AN AIM TO EFFACE
This is my second review of a Jeremy Venook construction; the first one is here, and like that first puzzle, I have a similar "meh" feeling about today's crossword. One could say it was a bit "LAME", and I don't mean the dress. The 'names' theme was disappointing - perhaps due to the fact that I did not recognize two of them, and that they're, well, names, associated with a characteristic of a face; YMMV. In addition, I found the crossings were of little help - I'm looking at you, 9D~! Standard grid, no outliers, no circles, half as many 3LWs as Five-letter ones, two Twurds, and plenty of proper nouns, since that was the "name" of the "game" - the themers and centered reveal;
17. *Two-time Oscar winner with a stoic bearing?: EMMA STONE - Stone Face, usually the more common phrase being stone faced, or having a Poker Face - take it, Lady Gaga~!
23. *Nursery rhyme lad with one eye closed?: WILLIE WINKIE - My parents were born & raised in England, yet I've never heard of "Wee Willie Winkie" or the Scottish folk song; in fact, 'winkie' meant the "one-eyed willie" - if you know what I mean. I guess this is the 'winkie face', which Google says should be "winky"
46. *Fictional spy sporting a big yellow button?: GEORGE SMILEY - A learning moment for me, this character appeaed when I was just 3yrs old - but I have heard of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy", the 1974 novel from author John Le CarrΓ©, which became a TV series ( 1979 ) with Alec Guinness as the lead intelligence officer ( after he played Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi in 1977, which I did see ); more here
36. Finally meet in person, or how to make the starred clues match their answers:
PUT A FACE TO A NAME
My dad insisted when I filled out a job application to "put a face to the name",
and speak to a manager instead of just walking out
But Wait - don't drop names -
There's More to make a face over π
ACROSS:
1. C in shop class?: CLAMP - this thing; as a woodworker, one can never have enough clamps
6. Blu-ray precursor: DVD
9. South Asian crepes: DOSAs - Ugh. Crossing another name, double UGH
14. Hispaniola nation: HAITI - this Geo name has appeared in all four of Jeremy's LA Times puzzles
15. Outdoor co-op with an "Uncommon Path" blog: REI - learned by doing crosswords
16. Loosen, as laces: UNTIE - Odd that this counts as Friday-level, considering the rest of the clues
19. Recline atop: LIE ON - Twurdish #1
20. Charge: FEE
21. Horn sound: TOOT
22. Briquettes: COALS
26. Talk into a bigger purchase: UPSELL
30. Protective trench: MOAT - I do love castles
31. Golfing goof: SLICE - FORE~!
33. Lid: CAP - AND - 57D. Lid: HAT
40. Grads-to-be: SRs
41. Sarge's superior: LOOIE - oof. Friday. Lieutenant. If it weren't for my voracious reading, I would not have gotten this one - also seen in novels as "LOO", "LOOT", "L-T", etc.
42. Hieroglyphic snakes: ASPs
43. Insider's argot: CANT - argot being the 'jargon', lingo and language of a small group, e.g. scientists
44. Check: ARREST
51. Partygoer who might stock up on glow sticks: RAVER - I grew up in the "mosh pit" era
52. Many a Yemeni: ARAB
53. Sweets: BAE - not candy, vague, and cringe, I can't stand this word - two of three Fridays now π
56. Carne __ burrito: ASADA
60. "Eddington" director Aster: ARI - I know none of his work - IMDb, name #3
61. Caused: LED TO - Twurdish #2
62. Utter, as thou might: SAYST - canceled my SAYTH, which needed to be SayEth anyway - until I checked with our new friend A I, and found this . . .
63. Pewter component: TIN - about 85-99%, according to Wiki
64. Eye sores: STYES
DOWN:
1. Many a cooking show host: CHEF
2. Fabric with metallic threads: LAMΓ - Some of this puzzle may be "lame", but not this dress . . . π
5. Flower part: PISTIL
6. Salivate: DROOL - Makes me think of Odie from Garfield
7. Starbucks order: VENTI
8. Drop to 0%: DIE - Ah. Like phone batteries
9. Woman of La Mancha?: DULCINEA - Crossing two themers, and name #4 - Don Quixote's imaginary girlfriend; Why stop at one~? I have a dozen imaginary girlfriends . . . π the Wiki
10. Mirepoix vegetables: ONIONS - Frawnche. no clue, filled via perps
11. Swordfish cut: STEAK - solid WAG on my part, but then again, I know salmon is sold as 'steaks'
12. Garlicky mayo: AIOLI - learned by doing crosswords
13. Intuit: SENSE
24. Paperless Post alternative: eVITE - Ugh. I tried eSite, thinking capitalized Post = newspaper, not the Postal, federal mail system , and a Tuesday dupe
25. Baylor University city: WACO - Geo name #5
26. Pros who work at home: UMPs - I think this clue needed an "?" - for home PLATE, that is . . .
27. Really come down: POUR - I tried HAIL, TEEM, PELT - Bzzzzt on all of them . . .
28. College Board exams: SATs
31. Many Highland Games participants: SCOTS - I had CELTS, so I was only 40% correct
32. Fragrant garland: LEI
33. Instance: CASE
34. Boxes in an arena?: AMPS - Boxes being the 3D noun, not the 'sparring' verb kind; I play guitar, and this is still too vague, even for a Friday . . .
35. Annoyance: PEST
37. Like a foul that might earn an automatic ejection: FLAGRANT - PERSONAL fit as well
38. Super-duper: A-ONE
39. Less than hardly, quaintly: NARY - I tried RARE, got me enough
43. Assertions of faith: CREDOS
44. Jai __: ALAI
45. Fights back: REBELS - the verb, not the noun
46. Snatches: GRABS - reminds me of this scene from Ocean's Eleven
47. GPA booster: EASY A
48. Egg-producing organ: OVARY
49. Language of a haka chant: MAORI - same language as the bug above π - name(ish)
50. Conservationist Bindi: IRWIN - No clue, WAG on the "I" crossing the theme name - turns out to be Steve Irwin's daughter - still, it's #6
53. Hair quality: BODY - sadly, my hair quality is "thin", my body, "thick" - I'd prefer the reverse . . .
54. Upfront stake: ANTE - poker [face], not poking
55. Obstacles to teamwork: EGOs
58. Permit: LET - the verb, not the noun
Splynter
Pretty tough puzzle,
ReplyDeleteas befits a Friday, but I got through it with no “red letters.”
FIR, so I’m happy.