Hi all.
Jeffrey here and I’m back from my double-super-top-secret mission which took longer than expected. Thanks to Brian for the great job blogging the last two weeks.
It looks like Barb is really putting me to work this week. I’m sure many of you are trying to decipher the apparent gibberish in the theme answers. Let’s look at them from all sides.
“Retro Action” is this week’s puzzle title and it sounds like an old Superman comic. But no, it is hinting that we have to perform a backward-looking action to some of the answers.
17a [Attracted some looks] – TURNED SDEAH– Turned Heads. Heads is turned around so type it in backwards.
23a [Does part of a Michael Jackson dance] – SKLAW BACKWARDS – Walks Backwards and “walks” is backwards.
37a [Worked the griddle at IHOP] – FLIPPED SEKACNAP – Flipped Pancakes. Get it now? “Pancakes” is flipped.
49a [“After giving it some thought…”] – NOPU REFLECTION – Upon Reflection.
60a [Tape deck feature for playing both sides] – OTUA REVERSE – Auto Reverse. Ask your parents what a tape deck is.
Canadian content:
16a [Calgary C-Train syst., e.g.] – LRT. Light Rapid Transit.
31a [“Family ___” (game show revived on CBC)] – FEUD. Survey Says!
43a [Bay, Wall or Oxford: Abbr.] – STS. Bay Street is Toronto’s financial district.
3d [Comedian Seguin with a trademark Québécois accent] – DEREK.
32d [The Oilers, on a scorecard] – EDM. Edmonton.
61d [Juno nominee Gryner] – EMM. Post-80’s musician, so new to old me.
Unhelpful Tip of the Week:
If the crossings seem like gibberish, it is usually a good idea to erase your answer. Except when it is really supposed to be gibberish.
See you next week!