Thinking Outside the Box: WSJ, 01/30/21

[ChrisKochmanski]

Another fun HEX variety cryptic -- for me, providing a nice break from bending my brain on today's MGWCC Week 5.

[Richard B.]

Enjoyed this one, as always. It had a few tough entries that I was not familiar with but got from the parsing (7a and 24a). Not used to seeing from HEX so many entries that were clued and entered normally.

[Jace54]

It was a fun puzzle, not too difficult except the two 10-letter answers. Always in awe of their creativity!

[Meg]

That was a lovely ending! I’d love a pm about 24a. I can’t completely parse it.
edit: thanks to all those who responded. D'oh!

[BethA]

Enjoyed it! I think this may have been my fastest cryptic solve, did about half before dinner and the other half after. Usually they are a minimum of 2-day affairs. I had never heard of either of the long 10-letter across words, and they were my last blanks filled. Looked them up in the dictionary. Hope I can keep up this cryptic momentum! Still feel like a novice at these!

Edit: pm sent to Meg Saturday morning.

[Jeanrosz]

I had to reread directions a few times. The words reading left and up threw me for a loop! Solved and loved every minute of it...

[RPardoe]

Edit: pm sent to Meg Saturday morning.

Oops - as did I as well before I saw this.

[Annabelle]

Another fun solve, and I got it done pretty quick. A couple of unusual words from nature, but only had to look one up and it didn't involve the box clues. Did have to reread the instructions to remind myself of the elusive 12th word I needed for the blanks apparently left over in the grid. Doh. But then it all made such delightful sense.

[KayW]

Wow!! Another winner from Hex. I REALLY liked the box reveal.

And thank you Meg for passing along the 24A explanation. Lots of new vocabulary for me this weekend.

[Dannyvee]

Took some time but got it. Nice one!