Thursday April 18th 2019, NY Times Crossword

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Time: 12:16
Thursday Average: 24:43
Best Thursday: 10:18

OK, I'll confess that I really enjoy these little extra features that the NY Times Crossword app throws in now and then, especially since there is no way that I'm going to take the time to play connect the dots after finishing a crossword. The BUTTERFLY that you can see begins as a CATERPILLAR and then transforms in the CHRYSALIS and I believe that's all the theme material, which I suppose is fairly light for a Thursday.

I started out very slow on this crossword, only writing in crosswordy garbage like OED, ICE IN, and SPA. Fortunately, I knew that SALAAM is "Peace in the Middle East," so that trickiness didn't get past me. Apparently, thanks to crosswords, I also know what ARGYLE is, which I'm sure many people who aren't me just know.

Of course, I'm once again hungry after completing this puzzle, ready to SNARF down some CABBAGE, SEA EEL, ECLAIR, and GATEAU. It seems like gluttony should be the SIN clued in recent crosswords rather than lust. 

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