google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Saturday, Mar 30th, 2013, Barry C. Silk

Advertisements

Mar 30, 2013

Saturday, Mar 30th, 2013, Barry C. Silk

Theme: Saturday Silkie

Words: 68 (missing F,J,Z)

Blocks: 28

  This one was a fun romp for yours truly today, as I was done well within my personal allotted time.  With the exception of one,  I found the answers dwelling deep inside my crossword cranium.  Triple 9- and 10-letter triple stacks in a pinwheel grid, with some notables:

31. Ambergris source : SPERM WHALE - ambergris is essentially "poop"; a substance found in the digestive system- the Wiki

42. Relatives of penny dreadfuls : DIME NOVELS - I got the "DIME" part, and novels seemed to make sense; some interesting reading; made me think of "pulp fiction" - but I'll refrain from a movie clip

57. Instigator of '70s-'80s wars : BURGER KING - I half expected this to be so variation of Coca-Cola or Pepsi; once the perps filled in, I recalled the 'other' war of the same time period - that between the answer and McDonald's.  I am a BK fan myself; they have sweet potato fries now~!

Onward~!

ACROSS:

1. Its goal is to include "all words in all languages" : WIKTIONARY - I don't usually visit this part of Wikipedia

11. Walker of the 1960s 76ers : CHET - all from the perps; not a basketball fan

15. Approaching the hour : A QUARTER TO - First line of a Blue Öyster Cult song (a quarter to 'five')

16. Bar mitzvah staple : HORA - feeling better, Lemon?

17. Retreats : RUNS SCARED

18. Without restraint : AMOK - not FREE

19. The Panthers of the Big East : PITT - from Pittsburgh

20. Bond first bought by FDR in 1941 : SERIES E - hey, I found a clip of the president pitching the idea~!

22. Heavenly approach? : STAIRWAY - No Stairway, denied~! (to Heaven, a la Led Zeppelin)

27. Open living rooms : LANAIs - why do I think this is called a "patio"?

28. Schools overseas : ECOLES - Frawnch for "school"

30. Spartan toiler : HELOT - I dug this one out from deep within my skull

35. Wiped out, with "in" : DONE

36. Texting nicety : THX - 'Thanks', and I am guilty of using it

37. Birds with colorful mates : PEAHENS - it's the male peaCOCKs (easy there) that have the plumage


39. Little break : NAP

40. Tim of "WKRP in Cincinnati" : REID

44. Dramatist Chekhov : ANTON - crossword staple, so I got it

46. Caved : GAVE IN

47. Ancient Mexican : TOLTEC - because AZTECS is more than one Mexican

49. Fertile Crescent area : NEAR EAST

53. Musical name that means "Love God" : AMADEUS - huh, well, that makes sense AMA, DEUS

55. Mid-second-century date : CLII - Roman 152; the second century was 101-200

56. Actress Rowlands : GENA - another crossword staple

62. Hydrocarbon endings : ENEs - propene, octene, etc.

63. Sign of a bad waiter : IMPATIENCE - went to a Japanese Hibachi restaurant last night - I dig the "stunt cooking" - the chef pitched broccoli florets to us to catch in our mouths

64. British side : MASH - bangers (hey now) and mash - sausage and potatoes

65. Take over : COMMANDEER

DOWN:

1. They may be found in board examinations : WARPS - HA~!!! I put in KNOTS first - carpenter's clue