Theme: None
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 27
This puzzle is anchored by two Down 10s intersecting triple stacks of 9s, which cross another Down 9:
1A. Michael Jordan began college as one : MATH MAJOR. Was unaware of this trivia.
15A. Plants : SHRUBBERY
17A. Sex symbol of the silents : THEDA BARA. Rare to see her full name.
53A. Adjacent to : ALONGSIDE
58A. Shepherd of old radio : RIN TIN TIN. German shepherd.
5D. GMAT taker's goal : MBA DEGREE
60A. Where three's a crowd : TETE-A-TETE Two person chat. Therefore three's crowd. Stumped me.
9D. 2006 N.L. MVP : RYAN HOWARD. Phillies should send Barry team-signed balls/bats for his loyalty and continued promotion of their players.
26D. Behave suitably : ACT THE PART. Nice entry.
31D. What oldies evoke : NOSTALGIA. Easy to lose time on YouTube.
How's your solving experience today? Felt harder than last Saturday's grid.
Across:
10. Leather leggings : CHAPS. The guy in the middle looks dangerous.
16. "Casbah" actor, 1948 : LORRE (Peter). I've never heard of the film "Casbah". Only "Casablanca".
18. Very funny : ARIOT. A-word to irk Bill G.
19. Accessory : ADD-ON
20. Titans, e.g. : NISSANS. The pickup truck. Not the Tennessee Titans I had in mind.
22. Current source : OUTLET. Power.
24. Negative sentiment : I HOPE NOT
25. "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" composer : GRIEG (Edvard). "Peer Gynt" is all I know about him.
26. He got his only World Series ring in 2009 : A-ROD. Big deal.
27. Staff note : MEMO
28. "Viva-Vegas" link : LAS. Viva Las Vegas.
29. Eastern quaff that's typically 18-25% alcohol : RICE WINE. Do you like Sake?
32. 21-Down, e.g. : ELEMENT. 21D. Kelp nutrient : IODINE. You can find kelp in miso soup.
34. They're assumed : ANONYMS. Nice clue.
38. Motions : GESTURES
40. Want ad abbr. : EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity)
41. Mosque leader : IMAM
44. "__ a hunch ..." : I HAD
45. Far from assertive : TIMID
47. Ariadne, to Minos : DAUGHTER. Quite a sophisticated clue.
49. Archaeologists, at times : DATERS
50. Clique : IN-GROUP
51. "Going Rogue" author : PALIN (Sarah)
52. Three-time Clooney role : OCEAN (Danny). "Ocean's Thirteen" is pretty good.
57. Old Scottish landholder : THANE. Like Macbeth.
59. Like some bars : SANDY. I don't get this clue.
Down:
1. Colorado hrs. : MST
2. Sound of recognition : AHH
3. Mill's "On Liberty," for one : TREATISE. Not familiar with the work.
4. Where plays may be discussed : HUDDLE. Football.
6. Brother's keeper? : ABBOT. Monastery.
7. Name often seen before a hyphen : JEAN. Like Jean-Claude Van Damme I suppose.
8. #4 at Boston Garden : ORR (Bobby)
10. Necklace feature : CLASP
11. Jockeys : HORSEMEN
12. European satellite launcher : ARIANE. I can never remember this name.
13. Nous or vous : PRONOM. French for pronoun.
14. Begins : SETS TO
22. Eye up and down : OGLE
23. River through Orsk : URAL. Sometimes we see ORSK clued as "Ural River city".
24. Fight cause, often : IRE
30. As found : IN SITU
33. Hollywood-themed Vegas hotel : MGM GRAND. Crazy consonant cluster.
35. Rial spender : YEMENITE. Only know them as Yemenis.
36. Rabin's '70s predecessor : MEIR (Golda)
37. Fixes bare spots, in a way : SODS
39. Former Mideast gp. : UAR
41. Certain how-to book targets? : IDIOTS. Dummies also.
42. La __: region of central Spain : MANCHA. Where Don Quixote's from.
43. Like the stables cleaned by Hercules in a single day : AUGEAN. Augean stables. Unpleasant task.
46. "I disagree" : IT ISN'T
48. Love : HONEY
49. "Purgatorio" writer : DANTE
51. Bridge in Paris : PONT. French for "bridge".
54. Rest : LIE
55. Morse character : DIT
56. Wind dir. : ENE. Not much a clue.
Answer grid.
Click here to read Rich Norris' article on our E-less puzzle last Saturday.
C.C.
