Thursday August 16th 2018, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 21:05
Average Thursday: 26:28
Best Thursday: 10:18

I closed this one out with the disappointing realization that "Time T-Rex" is not a "bygone sci-fi series." That cross along with the Ammeter/Arne were the killers for me. OK, and I really didn't enjoy Osage County. Most of the rest of my time was spent pleasantly recalling Robert De Niro films. I'm sure it must have been frustrating that The Godfather Part II doesn't fit in a standard size crossword. The constructor (Alan Arbesfeld) fit a lot of the greats in. And also The Fan, I guess. Comedy Club was forced in as a themer by way of the immediately forgotten The Comedian. Couldn't we have gotten "Heat" in there somewhere? So close with teat.

A crossword with both "at it" and "is in" should probably undergo some editing. On the other hand, Riga will always make me happy. I spent Noel alone there in 2002 and I have fond memories of wandering a city that befits the name Winter Wonderland. Riga at Christmas just looks like Christmas.

The setting for most of this one was the Kolkata airport as I waited for my suitcase to come down the belt. Despite my many objections to Newark Airport this week, I have to give them credit for somehow getting my suitcase to my Delhi flight in a 20-minute window. Anyway, I landed at 9am in Kolkata and went straight to work. Now back in the hotel at 4:30pm and aiming to stay awake until 7pm at least, which seems wildly ambitious. 

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