Saturday February 9th 2019, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 26:56
Saturday Average: 37:23
Best Saturday: 10:34

I actually surprised myself when I finished this puzzle cleanly and in reasonable time, because I had no idea what was going on in the NE corner. I've never seen an episode, to my knowledge, of "The Facts of Life," so TOOTIE means nothing to me. I didn't understand NINE for "Small square" until after I'd finished, but I suppose 9 (3x3) is indeed the third smallest square. ENDO is recognizable to me as a common prefix, but I didn't really know it for -spore or -sperm. And I think I've seen a TEA EGG before? Anyway, that was a bevy of words on the edges of my knowledge with a lovely word like DIATRIBE running through the middle. Also, the INDIANS have the longest World Series drought now (at 70 years)? I'd probably knew that if I watched baseball with the sound on. It's hard to believe that early 90s team never won.

I'm also embarrassed that I didn't understand FIVE for "Orange ball," but of course it's from pool. I used to play pool but it's been a while, give or take a hotel bar in Lahore.

I've mentioned before that I hate the spelling of ARTOO DETOO with letters instead of R2-D2, which it obviously should be. That and Threepio almost on its own made it impossible for me to read Star Wars expanded universe novels.

I had no idea what TWO TONE CAR is but according to its clue it's a "Popular 1950s vehicle making a comeback in the 2010s." And indeed, when I Googled it, I came across article after article making that very point. Shrug.

Anyhow, coffee and crossword in Delhi remains a great way to start the day. 

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