Theme: Common Phrases Meaning "GRASP"
20A: Understand: SEE THE LIGHT
38A: Comprehend: GET THE MESSAGE
55A: Catch on: TAKE THE HINT
I did not detect any April's Fools' hoax in this puzzle, did you?
This grid reminded me of John Underwood's March 25 SLIP puzzle (last Tuesday's). Lots of three letter words, though theme was not as lively. I don't think I like the way those two 4-blank squares are stacked & cornered together in the middle of the grid. It just does not fit my eyes.
I did not finish the puzzle today mainly due to my English vocabulary deficiency. I did not know the meaning of "Metronome" and "Solfeggio", and I've never heard of the movie "Free Willy", so I went through hell trying to fill in the DEER part of the puzzle.
I do like the CLAW clue, and I love how it intersects CLASP. It evokes such a vivid image! I am a bit irked by 43A: Oral delivery: SPEECH. This "Oral" is as unpleasant as yesterday's CODE. If ORAL appears as the answer to 6D: Voiced, this "Oral delivery" clue should really be promptly discarded. Hello Williams, can you hear me now?
Grid structure: Total words counts: 78. Total blank square: 36 (maximum is 43).
1A: Grizzly weapon: CLAW. Do you know that grizzly bears eat plant also?
5A: Fall flat: BOMB
9A: Alluring trait: CHARM. Just do not clue ALLUREMENT as "Charming trait" next time. It will drive someone nuts!
14A: Old Italian bread? LIRA. Money. This bread clue is getting staler now. Bake something new for us.
15A: "Stride la vampa.": e. g.: ARIA
19A: Can't do without: NEEDS. I gather you can also clue NEED to be "Can't do without", right?
29A: Spook, maybe: SPY. Never knew that spook is a slang for espionage.
34A: Ho Chi Minh City, formerly: SAIGON. "Good morning, Vietnam"! We have a fellow TMS crossword solver there.
44A: Electron tube parts: ANODES
47A: "Free Willy" star: ORCA. Unknown to me, but it's a good change from the "Killer whale" clue.
51A: Old-fashioned messages: TELEXES
53A: One of Florida's Keys: LARGO
59A: Tubby plus: OBESE
64A: Cut and paste: EDIT. Shouldn't it be clued as "Cut and paste, e. g."?
66A: Gondola alternative: T-BAR. I was thinking of the Italian boat. Did not know anything about the Gondola lift.
68A: Tete topper: BERET. The unbearable ennui! Surprise me with something new next time!
Down entries:
1D: Jewelry fasteners: CLASPS
2D: Get into position: LINE UP
3D: Red cell carrier: ARTERY
4D: Cool one's heels: WAITS
5D: In the altogether: BARE. Hmm, I've never heard of this expression before. I thought it meant SANE. American idioms are killing me!
9D: Negative beginning: CONTRA. I like this clue. Contra- is a prefix here.
10D: Cry's partner: HUE. Cry and Hue.
21D: Courage to continue: HEART. Not fond of this clue at all. I don't know. I guess I was expecting something more audacious & intrepid. The HEART here sounds so Coward Lion-ly.
25D: Singer Shore or Washington: DINAH. One name is enough!
26D: Hyped up: AGOG
33D: Metronome's reminder: TEMPO
35D: Chopin piano piece: ÉTUDE
41D: Solfeggio: SCALE
48D: Rein in: BRIDLE. Yep, this is not a time for "unbridled enthusiasm" & "irrational exuberance".
49D: Catch fire: IGNITE
58D: Rhino's weapon: HORN
59D: Poetic peeper: ORB. Nice change from yesterday's "Eye, poetically" clue.
60D: Quilting klatch: BEE. This is the first time I meet Klatch.
C.C.
20A: Understand: SEE THE LIGHT
38A: Comprehend: GET THE MESSAGE
55A: Catch on: TAKE THE HINT
I did not detect any April's Fools' hoax in this puzzle, did you?
This grid reminded me of John Underwood's March 25 SLIP puzzle (last Tuesday's). Lots of three letter words, though theme was not as lively. I don't think I like the way those two 4-blank squares are stacked & cornered together in the middle of the grid. It just does not fit my eyes.
I did not finish the puzzle today mainly due to my English vocabulary deficiency. I did not know the meaning of "Metronome" and "Solfeggio", and I've never heard of the movie "Free Willy", so I went through hell trying to fill in the DEER part of the puzzle.
I do like the CLAW clue, and I love how it intersects CLASP. It evokes such a vivid image! I am a bit irked by 43A: Oral delivery: SPEECH. This "Oral" is as unpleasant as yesterday's CODE. If ORAL appears as the answer to 6D: Voiced, this "Oral delivery" clue should really be promptly discarded. Hello Williams, can you hear me now?
Grid structure: Total words counts: 78. Total blank square: 36 (maximum is 43).
1A: Grizzly weapon: CLAW. Do you know that grizzly bears eat plant also?
5A: Fall flat: BOMB
9A: Alluring trait: CHARM. Just do not clue ALLUREMENT as "Charming trait" next time. It will drive someone nuts!
14A: Old Italian bread? LIRA. Money. This bread clue is getting staler now. Bake something new for us.
15A: "Stride la vampa.": e. g.: ARIA
19A: Can't do without: NEEDS. I gather you can also clue NEED to be "Can't do without", right?
29A: Spook, maybe: SPY. Never knew that spook is a slang for espionage.
34A: Ho Chi Minh City, formerly: SAIGON. "Good morning, Vietnam"! We have a fellow TMS crossword solver there.
44A: Electron tube parts: ANODES
47A: "Free Willy" star: ORCA. Unknown to me, but it's a good change from the "Killer whale" clue.
51A: Old-fashioned messages: TELEXES
53A: One of Florida's Keys: LARGO
59A: Tubby plus: OBESE
64A: Cut and paste: EDIT. Shouldn't it be clued as "Cut and paste, e. g."?
66A: Gondola alternative: T-BAR. I was thinking of the Italian boat. Did not know anything about the Gondola lift.
68A: Tete topper: BERET. The unbearable ennui! Surprise me with something new next time!
Down entries:
1D: Jewelry fasteners: CLASPS
2D: Get into position: LINE UP
3D: Red cell carrier: ARTERY
4D: Cool one's heels: WAITS
5D: In the altogether: BARE. Hmm, I've never heard of this expression before. I thought it meant SANE. American idioms are killing me!
9D: Negative beginning: CONTRA. I like this clue. Contra- is a prefix here.
10D: Cry's partner: HUE. Cry and Hue.
21D: Courage to continue: HEART. Not fond of this clue at all. I don't know. I guess I was expecting something more audacious & intrepid. The HEART here sounds so Coward Lion-ly.
25D: Singer Shore or Washington: DINAH. One name is enough!
26D: Hyped up: AGOG
33D: Metronome's reminder: TEMPO
35D: Chopin piano piece: ÉTUDE
41D: Solfeggio: SCALE
48D: Rein in: BRIDLE. Yep, this is not a time for "unbridled enthusiasm" & "irrational exuberance".
49D: Catch fire: IGNITE
58D: Rhino's weapon: HORN
59D: Poetic peeper: ORB. Nice change from yesterday's "Eye, poetically" clue.
60D: Quilting klatch: BEE. This is the first time I meet Klatch.
C.C.
