Theme: Crowd Scene
18A: 1979 Broncos' nickname: ORANGE CRUSH
58A: Steady date: MAIN SQUEEZE
3D: Seal out air: VACUUM PACK
31D: Gridlock: TRAFFIC JAM
I did not know that the nickname for the 1979 Broncos is ORANGE CRUSH, such a theme friendly phrase. With LEMON TWIST, ACORN SQUASH, PEACHBLOW, you've got another explosive puzzle.
I've never heard MAIN SQUEEZE either, nobody has ever called me that. Very interesting slang, SQUEEZE!
I really like this puzzle. Only one letter (Y) away from a pangram. Challenging but rewarding. I've emerged as new person after battling through the Q fever. I suggest Barry Silk watch some movies starring Maggie Q, the exotic & well-known model/actress in Asia. Or he can read Ah Q, a masterpiece in Chinese literature. I am sure he will be inspired.
The only corner I dislike is the intersection of FREEZER (43D: Cold storage) and STORE (66A: Stockpile). Bad clues. "Stockpile" does not sound powerful at all for STORE, in fact, it's anemic.
I could not finish this puzzle unassisted. It's out of my ability.
OK, let's tee off!
FRONT NINE:
1A: Actress Tyler: LIV. She starred in "The Lord of Rings". She is also the spokesperson for Givenchy, irresistible indeed!
4A: In flames: AFIRE. What would you do "When You Are Engulfed in Flames"?
9A: Standing by the plate: AT BAT
14A: Palindromic constellation: ARA. No idea. But ARA is the only feasible palindromic choice here.
16A: Capital of Tibet: LHASA. "H" is a very puzzling letter to me. Why added "H" to the words when it's not pronounced? I am also bewildered by the order of "H' in a word. Is there any rule for it? I always want to spell Gandhi as Ghandi.
20A: Times and Herald, e.g.: SQUARES
23A: Samovars: URNS. Samovar is a kind of Russian urn.
26A: Words of woe: OH ME. Not AH ME?
30A: Web page file letters: HTML
34A: '50s dance: HOP. Not familiar with this dance at all.
36A: Sealy rival: SERTA. Nope. I've never paid attention to the name of those mattress manufacturers. I slept on hard, mattressless, wooden bed until I was 24 years old.
41A: Four-sided figs.: RECTS (Rectangles). I would not have got it without the down fills.
42A: Drink heartily: QUAFF
44A: Rival of 1-800-FLOWERS: FTD (Florist's Transworld Delivery). I still have not received this, have you sent it out yet?
48A: Jimmies: PRIES. I only knew Jimmy as a man's name. Had no idea that it could also be a crowbar or a verb.
52A: Be contiguous: ADJOIN
61A: Fla. city: JAX (Jacksonville). Isn't it an airport designation?
BACK NINE:
5D: Anticipated: FORESAW. Remember last Friday I FORESAW a price drop of $25/barrel for those stupid crude oil? So far so good, $15 plummet in the past 3 days.
6D: Tax-sheltered $: IRAS. Free fall in the past months?
9D: Aluminum company: ALCOA. No way AA can reach $43 this year!
10D: Atlanta pro: THRASHER. Which NHL team do you think have the coolest name? I like our Minnesota Wild.
11D: One bit per second: BAUD. No idea. Pure guess.
12D: African fox: ASSE. The Cape fox. It appeared on May 26 TMS puzzle.
13D: Asian mountain goat: TAHR. Or THAR. Nepali language. Completely unknown to me. so ugly.
24D: Lousy excuses: COP-OUTS
25D: One-celled organisms: AMEBAE
27D: Shanty: HOVEL. New word to me.
29D: Slightly blue: RISQUE. Oh, only slightly.
32D: School calendar letters: MTWTF
46D: Tanning lotion letters: SPF (Sun Protection Factor). I think mine is SPF 50 (Coppertone Sport).
38D: Get a move on!: STEP ON IT
46D: Flaubert's five: CINQ. My favorite answer of the whole grid. I like the alliteration in the clue too. Without the letter C, I would have penned in RARER for 46A: More precious (CUTER).
53D: Limp watch painter: DALI. Here is "The Persistence of Memory", a classical surrealistic piece. It's hot. Those hard watches are melting. What time is it? 6pm?
55D: Presidential turndown: VETO. Don't VETO the wrong bill please!
