THEME: Barry Silk Presentation Puzzle
Crossword Grid Found here.
Just click on iPaper, then print it out. Barry Silk kindly provided us with this special puzzle he made for a presentation on Jan 17, 2009 at the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, a branch of the FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. He spoke on the evolution of the crossword, its role as a daily showcase of wit and wordplay, and gave clues and tips for solving them. This venue is the theme of the puzzle appearing in the first part of the four long across answers.
19A: One of the most congested streets in Los Angeles: FAIRFAX AVENUE
26A: Dunmore caves site in Ireland: COUNTY KILKENNY
46A: National parks and forests, ex.: PUBLIC PROPERTY
54A: Reference storage: LIBRARY STACKS
Barry is a prolific crossword constructor with a wealth of experience. Check out C.C.'s interview with him here if you haven't already.
This puzzle was two letters shy of being a pangram-no J or Q, typical Barry Silk. For those of you not familiar with pangram crosswords they use every letter of the alphabet at least once. Here is an interesting crossword puzzle constructor story and an amazing triple pangram by Matt Gaffney.
Have you ever tried constructing a double or triple pangram Barry? Did they make a video of your presentation that we can view?
NYTAnonimo here subbing for C.C.. Bear with me as this is my first attempt at blogging.
I had to google 7D to complete this puzzle. Didn't know this Philadelphia university. Flew though it pretty fast except for that snag.
ACROSS:
1A: Living room centerpiece: SOFA
5A: Scoundrel: CAD. Besides referring to a rake (check out the tavern scene) it is also an acronym for Computer Aided Design.
8A: Hits a high point: PEAKS.
13A: Not this: THAT
14A: Former Iranian president: Bani___SADR. More familiar with Sadr City in Iraq.
15A: Kramden of "The Honeymooners": RALPH Can be found here with 51D. Nice touch Barry.
16A: Coastal city: PORT
17A: Ballet movement: PLIE. Always wanted to take ballet but never did. How many of you have?
18A: Steer clear of: EVADE. Don't evade helping C.C. blog these puzzles-it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I'm sure the first time is longer too until you get the hang of it.
19A: One of the most congested streets in Los Angeles: FAIRFAX AVENUE. Unknown to me. The X from DREXEL helped me to come up with FAIRFAX. That's one of the reasons I like the way Barry tries to include the more uncommon letters of the alphabet in his puzzles. They are often what helps me pull the word from memory.
22A: Steinbeck's birthplace: SALINAS
24A: Super Bowl XLII MVP: Manning-ELI. I'm not much for watching sports so this is a weak spot for me in puzzle solving. I learn these sports names primarily from crosswords. Love to swim and hike though. Any other swimmers and hikers out there?
25A: Baseball great Mel-OTT
26A: Dunmore Caves site in Ireland: COUNTY KILKENNY. There is a beautiful castle in Kilkenny too. Have any of you been to this area?
29A: "Barbara __"(Beach Boys classic): ANN. Time machine time!
30A: (As written): SIC
31A: Wonder: AWE
32A: Father: BEGET. Think I've only seen this in the Bible. I'm plodding my way through this tome-up to Maccabees. My eyes glaze over in certain areas (like the begets). I also get sidetracked reading Bible commentaries (or books like Who on Earth was Jesus?) along with my regular reading.
35A: Butterfly catcher: NET
37A: Drinks with straws: SODAS
41A: Gym goer's pride: BOD (body)
43A: Sounds of hesitation: UHS
45A: Que. Neighbor: ONT. (Ontario)
46A: National parks and forests, e.g.: PUBLIC PROPERTY. How many of our national parks have you been to? Which was your favorite? I've been to Yosemite in California, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Acadia in Maine and Buck Island in the US Virgin Islands (St. Croix). Have driven through the Smokies and Everglades but not stopped for a visit. My favorite was Yosemite. Saw it in August and would like to go back in the spring when there is actually a Yosemite Falls flowing!
51A: Prince Valiant's son: ARN. Wikipedia says the Legend of Prince Valiant is an animated television show based on the Prince Valiant comic strip by Hal Foster.
52A: Female deer: DOE
53A: It may fit all: ONE SIZE
54A: Reference storage: LIBRARY STACKS. Location of Barry's presentation.
57A: Model of perfection: IDEAL
58A: Riga resident: LETT. Wikipedia says this is an archaic word for Latvian.
59A: Object of worship: IDOL
62A: Prefix with grade: CENTI
63A: Southwestern earthenware pot: OLLA
64A: Neighbor of Senegal: MALI. The stamp collecting hobby my uncle introduced me to when I was a kid has proven useful in solving crosswords.
65A: Cosmetics maker Lauder: ESTEE
66A: Scottish negative: NAE
67A: Cry in court: OYEZ. Think they teach this in law school?
Down:
1D: "The racer's edge": STP (Scientifically Treated Petroleum)
2D: "Well, whaddya know!": OHO
3D: Extending over a wide area: FAR FLUNG
4D: Achieve: ATTAIN
5D: Kind of leather: CALFSKIN
6D: 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA
7D: Philadelphia university: DREXEL. My Achilles heel. Did you have one?
8D: Sneak showings: PREVIEWS. Check out the upcoming movies here.
9D: Icicle site: EAVE
10D: Substance abuse support group: ALANON (Alcoholics Anonymous)
11D: Mil. assignment: KP DUTY (Kitchen Patrol)
12D: Ghost costume, basically: SHEET
14D: Uses a hose: SPRAYS (Guaranteed to make you smile.)
