Theme: Happy Birthday, America!
16A: Devoted to one's land: PATRIOTIC
36A: With 39-Across, historic birth announcement? THE DECLARATION
39A: See 36-Across: OF INDEPENDENCE
59A: Spectacular display: FIREWORKS
15D: Slice of Americana?: APPLE PIE
37D: Soft drink since 7/4/1982: DIET COKE
Another 15*16 grid! One more row is added to accommodate the even-numbered 36A & 39A.
I was surprised to see Dan Naddor's byline earlier, as he does not construct themeless Saturday. Then I realized it's a special Fourth of July puzzle.
I had no idea that DIET COKE was launched on 7/4/1982. Was surprised to learn further that Diet Pepsi was introduced in 1964.
A nice 73-worder. A Saturdayish word count (since this is 15*16) with a theme. Great! I liked how the 2 Down theme entries intersect the two middle Across ones.
I had fun. The long words popped up when I had a few letters filled in.
Across:
1A: Defiant way to respond to insults: TIT FOR TAT. So "turn the other cheek" will be "Obedient way to respond to insults"?
13A: Pull off the ultimate diamond theft?: STEAL HOME. Baseball diamond. A home run clue!
14A: Radio Dr.: LAURA. NPR is all I listen.
17A: Footnote abbr.: OP CIT. The other one is IBID.
18A: Sine's reciprocal: COSEC
19A: Start to sort out, as stored boxes: UNPILE. Thought of UNPACK first.
20A: __-dieu: PRIE. The prayer bench.
23A: Opaque vase material: MILKGLASS. Lots of people collect Fenton MILKGLASS.
25A: Landlord: LESSOR. Always wanted LEASER.
29A: Manual transmissions?: Abbr.: ASL. (American Sign Language). I was stumped.
30A: Fuzz site: PEACH. Ty Cobb's nickname is "The Georgia PEACH". And 70 years ago today, on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave his famous "luckiest man on the face of earth" speech (thanks, JD).
33A: Humane Soc. ally: SPCA
41A: Times for basking au soleil: ETES. Nice clue.
42A: Hotel courts: ATRIA. One letter L away from ALTRIA (ex-Philip Morris), which is Latin for "high".
43A: Videotape format: VHS
44A: Tight ends?: TEES. The both ends of "Tight".
46A: "No way!": MY FOOT
48A: Cutting: SARCASTIC
53A: Literary governess: EYRE. "Jane EYRE".
54A: Melodic: ARIOSO. Rooted in aria. This word often gives me trouble.
55A: Seasonal number: CAROL
58A: Con game: BUNKO. New word to me.
63A: His aluminum dust allergy kept him from playing the Tin Man: EBSEN (Buddy). I forgot his name. Was aware of this trivia though.
64A: Like a house on the market, often: REPAINTED
65A: Arctic explorer John: RAE. This has become a gimme.
66A: "Kate & Allie" actress: ARI MEYERS. I forgot all about her. Last time ARI is clued as "Actress Meyers".
Down:
1D: Medicinal amount: TSP
2D: Spanish diminutive suffix: ITA. Feminine diminutive. Opposite ITO.
4D: Satire relatives: FARCES
5D: Mélange: OLIO
6D: Sorority letters: RHOS. Greek P.
7D: Carved pole: TOTEM
8D: Bari buddies: AMICI. Plural of amico. Italian "buddy". Bari is a seaport in SE Italy, on the Adriatic.
9D: Dick: TEC. Detective.
10D: St. __: Caribbean island state: LUCIA
11D: Seed coverings: ARILS
12D: Frequent swingers?: GATE. Another great clue.
14D: 1962 WWII epic, with "The": LONGEST DAY. About D-Day. I've yet to see the film.
19D: The sopranino is the smallest one: UKE. Got the answer from Across fills. I did not know the meaning of sopranino. Here, ino is a diminutive suffix (of soprano).
21D: Do a smith's job: RESHOE. The Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari was a mule-shoer for the Italian Army during WWI.
22D: Remains: IS LEFT. Thought the clue was asking for a noun.
