Theme: Play It Safe
20A: Way to lessen risk: HEDGE ONE'S BETS
41A: Ponder pros and cons: WEIGH THE OPTIONS
58A: Put out feelers, maybe: TEST THE WATERS
Did I catch the right theme? I seem to have trouble coming up with an apt title lately. Maybe too much pomegranate green tea?
I don't think the clue for HEDGE ONE'S BETS is accurate. The clue is asking for a noun phrase, while the answer turns out to be a verb phrase.
I had quite a few false starts this morning. Some of the clues are a bit unexpected. I like how NOSE (64A: Poke (around) intersects YENTA (55D: Meddlesome woman). It reminded me of the matchmaker YENTE in "Fiddler on the Roof".
Across:
9A: Felt, for one: CLOTH. Nice clue. "Linen, for one" would probably be too easy.
15A: Ex-QB Aikman: TROY. The guy on the right is Joe Buck, who has a rather distinctive voice.
15A: Scales sign: LIBRA. Interesting traits, Dennis.
19A: Love, French style: AMOUR. Ha, I wrote down AIMER carelessly, thinking "Love" is a verb.
23A: Words to live by: CREDO. ''I believe'' in Latin. "All Things Considered" (NPR) has a "This I Believe" statement segment every Monday.
37A: Spiny tree: ACACIA. Why is it called "Spiny tree"? Wikipedia says some of the most valuable ukuleles and acoustic guitars are made of ACACIA koa wood, like this one used by Taylor Swift. These flowers are so pretty.
44A: Decide with authority: DECREE. I am more familiar with the noun DECREE.
68A: German pistol: LUGER. New name to me. She is a LUGER too.
71A: Fencing equipment: EPEES. Better clue than "Fencing swords", which straightforwardly demands a plural answer. "Fencing gear" is a tricky clue too.
72A: Stat equivalent: ASAP. Probably a gimme for those doctors. But I was thinking of the sports figure "Stat", you know, ERA, RBI, etc.
Down:
3D: Bona fide: AUTHENTIC. I was only familiar with "in good faith" definition of "Bona fide".
4D: Mighty mount: STEED
9D: Paragon: CLASS ACT
21D: Sleepy's pal: DOC. Some of the rejected Seven Dwarfs names sound pretty good. I like Gloomy, Cranky and Silly.
22D: One on the run: ESCAPEE. I wonder why it's not ESCAPER. Oh, no, I don't like this alternate ending for ''The Shawshank Redemption'.
23D: Invade one's space: CROWD. I am not fond this clue.
29D: Revive a lost lesson: RETEACH. I wrote down RELEARN first.
38D: Matrimony prelude: COURTSHIP. Do you like short & intense COURTSHIP or long, gradual buildup one?
40D: Narnia's lion hero: ASLAN. Turkish/Persian word for "lion". I can never remember the name. Liam Neeson voices ASLAN in "The Chronicales of Narnia".
42D: Expectant beneficiaries: HERITORS. I was thinking of HEIR TO BE. At least, 4 letters fit perfectly.
53D: Missouri feeder: OSAGE. Also a type of orange.
59D: Old you: THEE. I was thinking of THOU. Still can't believe that I've never heard of THOU as a slang for "10 C-notes". Where have I been?
60D: Difficulties: WOES. I associate WOES with miseries rather than "Difficulties".
67D: Landscaping shrub: YEW. Now, which part of this YEW is poisonous?
C.C.
20A: Way to lessen risk: HEDGE ONE'S BETS
41A: Ponder pros and cons: WEIGH THE OPTIONS
58A: Put out feelers, maybe: TEST THE WATERS
Did I catch the right theme? I seem to have trouble coming up with an apt title lately. Maybe too much pomegranate green tea?
I don't think the clue for HEDGE ONE'S BETS is accurate. The clue is asking for a noun phrase, while the answer turns out to be a verb phrase.
I had quite a few false starts this morning. Some of the clues are a bit unexpected. I like how NOSE (64A: Poke (around) intersects YENTA (55D: Meddlesome woman). It reminded me of the matchmaker YENTE in "Fiddler on the Roof".
Across:
9A: Felt, for one: CLOTH. Nice clue. "Linen, for one" would probably be too easy.
15A: Ex-QB Aikman: TROY. The guy on the right is Joe Buck, who has a rather distinctive voice.
15A: Scales sign: LIBRA. Interesting traits, Dennis.
19A: Love, French style: AMOUR. Ha, I wrote down AIMER carelessly, thinking "Love" is a verb.
23A: Words to live by: CREDO. ''I believe'' in Latin. "All Things Considered" (NPR) has a "This I Believe" statement segment every Monday.
37A: Spiny tree: ACACIA. Why is it called "Spiny tree"? Wikipedia says some of the most valuable ukuleles and acoustic guitars are made of ACACIA koa wood, like this one used by Taylor Swift. These flowers are so pretty.
44A: Decide with authority: DECREE. I am more familiar with the noun DECREE.
68A: German pistol: LUGER. New name to me. She is a LUGER too.
71A: Fencing equipment: EPEES. Better clue than "Fencing swords", which straightforwardly demands a plural answer. "Fencing gear" is a tricky clue too.
72A: Stat equivalent: ASAP. Probably a gimme for those doctors. But I was thinking of the sports figure "Stat", you know, ERA, RBI, etc.
Down:
3D: Bona fide: AUTHENTIC. I was only familiar with "in good faith" definition of "Bona fide".
4D: Mighty mount: STEED
9D: Paragon: CLASS ACT
21D: Sleepy's pal: DOC. Some of the rejected Seven Dwarfs names sound pretty good. I like Gloomy, Cranky and Silly.
22D: One on the run: ESCAPEE. I wonder why it's not ESCAPER. Oh, no, I don't like this alternate ending for ''The Shawshank Redemption'.
23D: Invade one's space: CROWD. I am not fond this clue.
29D: Revive a lost lesson: RETEACH. I wrote down RELEARN first.
38D: Matrimony prelude: COURTSHIP. Do you like short & intense COURTSHIP or long, gradual buildup one?
40D: Narnia's lion hero: ASLAN. Turkish/Persian word for "lion". I can never remember the name. Liam Neeson voices ASLAN in "The Chronicales of Narnia".
42D: Expectant beneficiaries: HERITORS. I was thinking of HEIR TO BE. At least, 4 letters fit perfectly.
53D: Missouri feeder: OSAGE. Also a type of orange.
59D: Old you: THEE. I was thinking of THOU. Still can't believe that I've never heard of THOU as a slang for "10 C-notes". Where have I been?
60D: Difficulties: WOES. I associate WOES with miseries rather than "Difficulties".
67D: Landscaping shrub: YEW. Now, which part of this YEW is poisonous?
C.C.
