Theme: 2008 Championship Tribute
18A: With 29-Across, sports organization: MAJOR LEAGUE
29A: See 18-across: BASEBALL
40A: 2007 MVP for the 47-Across, shortstop Jimmy: ROLLINS
47A: 2008 winners of 62-Across: PHILLIES
62A: The "Fall classic": WORLD SERIES
1D: 2008 All-Star of 47-Across, second baseman Chase: UTLEY
4D: MVP of the 2008 62-across, ace pitcher Cole __: HAMELS
For those who have not solved this puzzle, I've uploaded the grid to Scribd. Just click on iPaper, then print it out. Barry also kindly provided us the special puzzle he made for Fairfax County Libray presentation on Jan 17, 2009. Very clever theme entries.
As for this Tribute puzzle, the last two answers I listed above are not symmetrically placed, so technically they are not part of the theme. But I think they fit in perfectly. TUES (51A: When the All-Star Game is played) and GMS (71A: 29-Across VIPs) are great baseball related fills too.
Lots of cross-references in this puzzle. Might be a bit tough for non-baseball fans. I thoroughly enjoyed the solving. It made me feel so smart. I think Barry should have sold this puzzle to Phillies. They can do a special Crossword Solving Day, you know, like Bobblehead Giveaway Day.
Across:
4A: Islamic militant group: HAMAS. It has become a "terrorist group". Fatah is not.
9A: Chipmunk of pop music: ALVIN. This music just sounds so jarring to me.
24A: Swiss stereotype: YODELER. I was thinking of watchmaker.
28A: Nittany Lions' sch.: PSU (Penn State). Why do they call themselves Nittany Lions? Reminds me of ninny.
52A: Horizon arc measurement: AZIMUTH. See this diagram. Too complicated for me to understand.
56A: Cell: suff.: CYTE. No idea. Dictionary gives an example of leukocyte (white blood cell). Also, the prefix for cell is CYTO, as in cytoplasm.
65A: Govt. investigation: INQ. Inquiry? Why "Govt. investigation"?
67A: Young salmon: SMOLT. I wonder how long it takes for this SMOLT to mature into this big salmon.
68A: "All Things Considered" network: NPR. "Fresh Air" network too. Terry Gross is sharp.
Down:
2D: Brigham Young University site: PROVO. Ken Jennings, the all-time champion of "Jeopardy", attended this university, so is our Barry G, Johnny Miller, Mitt Romney etc. See this alumini list.
3D: Ecclesiastical assembly: SYNOD. This word always escapes me.
6D: Woman of La Mancha: MUJER. No idea. I was thinking of señora.
7D: Old Testament prophet: AMOS. A minor one. I am more accustomed to the " "Famous cookie maker" clue.
10D: Pay no mind: LEAVE BE. New to me. Can you make a sentence with this phrase for me? I only know "Let it be".
11D: Carrot or Onion: VEGETABLE. I love the symmetrical placement of VEGETABLE and FRUIT TREE (35D: Orchard entity).
29D: Gaucho's weapons: BOLAS. Spanish for balls. What kind of material are those?
40D: It sounds real bad: RALE. Williams likes to clue RALE as "Death rattle".
41D: Todd Rundgren's rock band of the 1960's: NAZZ. I googled this band name. What's their most famous song?
44D: Puritanical ban: BLUE LAW. Now this ban is still valid in some states, right?
55D: Langley, for the CIA: HDQRS. I see HQS more often.
56D: 100-lb. units: CWTS (Hundredweights). New abbreviation to me.
63D: License to drill?: DDS. Great clue.
64D: "Strange Magic" rock band: ELO. Here is the song. I guessed. Three letter band name has to be ELO or REM.
C.C.
18A: With 29-Across, sports organization: MAJOR LEAGUE
29A: See 18-across: BASEBALL
40A: 2007 MVP for the 47-Across, shortstop Jimmy: ROLLINS
47A: 2008 winners of 62-Across: PHILLIES
62A: The "Fall classic": WORLD SERIES
1D: 2008 All-Star of 47-Across, second baseman Chase: UTLEY
4D: MVP of the 2008 62-across, ace pitcher Cole __: HAMELS
For those who have not solved this puzzle, I've uploaded the grid to Scribd. Just click on iPaper, then print it out. Barry also kindly provided us the special puzzle he made for Fairfax County Libray presentation on Jan 17, 2009. Very clever theme entries.
As for this Tribute puzzle, the last two answers I listed above are not symmetrically placed, so technically they are not part of the theme. But I think they fit in perfectly. TUES (51A: When the All-Star Game is played) and GMS (71A: 29-Across VIPs) are great baseball related fills too.
Lots of cross-references in this puzzle. Might be a bit tough for non-baseball fans. I thoroughly enjoyed the solving. It made me feel so smart. I think Barry should have sold this puzzle to Phillies. They can do a special Crossword Solving Day, you know, like Bobblehead Giveaway Day.
Across:
4A: Islamic militant group: HAMAS. It has become a "terrorist group". Fatah is not.
9A: Chipmunk of pop music: ALVIN. This music just sounds so jarring to me.
24A: Swiss stereotype: YODELER. I was thinking of watchmaker.
28A: Nittany Lions' sch.: PSU (Penn State). Why do they call themselves Nittany Lions? Reminds me of ninny.
52A: Horizon arc measurement: AZIMUTH. See this diagram. Too complicated for me to understand.
56A: Cell: suff.: CYTE. No idea. Dictionary gives an example of leukocyte (white blood cell). Also, the prefix for cell is CYTO, as in cytoplasm.
65A: Govt. investigation: INQ. Inquiry? Why "Govt. investigation"?
67A: Young salmon: SMOLT. I wonder how long it takes for this SMOLT to mature into this big salmon.
68A: "All Things Considered" network: NPR. "Fresh Air" network too. Terry Gross is sharp.
Down:
2D: Brigham Young University site: PROVO. Ken Jennings, the all-time champion of "Jeopardy", attended this university, so is our Barry G, Johnny Miller, Mitt Romney etc. See this alumini list.
3D: Ecclesiastical assembly: SYNOD. This word always escapes me.
6D: Woman of La Mancha: MUJER. No idea. I was thinking of señora.
7D: Old Testament prophet: AMOS. A minor one. I am more accustomed to the " "Famous cookie maker" clue.
10D: Pay no mind: LEAVE BE. New to me. Can you make a sentence with this phrase for me? I only know "Let it be".
11D: Carrot or Onion: VEGETABLE. I love the symmetrical placement of VEGETABLE and FRUIT TREE (35D: Orchard entity).
29D: Gaucho's weapons: BOLAS. Spanish for balls. What kind of material are those?
40D: It sounds real bad: RALE. Williams likes to clue RALE as "Death rattle".
41D: Todd Rundgren's rock band of the 1960's: NAZZ. I googled this band name. What's their most famous song?
44D: Puritanical ban: BLUE LAW. Now this ban is still valid in some states, right?
55D: Langley, for the CIA: HDQRS. I see HQS more often.
56D: 100-lb. units: CWTS (Hundredweights). New abbreviation to me.
63D: License to drill?: DDS. Great clue.
64D: "Strange Magic" rock band: ELO. Here is the song. I guessed. Three letter band name has to be ELO or REM.
C.C.
