NYT Crossword 07/26/17 (Wed.)

Cruciverbalist: Brian Cox
Editor: Will Shortz

Solving time: 12:56

Puzzle uniqueness:

Knock knock jokes. First theme answer is WHOSTHERE. (Example: Clue is "Esther..." Answer is ANYONEHOME)

Words I hadn't known until now:

HOB - "Play ___ with (do mischief to)" (Must be a British thing)

Trivia I didn't know:

ISRAELI - "Natalie Portman and Gene Simmons, by birth"
LOGIC - "KenKen solver's need" (Have absolutely no idea what KenKen is)
HAIR - "____ metal (1980's music subgenre)" (Never heard of this)
AMOS - "'Chicago' simpleton ___ Hart"

Junk Answers:

AMC - "Rambler maker of old, for short"
MLLES - "Fr. misses"
ODS - "Some E.R. cases"
SLR - "Camera type, in brief"
OTC - "Like some stock trades, for short"
EST - "Ballpark fig."
INIT - "Rolling ____ (wealthy)"

Clever clues: 0

Obscure (i.e., really reaching) words: 0

CLIME - "General local weather pattern"