Theme: Sobbing phrases
20A: Riparian tree: Weeping Willow
41A: Yellowbelly: Sniveling Coward
57A: Stephen Rea film: The Crying Game
I scanned the whole crossword quickly while dabbing the Burt's Bee around my eyes.
Then I saw 57A, I grabbed my pen and filled in the film name, rather smugly. I blogged about this Stephen Rea a few days ago. Then I filled in PUDGE for I-Rod (7D: Rodrigues, to fans) and a few other gimmes. I fought my way through other areas with little resistance until I came to the left lower corner.
I could not figure out who was 63D: Fidel's amigo (CHE), all I can is Hugo Chavez. It did not fit, then I thought Chavez must have a 3-letter nickname. I did not know the model's name, and I could not get know HILT for 58D: Excalibur's handle. So I called Uncle.
Here are the highlights:
16A: Veil material: TULLE, named after the French City where it's made.
20A: Riparian tree: Weeping Willow. In Far East, willow symbolizes sadness, esp when a loved one is leaving and you have no idea when you will see them again, if ever.
24A: Ferrara family: ESTE
30A: Sharpens a razor: STROPS
40A: Actress Marisa: TOMEI. "My Cousin Vinny" girl.
41A: Yellowbelly: Sniveling Coward. Mealy mouthed, Lily livered.
47A: Lose one's cool: SEE RED. I put Seethe first.
64A: Blackhorn fruit: SLOE
67A: Mini mountains: HILLS. I put MESAS. Sometimes my mind does not think straight.
69A: Corsica's neighbor: ELBA (new to me)
72A: Prognosticator: SEER
Down Clues:
2D: Hill crest: BROW as in Eye Brow?
7D: Catcher Rodriguez, to fans: PUDGE. Our catcher Joe Mauer is pretty good too. He just needs to stay healthy.
9D: Short dagger: STILETTO.
11D: Remove flawed ones: CULL
21D: Singer Tillis: PAM. Here is more information about this country singer.
31D: Competes at Henley: ROWS. The annual Henley Royal Regatta.
32D: Half a tape: SIDE A. I don't fall this kind of trap any more.
39D: Worker's refrain: TGIF
42D: Work out: EXERCISE
43D: Tight grippers: CLINGERS
50D: Obvious toupee: RUG. I put Wig first.
53D: Bulletin board operator: SYSOP (System Operator). Good to know.
57D: "__ Is Spinal Tap": THIS. Never heard of this movie.
58D: Excalibur's handle: HILT
59D: Model Macpherson: ELLE. Is she still modeling? I adore Heidi Klum.
62D: Hamburg's river: ELBE. Never heard of it.
63D: Fidel's amigo: CHE (GUERRA). He died in 1967.
Finally Super Tuesday!
C. C.
20A: Riparian tree: Weeping Willow
41A: Yellowbelly: Sniveling Coward
57A: Stephen Rea film: The Crying Game
I scanned the whole crossword quickly while dabbing the Burt's Bee around my eyes.
Then I saw 57A, I grabbed my pen and filled in the film name, rather smugly. I blogged about this Stephen Rea a few days ago. Then I filled in PUDGE for I-Rod (7D: Rodrigues, to fans) and a few other gimmes. I fought my way through other areas with little resistance until I came to the left lower corner.
I could not figure out who was 63D: Fidel's amigo (CHE), all I can is Hugo Chavez. It did not fit, then I thought Chavez must have a 3-letter nickname. I did not know the model's name, and I could not get know HILT for 58D: Excalibur's handle. So I called Uncle.
Here are the highlights:
16A: Veil material: TULLE, named after the French City where it's made.
20A: Riparian tree: Weeping Willow. In Far East, willow symbolizes sadness, esp when a loved one is leaving and you have no idea when you will see them again, if ever.
24A: Ferrara family: ESTE
30A: Sharpens a razor: STROPS
40A: Actress Marisa: TOMEI. "My Cousin Vinny" girl.
41A: Yellowbelly: Sniveling Coward. Mealy mouthed, Lily livered.
47A: Lose one's cool: SEE RED. I put Seethe first.
64A: Blackhorn fruit: SLOE
67A: Mini mountains: HILLS. I put MESAS. Sometimes my mind does not think straight.
69A: Corsica's neighbor: ELBA (new to me)
72A: Prognosticator: SEER
Down Clues:
2D: Hill crest: BROW as in Eye Brow?
7D: Catcher Rodriguez, to fans: PUDGE. Our catcher Joe Mauer is pretty good too. He just needs to stay healthy.
9D: Short dagger: STILETTO.
11D: Remove flawed ones: CULL
21D: Singer Tillis: PAM. Here is more information about this country singer.
31D: Competes at Henley: ROWS. The annual Henley Royal Regatta.
32D: Half a tape: SIDE A. I don't fall this kind of trap any more.
39D: Worker's refrain: TGIF
42D: Work out: EXERCISE
43D: Tight grippers: CLINGERS
50D: Obvious toupee: RUG. I put Wig first.
53D: Bulletin board operator: SYSOP (System Operator). Good to know.
57D: "__ Is Spinal Tap": THIS. Never heard of this movie.
58D: Excalibur's handle: HILT
59D: Model Macpherson: ELLE. Is she still modeling? I adore Heidi Klum.
62D: Hamburg's river: ELBE. Never heard of it.
63D: Fidel's amigo: CHE (GUERRA). He died in 1967.
Finally Super Tuesday!
C. C.
C.C., make note of ELBA, the Mediterranean island where Napoleon was exiled, and the ELBE, a German (I think) river. Both will come up a lot in crosswords. Other European rivers you will probably see often: YSER (Belgium, I think), EDER and ODER (hmm, maybe Germany for both?), EBRO (Spain), and ARNO (Italy).
ReplyDeleteThese are very useful information Orange. Thank you a lot. I knew ARNO, the others all look strangers to me.
ReplyDeleteC.C.