Words: 72 (missing J,Q)
Blocks: 32
There are three
reactions during the solve of a crossword, I believe; 1), the "I know
this" and you fill in with confidence; 2), there comes an answer and you go "oh, I get it, that's
pretty clever";
and 3), when the V-8 can comes
sailing across the room and you think "D'oh, I shoulda known that~!" Mr. Silk's offerings are like this for me most of the
time, but today I had a fourth emotion - one of those rare,
"Rrrr", teeth-gritting moments; see below. Challenging triple 10-letter
stacks in the four pinwheels, and two 12-letter climbers:
5D. 69-Across preservation technique : FREEZE DRYING - 69-Across being "rose petals", and it's getting close to Valentine's Day, guys - personally, I have no one to cater to ;(
21d. 1982 James Bamford book about the NSA, with "The" : PUZZLE PALACE - more here, for those curious
onward~!
ACROSS:
1. "Giant" novelist : EDNA FERBER - Once I did a 'Down' pass, there were enough letters to figure this one out; falls into the #1 category
11. Sweeping : EPIC - I started with "WIDE", which slowed me down in the NE corner for too long; falls in to category #2
15. 1971 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year : LEE TREVINO - again, enough Down fill to get this one
16. MillerCoors brand : ZIMA - the "Clear Beer" that was the big thing just as I turned 21, but alas, has gone away
17. Where one can swing close to home? : BATTER'S BOX - nailed it (that's a #1 response), and I am sure C.C. did, too
11. Sweeping : EPIC - I started with "WIDE", which slowed me down in the NE corner for too long; falls in to category #2
15. 1971 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year : LEE TREVINO - again, enough Down fill to get this one
16. MillerCoors brand : ZIMA - the "Clear Beer" that was the big thing just as I turned 21, but alas, has gone away
17. Where one can swing close to home? : BATTER'S BOX - nailed it (that's a #1 response), and I am sure C.C. did, too
18. Jaws : RAPS - GABS, YAKS, etc
19. Pitcher of milk? : ELSIE - the spokes-cow who 'pitches' milk in ads
20. Fall preceder : SLIP - started with "TRIP"
22. Japanese drama : NOH - Part of me wanted "OKE", from our earlier-in-the-week discussion
23. Kingpin : CZAR
26. Email program named for a writer : EUDORA - never heard of this software, or the author
28. Union fighter: Abbr. : CSA - REB? or CSA? - I went with the former, of course - that's a #2 in my book - reference to the Confederate States of America
31. Cheese shop offerings : EDAMS - went with "CUBES" first, thinking about samples
34. Peels : ZESTS - PARES, the verb, RINDS, the noun? ARGHHH~!
35. With it : HEP - Filled in hIp, which was good enough to start
36. Daughter of Jacob and Leah : DINAH - not up on my Bible lineage, so I went with SARAH, and that was - D-otto, check me - 40% correct
37. Letters from Greece : ZETAs - could only be this, "Betas", or "iotas"
38. 1940s command: Abbr. : ETO - we've seen this once this week
39. Traditional Amish toy : RAG DOLL
41. Together : ONE - clever; technically, two = one
42. Evaluate : ASSAY
44. Do away with : ERASE - Had TrasH to start; 60% right
45. 10, at times: Abbr. : OCT - the 10(th) month
46. Eponymous German bacteriologist : PETRI - ah, and his dishes were popular, too
