Themeless
I am not fond of this puzzle at all. I simply dislike the overuse of affixes (S, ER, ED, etc) in the grid. And the appearances of OLD both as the clue and the answer just irk me to bones, look:
22A: Study of old age: GERONTOLOGY. Geronto- is the root word, Greek origin (gérōn: old man). "Study of the elderly" would be fine.
41D: Over the hill: OLD
After getting PENSIONERS (18A: Retired employees), GERONTOLOGY and MUNRO, I started to think of Sarah Polley's "Away From Her". It's a very gripping TALE (57A: Narrative Story) about an OLD couple dealing with Alzheimer's disease. The loving ACTS (1D: Exploits) of sacrifice by the husband are very poignant and touching.
The film is based on "The Bear Came over the Mountain", a short story written by Alice MUNRO (7D: Saki's real name"), who is considered "the finest living short story writer" according to Wikipedia. Julie Christie was just brilliant in the movie. The Oscar should have gone to her instead of that French actress Marion Cotillard, who did not even make effort to sing in "La Vie en Rose". (Update later: Please don't misunderstand me regarding the Saki clue (H. H. MUNRO). Many times I am just playing with the answers.)
Ready? Uno, due, TRE (24D: Trevi fountain coin count), Allons-y!
ACROSS:
5A: Round after the quarters: SEMIS (Semifinals)
10A: Stirling man: SCOT. "O, my love is like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June...". Love this poem from "Scotland's favorite son".
15A: Main artery: TRUNK ROUTE. New to me.
17A: Legendary bowman: TELL (William). The legendary archer.
18A: Retired employees: PENSIONERS. And 25A: Firestarter: IGNITER. And 44A: Runaway lovers: ELOPERS.
19A: Psalms interjection: SELAH
21A: Circular buildings: ROTUNDAS
27A: "The Raven" monogram: EAP (Edgar Allan Poe). It's mine too, my middle name is ARON.
30A: Actress Fabray: NANETTE. Completely unknown to me. Is she a gimme to you?
33A: Maliciously derogatory: SNIDE
34A: Jiffy: TRICE. Here are some Jiffy Muffins for you.
40A: Got in shape: TONED UP
45A: Caribbeans: WEST INDIANS
47A: Consisting of various kinds: ASSORTED
52A: Aptitude: CLEVERNESS
55A: Brood of pheasants: NIDE. I've never heard of this word before.
56A: Passed on genetically: HEREDITARY
58A: Tree of life location: EDEN. "Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of EDEN maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?"
59A: State in northeast India: ASSAM. Ah, the tea state. Wikipedia says it's equivalent to the size of AUSTRIA (38D: Vienna's country) and the area is also known for its silk. Dispur is its capital.
DOWN:
2D: Betty MacDonald bestseller: THE EGG AND I. I've never heard of the author or the book/movie. I like the answer though, with "THE" and "AND".
3D: Generation of today: MILLENNIAL
4D: On the payroll: SALARIED
9D: T-bars: SKI TOWS. I am not familiar with this term.
10D: Jazzman Rollins: SONNY. Dimly remember his name due to MPR's Jazz Image. I don't think I would have got his name without the crossing clues though.
12D: Other: Sp. OTRA And another Spanish word: 53D: Mexican Mme: SRA
13D: Trueheart of "Dick Tracy": TESS. No idea. I took a SWAG. I do like Julia Roberts' TESS in "Ocean's Eleven".
16D: Double-deck solitaire: ROUGE ET NOIR. Not familiar with this game at all. Pure WAG. Look at this Christian Lacroix ROUGE ET NOIR commerical.
20D: Easily infuriated: HOT TEMPERED
27D: Offering proof: EVIDENTIAL
28D: In a hateful manner: ACCURSEDLY. New word to me.
35D: Does a second watercolor: REPAINTS
46D: Fruit of the mind: IDEAS. The "Fruit" here is the plural form, I presume? I like this Emerson line: "Gibraltar may be strong, but IDEAS are impregnable, and bestow on the hero the invincibility".
54D: Pathetic starter?: SYM. Sympathetic. I rather like this "Phony Starter?". SYM/Syn" mean "with", Greek origin.
Alright, the last one, 60A: Stone and the Stallone: SLYS. Here is the "Hot Fun in the Summer Time" from "SLY and the Family Stone". I love those beautiful sceneries in the clip. Happy first day of summer, everyone!
