Words: 72 (missing Q,V)
Blocks: 27
Upon reviewing our list of constructors, Mr. O'Rourke has but one
prior LAT puzzle, dating back to Oct 30, 2011 - a Sunday, and from the
same year I started doing the Sat blog. I was able to do 75% of this
one, but the SW corner was just crash and burn - too many proper
names/locations, and as a result, kinda sucked the life out of this
otherwise engaging excursion. Oh well. Triple 9- and 10-letter
corners, and two 11-letter spanners - one which I knew immediately, but
didn't know the exact spelling;
30. "Die Hard" cry adapted from an old cowboy song : YIPPEE KI YAY
- I was really close - just had an "I" at the end of yippie....one of
my favorite movies, all time, and I like to watch it at Christmas
43. Range for some power measurements : ZERO TO SIXTY
- in reference to cars, but the definition just doesn't jive with
me....it's not really a measurement of the power so much as the rate of
acceleration - which might be incredible, but have no reflection on the
actual 'power'; take the Jaguar XF diesel - only gets up to 140mph, but
it's 0-60 is 5.9secs. I tested my 2000 Dodge Stratus about two years ago - 11+ seconds. 258,000 miles ago, it probably got close to 140mph.
DCLXVI~!
[Gasp~! The number of the beast~!]
[Gasp~! The number of the beast~!]
ACROSS:
1. Modern location code : IP ADDRESS
10. Vertical sides : JAMBS - doors and windows, e.g.
15. Ability to stand? : TOLERANCE - I can tell you, my tolerance got pretty high when it came to alcohol, which leads to the next clue/answer;
16. "What I always get" : USUAL - like, say, Scotch, NO ICE~!!!
17. Baby, for one : SPICE GIRL - dah~! Clever. the others;
Scary, Sporty, Ginger & Posh
18. Ward cry? : NURSE - "it's medication time~!"
19. "Bless __ ...": Psalm 68 : YE GOD
20. "Shadow of the Vampire" Oscar nominee : DAFOE - no clue; WAG
22. Mr. __!: old detective game : REE - get it~? Mister - ree....? Har-har
23. Churchill's "so few": Abbr. : RAF
25. Chess tactic : PIN - new one to me, since I have played a lot of chess, but I get it
26. [Oh, my!] : "GASP~!"
27. Reagan era mil. program : SDI - the "Strategic Defense Initiative", which the media referred to as "Star Wars", and since I grew up with the movie/myth, found it a little insulting
33. Trap catchings : LINT - This took WAY too long....might be because I was at the restaurant and in a 'lobster' & 'crab' frame of mind
35. Wager : LAY - meh. I get it, but.
10. Vertical sides : JAMBS - doors and windows, e.g.
15. Ability to stand? : TOLERANCE - I can tell you, my tolerance got pretty high when it came to alcohol, which leads to the next clue/answer;
16. "What I always get" : USUAL - like, say, Scotch, NO ICE~!!!
17. Baby, for one : SPICE GIRL - dah~! Clever. the others;
Scary, Sporty, Ginger & Posh
18. Ward cry? : NURSE - "it's medication time~!"
19. "Bless __ ...": Psalm 68 : YE GOD
20. "Shadow of the Vampire" Oscar nominee : DAFOE - no clue; WAG
22. Mr. __!: old detective game : REE - get it~? Mister - ree....? Har-har
23. Churchill's "so few": Abbr. : RAF
25. Chess tactic : PIN - new one to me, since I have played a lot of chess, but I get it
26. [Oh, my!] : "GASP~!"
