But, I guess we should continue complaining. Maybe someday . @pmdm thanks for the good insight as to the difficulties imposed by the NYT restraints relating to themed puzzles. The results are very obviously contrary to Shortz's intentions. Instead of getting the cream of the crop, very good puzzles end up in the LAT, WSJ, etc. without all of the forced and painful slog inducing nonsense so typical of the daily NYT efforts. We are probably stuck with it until there is a change of the guard at The Times. This also sheds some new light on Rex's pretty much daily ranting and ravings which in some respects are a public service. As an advanced beginner at best myself, I frequently wondered why the NYT puzzles are so consistently, well dumb. Now I know. This feels like an offshoot of Sunday's puzzle with common phrases reimagined as expressions of a certain trade or activity.