Words: 70
Blocks: 26
Perseverance paid off on this Saturday strangler from SLY Mr. Silk (42D.).
I can't recall a grid with this much white in all my blogging. The
word that broke it open for me was RIVERBOAT, and I did fill in the
whole puzzle, but did not get a *Ta-Da~!* because of two letters in crossing names....what can you do; and Oh, the deceptiveness~!!!
One full climber:
8. Key visibility aid? : DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT - Francis Scott KEY, that is, and his anthem written from a boat in Baltimore harbor, during the attack on Ft. McHenry in the War of 1812; "O, Say Can You See/By The ...."
And some other fill of note:
17. London landmark : CLOCK TOWER
- ran down the list of attractions along the Thames; Big Ben,
Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge,
Westminster Abbey, etc....ARGH~! just the plain ol' description of
Elizabeth Tower, as it is now called, with the bell inside named "Ben".
32. "Surfin' U.S.A." locale : WAIMEA BAY - with it's letter that got me, and a musical link for all to enjoy - the location mentioned at 1:36, and spelled wrong
61. Lying often involves them : MATTRESSES - HAR-HAR~!!! Very cute; do I want to link this one, this one, or this one?
ONWARD~!
ACROSS:
1. Insufficient funds notification : POSTAGE DUE - such complication to start
11. Small step : A TO B
15. Deal with, in a way, as trash : INCINERATE
16. Appropriate : TAKE
18. VIII squared : LXIV - Roman numerals; 8² = 64
19. London's __ Gardens : KEW - oh, OK, forgot this one
20. Gps. with similar goals : ASSNs
21. "Liberty Tree" writer : PAINE
22. Like a fantasy land? : LA-LA - land
24. Wanna-__ : BEs
25. Nextel Cup org. : NASCAR
26. How some estates are divided : EVENLY
28. Chemical compound : -ENOL
30. Hole maker : AWL
31. Grassy plant : SEDGE
34. Spot for a casino : RIVERBOAT
- with only half the fill from perps, this came to me; maybe because we
have something similar here on Long Island - there's a gambling boat
that sails out 12miles from Freeport.
36. Elite military group : NAVY SEALS
39. Springs : LEAPS
43. Vehicle used by srs. : IRA - Financial vehicle, that is; GOLF CART didn't fit
44. Hard to watch : UGLY
45. Weather Channel storm reporter Mike : SEIDEL - the "other" letter that got me
46. Iberian title : SENORA
48. Victor at Chancellorsville : LEE - a WAG
50. Thatcher, notably : TORY - more London, so to speak, England's P.M. Margaret and her political party
51. Brown : SAUTE - not this Brown
52. Swipe : FILCH - not STEAL
54. "Delta of Venus" author : NIN
55. One of an educational trio : AMAT - More Roman, uh, Latin - Amo, Amas, Amat
56. Era that spawned the information superhighway : DIGITAL AGE - because INTERNET didn't fit
58. "Six Feet Under" brother : NATE - all perps, don't watch the show
59. Basis for some social networks : SCHOOL TIES - I don't do Facebook
60. Boot accessory : SPUR
DOWN:
1. Jams : PICKLES - Ugh - I had BACKS UP, which worked with "KEW", then it was BACK UPS, and then I had to let it go
2. Not working : ON LEAVE
3. Showed displeasure : SCOWLED
4. Poker table tell, maybe : TIC
5. Singer with the album "Classic Songs, My Way" : ANKA
6. Manages : GETS BY
7. Like some shorelines : EROSE
9. Chief Ouray's tribesmen : UTES
10. Market closing? : EER - MartketEER
11. Road __ : ATLAS - and, 37D. 11-Down feature : AREA MAP
12. Hotel waiter : TAXICAB - More deception; you will usually see one waitING at the hotel
13. Site of WWII's last major battle : OKINAWA
14. Massachusetts city for which a California one is named : BEVERLY
21. Draft choice : PALE ALE - PILSNER fit, too
23. Ticked : ANGRY
25. Only Japanese MLB player to pitch a no-hitter (he had two) : NOMO - C.C. got this one, I am sure; I had "K", then "L"
27. Retiree's goal, often : LEISURE - this true, Dennis~?
29. Writing points : NIBS
32. Good fortune : WEAL - new word for me
33. Took the loss : ATE IT
35. Chevy named for a star : VEGA
36. Quests, e.g. : NISSANS - ARGH~! The minivan called the Quest
38. 2004 "Survivor" island : VANUATU - I knew my "U" in SPUR was valid, so when I saw this clue, I felt better about it being at the end of the word
40. Shelley's elegy to Keats : ADONAIS - the Wiki, for those interested
41. Orbital extreme : PERIGEE - it's the extreme of being as close as possible
42. Artful quality : SLYNESS - me thinks of the "Artful Dodger" of Oliver Twist
45. Pie chart division : SECTOR - eh, I wanted WEDGES, tho it doesn't agree with the clue's singularity
47. Web-footed swimmer : OTTER
49. "Ash Wednesday" poet : ELIOT
52. PR tax with a Medicare component : FICA - the Pay Roll deduction of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act - more WIki
53. Sound : HALE
56. Mil. award : DSM - from doing crosswords, I can remember the MBE, but not the Distinguished Service Medal
57. OCS grads, usually : LTs - all perps; Officer Candidate School, and the rank of Lieutenant(s)
Personally, I don't mind if Phil ( and I don't mean Mickelson ) sees his shadow; I prefer the winter~!!!
Splynter