47. Pass a second time, in a race : RE-LAP
48. French article : LES - I put in DES to start
49. Overthrow target : TYRANT - For some reason, I had the image of a Quarterback's spiral in my head, so I was trying to fit "HAIL MARY" here
51. Lee of Marvel Comics : STAN
53. Flying Cloud, e.g. : REO
54. Proceeds : GATE - The noun, in this case, or money collected
57. Ruy __: chess opening : LOPEZ - this falls in to the #1 category, since I learned this from doing crosswords - and it was on a Saturday, no less; a clip for the chess player
35. With it : HEP - Filled in hIp, which was good enough to start
36. Daughter of Jacob and Leah : DINAH - not up on my Bible lineage, so I went with SARAH, and that was - D-otto, check me - 40% correct
37. Letters from Greece : ZETAs - could only be this, "Betas", or "iotas"
38. 1940s command: Abbr. : ETO - we've seen this once this week
39. Traditional Amish toy : RAG DOLL
41. Together : ONE - clever; technically, two = one
42. Evaluate : ASSAY
44. Do away with : ERASE - Had TrasH to start; 60% right
45. 10, at times: Abbr. : OCT - the 10(th) month
46. Eponymous German bacteriologist : PETRI - ah, and his dishes were popular, too
47. Pass a second time, in a race : RE-LAP
48. French article : LES - I put in DES to start
49. Overthrow target : TYRANT - For some reason, I had the image of a Quarterback's spiral in my head, so I was trying to fit "HAIL MARY" here
51. Lee of Marvel Comics : STAN
53. Flying Cloud, e.g. : REO
54. Proceeds : GATE - The noun, in this case, or money collected
57. Ruy __: chess opening : LOPEZ - this falls in to the #1 category, since I learned this from doing crosswords - and it was on a Saturday, no less; a clip for the chess player
61. Car trip game : I SPY - with my little eye, something beginning with "M"
63. Tanks : TAKES A DIVE
66. Pacific salmon : COHO - remembered this from the salmon puzzle we had recently
67. Compound used in photographic film production : ACETIC ACID
68. Was onto : KNEW
69. Florist's decorative supply : ROSE PETALS
DOWN:
1. Dresden's river : ELBE
2. Pass out : DEAL - ah, that kind of "pass out" - I used to do a LOT of the other kind
3. Brooklyn team : NETS - Basketball, and the local NBA team for me, which I don't follow; interferes with hockey, tho not as much this year.
4. Top story : ATTIC - DAH~! Gets me every time~! The top story of a building, not the newscast
6. Election end? : EER - ElectionEER, such as a campaign manager
7. Campground array : RVs - Recreational Vehicles
8. Chest protectors : BIBS - I put in RIBS, and then "EDNA" fixed that
9. Hydroxyl compound : ENOL - such as THIS one, (neat~!, please~!) which often leads to 2d.
10. "Chicago" song : ROXIE - I was thinking of the "wrong" Chicago (the 70's band, not the musical)
11. Book before Neh. : EZR - ARGHHH~! Here's that fourth response - The book is EZRA, and I had to Google it; dropping the last "A" makes me grit my teeth on this one - and I worked out an alternative solution in this corner to avoid the crummy abbr. - SLR, which is a camera, SPIC, as in SPIC N Span, Lima and not Zima - done~!
12. Bench alternative : PIANO STOOL - Clearly a #3 moment for me, as I was thinking cars, and therefore BUCKET SEAT. Here's some piano funny
