Theme: SOUL OF MOTOWN (30A: 16A, 38A, and 55A, e.g.)
16A: "A Natural Woman" lady: ARETHA FRANKLIN
38A: "Part-Time Lover" man: STEVIE WONDER
55A: "Superfly" guy: CURTIS MAYFIELD
I could not finish this puzzle unassisted. I wish I could. I had a nightmare at the lower left corner. But I like this puzzle. I really like it.
I can't tell you what really constitutes a good puzzle. To quote Justice Stewart again: "I know it when I see it".
So many unexpected fills and surprising clues. Look at these compound words:
9A: Attacked: SET AT
14A: Baby Doll: CUTIE PIE
21A" Promotional links: TIE-INS
46A: For no profit: AT COST
50A: Lifter's shout: ALLEY-OOP
59A: Targeted: PREYED UPON
3D: Relished: ATE UP
22D: Spouse sibling: IN-LAW
44D: Can skip: NEEDN'T
48D: Dizzying designs: OP ART
50D: How much above?: A CUT
52D: Scientologist Hubbard: L RON
Quality clues, quality answers! This is the way crossword should be constructed and is indeed the way the new wave of constructors/editors like Stan Newman have been headed for.
Two irksome clues also:
58A: Home of the Huskies: UCONN. Definitely need a "for short" in the clue.
35D: Part of Canada's Y.T.: TER. Please don't use this clue again. It's cheating! Why not go with "Guam, e.g.: Abbr. "?
Across:
1A: Image digitizers: SCANNERS
19A: Western tip of England: LAND'S END. Foreign to me. Looks like a storm is coming.
24A: Harrison in "Star Wars": HAN. HAN Solo. FYI, HAN is also the largest among the 56 ethnic groups in China. It constitutes about 93% of the population, roughly 19% of the entire world population. I am a Han.
33A: Maestro Dorati: ANTAL. Have never heard of this conductor. Wikipedia says he was "especially well-known for his recordings of Tchaikovsky's music", and he was "the first conductor to record all three of Tchaikovsky's ballets - Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauity and The Nutcracker - complete."
41A: Tears into pieces: SHREDS
54A: Quilt with a washable cover: DUVET
60A: 1979 Alda senatorial role: TYNAN. The Seduction of Joe TYNAN. New to me. Both Meryl Streep & Rip Torn were (are??) in the cast. Is it a good movie?
61A: Shrill: STRIDENT
Down:
1D: Meager: SCANTY
2D: Screen arrow: CURSOR
8D: Caravan stopover: SERAI. I've never heard of this word.
9D: Grainy rocks: SANDSTONES
11D: Swimming pool edger: TILE. He is incredible. He has showed us how to turn an improbable into an afterthought!
18D: Capital of Spain?: ESS
24D: 1942 Bing Crosby film: HOLIDAY INN. I've never seen this movie. The only Bing Crosby movies I've seen are "The Country Girl" & "High Society". I adore Grace Kelley. I like "To Catch a Thief" & "Rear Window".
26D: Fabri or liquid finisher: ATOR. Commentator, Decorator as well.
27D: Hole maker: AWL. Interesting 7" Bone AWL.
39D: These, in Cadiz: ESTOS
40D: Morse code unit: DIT. No wobbling between DOT & DIT this time because I got DIS (42A: Bad-mouth) earlier on.
43D: Coty competitor: REVLON. L'Oreal is another major competitor of Coty, so are Unilever and P & G of course.
49D: Blue shoe leather: SUEDE. I don't understand this one, why "blue"?
51D: Ethel's tenant: LUCY. "I Love Lucy".
56D: Beatles song, "__ Blues": YER. "YER Blues". Saw this clue somewhere before.
57D: Murphy Brown's TV show: FYI. Completely unknown to me. I've never seen "Murphy Brown".
C.C.
16A: "A Natural Woman" lady: ARETHA FRANKLIN
38A: "Part-Time Lover" man: STEVIE WONDER
55A: "Superfly" guy: CURTIS MAYFIELD
I could not finish this puzzle unassisted. I wish I could. I had a nightmare at the lower left corner. But I like this puzzle. I really like it.
I can't tell you what really constitutes a good puzzle. To quote Justice Stewart again: "I know it when I see it".
So many unexpected fills and surprising clues. Look at these compound words:
9A: Attacked: SET AT
14A: Baby Doll: CUTIE PIE
21A" Promotional links: TIE-INS
46A: For no profit: AT COST
50A: Lifter's shout: ALLEY-OOP
59A: Targeted: PREYED UPON
3D: Relished: ATE UP
22D: Spouse sibling: IN-LAW
44D: Can skip: NEEDN'T
48D: Dizzying designs: OP ART
50D: How much above?: A CUT
52D: Scientologist Hubbard: L RON
Quality clues, quality answers! This is the way crossword should be constructed and is indeed the way the new wave of constructors/editors like Stan Newman have been headed for.
Two irksome clues also:
58A: Home of the Huskies: UCONN. Definitely need a "for short" in the clue.
35D: Part of Canada's Y.T.: TER. Please don't use this clue again. It's cheating! Why not go with "Guam, e.g.: Abbr. "?
Across:
1A: Image digitizers: SCANNERS
19A: Western tip of England: LAND'S END. Foreign to me. Looks like a storm is coming.
24A: Harrison in "Star Wars": HAN. HAN Solo. FYI, HAN is also the largest among the 56 ethnic groups in China. It constitutes about 93% of the population, roughly 19% of the entire world population. I am a Han.
33A: Maestro Dorati: ANTAL. Have never heard of this conductor. Wikipedia says he was "especially well-known for his recordings of Tchaikovsky's music", and he was "the first conductor to record all three of Tchaikovsky's ballets - Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauity and The Nutcracker - complete."
41A: Tears into pieces: SHREDS
54A: Quilt with a washable cover: DUVET
60A: 1979 Alda senatorial role: TYNAN. The Seduction of Joe TYNAN. New to me. Both Meryl Streep & Rip Torn were (are??) in the cast. Is it a good movie?
61A: Shrill: STRIDENT
Down:
1D: Meager: SCANTY
2D: Screen arrow: CURSOR
8D: Caravan stopover: SERAI. I've never heard of this word.
9D: Grainy rocks: SANDSTONES
11D: Swimming pool edger: TILE. He is incredible. He has showed us how to turn an improbable into an afterthought!
18D: Capital of Spain?: ESS
24D: 1942 Bing Crosby film: HOLIDAY INN. I've never seen this movie. The only Bing Crosby movies I've seen are "The Country Girl" & "High Society". I adore Grace Kelley. I like "To Catch a Thief" & "Rear Window".
26D: Fabri or liquid finisher: ATOR. Commentator, Decorator as well.
27D: Hole maker: AWL. Interesting 7" Bone AWL.
39D: These, in Cadiz: ESTOS
40D: Morse code unit: DIT. No wobbling between DOT & DIT this time because I got DIS (42A: Bad-mouth) earlier on.
43D: Coty competitor: REVLON. L'Oreal is another major competitor of Coty, so are Unilever and P & G of course.
49D: Blue shoe leather: SUEDE. I don't understand this one, why "blue"?
51D: Ethel's tenant: LUCY. "I Love Lucy".
56D: Beatles song, "__ Blues": YER. "YER Blues". Saw this clue somewhere before.
57D: Murphy Brown's TV show: FYI. Completely unknown to me. I've never seen "Murphy Brown".
C.C.
