Friday September 7th 2018, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 19:08
Average Friday: 29:05
Best Friday: 10:21

I've been cruising through jet lag so far and even got to the office early this morning for my first day back (and a Friday!). So, I'm back ON THE CLOCK and in need of LUNCH MONEY, definitely not sinking in ABOMINABLE QUICKSAND... OK, maybe I am a bit jetlagged.

Today's puzzle was a fairly ideal Friday themeless, with a lot of intuitive long-ish answers, which you have a chance at just dropping in or certainly should be knowable with a couple crosses. That said, there was some trickiness. I absolutely wanted raNT for "Go on Tweetstorm, say" rather than VENT. "Country" is nice cluing for RUSTIC. It took me forever to parse TOW for "Fate worse than a ticket" since a WET CELL battery, apparently the original type of rechargeable battery, wasn't really familiar to me either.

I had no idea that DORY was a type of flat-bottomed boat. I'm also really weak on Latin, so IPSE Dixit, a dogmatic and unproven statement, was also tough. I don't even know you pronounce the X in Latin.

Here's my thought process for "Brad's gal in 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show:'" Wait, what's her name? Damn it! Oh right. JANET.

The NW was the last to fall for me because I confidently threw down "iNTHEblaCK" for "Getting paid, say" and left it there for far too long. GO ROUND for "one of a series of attempts" also never really clicked for me.

Anyway, perfect puzzle to ease me back into office life. 

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