Why Is A Raven Like A Writing Desk Crossword

Small European finch / WED 11-2-16 / Start of Mad Hatter riddle that went unanswered / Warrior monk of sci-fi / Flat-bottomed boats of old / Typical user of transistor radio / Fuel-yielding rock

Constructor: Andrew Kingsley

Relative difficulty: Medium-Challenging (just takes a long time to fill in the stupid riddle)

THEME: ugh — 18A: Start of a Mad Hatter riddle that went unanswered (WHY IS A RAVEN LIKE / A WRITING DESK) 45A: Start of a possible answer to the riddle (BECAUSE POE WROTE / ON BOTH OF THEM)

Word of the Day: SERIN (33A: Small European finch) —

noun

noun: serin; plural noun: serins; noun: European serin; plural noun: European serins

a small Eurasian and North African finch related to the canary, with a short bill and typically streaky plumage. (google)

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There is no level on which I appreciate this. Riddles are corny. They are for children. As the basis of a crossword, they are Ancient, hoary, musty, etc. If 49A: Typical user of a transistor radio (TEENER) feels contemporary and relevant to you, then I guess it's possible this is your kind of puzzle, but otherwise, hoo boy. Quote puzzles are bad enough (no imagination — just a quote that breaks down symmetrically). Riddle puzzles are quote puzzles stupider cousins. Stupider, brasher, more baselessly confident cousins. When that's all there is—just a riddle/answer—it feels abusive. And This Grid Doesn't Even Have The Symmetry That Is Usually The Minimum Requirement For Admission. Ugh. What a waste of time. Why even *have* the rest of the puzzle? Or a puzzle at all? Start a riddle section of the paper, for riddle lovers. There is nothing *crossword* about this. The fill is average-to-bad. Lame fill like OTBS . Crosswordese fauna like SERIN (33A: Small European finch) . Scrabble-f*cking in 3/4 of the corners. A single *&%^ing MILK DUD ?! No no no. No. No. What do you even say about a theme like this? Nothing. Nothing went into this. Best Puzzle in the World, my Aunt LILY ! Next!!