13. Weight : IMPORTANCE - I had ---NCE at the end, and pondered putting in OUNCE to see if that would lead me somewhere
14. Liquid holdings : CASH ASSETS
24. Song on Sarah McLachlan's "Surfacing" album : ADIA
25. Park __ : RANGER - oh, duh - I couldn't see this on the first pass. Um, that's a #3
27. Two-point Scrabble tile : DEE - the only other 2pt tile is "GEE", which worked, too
28. "The Flame" band : CHEAP TRICK
29. Observes : SETS EYES ON
30. Sign of possession : APOSTROPHE - very clever, - a #2 in my book - Splynter's, e.g.
32. Sierra __ : MADRE - OK, I put in LEONE to start - also #2
33. Isles of __: Gulf of Maine locale : SHOALS - A WAG after 83% perps
40. Quarterly half-day exam : LSAT - Saturday cluing for the test for Law School - if you're interested in taking the test, here's the schedule
43. Constellation next to Scorpius : ARA
50. Volga region native : TATAR - The Wiki - I once had a cute pen-pal in Kazan
52. Acknowledge silently : NOD AT
55. Bell or shell lead-in : TACO - Taco Bell, taco shell, nice
56. Squeezes (out) : EKES
58. Type size : PICA
59. Source of harm : EVIL
60. Letters from Lancaster : ZEDs
62. "Ouch!" : YOW
64. Festival d'__ de Québec: annual music event : ETE - Saturday cluing for "Summer in Somme"
65. Taste : SIP
63. Tanks : TAKES A DIVE
66. Pacific salmon : COHO - remembered this from the salmon puzzle we had recently
67. Compound used in photographic film production : ACETIC ACID
68. Was onto : KNEW
69. Florist's decorative supply : ROSE PETALS
DOWN:
1. Dresden's river : ELBE
2. Pass out : DEAL - ah, that kind of "pass out" - I used to do a LOT of the other kind
3. Brooklyn team : NETS - Basketball, and the local NBA team for me, which I don't follow; interferes with hockey, tho not as much this year.
4. Top story : ATTIC - DAH~! Gets me every time~! The top story of a building, not the newscast
6. Election end? : EER - ElectionEER, such as a campaign manager
7. Campground array : RVs - Recreational Vehicles
8. Chest protectors : BIBS - I put in RIBS, and then "EDNA" fixed that
9. Hydroxyl compound : ENOL - such as THIS one, (neat~!, please~!) which often leads to 2d.
10. "Chicago" song : ROXIE - I was thinking of the "wrong" Chicago (the 70's band, not the musical)
11. Book before Neh. : EZR - ARGHHH~! Here's that fourth response - The book is EZRA, and I had to Google it; dropping the last "A" makes me grit my teeth on this one - and I worked out an alternative solution in this corner to avoid the crummy abbr. - SLR, which is a camera, SPIC, as in SPIC N Span, Lima and not Zima - done~!
12. Bench alternative : PIANO STOOL - Clearly a #3 moment for me, as I was thinking cars, and therefore BUCKET SEAT. Here's some piano funny
14. Liquid holdings : CASH ASSETS
24. Song on Sarah McLachlan's "Surfacing" album : ADIA
25. Park __ : RANGER - oh, duh - I couldn't see this on the first pass. Um, that's a #3
27. Two-point Scrabble tile : DEE - the only other 2pt tile is "GEE", which worked, too
28. "The Flame" band : CHEAP TRICK
29. Observes : SETS EYES ON
30. Sign of possession : APOSTROPHE - very clever, - a #2 in my book - Splynter's, e.g.
32. Sierra __ : MADRE - OK, I put in LEONE to start - also #2
33. Isles of __: Gulf of Maine locale : SHOALS - A WAG after 83% perps
40. Quarterly half-day exam : LSAT - Saturday cluing for the test for Law School - if you're interested in taking the test, here's the schedule
43. Constellation next to Scorpius : ARA
55. Bell or shell lead-in : TACO - Taco Bell, taco shell, nice
56. Squeezes (out) : EKES
58. Type size : PICA
59. Source of harm : EVIL
60. Letters from Lancaster : ZEDs
62. "Ouch!" : YOW
64. Festival d'__ de Québec: annual music event : ETE - Saturday cluing for "Summer in Somme"
65. Taste : SIP
Splynter
46 comments:
The miser at long last was dying.
His heirs rejoiced, there was no denying.
But he just wouldn't go,
He stayed fresh as snow
By subjecting himself to FREEZE DRYING!
The perfect crossword is our Holy Chalice;
Not too easy, but not full of malice.
It sings to the blest,
To the weary gives rest,
To all, it's our grand PUZZLE PALACE!
The most insidious of all is the tick'
It shows up where it doesn't do dick'
"Bane to Grammar Nazi!"
And yes, you can quote me,
The APOSTROPHE is our primary nitpick!
