Theme: CANYONS (40A: Copper or Snake River) (Note: The clue should be "and".)
17A: Evidence weigher: GRAND JUROR
24A: Manhattan neighborhood: HELL'S KITCHEN
51A: Part of Cambridge University: KING'S COLLEGE
64A: Family pariah: BLACK SHEEP
Boy, did the theme come to you immediately? I spent a long time staring at the theme answers. I've never heard of HELLS CANYON, KINGS CANYON or BLACK CANYON before.
So close to a pangram puzzle. Only letter X is missing.
I really like the clues for BRAND NAMES (29D: Trade words?) and SPUR (61D: Stud poker?), very clever. I also like the position of CANYONS.
The clue for YOST (69A: MLB Manager Ned) is inaccurate. "Former", yes. Ned YOST was fired by Brewers after his team was swept by the Phillies in September.
Across:
1A: McAn of shoes: THOM. I just learned this morning that the brand THOM McAn was named after some obscure Scottish golfer Thomas McCann.
10A: Protest-singer Phil: OCHS. Is OCHS a popular Scottish surname? Och is a Scottish for "Gee", like German "Ach" I suppose?
14A: Dynamic opening?: AERO
15A: Red Sea gulf: AQABA. I was so proud I that I finally got this gulf name.
20A: Conductor George: SOLTI. I forgot. SOLTI appeared in a Sunday puzzle before. Wikipedia says he won 31 Grammys in his life time. And he spent over 20 years with the Chicago Symphony.
21A: American chameleon: ANOLE. His throat looks so strange.
23A: Leaky PA reactor: TMI. I don't recall being informed of this accident when I was China. Maybe I was too young to remember.
27A: #1 hit by the Fleetwoods: MR. BLUE. Here is the song. It's #1 hit in 1959, ages ago.
36A: Italian epic poet: TASSO. I forgot. TASSO wrote the epic "Jerusalem Delivered", an account of the capture of the city during the First Crusade. What does he wear on his head?
46A: Generic poodle name: FIFI
47A: Corsica's neighbor: ELBA. Notice those Italian/French place names? So many end in a vowel. Greek language is unique, with so many words end in letter S.
47A: Cologne trio: DREI. And ZWEI (66A: Two, to a Teuton). "Teuton" is so close to "Teton". Grand Teton, what a DF name.
49A: One equinox: VERNAL. This is Dennis' favorite time.
57A: Edison's rival: TESLA. Our editor sometimes clues it as "Unit of magnetic flux". I was stumped last time when the clue was "Electric-coil creator".
67A: Mann of music: AIMEE. Here is her "I Should've Known". I've never heard of this singer before.
71A: Belgian river: YSER
Down:
4D: 12 times a year: MONTHLY. I wanted MONTHS.
5D: Uris novel, with "The": HAJ. Has anyone read this book?
6D: Peer: EQUAL
8D: Amazon download: E-BOOK
9D: Hit by the Beach Boys: DARLIN. I got it from the across clues. Not a familiar song to me. Barry Silk is a Beach Boys fan. Remember his "Good Vibrations" puzzle last time? Well, it sure helped Phillies win the World Series.
18D: God of France: DIEU. And more French words: ETATS (22D: Les __ - Unis) and OEIL (38D: Eye in Aix).
11D: Laundry clipper: CLOTHESPIN
25D: Queen of Sparta: LEDA. The Swan lady. She is Helen's mother.
28D: White Rose __-Tea: REDI. What kind of tea is this? I have no familiarity with it at all.
40D: Pirate's storage: CHEST
50D: Breastplate of Zeus: EGIS. Needs a "var" hint.
51D: Cartoon Kat: KRAZY
52D: Down in the middle: IN TWO
53D: Singer K. T. __: OSLIN. I forgot her name. Nice song.
55D: Corset tightener: LACER. Is this even a word?
65D: Kenan's comedy partner: KEL. Was this a gimme to you? "Kenan & KEL" is completely foreign to me.
