Theme: Tribute to a Comedian
17A: George Carlin album: CLASS CLOWN
40A: George Carlin album: OCCUPATION: FOOLE
63A: Classic bit from 17A: SEVEN WORDS
Several months' late, but better late than never. I am sure this puzzle was submitted to our editor in late June or early July.
This constructor is new to me, but I did not encounter any unusual heavy fighting solving his gird. Many of the clues feel very familiar, so I am sure lots of editing was done.
I don't like the VOC clue (32D: Type of sch.). I would change VEST (32A: Three-piece piece) into REST, so 32D would be ROC, which is often clued as "Mythical bird of prey" by Williams.
Across:
1A: French cleric: ABBE. Curé is French for cleric too.
5A: Discomfit: ABASH. I am only familiar with "unabashed".
16A: New Greek coin: EURO. I like this clue.
20A: Well-plumed bird: EGRET. What are they looking at?
37A: Like some peanuts: SALTED. I like my nuts to be honeyed. I love HONEY (9D: Bee product), don't you?
43A: Tight spot: CORNER
49A: Tex. campus: SMU. Bush Library will be built in this campus. SMU is Laura Bush's alma mater.
51A: Goddess of folly: ATE. Learned from doing Xword. She is Zeus's oldest daughter. Wikipedia says ATE is also "the action performed by the hero, usually because of his or her HUBRIS that leads to his or her death or downfall."
53A: Layer: STRATUM
58A: Secret assembly: CONCLAVE. I always associate CONCLAVE with cardinals' mystifying process of electing a new pope.
68A: Guitar ridge: FRET. No idea. I don't know anything about guitar. See this diagram: 4 is FRETS, and 20 is fretboard.
69A: Ferrell or Banks: TYRA. Banks is the supermodel. Ferrell is in "White Man Can't Jump" starring Woody Harrelson. Very noisy movie.
70A: Steisand film: YENTL. I've never seen the movie. YENTL, Yenta (Busybody) and Yente ("Fiddler on the Roof" matchmaker), so confusing.
Down:
2D: Protuberance: BULGE. Wikipedia says "The Battle of the BULGE was the bloodiest of the battles that U.S. forces experienced in World War II. The 19,000 American dead were unsurpassed by those of any other engagement". Including all the battles in Vietnam War, I suppose?
5D: Coll. sports grp.: ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference). See this list of ACC members.
6D: Dance in France: BAL
11D: Top of fraction: NUMERATOR
33D: "The Name of the Rose" writer: ECO. Here is the book cover. ECO has been clued as Author Umberto" several times in our puzzle before.
34D: Moocher: SCROUNGER. My favorite entry. Lots of consonants.
39D: Scottish river: DEE. I guessed. I could only remember TAY. Here is the map. It's in Aberdeen.
41D: Flower element: PETAL. I always thought of "Bouquet" as a bunch of flowers, had no idea that it also meant SCENT (49D).
47D: Unsparing: SEVERE
50D: Comic Amsterdam: MOREY. No idea. I got his name from across fills. Is he in this "Dick Van Dyke" picture?
57D: Sail supports: MASTS. I like the intersection of MASTS and TARS (71D: Old sailors).
60D: Bayh or Hunter: EVAN. Know Senator Bayh, not Hunter.
65D: Org. of Ducks and Rangers: NHL. I want the clue to be "Org. of Penguins and Ducks".
C.C.
17A: George Carlin album: CLASS CLOWN
40A: George Carlin album: OCCUPATION: FOOLE
63A: Classic bit from 17A: SEVEN WORDS
Several months' late, but better late than never. I am sure this puzzle was submitted to our editor in late June or early July.
This constructor is new to me, but I did not encounter any unusual heavy fighting solving his gird. Many of the clues feel very familiar, so I am sure lots of editing was done.
I don't like the VOC clue (32D: Type of sch.). I would change VEST (32A: Three-piece piece) into REST, so 32D would be ROC, which is often clued as "Mythical bird of prey" by Williams.
Across:
1A: French cleric: ABBE. Curé is French for cleric too.
5A: Discomfit: ABASH. I am only familiar with "unabashed".
16A: New Greek coin: EURO. I like this clue.
20A: Well-plumed bird: EGRET. What are they looking at?
37A: Like some peanuts: SALTED. I like my nuts to be honeyed. I love HONEY (9D: Bee product), don't you?
43A: Tight spot: CORNER
49A: Tex. campus: SMU. Bush Library will be built in this campus. SMU is Laura Bush's alma mater.
51A: Goddess of folly: ATE. Learned from doing Xword. She is Zeus's oldest daughter. Wikipedia says ATE is also "the action performed by the hero, usually because of his or her HUBRIS that leads to his or her death or downfall."
53A: Layer: STRATUM
58A: Secret assembly: CONCLAVE. I always associate CONCLAVE with cardinals' mystifying process of electing a new pope.
68A: Guitar ridge: FRET. No idea. I don't know anything about guitar. See this diagram: 4 is FRETS, and 20 is fretboard.
69A: Ferrell or Banks: TYRA. Banks is the supermodel. Ferrell is in "White Man Can't Jump" starring Woody Harrelson. Very noisy movie.
70A: Steisand film: YENTL. I've never seen the movie. YENTL, Yenta (Busybody) and Yente ("Fiddler on the Roof" matchmaker), so confusing.
Down:
2D: Protuberance: BULGE. Wikipedia says "The Battle of the BULGE was the bloodiest of the battles that U.S. forces experienced in World War II. The 19,000 American dead were unsurpassed by those of any other engagement". Including all the battles in Vietnam War, I suppose?
5D: Coll. sports grp.: ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference). See this list of ACC members.
6D: Dance in France: BAL
11D: Top of fraction: NUMERATOR
33D: "The Name of the Rose" writer: ECO. Here is the book cover. ECO has been clued as Author Umberto" several times in our puzzle before.
34D: Moocher: SCROUNGER. My favorite entry. Lots of consonants.
39D: Scottish river: DEE. I guessed. I could only remember TAY. Here is the map. It's in Aberdeen.
41D: Flower element: PETAL. I always thought of "Bouquet" as a bunch of flowers, had no idea that it also meant SCENT (49D).
47D: Unsparing: SEVERE
50D: Comic Amsterdam: MOREY. No idea. I got his name from across fills. Is he in this "Dick Van Dyke" picture?
57D: Sail supports: MASTS. I like the intersection of MASTS and TARS (71D: Old sailors).
60D: Bayh or Hunter: EVAN. Know Senator Bayh, not Hunter.
65D: Org. of Ducks and Rangers: NHL. I want the clue to be "Org. of Penguins and Ducks".
C.C.
