Words: 68 (missing F,J,Z)
Blocks: 28
This was a very
enjoyable puzzle - there seemed to be plenty of plausible answers that I
filled in and was wrong about, but they gave me enough to work with,
and I wrapped it up in the SW corner. Our last construction from Alan
came in Jan of '12. A bit of a clunky grid; two spanners and one
climber, plus two 10's and 9's ( but separated ). Several multiple-word answers, too*. The 'big ones':
24A. End of a wedding planner's promise : EVERY LAST DETAIL - I got married 'medieval style', and my ex-wife and I planned every last detail; too bad the marriage didn't have the details worked out....
46A. NFL practice team member : TAXI SQUAD PLAYER - first of a few new words/phrases for me; here's what I found
7D. Michael Caine memoir : WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT - well, he played Alfie, didn't he~? A little wit and wisdom here
Oh! (35A.) - I think this might be the shortest "down" count I have seen....
O~~~~N~~~~W~~~~A~~~~R~~~~D~!
ACROSS:
1. Asia's __ Sea : ARAL - Always good to start out with a gimme. For Saturday, I don't think we need the "Asia" part
5. "One more thing," for short : BTW - By The Way, usually seen in texts
8*. Reaffirming words : YES I DO
14. Michael of "Year One" : CERA - His IMDb; can't say I have seen any of his movies
15. "Feels won-n-nderful!" : AHH~!
16*. Knows about : IS IN ON
17. Charity : ALMS
18. Dairy aisle selection : GRADE A EGGS - Great fill, and I had just --A E-- when I WAGed it
20. Relaxation of a kind, briefly : DE-REGulation
22. Abbr. seen in repeat citations : ET AL.
23. Sonic Dash publisher : SEGA - Video game
5. "One more thing," for short : BTW - By The Way, usually seen in texts
8*. Reaffirming words : YES I DO
14. Michael of "Year One" : CERA - His IMDb; can't say I have seen any of his movies
15. "Feels won-n-nderful!" : AHH~!
16*. Knows about : IS IN ON
17. Charity : ALMS
18. Dairy aisle selection : GRADE A EGGS - Great fill, and I had just --A E-- when I WAGed it
20. Relaxation of a kind, briefly : DE-REGulation
22. Abbr. seen in repeat citations : ET AL.
23. Sonic Dash publisher : SEGA - Video game
27. Publishing houses and such : MASS MEDIA
28. Old-time sidewalk show : RAREE - The Wiki on what's probably more commonly known as a Peep Show
29. NFL miscue : INTerception; if you want to get off the taxi squad....
30. Old Bikini Bare competitor : NEET - NAIR? NEET? which one~?
31. Univ. peer leaders : RAs - Resident Assistants - the ones who can get you the beer if they're cool, or take it away if they're not
32. They're beside the point: Abbr. : CTs - Dollars and Cents, tho it doesn't make sense; they're both beside the point ($14.95)
33. Pop-up costs : AD RATES
35. Raised-eyebrow words : OHs
38. Letters at sea : U.S.S. A clue for Spitzboov, et al.
39. Southwestern ridge : LOMA - another new word for me today
40. "Krazy" critter : KAT
41. One taking a cut : AGENT - what....about 10%~? I'm looking for a book publishing agent
44. In cut time, musically : ALLA BREVE
48. Give the heave-ho : OUST - I had FIRE first
49. Goya's "Duchess of __" : ALBA - Whoa~! I dare you to look for images of JUST 'Duchess of Alba'
50*. Finish with : END ON
51. Toy based on a sports legend, e.g. : ACTION DOLL - I confidently put in "BOBBLE HEAD", and was wrong - I am not too sure about a toy being based on a sports legend = action doll; a movie or comic book character, that's more likely; I had Star Wars 'action figures' ( not dolls, you see ), and then it was G.I. Joe
54. Overindulge, in a way : TOPE - another new word
55. Used a Bic, maybe : SHAVED - Dah~! I was thinking "PENNED", SIGNED, LIT ONE ( lighter, that is )
56. Illegal freeway maneuver : UIE - I went with UEY first; the various ways to abbreviate U-Turn; extremely dangerous on a highway, I might add
57. Scratches (out) : EKES
58. Patricia McCormick was the first American professional one in Mexico : TORERA - Bull fighter who passed this year - the Wiki
59. S.E. Hinton novel set on a ranch : TEX
60. Trade-in factor : DENT - I am thinking about a Ford Focus ST or the new Dodge Dart; I will not be trading in my 2000 Dodge Stratus SE; it has no dents, but it does have 238,000 miles on the clock - and counting
DOWN:
1. Purely theoretical : ACADEMIC
2. Like things that matter : RELEVANT
3. Some are ergonomic : ARMRESTS
4. Light-show lights : LASERS
5. Market option : BAG - As in paper or plastic? or is it cart/basket/bag
6. Sewing kit device : THREADER
55. Used a Bic, maybe : SHAVED - Dah~! I was thinking "PENNED", SIGNED, LIT ONE ( lighter, that is )
56. Illegal freeway maneuver : UIE - I went with UEY first; the various ways to abbreviate U-Turn; extremely dangerous on a highway, I might add
57. Scratches (out) : EKES
58. Patricia McCormick was the first American professional one in Mexico : TORERA - Bull fighter who passed this year - the Wiki
59. S.E. Hinton novel set on a ranch : TEX
60. Trade-in factor : DENT - I am thinking about a Ford Focus ST or the new Dodge Dart; I will not be trading in my 2000 Dodge Stratus SE; it has no dents, but it does have 238,000 miles on the clock - and counting
DOWN:
1. Purely theoretical : ACADEMIC
2. Like things that matter : RELEVANT
3. Some are ergonomic : ARMRESTS
4. Light-show lights : LASERS
5. Market option : BAG - As in paper or plastic? or is it cart/basket/bag
6. Sewing kit device : THREADER
8. Give : YIELD
9. Tampico "that" : ESA
10. Naps : SIESTAS
11*. Engaged : IN GEAR - ah, nice mis-direction; transmissions, not transgressions
12. Window occupant of song : DOGGIE - how much is that gorilla in the window? - what show???
13*. Not as steep as it used to be : ON SALE - ah, prices, not hills
19. Target of some mining : DATA
21. Athletes on horses : GYMNASTS - anyone else want JOCKEYS? POLO-ERS? A pommel horse
25. City near Manchester : LEEDS - map; my family is from Nottingham; this was a gimme, too
26. Like whiteboards : ERASABLE
31. Draw new borders for : RE-MAP
34*. Wasn't straight : TOLD A LIE
35. "No problemo!" : OKEY-DOKE
36. Need to fill, as a job : HAVE OPEN - my position as Pre-loader at UPS is one they will HAVE OPEN in about 2-3 weeks; they delayed the training course for now
37. Least lenient : STERNEST
38. Promoting accord : UNITIVE - I had unitING; once I changed this, I got my "Ta-Da~!"
41*. Glass raiser's cry : "A TOAST~!"
42. Pampas rider : GAUCHO
43. Old-Timers' Day celeb : EX-STAR
44. Second word of a January song : AULD The song is "Should Auld acquaintance..."; not the second word of the TITLE - A-ha~!
45. Threw a fit : RANTED
47. Post-presentation period : Q AND A - Bang~! Nailed it Questions and Answers
52. "The Last Time I Came __ the Moor": Burns : O'ER
53. Livy's law : LEX - Latin language, and alliteration
Splynter