A challenge today. Too many false starts, so this is one I don't think I could have done without red letters. But no cheats or look-ups, so I still count it a win. My final fill was the SE corner, where I had a mental block telling me it was spelled IMPORTANTE, and 10 had so many possibilities I couldn't narrow it down.
Morning, all!
Definitely a challenge today, but I find myself more and more on Mr. Silk's mental wavelength over time (must be the shared first name) and I was able to get through this one unassisted.
I threw down EDNA FERBER without hesitation, which was a terrific way to get started. I'm also very familiar with EUDORA Welty and had just enough of a vague recollection of the e-mail program from way back to get this one as well. PUZZLE PALACE was also buried deep in the dark recesses of my cerebellum, and it managed to surface after getting a few perps.
Totally guessed at ZIMA/EZR, but it worked so I won't complain.
The only total unknowns today for me were SHOALS and LOPEZ, but (a) it's a recognizable word and (b) the perps were eminently fair.
And yes, I loved the cluing for APOSTROPHE!
Good morning everyone!
WBS, except I did know the Isles of SHOALS. We used to go boating there all the time when I was younger.
Gotta run - lots to do today.
Good morning, weekend warriors!
I immediately threw down EDNA FERBER and EPIC, and just knew this was gonna be a walk in the park. Not! Things got dicey in a hurry.
Yes, Splynter, 40% is correct. I also started with SARAH, and RINDS before ZESTS and IOTAS before ZETAS.
My eastern seaboard was awash with whitecaps until the very end. "10, at times" = PCT, "French article" = SES, but what the heck are PIANO STOPS and what do they have to do with Bench? Johnny Bench? D'oh! V-8 can, please.
My Wite-out bottle got a workout, and I still have quite an inkblot, but I got 'er done.
Howdy,
A saturday off and a Silkie that I found relatively easy for my first success with our (in)famous constructor.
The NW was a great start by filling in 1A, 15A, & 17a without any hesitation. The SW took a bit of grinding, but it also turned out to fill up quickly. Must say though RELAP was not a favorite. Yeah, it's proper, but rarely used...at least in my world.
The east turned out to be more difficult, but once I decided Z's were "in vogue" it slowly filled up. PIANO STOOL & IMPORTANCE took a while to suss out but the light finally went on. That helped finish it off.
It all came down to the crossing D for EUDORA & DEE. A pure guess. Never heard of the program and couldn't remember the scrabble values.
Tomorrow, Xmas officially ends. One of my gifts to Lucy was two tickets to a UConn ladies basketball game which is tomorrow and will be her first time seeing them in person. Hope to get there early because their pre game warm ups are wortth the price of admission.
Till Monday.....
At first glance this looked like another Saturday DNF. Then, as others, I quickly entered EDNAFERBER and EPIC. Then I confidently dropped down the east with CASHONHAND and thought I just might be able to do this. But that was to be only the first of many wrong WAGs which did more harm than good.
I had JOEPATERNO before LEETREVINO and REB before CSA.
I reached my self-imposed cut-off time with nothing for 28, 29, and 30 Down. Then ISPY opened it up (figures that it was my nemesis: two short words).
Favorites that wouldn't be so favored if I hadn't figured them out: "Overthrow target" (I was thinking football or baseball) and "Sign of possession" (I was thinking along the lines of "Keep Out!).
[38:30]
Hello Puzzlers -
TDNF. I flat out had to look up Edna Ferber and Lee Trevino to get traction up north. The only squares reliably filled were Elsie's.
Otherwise, managed just fine. That's a Saturday, I guess.
Cheers All
35A - "Hep" is passé. "Hip" is today.
Hi All ~~
It seems like it's been a while since I had the opportunity to struggle with a Saturday Silkie and as always, I enjoyed the challenge. I sailed along fairly easily on the entire left side but the right side really slowed me down.
Finally getting PIANO STOOL helped open up that section since ZESTS and ZETAS just weren't coming to me.
Write-overs: Ribs before BIBS and NOD 'to' before NOD AT. I almost had 'yaps' at 18A - I liked that better than RAPS for Jaws.