24D: Satirical songwriter Tom who wrote "The Masochism Tango": LEHRER. Easy guess. I am not familiar with the song.
26D: Time for hunting: OPEN SEASON
27D: Abbr. stamped on an invoice: REC'D
31D: The Rays' div.: AL EAST. Also includes the Red Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays & the Yankees.
32D: Kangaroo, for one: Abbr.: CAPT. Captain Kangaroo. I was lost. "Lincoln, for one: Abbr." will work too, right? Since Whiteman called him "O Captain! My Captain!". It adds a bit of patriotism in the very center of the grid.
34D: Military escort: CONVOY
35D: News coordinator: ANCHOR. I suppose so.
38D: Lively, in mus.: ANIM. No idea. It stands for animato. What's the opposite of animato then?
40D: Town near Padua: ESTE. Padua is the setting for Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". It's located 40 km west of Venice. I saw Verona close by. Could not find ESTE.
45D: Tomás's "that": ESO. Or ESA.
47D: Fraud, usually: FELONY. I don't know. If we can not trust an ex-Nasdaq Chairman (Bernard Madoff), whom else can we trust?
48D: Cavalry weapon: SABER. One-edged sword.
49D: Oranjestad's island: ARUBA. They speak Dutch there. Oranjestad is related to the Dutch House of Orange I think.
50D: Eschew the soap: RINSE. The clue feels odd.
52D: Wrist bones: CARPI. Plural of carpus. The blue-colored parts.
56D: Chew (out): REAM. "REAM out" is a new phrase to me.
57D: Boo-boo, in kidspeak: OWIE
59D: Brother: FRA. Monk.
60D: Shortcut, e.g.: Abbr.: RTE. Excellent clue too.
61D: Plop preceder: KER. Plunk preceder as well.
62D: Campus activist org. reformed in 2006: SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). Learned this "reformed in 2006" fact last time when we had SDS, clued as "'60s radicals". I often confuse SDS with '70 radicals SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army).
Answer grid.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
C.C.
16A: Devoted to one's land: PATRIOTIC
36A: With 39-Across, historic birth announcement? THE DECLARATION
39A: See 36-Across: OF INDEPENDENCE
59A: Spectacular display: FIREWORKS
15D: Slice of Americana?: APPLE PIE
37D: Soft drink since 7/4/1982: DIET COKE
Another 15*16 grid! One more row is added to accommodate the even-numbered 36A & 39A.
I was surprised to see Dan Naddor's byline earlier, as he does not construct themeless Saturday. Then I realized it's a special Fourth of July puzzle.
I had no idea that DIET COKE was launched on 7/4/1982. Was surprised to learn further that Diet Pepsi was introduced in 1964.
A nice 73-worder. A Saturdayish word count (since this is 15*16) with a theme. Great! I liked how the 2 Down theme entries intersect the two middle Across ones.
I had fun. The long words popped up when I had a few letters filled in.
Across:
1A: Defiant way to respond to insults: TIT FOR TAT. So "turn the other cheek" will be "Obedient way to respond to insults"?
13A: Pull off the ultimate diamond theft?: STEAL HOME. Baseball diamond. A home run clue!
14A: Radio Dr.: LAURA. NPR is all I listen.
17A: Footnote abbr.: OP CIT. The other one is IBID.
18A: Sine's reciprocal: COSEC
19A: Start to sort out, as stored boxes: UNPILE. Thought of UNPACK first.
20A: __-dieu: PRIE. The prayer bench.
23A: Opaque vase material: MILKGLASS. Lots of people collect Fenton MILKGLASS.
25A: Landlord: LESSOR. Always wanted LEASER.
29A: Manual transmissions?: Abbr.: ASL. (American Sign Language). I was stumped.
30A: Fuzz site: PEACH. Ty Cobb's nickname is "The Georgia PEACH". And 70 years ago today, on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave his famous "luckiest man on the face of earth" speech (thanks, JD).
33A: Humane Soc. ally: SPCA
41A: Times for basking au soleil: ETES. Nice clue.