27. Reagan era mil. program : SDI - the "Strategic Defense Initiative", which the media referred to as "Star Wars", and since I grew up with the movie/myth, found it a little insulting
33. Trap catchings : LINT - This took WAY too long....might be because I was at the restaurant and in a 'lobster' & 'crab' frame of mind
35. Wager : LAY - meh. I get it, but.
36. Get comfy : NESTLE - I do hope to get to nestling, soon - and she's wearing 65a.~!
37. "The Hangover" star : ED HELMS - totally unhelpful for me - not only did I NOT see the movie, but I still have no desire to, either, and I don't recognize the actor - IMDb
39. Is worth something, in dialect : AIN'T HAY - once the first "A" filled in, I got this
40. Fifth-grader's milestone, maybe : AGE TEN - ARGH~! ELEVEN fit, too, and I was 11 in 5th grade
41. One may involve a homonym : PUN
42. Like the Negev : SERE - Dah~! Not ARID
46. "The Spanish Tragedy" dramatist : KYD - Had to cheat the "K" - Natick, in the truest sense; two names crossing? Ouch.
47. Behan's land : ERIN - Duh. Sounded IRAN/IRAQ at first
48. Robot extension? : ICS - Robotics
49. Chinese dynasty during Caesar's time : HAN - WAG - but, three letters...?
51. Little : BIT - This puzzle frustrate you~? A "bit".
52. "__ yourself!" : BRACE
54. 1946 Literature Nobelist : HESSE
58. Nice parting : ADIEU - That's "Neece", the Frawnche city
60. Baklava flavoring : ROSE WATER - I thought it was going to be honey-something
62. One removed from the company? : LONER - Two's company, three's a crowd; one's a loner....like me ;7(
63. Cocktail portmanteau : APPLETINI - I can never remember the definition of portmanteau when I see it in crossword clues; need to remember it's a 'name' derived from parts - in this case, an apple-flavored martini
64. Start using Twitter, say : LOG ON - ugh. I don't "tweet"
46. "The Spanish Tragedy" dramatist : KYD - Had to cheat the "K" - Natick, in the truest sense; two names crossing? Ouch.
47. Behan's land : ERIN - Duh. Sounded IRAN/IRAQ at first
48. Robot extension? : ICS - Robotics
49. Chinese dynasty during Caesar's time : HAN - WAG - but, three letters...?
51. Little : BIT - This puzzle frustrate you~? A "bit".
52. "__ yourself!" : BRACE
54. 1946 Literature Nobelist : HESSE
58. Nice parting : ADIEU - That's "Neece", the Frawnche city
60. Baklava flavoring : ROSE WATER - I thought it was going to be honey-something
62. One removed from the company? : LONER - Two's company, three's a crowd; one's a loner....like me ;7(
63. Cocktail portmanteau : APPLETINI - I can never remember the definition of portmanteau when I see it in crossword clues; need to remember it's a 'name' derived from parts - in this case, an apple-flavored martini
64. Start using Twitter, say : LOG ON - ugh. I don't "tweet"
65. Victoria's Secret purchase : BOYSHORTS - I prefer seeing these on a woman over a thong any day, twice on Sunday
DOWN:
1. Tiny : ITSY
2. Urban, e.g. : POPE - did not fool me
3. Boorish Sacha Baron Cohen persona : ALI G - I saw Borat, and stopped there
4. Style : DECOR
5. 1993 rap hit : DRE DAY - Dr. Dre
6. Low-quality paper : RAG
7. Home of Phillips University : ENID - ugh.
8. Full of spunk : SCRAPPY - I wanted sNappy, but it was too short
9. Instagrammed item : SELFIE
10. __ bug : JUNE
11. Pac-12 sch. whose mascot carries a pitchfork : ASU
1. Tiny : ITSY
2. Urban, e.g. : POPE - did not fool me
3. Boorish Sacha Baron Cohen persona : ALI G - I saw Borat, and stopped there
4. Style : DECOR
5. 1993 rap hit : DRE DAY - Dr. Dre
6. Low-quality paper : RAG
7. Home of Phillips University : ENID - ugh.
8. Full of spunk : SCRAPPY - I wanted sNappy, but it was too short
9. Instagrammed item : SELFIE
10. __ bug : JUNE
11. Pac-12 sch. whose mascot carries a pitchfork : ASU
12. "Swingin' Soiree" DJ : MURRAY THE K - this would have been a very neat corner were it not for the "K"....and the guy was before my time - his Wiki
13. It doesn't include benefits : BASE SALARY
14. About to crash? : SLEEPY-EYED
21. About 1.8 tablespoons, vis-à-vis a cup : ONE-NINTH - Funny, but "ELEVENTH" worked here, too, and since I don't usually divide my cups this way....