Splynter ~ your write-up is always a treat and as usual, I found myself echoing many of your thoughts.
We're warming up today ~ might reach the 30s!
If you say hep, then you're not hip. (Old adage)
Well put Splynter! This big boy exercise here at the PUZZLE PALACE took every trick I knew after an easy starting corner (EDNA…, LEE, BATTERS…). Deductive reasoning and trial balloons carried the day after letting go of CASH ON HAND, PARES, DESPOT and PSAT. Thanks Barry, even though I had 3 bad cells by not looking over the puzzle again. How many times in my career have I told kids, “Go back and check your work!”
Musings
-The back line of the BATTER’S BOX gets rubbed out quickly against a fireballer
-50 year old RAG DOLL (2:25)
-Going to PETRI’s house for lunch? You might want to bring your own dish
-It takes a lotta concentration to remember who has been lapped or RELAPPED when timing a 3,200 meter race
-Remember Renault’s LE CAR sans the S?
-I know STAN Lee from TBBT where he got a restraining order against Sheldon
-The Huskers have no FB or VB game day GATE proceeds because FB games have been sold out since 1962 and VB since 2001. Both NCAA records.
-I SPY was also a ground breaking TV series
-Many think Sonny Liston did TAKE A DIVE in the second Ali fight
-You KNEW the answer to the child’s knock knock joke but went along, didn’t you?
-Luxury RV interior. Ain’t no Winnebago.
-The RANGER was always on the lookout for Yogi stealing a pic-a-nic basket
-An involuntary NOD AT could be expensive at an auction
Good morning everyone.
I enjoy doing Silkies not because they are easy, but for the sheer joy of solving (or mostly solving) his clever fill entries.
To participate I had to accede to a lookup for uzz in PUZZLE PALACE and the r in EZR and n in NOH.
I got the NW immediately and the SE soon after. Putzed around in the SW and heartland, before finishing the NE. Favorite fill was APOSTROPHE. Liked BATTER'S BOX, too.
Ezra - Seems inefficient to want to abbreviate to a 3 letter word form an original 4 letter word. A web source gives the abbreviation for Ezra as Ezra.
Have a great day.
Addendum
A cheer from my ute when there were Cheerleaders and a pep club in matching outfits
HEP HEP show your pep
Ginger up and catch your step
Fight fight will all your might
Arlington Eagles win tonight
Ginger up? Catch your step? Huh? I think I hear Frankie Valli on the h-fi in the background singing RAG DOLL ;-)
Unless you had a head start, when you pass someone a second time in a race, you are lapping them, no?
Good morning all.
What Spitzboov said about solving Silkies !
The online clock shows 6:15:34. Started really early this morning after my boy woke me up so he could go do his business. So halfheartedly tried to fill in a few entries while watching Casino Royale (the '67 version) on STARZ.
Resumed much later after having coffee.
Same as LaLaLinda with ribs before BIBS, but I did have YAPS (after I ruled out gabs.
Hello, Saturday Soldiers!
WEES. Tough Silkie today. I KNEW EDNA FERBER and mistakenly thought this will be a breeze. And I actually filled quite a bit right away, Sierra MADRE, RANGER, RAGDOLL; the entire midland in fact. Having read The Red Tent I recalled DINAH.
Finally, after a loooong time of piddling around had to search for CHEAP TRICK and PUZZLE PALACE which then provided me the key to finish the NE and SW corners. But whoa, to my surprise, seeing LOPEZ! That's my family name! Shout out to my grand parents.
I love Silkies for the reason given by Sptisboov but this one threw me a curve. Still it was fun.
Have a lovely Saturday, everyone!
