Theme: Food Idioms
17A: Raring to go: FULL OF BEANS
26A: Male body part: ADAM'S APPLE
36A: Braggart's cry: EAT YOUR HEART OUT
49A: Face-saving disdain: SOUR GRAPES
58A: Win: TAKE THE CAKE
I don't like 36A. I know people do eat HEART in some parts of the world, but it just conjures up such an unpleasant picture.
I thought of "hard nut to crack", "cool as cucumber", "bring home the bacon" and "cream of the crop", but none of them fits. Can you think of a 15-letter food idiom?
Too many abbreviations for my taste. SEL (3D: Choice abbr.) could easily be reworded as "French salt" to avoid this annoying "abbr." in the clues. The clue for TORTES (13D: Rich cakes) is very amaterish, as CAKE is part of the answer for 58A. Xchefwalt might not like "Flourless dessert", but it's a perfect clue here.
I think Dennis has warped my thinking. I pictured this sacred Greek stone (Herm) and the "frank and beans" in front when I read 26A: Male body part.
Across:
1A: Phylicia or Ahmad: RASHAD. Ha, the Pop Secret commercial couple.
15A: Satellite of Saturn: RHEA. She is also the mother of Hera/Zeus/Hades.
29A: Disney dwarf: SLEEPY. And Sneezy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful and Grumpy.
33A: "Straight Is the Gate" writer Gide: ANDRE. I've never heard of this book. (Addendum: The correct book title is "Strait Is the Gate"). But why obsessed with Gide all the time? How about pianoist/conductor ANDRE Previn (Mia Farrow's ex) or this ANDRE?
42A: Govt. security: T BILL (Treasury BILL). I've always liked this misleading clue.
44A: Largest piggy?: BIG TOE. The sophisticated podiatric term is hallux.
48A: Graphic artist M. C. ___: ESCHER. I only know this "Relativity". Not familiar with his other works.
53A: Australian isl: TASM. It's here. Why are this Tasmania Devil's ears red?
64A: Way in, in brief: ENT (Entrance). Hard one! I kept reading the clue as "Way in, in briefs".
66A: Went out: EXITED. Very quick "in" and "out".
67A: His: Fr.: SES. Or her/its.
68A: Daly of "Cagney & Lacey": TYNE. Know her name, not familar with "Cagney & Lacey".
69A: Albert Pinkham and Winona: RYDERS. Know Winona, not Albert Pinkham.
Down:
1D: Coast of Morocco: RIF. This has become a gimme to me. Here is map again.
3D: "2001" mainframe: HAL
6D: Pay for: DEFRAY
9D: Bo's number: TEN. No idea. Who is Bo? Why TEN?
10D: Swed. flyers: SAS
30D: Picture taker, briefly: PHOTOG
34D: Org. of Rangers and Ducks: NHL. I would prefer the clue to be "Org. with Penguins and Ducks". It's more fun, would be very misleading for those who do not follow hockey.
37D: Over in Ulm: UBER. Vs. UNTER.
38D: Delicacy: TACT. I was thinking of this delicacy. I vodka and caviar you.
44D: Backs of singles: B SIDES
45D: Cut stinger: IODINE. Are you OK with this clue?
48D: Old Testament book: ESTHER
51D: Calvin or Rodney: PEETE. Know golfer Calvin PEETE, not familiar with Rodney PEETE.
56D: Lolita-ish: SEXY. I've never read "Lolita", have you?
61D: Plunk starter?: KER. Or "Flop starter?". What else?
63D: Goddess of folly: ATE. If not for EAT in theme answer 36A, I would prefer the clue to be a simple "Had a bite", considering so many food choices in today's puzzle.
C.C.
17A: Raring to go: FULL OF BEANS
26A: Male body part: ADAM'S APPLE
36A: Braggart's cry: EAT YOUR HEART OUT
49A: Face-saving disdain: SOUR GRAPES
58A: Win: TAKE THE CAKE
I don't like 36A. I know people do eat HEART in some parts of the world, but it just conjures up such an unpleasant picture.
I thought of "hard nut to crack", "cool as cucumber", "bring home the bacon" and "cream of the crop", but none of them fits. Can you think of a 15-letter food idiom?
Too many abbreviations for my taste. SEL (3D: Choice abbr.) could easily be reworded as "French salt" to avoid this annoying "abbr." in the clues. The clue for TORTES (13D: Rich cakes) is very amaterish, as CAKE is part of the answer for 58A. Xchefwalt might not like "Flourless dessert", but it's a perfect clue here.
I think Dennis has warped my thinking. I pictured this sacred Greek stone (Herm) and the "frank and beans" in front when I read 26A: Male body part.
Across:
1A: Phylicia or Ahmad: RASHAD. Ha, the Pop Secret commercial couple.
15A: Satellite of Saturn: RHEA. She is also the mother of Hera/Zeus/Hades.
29A: Disney dwarf: SLEEPY. And Sneezy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful and Grumpy.
33A: "Straight Is the Gate" writer Gide: ANDRE. I've never heard of this book. (Addendum: The correct book title is "Strait Is the Gate"). But why obsessed with Gide all the time? How about pianoist/conductor ANDRE Previn (Mia Farrow's ex) or this ANDRE?
42A: Govt. security: T BILL (Treasury BILL). I've always liked this misleading clue.
44A: Largest piggy?: BIG TOE. The sophisticated podiatric term is hallux.
48A: Graphic artist M. C. ___: ESCHER. I only know this "Relativity". Not familiar with his other works.
53A: Australian isl: TASM. It's here. Why are this Tasmania Devil's ears red?
64A: Way in, in brief: ENT (Entrance). Hard one! I kept reading the clue as "Way in, in briefs".
66A: Went out: EXITED. Very quick "in" and "out".
67A: His: Fr.: SES. Or her/its.
68A: Daly of "Cagney & Lacey": TYNE. Know her name, not familar with "Cagney & Lacey".
69A: Albert Pinkham and Winona: RYDERS. Know Winona, not Albert Pinkham.
Down:
1D: Coast of Morocco: RIF. This has become a gimme to me. Here is map again.
3D: "2001" mainframe: HAL
6D: Pay for: DEFRAY
9D: Bo's number: TEN. No idea. Who is Bo? Why TEN?
10D: Swed. flyers: SAS
30D: Picture taker, briefly: PHOTOG
34D: Org. of Rangers and Ducks: NHL. I would prefer the clue to be "Org. with Penguins and Ducks". It's more fun, would be very misleading for those who do not follow hockey.
37D: Over in Ulm: UBER. Vs. UNTER.
38D: Delicacy: TACT. I was thinking of this delicacy. I vodka and caviar you.
44D: Backs of singles: B SIDES
45D: Cut stinger: IODINE. Are you OK with this clue?
48D: Old Testament book: ESTHER
51D: Calvin or Rodney: PEETE. Know golfer Calvin PEETE, not familiar with Rodney PEETE.
56D: Lolita-ish: SEXY. I've never read "Lolita", have you?
61D: Plunk starter?: KER. Or "Flop starter?". What else?
63D: Goddess of folly: ATE. If not for EAT in theme answer 36A, I would prefer the clue to be a simple "Had a bite", considering so many food choices in today's puzzle.
C.C.
