Theme: None
Total blocks: 29
Disaster, total disaster today.
Maybe Barry Silk should write a book on how to read his mind and how to conquer his puzzles. Stan Newman's "Saturday-savvy" tip (top row consonants-heavy, lower row high occurrence of the quartet letters REDS) did not help me at all.
I started recklessly with a LIFT for 1D: Plagiarize. CRIB is always baby's bed to me. Then I filled in HADJ for 2D: Pilgrimage to Mecca and I was 100% sure that I was right. Then I was so confused by my LHA* start for 1A.
Flitted away quickly to the upper right corner, and filled in IVE rather than IAL for 11D: Adjective-forming suffix. Had no idea that both Christmas and Easters were Islands. Wanted EVES and it did not fit. I was very annoyed and gave up the puzzle after 10 minutes.
I think I need more rest, having trouble staying asleep lately.
Across:
1A: Action flick staple: CHASE SCENE. Which movie do you think has the best car CHASE SCENE?
11A: Christmas, Easter, etc.: ISLS (Islands). Big stumper. Here are Christmas Island (Terriroty of Australia, Indian Ocean) and Easter ISLAND (Territory of Chili, South Pacific Ocean).
15A: Up the duties: RAISE TAXES. If only taxes are raised for the sole benefits of the taxed.
16A: Blood-related: AKIN
17A: Water-cooler rumors: IDLE GOSSIP. Is there any non-IDLE GOSSIP? So the plural form of GOSSIP is still GOSSIP?
18A: Prose finisher?: LYTE. Very unexpected clue, nice!
19A: Wholesale club: BJ'S. I've never heard of this warehouse chain. Only know Sam's Club & Costo.
20A: Bankrupt: RUINED
23A: Alpine tool: ICE AX. Here is one. Leon Trotsky was killed by an ICE AX. I think I am more used to the AXE spelling.
25A: Observation: REMARK
27A: Singer Lopez: TRINI. I always wanted JENNIFER for this "Singer Lopez clue".
30A: Misdirected: LED ASTRAY. Women are more easily to be LED ASTRAY (though sometimes willingly).
32A: Worth mentioning: OF NOTE
34A: Overtake on foot: RUN PAST. And 62D: Take off: RUN. I dislike having two RUN's in the grid.
35A: Shopping ctr.: MKT. I dislike this clue also. MKT brings to mind NYSE/NASDAQ. I am OK with the STORE (6D: Shopper's stop) though.
38A: VW model: GTI. What does GTI stand form?
39A: Dinger or drum starter: HUM
41A: Tranquilizes: SEDATES
44A: Peterson and Wilde: OSCARS. Don't know who OSCAR Peterson is.
46A: Part of SALT: STRATEGIC. SALT is the acronym of Strategic Arms Limitations Talks.
49A: Wheel-alignment measure: CAMBER. Was this a gimme to you?
50A: Ill-gotten profit: LUCRE. Filthy LUCRE.
53A: Goddess of the moon: SELENE. The Greek Goddess. Luna is the Roman equivalent. There seems to be another pair of moon Goddesses: Artemis (Greek) & Diana (Roman). I don't know what's the difference.
60A: "Wayne's World" co-star: DANA CARVEY. So silly.
64A: Plotters: INTRIGUERS. I was only familiar with the "capture" meaning of INTRIGUE. Interesting, dictionary explains that INTRIGUE can also refer to "a secret or illicit love affair" (noun) or "To carry on a secret or illicit love affair" (verb). Now I am really intrigued!
65A: City on the Irtysh River: OMSK. I had no idea where Irtysh River was. Here is a good map, so close to Borat's Kazakhstan.
66A: Type of pliers: NEEDLE-NOSE. I did not know that this kind of plier is called NEEDLE-NOSE.
Down:
2D: Pilgrim to Mecca: HADJ. Or HAJJ.
5D: Neurological test letters: EEG. I forgot. My brain is so selective that it only remembers what it wants to remember.
8D: Former Philly pro, so to speak: EX-SIXERS. Hard, hard for me. I don't follow NBA. HOFer Mike Schmidt, a real "Former Philly pro", popped into my mind immediately.
7D: Offhand: CASUAL
9D: Nuremberg negative: NEIN. "NEIN, danke"; "Ja, bitte!"
10D: Artificial international language: ESPERANTO. I forgot again. Saw this clue before. Does anyone actually speak this language?
11D: Adjective-forming suffix: IAL. As in presidential and differential.