Anon,
RELAPPING occurs on an oval track in a long race like the 3,200 (~2 miles). Some very slow or unmotivated runners (put in as punishment?) can get passed by the leader and can be said to have been LAPPED. In this very long race, it is not unusual for the leader(s) to pass the same runner again, hence the slower runner was RELAPPED. If you’re a timer, you have to be cognizant of who is on what lap. I've seen a slow runner just cross the finish line on his 6th lap when the winner comes right behind him to win after the requisite 8 laps and we had to hustle to get the finish line string up in time.
-Off to Omaha for this event. 7th year in a row with Hudson.
I always enjoy Barry Silk, even when I get a TDNF.
EDNA FERBER right off the bat was encouraging. I was able to fill in the NW, then down the West side and across the South fairly solidly with only short pauses for thought. The very center took more time, but I got it. I hadn't remembered the Amish RAG DOLLs and hadn’t heard of the Isles of Shoals. I had bits and pieces in the NE. I needed to go grocery shopping and was running out of time. I wanted to finish before I left so I could read Splynter's always excellent review. Missing the ZZ in PUZZLE I looked it up. I went through the ABCs but quit before Z. DUH! Then I had ZIMI and looked up the A which gave me CASH ASSETS. Again I should have run the ABCs. My two look-ups were V-8 can moments. Haste makes waste. But Splynter’s review was worth it.
I don’t like to use the red letters. It suckers me into not trying very hard on my own for many clues. In a pinch I Google. But today, I didn’t try hard enough on the last two.
There is no election end. The electioneering and maneuvering for 2014 and 2016 began the day after Election Day 2012.
I was so excited when I got EDNA FERBER and EUDORA right away. (Am I the only blogger still using EUDORA for e-mail? I think my English department selected it years ago because it's named after the writer EUDORA WELTY). Then I got ELSIE and EDAMS and some other (non E) answers. But it all slowed down in the end, and I sadly had to cheat after all to finish. Sigh. But at least I had a few good moments, and it's hard to dislike a puzzle with words like PUZZLE and ROSE PETALS in it.
Thanks for the expo, Splynter--only I don't understand FLYING CLOUD?
Have a great weekend, everybody!
7D "Campground array" = "RVS": Where's the indication of abbreviation in the clue?
And on 47A, Anon made a good point about "lapping," showed his understanding with his preface "Unless you had a head start," and did not need Husker Gary's instruction.
Hi again~!
Here's the Wiki on the REO Flying Cloud model. As for RV, it's sort of like TV - overused in the day-to-day.
Splynter
I finally got EUDORA not because I'd ever heard of the software, but by going through every writer I'd ever heard of with a name starting in EU - EUdora Welty.
Wikipedia says: "The software was named after American author Eudora Welty, because of her short story 'Why I Live at the P.O.'"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudora_%28email_client%29
Continuing-- Yes, Splynter, I was struck by the fact that 28A could refer to either side in the war.
I enjoyed the many misdirections.
HEP is old fashioned, but it’s Saturday, the day for including the obscure, the passé, and the obsolete.
I returned from shopping just as it started snowing and getting slippery.
My shoulder improvement is so great that, even though I have a full tear and a partial tear in my rotator cuff, I won't be having surgery. Today in the store I was pulling things off the shelves above my head and carrying four soup cans in that right hand. The doc is amazed. I believe my gym membership paid off in spades. If you are interested, see late last night.
Splynter: Thank you for an informative write-up explaining my write-over(s):
rIBS before BIBS
sarAh before DINAH
HiP before HEP
NOD-to before NOD-AT
DNF ... ran out of "Cup-of-Java" time limit. **it happens!
At least I got Hydroxyl compound, ENOL. Liked the 'shout-out' that it should be "neat!" ... it is at Villa Incognito.
I thought a "RE-LAP" was what they called "a Danica" in NASCAR. lol
Today the Gasparilla Pirates are invading/sacking Tampa!
Cheers!!!
Yes! I finally, with the help of DH got my avatar up – I think. Let's see.
I have no comments about the puzzle because they're too hard on the end of the week.
My colon cancer is in remission, and I'm hoping I'm back on the blog.
