Persian Flaw

If you ___ with somebody, you barely tolerate them

Golf course standard

Taiwanese computer maker

Ancient Iranian capital

Loooooong ago, I remember reading a note in one of Dr. Feynman's lecture compilations where he discusses symmetry in particle physics. While the physics behind has escaped my memory, his example has stayed on. He tells us how the Japanese built a gateway (I guess?)that is perfectly symmetrical -- except for a single intentionally misplaced tile that is supposed to remind us that humanity is inherently flawed. The Persians had similar beliefs and the practice of a deliberate mistake in an artwork has come to be known as a "Persian flaw" among artisans.

Theme reveal: The puzzle is rotationally symmetrical, except for the circled square . So, if you cut me enough slack for my novice crossword skills, by a long shot, the circled letter may be the so-called "Persian flaw" from the title

I had always wanted to play around with palindromes, and now that I have a little more faith in myself, I can move on to some more serious wordplay

I am barely any philosopher and while I may not entirely agree with the idea, this seemed like an interesting theme for a puzzle, so here we are! :')

Thanks for 5A - ing up with me :')

6A is supposed to be "those" and not "there." I have edited and corrected the error but it may take a while to show up. I'm sorry

Tis nice. Me proud of you.

You could have done a perfectly symmetrical grid with POP and OSOS, but I'm glad you didn't. Cool to learn about the Persian Flaw. Thanks for sharing.

Loved the puzzle and the story behind it! Wonderful!

Persian Flaw

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