12D: Airline-safety figure: SKY MARSHAL. I am more familiar with AIR MARSHAL.
13D: Art of words: LITERATURE. Somehow I wanted Rhetorics.
13D: Backdoor: SNEAKY. I was imagining a real backdoor.
21D: One in hate mode: DESPISER. Such a made-up word.
23D: Daughter of Cadmus: INO. Greek to me. Dictionary says INO is "sea goddess who rescued Odysseus from drowning by giving him a magic veil."
24D: Mild chelating agents: CITRATES. No guts to clue it as "Sildenafil ___ (Viagra)"? Of course I did not get it. I did not even understand the meaning of "chelating".
26D: Kingston Trio hit: MTA. Here is the clip. I've never heard of it before.
27D: Mix of oaters: TOM. Did not know him. TOM Cruise yes. I was really picturing a group of oaters chatting idly on a ranch.
28D: Former Redskins home: RFK STADIUM. I did not know that the Redskins played at RFK STADIUM before. Might have got the answer if the clue were "Washington Nationals home".
29D: Burials: INTERMENTS. New word to me also.
33D: Joined, redundantly: ENTERED IN. It's indeed reduandant.
37D: Pc.: SEG
40D: NetZero rival: MSN. I like their butterfly logo. I like this pair of butterfly earrings too.
43D: Quiet finish of fame or fortune: SILENT E. Good clue.
45D: French key: CLE. I am truly tired of this French related clue. Tell me why you don't like the Cleveland Indians.
46D: Singer Renata: SCOTTO. I don't understand a word she is singing. I like her earrings. I've never heard of her name before. No problem for Sallie I am sure.
47D: Steamship line founder: CUNARD (Samuel). Another unknown. According to Wikipedia, CUNARD Line is the operator of Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, & Queen Victoria.
51D: Beany's pal: CECIL. Nope. Complete stranger to me. Here is a clip.
54D: Travel channel?: LANE. Good clue.
55D: Chevy model: AVEO. Did this come easily to you?
56D: Generation after boomers: XERS
57D: Disappear, as symptoms: LYSE. I forgot. It's clued as "Subside, as disease" on August 10 Sunday. I disliked the clue then, I still don't like it now.
C.C.
Total blocks: 29
Disaster, total disaster today.
Maybe Barry Silk should write a book on how to read his mind and how to conquer his puzzles. Stan Newman's "Saturday-savvy" tip (top row consonants-heavy, lower row high occurrence of the quartet letters REDS) did not help me at all.
I started recklessly with a LIFT for 1D: Plagiarize. CRIB is always baby's bed to me. Then I filled in HADJ for 2D: Pilgrimage to Mecca and I was 100% sure that I was right. Then I was so confused by my LHA* start for 1A.
Flitted away quickly to the upper right corner, and filled in IVE rather than IAL for 11D: Adjective-forming suffix. Had no idea that both Christmas and Easters were Islands. Wanted EVES and it did not fit. I was very annoyed and gave up the puzzle after 10 minutes.
I think I need more rest, having trouble staying asleep lately.
Across:
1A: Action flick staple: CHASE SCENE. Which movie do you think has the best car CHASE SCENE?
11A: Christmas, Easter, etc.: ISLS (Islands). Big stumper. Here are Christmas Island (Terriroty of Australia, Indian Ocean) and Easter ISLAND (Territory of Chili, South Pacific Ocean).
15A: Up the duties: RAISE TAXES. If only taxes are raised for the sole benefits of the taxed.
16A: Blood-related: AKIN
17A: Water-cooler rumors: IDLE GOSSIP. Is there any non-IDLE GOSSIP? So the plural form of GOSSIP is still GOSSIP?
18A: Prose finisher?: LYTE. Very unexpected clue, nice!
19A: Wholesale club: BJ'S. I've never heard of this warehouse chain. Only know Sam's Club & Costo.
20A: Bankrupt: RUINED
23A: Alpine tool: ICE AX. Here is one. Leon Trotsky was killed by an ICE AX. I think I am more used to the AXE spelling.
25A: Observation: REMARK
27A: Singer Lopez: TRINI. I always wanted JENNIFER for this "Singer Lopez clue".
30A: Misdirected: LED ASTRAY. Women are more easily to be LED ASTRAY (though sometimes willingly).
32A: Worth mentioning: OF NOTE
34A: Overtake on foot: RUN PAST. And 62D: Take off: RUN. I dislike having two RUN's in the grid.
