Breen 🤓5:32 · 2024-03-14T20:12:49.541Z

  Sendhil, I really liked this. AKON/OKINA was a Natick situation for me, but it was otherwise a smooth solve. The theme is fun, but would be even stronger with a third pair of words that differ only by their first letter so that they still rhyme, like HOCUSPOCUS and BOOGIEWOOGIE. I did a cursory look and found just one: SUPERDUPER. (NITTYGRITTY AND HELTERSKELTER came close...but no cigar, as they say). I would also try to find a revealer other than REDUPLICATED, as that's not the best description of what's happening in your theme answers. Lastly, as others have suggested, moving the revealer to the bottom would probably be a good idea. I was recently asked to revise a puzzle because my revealer was in position 3 rather than position 4.

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  • Sendhil Revuluri constructor · 2024-03-14T22:46:21.966Z

    Thanks so much for the solve and the detailed feedback!

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