Fri., 8/28 Jeffrey Wechsler

[magus]

THEME:   anagrams of POETRY in phrases
   
GOOD ONES:     
Metaphor for ballet {& theme}   POETRY IN MOTION   
One rarely without a comb   BEE [rooster didn't fit]   
Rocky field?   GEOLOGY [Coors Field didn't fit]   
Ivory alternative  DIAL   
   
BTW:   
These, to Therese   CES [but not to Tess]   
   
   
RATING:   
Three grins = Loved it; Two grins = Enjoyed it; One grin = A bit bland for my taste; One teardrop = Not much fun   

[Thomps2525]

"Layered snack" was OREO. So far this week OREO has appeared in four different crosswords. But another common product name, STP, hasn't been used much lately. I suppose the high number of OREOs offsets the low number of STPs.

Overused words in today's crossword: ADO, EEL, ERA, OAT, OHO, OLE, SIR.....and the aforementioned OREO. However, I was happy to see that Jeffrey Wechsler broke with tradition and used Yoko Ono's first name instead of her last name.

[magus]

Okay, now I'm fed up!  Unless you are a constructor you cannot know how important these "overused" words are in linking longer entries and theme words.  (Words with two vowels in a row are particularly useful.)  Furthermore, the number of three-letter words is small by comparison to longer words, so repetition of them is more likely. 

Now, the term overused is a pejorative suggesting in this case that other words should be used in their stead.  I suggest you try alternatives to see if rarer words can be substituted.  When you fail, perhaps we will no longer have to see your annoying and ill-conceived lists.

Okay, I suppose the same can be said of my carping about ETE and SUS; but I have reason on my side even if the majority in the Xword biz disagrees.  And I offer alternative clues: "Gam ending" for ETE and "Pending intro." for SUS

[Thomps2525]

All right, Mister magus, you consider my comments about overused words to be annoying and ill-conceived and I consider the frequent use of ALE, ALOHA, ASP, EEL, EPEE, IRA, IRE, LEI, ODE, OLE, ORE, OREO and SPA to also be annoying and ill-conceived. In an effort to keep the peace, I will henceforth refrain from commenting on overused words. Happy?

[magus]

Not really, if after reading my criticism you still believe your peeve is the equivalent of mine.  Knowing the reason, as you now do, short words are repeated should relieve you of your need to denigrate them.  To suggest it is a stand-off seems a way of weakening the validity of my criticism to equate it with your own.  I am, however, pleased that you will no longer carp on what simply cannot be avoided.

[Thomps2525]

Now that I think about it, those three- and four-letter words that appear so frequently in crosswords are not "ill-conceived." Rather, they are probably unavoidable. And I did not mean to imply that we are in a stand-off. At any rate, I am done carping.....and you all know that I'm not the carper I used to be.

[magus]

Good man!