35A: Shopping ctr.: MKT. I dislike this clue also. MKT brings to mind NYSE/NASDAQ. I am OK with the STORE (6D: Shopper's stop) though.
38A: VW model: GTI. What does GTI stand form?
39A: Dinger or drum starter: HUM
41A: Tranquilizes: SEDATES
44A: Peterson and Wilde: OSCARS. Don't know who OSCAR Peterson is.
46A: Part of SALT: STRATEGIC. SALT is the acronym of Strategic Arms Limitations Talks.
49A: Wheel-alignment measure: CAMBER. Was this a gimme to you?
50A: Ill-gotten profit: LUCRE. Filthy LUCRE.
53A: Goddess of the moon: SELENE. The Greek Goddess. Luna is the Roman equivalent. There seems to be another pair of moon Goddesses: Artemis (Greek) & Diana (Roman). I don't know what's the difference.
60A: "Wayne's World" co-star: DANA CARVEY. So silly.
64A: Plotters: INTRIGUERS. I was only familiar with the "capture" meaning of INTRIGUE. Interesting, dictionary explains that INTRIGUE can also refer to "a secret or illicit love affair" (noun) or "To carry on a secret or illicit love affair" (verb). Now I am really intrigued!
65A: City on the Irtysh River: OMSK. I had no idea where Irtysh River was. Here is a good map, so close to Borat's Kazakhstan.
66A: Type of pliers: NEEDLE-NOSE. I did not know that this kind of plier is called NEEDLE-NOSE.
Down:
2D: Pilgrim to Mecca: HADJ. Or HAJJ.
5D: Neurological test letters: EEG. I forgot. My brain is so selective that it only remembers what it wants to remember.
8D: Former Philly pro, so to speak: EX-SIXERS. Hard, hard for me. I don't follow NBA. HOFer Mike Schmidt, a real "Former Philly pro", popped into my mind immediately.
7D: Offhand: CASUAL
9D: Nuremberg negative: NEIN. "NEIN, danke"; "Ja, bitte!"
10D: Artificial international language: ESPERANTO. I forgot again. Saw this clue before. Does anyone actually speak this language?
11D: Adjective-forming suffix: IAL. As in presidential and differential.
12D: Airline-safety figure: SKY MARSHAL. I am more familiar with AIR MARSHAL.
13D: Art of words: LITERATURE. Somehow I wanted Rhetorics.
13D: Backdoor: SNEAKY. I was imagining a real backdoor.
21D: One in hate mode: DESPISER. Such a made-up word.
23D: Daughter of Cadmus: INO. Greek to me. Dictionary says INO is "sea goddess who rescued Odysseus from drowning by giving him a magic veil."
24D: Mild chelating agents: CITRATES. No guts to clue it as "Sildenafil ___ (Viagra)"? Of course I did not get it. I did not even understand the meaning of "chelating".
26D: Kingston Trio hit: MTA. Here is the clip. I've never heard of it before.
27D: Mix of oaters: TOM. Did not know him. TOM Cruise yes. I was really picturing a group of oaters chatting idly on a ranch.
28D: Former Redskins home: RFK STADIUM. I did not know that the Redskins played at RFK STADIUM before. Might have got the answer if the clue were "Washington Nationals home".
29D: Burials: INTERMENTS. New word to me also.
33D: Joined, redundantly: ENTERED IN. It's indeed reduandant.
37D: Pc.: SEG
40D: NetZero rival: MSN. I like their butterfly logo. I like this pair of butterfly earrings too.
43D: Quiet finish of fame or fortune: SILENT E. Good clue.
45D: French key: CLE. I am truly tired of this French related clue. Tell me why you don't like the Cleveland Indians.
46D: Singer Renata: SCOTTO. I don't understand a word she is singing. I like her earrings. I've never heard of her name before. No problem for Sallie I am sure.
47D: Steamship line founder: CUNARD (Samuel). Another unknown. According to Wikipedia, CUNARD Line is the operator of Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, & Queen Victoria.
51D: Beany's pal: CECIL. Nope. Complete stranger to me. Here is a clip.
54D: Travel channel?: LANE. Good clue.
55D: Chevy model: AVEO. Did this come easily to you?
56D: Generation after boomers: XERS
57D: Disappear, as symptoms: LYSE. I forgot. It's clued as "Subside, as disease" on August 10 Sunday. I disliked the clue then, I still don't like it now.
C.C.