C.C.
18A: 1979 Broncos' nickname: ORANGE CRUSH
58A: Steady date: MAIN SQUEEZE
3D: Seal out air: VACUUM PACK
31D: Gridlock: TRAFFIC JAM
I did not know that the nickname for the 1979 Broncos is ORANGE CRUSH, such a theme friendly phrase. With LEMON TWIST, ACORN SQUASH, PEACHBLOW, you've got another explosive puzzle.
I've never heard MAIN SQUEEZE either, nobody has ever called me that. Very interesting slang, SQUEEZE!
I really like this puzzle. Only one letter (Y) away from a pangram. Challenging but rewarding. I've emerged as new person after battling through the Q fever. I suggest Barry Silk watch some movies starring Maggie Q, the exotic & well-known model/actress in Asia. Or he can read Ah Q, a masterpiece in Chinese literature. I am sure he will be inspired.
The only corner I dislike is the intersection of FREEZER (43D: Cold storage) and STORE (66A: Stockpile). Bad clues. "Stockpile" does not sound powerful at all for STORE, in fact, it's anemic.
I could not finish this puzzle unassisted. It's out of my ability.
OK, let's tee off!
FRONT NINE:
1A: Actress Tyler: LIV. She starred in "The Lord of Rings". She is also the spokesperson for Givenchy, irresistible indeed!
4A: In flames: AFIRE. What would you do "When You Are Engulfed in Flames"?
9A: Standing by the plate: AT BAT
14A: Palindromic constellation: ARA. No idea. But ARA is the only feasible palindromic choice here.
16A: Capital of Tibet: LHASA. "H" is a very puzzling letter to me. Why added "H" to the words when it's not pronounced? I am also bewildered by the order of "H' in a word. Is there any rule for it? I always want to spell Gandhi as Ghandi.
20A: Times and Herald, e.g.: SQUARES
23A: Samovars: URNS. Samovar is a kind of Russian urn.
26A: Words of woe: OH ME. Not AH ME?
30A: Web page file letters: HTML
34A: '50s dance: HOP. Not familiar with this dance at all.
36A: Sealy rival: SERTA. Nope. I've never paid attention to the name of those mattress manufacturers. I slept on hard, mattressless, wooden bed until I was 24 years old.
41A: Four-sided figs.: RECTS (Rectangles). I would not have got it without the down fills.
42A: Drink heartily: QUAFF
44A: Rival of 1-800-FLOWERS: FTD (Florist's Transworld Delivery). I still have not received this, have you sent it out yet?
48A: Jimmies: PRIES. I only knew Jimmy as a man's name. Had no idea that it could also be a crowbar or a verb.
52A: Be contiguous: ADJOIN
61A: Fla. city: JAX (Jacksonville). Isn't it an airport designation?
BACK NINE:
5D: Anticipated: FORESAW. Remember last Friday I FORESAW a price drop of $25/barrel for those stupid crude oil? So far so good, $15 plummet in the past 3 days.
6D: Tax-sheltered $: IRAS. Free fall in the past months?
9D: Aluminum company: ALCOA. No way AA can reach $43 this year!
10D: Atlanta pro: THRASHER. Which NHL team do you think have the coolest name? I like our Minnesota Wild.
11D: One bit per second: BAUD. No idea. Pure guess.
12D: African fox: ASSE. The Cape fox. It appeared on May 26 TMS puzzle.
13D: Asian mountain goat: TAHR. Or THAR. Nepali language. Completely unknown to me. so ugly.
24D: Lousy excuses: COP-OUTS
25D: One-celled organisms: AMEBAE
27D: Shanty: HOVEL. New word to me.
29D: Slightly blue: RISQUE. Oh, only slightly.
32D: School calendar letters: MTWTF
46D: Tanning lotion letters: SPF (Sun Protection Factor). I think mine is SPF 50 (Coppertone Sport).
38D: Get a move on!: STEP ON IT
46D: Flaubert's five: CINQ. My favorite answer of the whole grid. I like the alliteration in the clue too. Without the letter C, I would have penned in RARER for 46A: More precious (CUTER).
53D: Limp watch painter: DALI. Here is "The Persistence of Memory", a classical surrealistic piece. It's hot. Those hard watches are melting. What time is it? 6pm?
55D: Presidential turndown: VETO. Don't VETO the wrong bill please!
C.C.