Total words: 68
Total blocks: 27
This puzzle is anchored by two Down 10s intersecting triple stacks of 9s, which cross another Down 9:
1A. Michael Jordan began college as one : MATH MAJOR. Was unaware of this trivia.
15A. Plants : SHRUBBERY
17A. Sex symbol of the silents : THEDA BARA. Rare to see her full name.
53A. Adjacent to : ALONGSIDE
58A. Shepherd of old radio : RIN TIN TIN. German shepherd.
5D. GMAT taker's goal : MBA DEGREE
60A. Where three's a crowd : TETE-A-TETE Two person chat. Therefore three's crowd. Stumped me.
9D. 2006 N.L. MVP : RYAN HOWARD. Phillies should send Barry team-signed balls/bats for his loyalty and continued promotion of their players.
26D. Behave suitably : ACT THE PART. Nice entry.
31D. What oldies evoke : NOSTALGIA. Easy to lose time on YouTube.
How's your solving experience today? Felt harder than last Saturday's grid.
Across:
10. Leather leggings : CHAPS. The guy in the middle looks dangerous.
16. "Casbah" actor, 1948 : LORRE (Peter). I've never heard of the film "Casbah". Only "Casablanca".
18. Very funny : ARIOT. A-word to irk Bill G.
19. Accessory : ADD-ON
20. Titans, e.g. : NISSANS. The pickup truck. Not the Tennessee Titans I had in mind.
22. Current source : OUTLET. Power.
24. Negative sentiment : I HOPE NOT
25. "Wedding Day at Troldhaugen" composer : GRIEG (Edvard). "Peer Gynt" is all I know about him.
26. He got his only World Series ring in 2009 : A-ROD. Big deal.
27. Staff note : MEMO
28. "Viva-Vegas" link : LAS. Viva Las Vegas.
29. Eastern quaff that's typically 18-25% alcohol : RICE WINE. Do you like Sake?
32. 21-Down, e.g. : ELEMENT. 21D. Kelp nutrient : IODINE. You can find kelp in miso soup.
34. They're assumed : ANONYMS. Nice clue.
38. Motions : GESTURES
40. Want ad abbr. : EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity)
41. Mosque leader : IMAM
44. "__ a hunch ..." : I HAD
45. Far from assertive : TIMID
47. Ariadne, to Minos : DAUGHTER. Quite a sophisticated clue.
49. Archaeologists, at times : DATERS
50. Clique : IN-GROUP
51. "Going Rogue" author : PALIN (Sarah)
52. Three-time Clooney role : OCEAN (Danny). "Ocean's Thirteen" is pretty good.
57. Old Scottish landholder : THANE. Like Macbeth.
59. Like some bars : SANDY. I don't get this clue.
Down:
1. Colorado hrs. : MST
2. Sound of recognition : AHH
3. Mill's "On Liberty," for one : TREATISE. Not familiar with the work.
4. Where plays may be discussed : HUDDLE. Football.
6. Brother's keeper? : ABBOT. Monastery.
7. Name often seen before a hyphen : JEAN. Like Jean-Claude Van Damme I suppose.
8. #4 at Boston Garden : ORR (Bobby)
10. Necklace feature : CLASP
11. Jockeys : HORSEMEN
12. European satellite launcher : ARIANE. I can never remember this name.
13. Nous or vous : PRONOM. French for pronoun.
14. Begins : SETS TO
22. Eye up and down : OGLE
23. River through Orsk : URAL. Sometimes we see ORSK clued as "Ural River city".
24. Fight cause, often : IRE
30. As found : IN SITU
33. Hollywood-themed Vegas hotel : MGM GRAND. Crazy consonant cluster.
35. Rial spender : YEMENITE. Only know them as Yemenis.
36. Rabin's '70s predecessor : MEIR (Golda)
37. Fixes bare spots, in a way : SODS
39. Former Mideast gp. : UAR
41. Certain how-to book targets? : IDIOTS. Dummies also.
42. La __: region of central Spain : MANCHA. Where Don Quixote's from.
43. Like the stables cleaned by Hercules in a single day : AUGEAN. Augean stables. Unpleasant task.
46. "I disagree" : IT ISN'T
48. Love : HONEY
49. "Purgatorio" writer : DANTE
51. Bridge in Paris : PONT. French for "bridge".
54. Rest : LIE
55. Morse character : DIT
56. Wind dir. : ENE. Not much a clue.
Answer grid.
Click here to read Rich Norris' article on our E-less puzzle last Saturday.
C.C.