C.C.
17A: Evidence weigher: GRAND JUROR
24A: Manhattan neighborhood: HELL'S KITCHEN
51A: Part of Cambridge University: KING'S COLLEGE
64A: Family pariah: BLACK SHEEP
Boy, did the theme come to you immediately? I spent a long time staring at the theme answers. I've never heard of HELLS CANYON, KINGS CANYON or BLACK CANYON before.
So close to a pangram puzzle. Only letter X is missing.
I really like the clues for BRAND NAMES (29D: Trade words?) and SPUR (61D: Stud poker?), very clever. I also like the position of CANYONS.
The clue for YOST (69A: MLB Manager Ned) is inaccurate. "Former", yes. Ned YOST was fired by Brewers after his team was swept by the Phillies in September.
Across:
1A: McAn of shoes: THOM. I just learned this morning that the brand THOM McAn was named after some obscure Scottish golfer Thomas McCann.
10A: Protest-singer Phil: OCHS. Is OCHS a popular Scottish surname? Och is a Scottish for "Gee", like German "Ach" I suppose?
14A: Dynamic opening?: AERO
15A: Red Sea gulf: AQABA. I was so proud I that I finally got this gulf name.
20A: Conductor George: SOLTI. I forgot. SOLTI appeared in a Sunday puzzle before. Wikipedia says he won 31 Grammys in his life time. And he spent over 20 years with the Chicago Symphony.
21A: American chameleon: ANOLE. His throat looks so strange.
23A: Leaky PA reactor: TMI. I don't recall being informed of this accident when I was China. Maybe I was too young to remember.
27A: #1 hit by the Fleetwoods: MR. BLUE. Here is the song. It's #1 hit in 1959, ages ago.
36A: Italian epic poet: TASSO. I forgot. TASSO wrote the epic "Jerusalem Delivered", an account of the capture of the city during the First Crusade. What does he wear on his head?
46A: Generic poodle name: FIFI
47A: Corsica's neighbor: ELBA. Notice those Italian/French place names? So many end in a vowel. Greek language is unique, with so many words end in letter S.
47A: Cologne trio: DREI. And ZWEI (66A: Two, to a Teuton). "Teuton" is so close to "Teton". Grand Teton, what a DF name.
49A: One equinox: VERNAL. This is Dennis' favorite time.
57A: Edison's rival: TESLA. Our editor sometimes clues it as "Unit of magnetic flux". I was stumped last time when the clue was "Electric-coil creator".
67A: Mann of music: AIMEE. Here is her "I Should've Known". I've never heard of this singer before.
71A: Belgian river: YSER
Down:
4D: 12 times a year: MONTHLY. I wanted MONTHS.
5D: Uris novel, with "The": HAJ. Has anyone read this book?
6D: Peer: EQUAL
8D: Amazon download: E-BOOK
9D: Hit by the Beach Boys: DARLIN. I got it from the across clues. Not a familiar song to me. Barry Silk is a Beach Boys fan. Remember his "Good Vibrations" puzzle last time? Well, it sure helped Phillies win the World Series.
18D: God of France: DIEU. And more French words: ETATS (22D: Les __ - Unis) and OEIL (38D: Eye in Aix).
11D: Laundry clipper: CLOTHESPIN
25D: Queen of Sparta: LEDA. The Swan lady. She is Helen's mother.
28D: White Rose __-Tea: REDI. What kind of tea is this? I have no familiarity with it at all.
40D: Pirate's storage: CHEST
50D: Breastplate of Zeus: EGIS. Needs a "var" hint.
51D: Cartoon Kat: KRAZY
52D: Down in the middle: IN TWO
53D: Singer K. T. __: OSLIN. I forgot her name. Nice song.
55D: Corset tightener: LACER. Is this even a word?
65D: Kenan's comedy partner: KEL. Was this a gimme to you? "Kenan & KEL" is completely foreign to me.
C.C.