C.C.
I am not fond of this puzzle at all. I simply dislike the overuse of affixes (S, ER, ED, etc) in the grid. And the appearances of OLD both as the clue and the answer just irk me to bones, look:
22A: Study of old age: GERONTOLOGY. Geronto- is the root word, Greek origin (gérōn: old man). "Study of the elderly" would be fine.
41D: Over the hill: OLD
After getting PENSIONERS (18A: Retired employees), GERONTOLOGY and MUNRO, I started to think of Sarah Polley's "Away From Her". It's a very gripping TALE (57A: Narrative Story) about an OLD couple dealing with Alzheimer's disease. The loving ACTS (1D: Exploits) of sacrifice by the husband are very poignant and touching.
The film is based on "The Bear Came over the Mountain", a short story written by Alice MUNRO (7D: Saki's real name"), who is considered "the finest living short story writer" according to Wikipedia. Julie Christie was just brilliant in the movie. The Oscar should have gone to her instead of that French actress Marion Cotillard, who did not even make effort to sing in "La Vie en Rose". (Update later: Please don't misunderstand me regarding the Saki clue (H. H. MUNRO). Many times I am just playing with the answers.)
Ready? Uno, due, TRE (24D: Trevi fountain coin count), Allons-y!
ACROSS:
5A: Round after the quarters: SEMIS (Semifinals)
10A: Stirling man: SCOT. "O, my love is like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June...". Love this poem from "Scotland's favorite son".
15A: Main artery: TRUNK ROUTE. New to me.
17A: Legendary bowman: TELL (William). The legendary archer.
18A: Retired employees: PENSIONERS. And 25A: Firestarter: IGNITER. And 44A: Runaway lovers: ELOPERS.
19A: Psalms interjection: SELAH
21A: Circular buildings: ROTUNDAS
27A: "The Raven" monogram: EAP (Edgar Allan Poe). It's mine too, my middle name is ARON.
30A: Actress Fabray: NANETTE. Completely unknown to me. Is she a gimme to you?
33A: Maliciously derogatory: SNIDE
34A: Jiffy: TRICE. Here are some Jiffy Muffins for you.
40A: Got in shape: TONED UP
45A: Caribbeans: WEST INDIANS
47A: Consisting of various kinds: ASSORTED
52A: Aptitude: CLEVERNESS
55A: Brood of pheasants: NIDE. I've never heard of this word before.
56A: Passed on genetically: HEREDITARY
58A: Tree of life location: EDEN. "Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of EDEN maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?"
59A: State in northeast India: ASSAM. Ah, the tea state. Wikipedia says it's equivalent to the size of AUSTRIA (38D: Vienna's country) and the area is also known for its silk. Dispur is its capital.
DOWN:
2D: Betty MacDonald bestseller: THE EGG AND I. I've never heard of the author or the book/movie. I like the answer though, with "THE" and "AND".
3D: Generation of today: MILLENNIAL
4D: On the payroll: SALARIED
9D: T-bars: SKI TOWS. I am not familiar with this term.
10D: Jazzman Rollins: SONNY. Dimly remember his name due to MPR's Jazz Image. I don't think I would have got his name without the crossing clues though.
12D: Other: Sp. OTRA And another Spanish word: 53D: Mexican Mme: SRA
13D: Trueheart of "Dick Tracy": TESS. No idea. I took a SWAG. I do like Julia Roberts' TESS in "Ocean's Eleven".
16D: Double-deck solitaire: ROUGE ET NOIR. Not familiar with this game at all. Pure WAG. Look at this Christian Lacroix ROUGE ET NOIR commerical.
20D: Easily infuriated: HOT TEMPERED
27D: Offering proof: EVIDENTIAL
28D: In a hateful manner: ACCURSEDLY. New word to me.
35D: Does a second watercolor: REPAINTS
46D: Fruit of the mind: IDEAS. The "Fruit" here is the plural form, I presume? I like this Emerson line: "Gibraltar may be strong, but IDEAS are impregnable, and bestow on the hero the invincibility".
54D: Pathetic starter?: SYM. Sympathetic. I rather like this "Phony Starter?". SYM/Syn" mean "with", Greek origin.
Alright, the last one, 60A: Stone and the Stallone: SLYS. Here is the "Hot Fun in the Summer Time" from "SLY and the Family Stone". I love those beautiful sceneries in the clip. Happy first day of summer, everyone!
C.C.