Cheers
I always enjoy a Saturday Silkie even if it is a challenge. The first pass left a lot of blanks but slowly it filled in. Then I resorted to Google and finally red letters to finish. But it was a fun 40 minutes!
I actually finished the puzzle earlier this morning but then had to complete my Saturday chores and help DH shovel the driveway after our mini-blizzard. Not a lot of snow but it really blew around and drifted in the front sidewalk almost completely!
Hand up for REB, HIP, and LEONE. Did not know ARA or NOH. Smiled at PITCHER OF MILK=ELSIE and SIGN OF POSSESSION=APOSTROPHE.
Another Saturday Silkie (already our second of 2014!) and the 53rd month in a row with one from Mr. Silk here. July 2009 was the most recent month without a SS. Many had 2 per month, and one month even had 3.
Sallie good to see your post and the good news about your health.
The puzzle was all fits and starts but such are Saturdays.
Some Canadian connections today. Sarah McLachlan & her Lilith Fair, Quebec Festival d'ete (en hiver nous célébrons Carnaval!), and that British/Canadian ZED again.
I wanted Molson Canadian for the Miller Coors product. Never heard of ZIMA!
Have a good day all. YR, glad to hear of your improvement.
A good hard one, as we expect from Mr. Silk - a real Saturday Silkie.
The gimmes for me were EDNA FERBER (I just watched "Giant" last night), NOH (it's my field, after all), LOPEZ (I used to play chess), and - that's all!
I looked up one - CHEAP TRICK-- as I know nothing about pop music of a certain era, and I already had the C to start and K to end. That gave me a long answer, hence a good one to know. Yes, it made this a DNF, but one that I went on to finish.
I always want MADRE after "Sierra," but I have become so used to LEONE through doing crosswords that I started with that - and only eventually came around.
I had HIP before HEP - and like Magilla Go-Rilla can't imagine that the outmoded HEP still conveys anything like being "With it." Seriously?
I remember ZIMA. Tried it once. Once.
And who didn't enjoy 30D?
See you next week!
Happy Saturday everybody!
DNF, so what else is new for a Silkie...? Got roughly 70% before going red. Speed run with V-8 spilled all over the floor after that....
Favorite answer = BATTERS BOX. Cannot wait for baseball season...!
Second favorite answer = TACO....
35A reminded me of the old Huey Lewis song HIP to be Square....
Finally, Yellowrocks, yes I am truly amaZED at your RANGE of motion....
Sallie:
It's good to "see" you and great that your cancer is in remission!
YR:
Great news from your quarter, too! Yes, exercise does pay off as I've discovered.
Since we are starting the second round of watching kiddie movies with my younger granddaughter, the Aristocats brought HEP cats to mind.
Only because of Seinfeld do I know ZIMA.
Hi Everyone:
Late to the dance due partly to the length of time spent on this Satanic Silkie. This is one of the toughest Silkie's that I've ever done, but with patience, perserverance and downright Irish stubbornness, I finished w/o help, thanks to a Wag for Ezr/Zima.
Had pct before Oct., relay before relap, reb before CSA, and yaps before raps. I thought sign of possession was referring to someone possessed by the Devil and thought bench had something to do with sports.
Bravo, Mr. Silk, for a tough but satisfying solve, and thanks Splynter, for your fine expo, as always.
YR, that is wonderful news about your shoulder. I am happy for you that surgery is now tabled. Sallie, your news is terrific, too; keep up the good work.
Have a great day. (What's left of it, anyway! (-:)
Hi Y'all! "EKES out" is the most descriptive phrase for doing this Silkie. The NW was fairly easy since I knew EDNA. WEES. The rest of the puzzle was a slog even with red-letters. When looking back, it doesn't seem that hard, but I'm never really on Silk's wave-length and he never seems to amuse me.
Great expo, Sir Splynter, the Dedicated!
I did know NOH once. Not today. All perps.