24. "Double Indemnity" genre : FILM NOIR
26. Basic ideas : GISTS
27. Despicable sort : SLEAZEBALL
28. Australian wind : DIDGERIDOO - ah, the musical instrument; I was thinking along the lines of some sort of "DEVIL ZEPHYR" - Bzzzt (pun intended)
29. Willing consequence? : INHERITING - Doesn't look right, but it is - "I bequeath..."
31. Step on stage : PAS - meh meh meh meh - Frawnche
32. Grasp : KEN - and yet I nailed this three-letter fill
34. Jackson Hole's county : TETON
38. Court call : LET - DAH~! I was in 'law' court, and thought it was OYE
39. TV input letters : AUX - Hmmm, didn't think it was VCR
41. 1980s "SNL" regular : PISCOPO - OK, I cheated - I got as far as PI---, and could not think of his last name - but I knew he was a guest in one episode of Law & Order
44. Sacred beetle : SCARAB - Hey~! One answer I felt confident about~!
45. Name derived from the Tetragrammaton : YAHWEH - once I had ----EH, there weren't too many names you could think of
50. "Far out!" : NEATO
52. Cheat, in slang : BURN
53. Notice : ESPY
55. Hullabaloo : STIR
56. Text status : SENT
57. Most massive known dwarf planet : ERIS - fascinating - I did not know about this; did you, Husker~? The Wiki. Take a look at its orbit
59. Fair-hiring initials : EEO - DAH~! Went with EOE, which is 100% right, and yet still wrong - correct, D-Otto~?
61. 2012 British Open winner : ELS - three letters and an open winner~? Try ELS
13. It doesn't include benefits : BASE SALARY
14. About to crash? : SLEEPY-EYED
21. About 1.8 tablespoons, vis-à-vis a cup : ONE-NINTH - Funny, but "ELEVENTH" worked here, too, and since I don't usually divide my cups this way....
24. "Double Indemnity" genre : FILM NOIR
26. Basic ideas : GISTS
27. Despicable sort : SLEAZEBALL
28. Australian wind : DIDGERIDOO - ah, the musical instrument; I was thinking along the lines of some sort of "DEVIL ZEPHYR" - Bzzzt (pun intended)
31. Step on stage : PAS - meh meh meh meh - Frawnche
32. Grasp : KEN - and yet I nailed this three-letter fill
34. Jackson Hole's county : TETON
38. Court call : LET - DAH~! I was in 'law' court, and thought it was OYE
39. TV input letters : AUX - Hmmm, didn't think it was VCR
41. 1980s "SNL" regular : PISCOPO - OK, I cheated - I got as far as PI---, and could not think of his last name - but I knew he was a guest in one episode of Law & Order
44. Sacred beetle : SCARAB - Hey~! One answer I felt confident about~!
45. Name derived from the Tetragrammaton : YAHWEH - once I had ----EH, there weren't too many names you could think of
50. "Far out!" : NEATO
52. Cheat, in slang : BURN
53. Notice : ESPY
55. Hullabaloo : STIR
56. Text status : SENT
57. Most massive known dwarf planet : ERIS - fascinating - I did not know about this; did you, Husker~? The Wiki. Take a look at its orbit
59. Fair-hiring initials : EEO - DAH~! Went with EOE, which is 100% right, and yet still wrong - correct, D-Otto~?
61. 2012 British Open winner : ELS - three letters and an open winner~? Try ELS
Splynter
