Wednesday March 20th 2019, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 9:12
Wednesday Average: 16:59
Best Wednesday: 6:52

What have I learned from crosswords? Mostly that if there's a clue about a song I've never heard of, the answer is probably DON HO. I also imagine that, to a younger generation, a clue involving "jewel cases" (for CDS) is complete nonsense.

It took me a minute to understand the DISAPPEARING INK theme, because the letters INK are very much present in the first theme answer, I CAN'T SLEEP A WINK (to which I pretty always can relate). However, it turns out that the letters are gradually disappearing from common phrases, so you end up with KITCHEN SIN(k), HOT P.I.(nk), and MAKES YOUTH(ink). Not bad! Is "kitchen sin" an actual phrase, by the way?

I definitely want to talk about the "Sexy detective" clue for HOT P.I., since I definitely had no idea what was going on there for a while. Of course, my mind immediately went to ASOIAF's (or GoT) Hot Pie character and I thought of his future as a sexy detective who I suppose solves lots of food-related mysteries. Surely I'm not alone on this train of thought?

I'd never heard of DRIB (spellcheck doesn't like it either) for "Tiny bit," but I suppose it's one of those words used almost exclusively in a single phrase, "dribs and drabs." Likewise, the VENA cava is a large vein carrying deoxygenated blood into the heart. Anyway, it's time to POUR myself some more coffee. 

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