Theme: None
Total block: 27
Ah, only if I had a hammer! I wound pound SORRIEST (16A: Superlatively wretched), REDDEST (40D: Most embarrassed), SNAPPINESS (25A: Brisk quality) and MADNESS (37D: Lunacy) out of this grid.
Did you count the ER's are in this puzzle? Dizzying! Not to mention RE, ED, S'es.
I cannot even find one sparkling clue, can you? I know I keep complaining about Alan P. Olschwang's Quip/Quote puzzles, but there have never been an excess of annoying affixes in any of his work.
Across:
1A: Puget Sound port: TACOMA. Bing Crosby was born here. TACOMA is from "Tocobet", Indian name for Mount Rainier.
18A: Psychosomatic crucifixion wounds: STIGMATA. I had no idea that the plural form of stigma is STIGMATA.
19A: Founds: CONSTITUTES. New definition to me.
23A: Lesser Sundas island: TIMOR. See this map. I only know East TIMOR. I also forgot where "Lesser Sundas island" is.
28A: Highland dance: REEL. Or "Virginia dance".
29A: Orthodox Jewish schools: YESHIVAS. Was this a gimme to you? It's a new word to me.
32A: Distinct mus. tones: STAC (Staccato). Is this a common abbrevation? How do you shorten "Legato" then? "Leg"?
37A: Pillager: MARAUDER. I just learned "maraud" a few days ago.
42A: Chemical sedimentary rock: TRAVERTINE. Another new word. Dictionary says these rocks exist extensivly in Italian city Tivoli, hence the name TRAVERTINE, which is "a form of limestone deposited by springs, esp. hot springs, used in Italy for building."
45A: Land of the dead: HADES. Or the underworld god himself. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Husband of Persephone.
46A: Part of PST: STD. PST is Pacific Standard Time.
47A: Cyclades island: KEA. See this map. I don't know how Mr. Higgins found this obscure island. Why not Mauna ____?
48A: Examined again: REINSPECTED
51A: Barbeau of "The Fog": ADRIENNE. Wow, gorgeous photo. Are those real?
53A: No difference: ALL ONE. You would not believe it, but I really did not know that ALL ONE is the same as "No difference". "All the same", yes. Also ONE (22A: Undivided). I don't like seeing two ONE's in one grid.
55A: Misses narrowly: SKIRTS. Are you OK with "Misses" in the clue?
57A: Group of seven: SEPTET. Or HEPTAD.
Down:
1D: Pot cover: TEA COSY. Nice strawberry TEA COSY.
2D: WWI battle site: ARGONNE. See ARGONNE Forest? Not a familiar name to me.
3D: Parts of eyes: CORNEAS
6D: Extra something: ADDITIVE
7D: Takes on: ASSUMES
8D: Nocturnal arboreal African primates: POTTOS. No idea. His eyes look like glasses.
9D: People who snoop: PRIERS
12D: More sordid: SEAMIER. Mine was SEEDIER.
26DL Seven Wonders lighthouse: PHAROS. See this drawing of 1909.
33D: Infringement: TRESPASS
36D: Ancient fertility goddess: ASTARTE. I forgot. It appeared in our puzzle before. "God of fertility" is BAAL.
42D: From that location: THENCE. I only knew whence.
43D: Fassbinder or Rilke: RAINER. A gimme for Melissa I am sure. She mentioned Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet" sometimes ago. I've never heard of RAINER Fassbinder. He was a German film director.
49D: Actress Sommer: ELKE. I googled her name. Great picture.
50D: Football infraction: CLIP. Not a football fan. What is a CLIP?
C.C.
Total block: 27
Ah, only if I had a hammer! I wound pound SORRIEST (16A: Superlatively wretched), REDDEST (40D: Most embarrassed), SNAPPINESS (25A: Brisk quality) and MADNESS (37D: Lunacy) out of this grid.
Did you count the ER's are in this puzzle? Dizzying! Not to mention RE, ED, S'es.
I cannot even find one sparkling clue, can you? I know I keep complaining about Alan P. Olschwang's Quip/Quote puzzles, but there have never been an excess of annoying affixes in any of his work.
Across:
1A: Puget Sound port: TACOMA. Bing Crosby was born here. TACOMA is from "Tocobet", Indian name for Mount Rainier.
18A: Psychosomatic crucifixion wounds: STIGMATA. I had no idea that the plural form of stigma is STIGMATA.
19A: Founds: CONSTITUTES. New definition to me.
23A: Lesser Sundas island: TIMOR. See this map. I only know East TIMOR. I also forgot where "Lesser Sundas island" is.
28A: Highland dance: REEL. Or "Virginia dance".
29A: Orthodox Jewish schools: YESHIVAS. Was this a gimme to you? It's a new word to me.
32A: Distinct mus. tones: STAC (Staccato). Is this a common abbrevation? How do you shorten "Legato" then? "Leg"?
37A: Pillager: MARAUDER. I just learned "maraud" a few days ago.
42A: Chemical sedimentary rock: TRAVERTINE. Another new word. Dictionary says these rocks exist extensivly in Italian city Tivoli, hence the name TRAVERTINE, which is "a form of limestone deposited by springs, esp. hot springs, used in Italy for building."
45A: Land of the dead: HADES. Or the underworld god himself. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Husband of Persephone.
46A: Part of PST: STD. PST is Pacific Standard Time.
47A: Cyclades island: KEA. See this map. I don't know how Mr. Higgins found this obscure island. Why not Mauna ____?
48A: Examined again: REINSPECTED
51A: Barbeau of "The Fog": ADRIENNE. Wow, gorgeous photo. Are those real?
53A: No difference: ALL ONE. You would not believe it, but I really did not know that ALL ONE is the same as "No difference". "All the same", yes. Also ONE (22A: Undivided). I don't like seeing two ONE's in one grid.
55A: Misses narrowly: SKIRTS. Are you OK with "Misses" in the clue?
57A: Group of seven: SEPTET. Or HEPTAD.
Down:
1D: Pot cover: TEA COSY. Nice strawberry TEA COSY.
2D: WWI battle site: ARGONNE. See ARGONNE Forest? Not a familiar name to me.
3D: Parts of eyes: CORNEAS
6D: Extra something: ADDITIVE
7D: Takes on: ASSUMES
8D: Nocturnal arboreal African primates: POTTOS. No idea. His eyes look like glasses.
9D: People who snoop: PRIERS
12D: More sordid: SEAMIER. Mine was SEEDIER.
26DL Seven Wonders lighthouse: PHAROS. See this drawing of 1909.
33D: Infringement: TRESPASS
36D: Ancient fertility goddess: ASTARTE. I forgot. It appeared in our puzzle before. "God of fertility" is BAAL.
42D: From that location: THENCE. I only knew whence.
43D: Fassbinder or Rilke: RAINER. A gimme for Melissa I am sure. She mentioned Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet" sometimes ago. I've never heard of RAINER Fassbinder. He was a German film director.
49D: Actress Sommer: ELKE. I googled her name. Great picture.
50D: Football infraction: CLIP. Not a football fan. What is a CLIP?
C.C.
