It took me a while to get the theme of this puzzle, but everything fell into place when I did. And now I’m up to a 23-day streak. I’m going back to play board games tonight after missing last week’s night because I had to work late unexpectedly. Tonight may be another night of having to watch as my friends solve the Saturday crossword, but that’s OK.
I pulled out 4A Small piano: SPINET because it’s wrong! A piano by definition is A large keyboard musical instrument with a wooden case enclosing a soundboard and metal strings, which are struck by hammers when the keys are depressed. The strings’ vibration is stopped by dampers when the keys are released and can be regulated for length and volume by two or three pedals.
A spinet plucks the strings when the keys are depressed.
It’s wrong and it’s bad and it’s wrong.
The theme of this puzzle is out of order!
17A Toy with a spring, literally: THEJACKBOX. Quiplash is the best of the those and then Drawful and Fibbage are second? Maybe with Fibbage second-minus. Anyway, it’s THE(JACK)BOX or JACK literally in THE+BOX. Jack in the box.
24A Put an early stop to, literally: THENIPBUD. THE(NIP)BUD->NIP literally in THE+BUD. Nip in the bud.
31A Interfere, literally: THEBEWAY. THE(BE)WAY->BE literally in THE+WAY. Be in the way.
40A Undecided, literally: THEUPAIR. THE(UP)AIR->UP literally in THE+AIR. Up in the air.
48A Unrealistic, as wishes, literally: THEPIESKY. THE(PIE)SKY->PIE literally in THE+SKY. Pie in the sky.
55A “Years ago …,” literally: THEBACKDAY. THE(BACK)DAY->BACK literally in THE+DAY. Back in the day.
Finished this one in 22:30
| Day | This Wk | Best | Average |
| Monday | 13:26 | 3:49 | 9:30 |
| Tuesday | 22:30 | 5:52 | 13:46 |
| Wednesday | 7:38 | 17:38 | |
| Thursday | 13:09 | 30:17 | |
| Friday | 16:23 | 35:58 | |
| Saturday | 27:43 | 37:21 | |
| Sunday | 15:11 | 1:00:17 |