Monday November 26th 2018, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 5:56
Monday Average: 8:35
Best Monday: 4:10

Perhaps it's because my nerd lives on the outside, but I'm not really familiar with the term INNER NERD, which makes up this Monday theme. Still, it holds up well enough with themers that all have the word "nerd" in the middle with WIENER DOG, SCREENER DVDS, and DESIGNER DRUG. Also, BANNER DAYS is making its second nerdy appearance in recent days, last time with a clue related to the Hulk. Nerd stuff truly has hit the mainstream.

Gosh, there's an awful lot of crossword standard abbreviations in here (some of them in plurals of various likelihood) with PLO, EMTS, GMOS, ATMS, SSN, and ETA. Throw in a couple short or shortened standards like BIO, MET, LEI, I DO, ROE, and ARIA and you're off to the boring boring races. I think I'm more annoyed with myself than with the constructor as I mindlessly write these in.

It's good that People Magazine finally came to its senses and pronounced Idris ELBA Sexiest Man Alive. It's been nothing but uncalled for DELAYS since whenever season three of The Wire came out or thereabouts.


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