42A: Hotel courts: ATRIA. One letter L away from ALTRIA (ex-Philip Morris), which is Latin for "high".
43A: Videotape format: VHS
44A: Tight ends?: TEES. The both ends of "Tight".
46A: "No way!": MY FOOT
48A: Cutting: SARCASTIC
53A: Literary governess: EYRE. "Jane EYRE".
54A: Melodic: ARIOSO. Rooted in aria. This word often gives me trouble.
55A: Seasonal number: CAROL
58A: Con game: BUNKO. New word to me.
63A: His aluminum dust allergy kept him from playing the Tin Man: EBSEN (Buddy). I forgot his name. Was aware of this trivia though.
64A: Like a house on the market, often: REPAINTED
65A: Arctic explorer John: RAE. This has become a gimme.
66A: "Kate & Allie" actress: ARI MEYERS. I forgot all about her. Last time ARI is clued as "Actress Meyers".
Down:
1D: Medicinal amount: TSP
2D: Spanish diminutive suffix: ITA. Feminine diminutive. Opposite ITO.
4D: Satire relatives: FARCES
5D: Mélange: OLIO
6D: Sorority letters: RHOS. Greek P.
7D: Carved pole: TOTEM
8D: Bari buddies: AMICI. Plural of amico. Italian "buddy". Bari is a seaport in SE Italy, on the Adriatic.
9D: Dick: TEC. Detective.
10D: St. __: Caribbean island state: LUCIA
11D: Seed coverings: ARILS
12D: Frequent swingers?: GATE. Another great clue.
14D: 1962 WWII epic, with "The": LONGEST DAY. About D-Day. I've yet to see the film.
19D: The sopranino is the smallest one: UKE. Got the answer from Across fills. I did not know the meaning of sopranino. Here, ino is a diminutive suffix (of soprano).
21D: Do a smith's job: RESHOE. The Ferrari founder Enzo Ferrari was a mule-shoer for the Italian Army during WWI.
22D: Remains: IS LEFT. Thought the clue was asking for a noun.
24D: Satirical songwriter Tom who wrote "The Masochism Tango": LEHRER. Easy guess. I am not familiar with the song.
26D: Time for hunting: OPEN SEASON
27D: Abbr. stamped on an invoice: REC'D
31D: The Rays' div.: AL EAST. Also includes the Red Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays & the Yankees.
32D: Kangaroo, for one: Abbr.: CAPT. Captain Kangaroo. I was lost. "Lincoln, for one: Abbr." will work too, right? Since Whiteman called him "O Captain! My Captain!". It adds a bit of patriotism in the very center of the grid.
34D: Military escort: CONVOY
35D: News coordinator: ANCHOR. I suppose so.
38D: Lively, in mus.: ANIM. No idea. It stands for animato. What's the opposite of animato then?
40D: Town near Padua: ESTE. Padua is the setting for Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". It's located 40 km west of Venice. I saw Verona close by. Could not find ESTE.
45D: Tomás's "that": ESO. Or ESA.
47D: Fraud, usually: FELONY. I don't know. If we can not trust an ex-Nasdaq Chairman (Bernard Madoff), whom else can we trust?
48D: Cavalry weapon: SABER. One-edged sword.
49D: Oranjestad's island: ARUBA. They speak Dutch there. Oranjestad is related to the Dutch House of Orange I think.
50D: Eschew the soap: RINSE. The clue feels odd.
52D: Wrist bones: CARPI. Plural of carpus. The blue-colored parts.
56D: Chew (out): REAM. "REAM out" is a new phrase to me.
57D: Boo-boo, in kidspeak: OWIE
59D: Brother: FRA. Monk.
60D: Shortcut, e.g.: Abbr.: RTE. Excellent clue too.
61D: Plop preceder: KER. Plunk preceder as well.
62D: Campus activist org. reformed in 2006: SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). Learned this "reformed in 2006" fact last time when we had SDS, clued as "'60s radicals". I often confuse SDS with '70 radicals SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army).
Answer grid.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
C.C.