One thing did make me laugh. For "Sign of possession", I was thinking demonic but had APOS so I confidently wrote in "APOSTasy..". Whoops! Still had spaces and some red-letters taunting me. So I WAGd APOSTROPHE. Yay! The one-time newspaper editor who hunted down stray APOSTROPHEs religiously is now first thinking about demons? What have I come to? LOL!
I liked ZEDS as the end fill.
YR, You make me cringe with all you do when injured. I hope your son will help you carry in heavy sacks of groceries. I'm glad you are not going to have surgery at this time, because it is an ordeal at first. That and this winter could be a real trial. My mom had a frozen shoulder which didn't bother her too much. She just couldn't do anything over her head with that arm. Guess that's why we have two arms. Good luck, girlfriend!
Some background: My office was in Manhattan near Grand Central Station. I mostly traveled so I started doing the NYT Crossword and got pretty good at it. I have been doing the Trib for about 20 years bring me to today.
I got EDNAFERBER at once and looked up SI Sportsman winners. From there I worked around counterclockwise, filled in the center and got stuck in the NE.
This is laps ahead of my usual Silky or any Saturday for that matter.
YR,
Very glad to read of your success with the exercises. No operation - Whoop-EE!
john28man@3:21: Purists will insist on referring to it as Grand Central Terminal.
For those at all interested in trains (and train stations), I highly recommend I Ride the Harlem Line (which is not just about MTA's Harlem Line). Recent posts featured stunning pictures of the Alaska Railroad.
Al Cyone:
You're correct. I suppose a terminal is at the end of a RR line and a station along the line.
Another interesting fact.
There was a stairway going up from Track 18 platform to a door at street on the South side of 277 Park Ave, the Chemical Bank Building were I worked.
Sallie, great news. So nice you feel up to contributing again.
We have always called it Grand Central Station. People from NJ commute through there all the time. My son and DIL who work in NYC call it that. They treated me to a delightful dinner in that grand edifice.
Wiki says, “Although the terminal has been properly called “Grand Central Terminal” since 1913, many people continue to refer to it as “Grand Central Station,” the name of the previous rail station on the same site.
My mom in PA who had never been there used to say, "It's as busy around here as Grand Central Station."
Al, I am sure that you are correct technically. There is always the difference between technical language and colloquial usage. For instance, there is much technical evidence for the distinction between boat and ship, but colloquially they can be synonyms. Many legal and scientific terms also have different colloquial meanings. This dichotomy gives birth to another lovely layer of misdirection in crosswords.
john2/man@4:20: You might be interested in this piece on the building that used to stand at 277 Park Avenue.
YR@6:10: I refer to it as "Grand Central Station" too (or, more likely, just "Grand Central"). But I'm not a purist.
Greetings!
Not much luck with puzzle. Feel kind of feverish.
Sallie: great news!
YR: hope that shoulder keeps getting better!
My usual Saturday slog. Red letters steered me in the right direction if I got lost.
Good news for Sallie and YR. I'm very happy for both of you.
Grandson Jordan has a basketball game this afternoon and I'm the designated grandparent in attendance. (Barbara has a party thrown by her quilting teacher.) He doesn't have much athletic skill or interest but I'll be happy if he stays involved and puts forth a decent effort.
Well, he did put forth a decent effort. Somebody actually passed him the ball and he decided to shoot. He leaped in the air, started to launch his shot, quickly realized he couldn't come close to shooting that far, reconsidered and came back down with the ball. He got called for traveling but it was fun to watch. Having a DVR has spoiled me. I wanted to rewind that brief episode and play it again. Alas...
Hey, BillG. & fermatprime: what's a nitpick'?
Not as funny as last week's but here's a cartoon, Grey Matters.
(For the rest of you, it's a prime nitpick. My poems sometimes have hidden levels.)
I realize this post is so very late probably no one will see it but I just had to comment. Splynter said in referring to 37 across that it could only be ZETAs, Betas, or iotas. But it could also be 2 letters such as PHIMU. I read this fun blog daily. Great job everyone!
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