20D: Bank statement abbr.: INT. (Interest)
21D: __-Seltzer: ALKA
22D: Sign of healing: SCAB
23D: Top-notch: A ONE
27D: Freeze: ICE UP. Have you all thawed out yet?
28D: New beginning?: NEO (As in neocon, neolithic, neoimpressionism, neoplasm, etc.)
33D: Wane: EBB
34D: Perjured oneself: TOLD A LIE . How m a n y m o r e can you think of? I've found snopes.com and factcheck.org good places to check the veracity of dubious claims.
36D: Engine valve: THROTTLE. My knowledge of car parts is limited-VERY limited-I know how to use the dipstick to check the oil level, how to measure tire pressure and add air to the tire, and could probably change a tire if I absolutely had to. My first car was an old Chevy Nova I had my last year in college. The floor boards in front developed a hole that went all the way through. You could see the street below. My friends used to joke that I could stick my foot through to brake-kind of like driving your car Fred Flinstone style. It drove like a tank (or at least how I think a tank would drive). Memories! What was the first car you owned?
38D: Her last film was "With Six You Get Eggroll" (1968): DORIS DAY.
39D: 1998 animated bug film: ANTZ. Have we seen ANTZII in a puzzle yet? Looks like that would be a no for the NYT from Jim Horne's stats. Can't remember if it's been in a Trib puzzle-do you know C.C.?
40D: Eye trouble: STYE
42D: Stylish Christian: DIOR. Though he died in 1957 his name lives on.
44D: Beethoven's "Moonlight ___": SONATA
46D: Groups of lions: PRIDE
47D: Straight: UNBENT
48D: Sri Lanka, once: CEYLON. Also a type of tea.
49D: Chest muscle, for short: PEC (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor)
50D: Igloo dweller: ESKIMO
51D: Kramden of "The Honeymooners": ALICE
55D: Give a "G" or "PG," say: RATE
56D: Actress Ward: SELA. I actually saw a movie she was in-just didn't remember it-big surprise! (Well it was a minor role for her-but I don't watch many movies or much TV and have trouble remembering the plots, characters and titles of the ones I do see.)
60D: Bullfight cheer: OLE
61D: Taylor, familiarly: LIZ
Lot of familiar crossword words in here but still an enjoyable puzzle.
Phew-this first try at blogging took a while-gives you a new appreciation for what C.C. does (everyday) ! Thanks to C.C. for the blog and to Barry for all the fine puzzles!
Crossword Grid Found here.
Just click on iPaper, then print it out. Barry Silk kindly provided us with this special puzzle he made for a presentation on Jan 17, 2009 at the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library, a branch of the FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. He spoke on the evolution of the crossword, its role as a daily showcase of wit and wordplay, and gave clues and tips for solving them. This venue is the theme of the puzzle appearing in the first part of the four long across answers.
19A: One of the most congested streets in Los Angeles: FAIRFAX AVENUE
26A: Dunmore caves site in Ireland: COUNTY KILKENNY
46A: National parks and forests, ex.: PUBLIC PROPERTY
54A: Reference storage: LIBRARY STACKS
Barry is a prolific crossword constructor with a wealth of experience. Check out C.C.'s interview with him here if you haven't already.
This puzzle was two letters shy of being a pangram-no J or Q, typical Barry Silk. For those of you not familiar with pangram crosswords they use every letter of the alphabet at least once. Here is an interesting crossword puzzle constructor story and an amazing triple pangram by Matt Gaffney.
Have you ever tried constructing a double or triple pangram Barry? Did they make a video of your presentation that we can view?
NYTAnonimo here subbing for C.C.. Bear with me as this is my first attempt at blogging.
I had to google 7D to complete this puzzle. Didn't know this Philadelphia university. Flew though it pretty fast except for that snag.
ACROSS:
1A: Living room centerpiece: SOFA
5A: Scoundrel: CAD. Besides referring to a rake (check out the tavern scene) it is also an acronym for Computer Aided Design.
8A: Hits a high point: PEAKS.
13A: Not this: THAT
14A: Former Iranian president: Bani___SADR. More familiar with Sadr City in Iraq.
15A: Kramden of "The Honeymooners": RALPH Can be found here with 51D. Nice touch Barry.
16A: Coastal city: PORT
17A: Ballet movement: PLIE. Always wanted to take ballet but never did. How many of you have?
18A: Steer clear of: EVADE. Don't evade helping C.C. blog these puzzles-it's not as hard as I thought it would be. I'm sure the first time is longer too until you get the hang of it.
19A: One of the most congested streets in Los Angeles: FAIRFAX AVENUE. Unknown to me. The X from DREXEL helped me to come up with FAIRFAX. That's one of the reasons I like the way Barry tries to include the more uncommon letters of the alphabet in his puzzles. They are often what helps me pull the word from memory.
22A: Steinbeck's birthplace: SALINAS
24A: Super Bowl XLII MVP: Manning-ELI. I'm not much for watching sports so this is a weak spot for me in puzzle solving. I learn these sports names primarily from crosswords. Love to swim and hike though. Any other swimmers and hikers out there?
25A: Baseball great Mel-OTT
26A: Dunmore Caves site in Ireland: COUNTY KILKENNY. There is a beautiful castle in Kilkenny too. Have any of you been to this area?
29A: "Barbara __"(Beach Boys classic): ANN. Time machine time!
30A: (As written): SIC
31A: Wonder: AWE
32A: Father: BEGET. Think I've only seen this in the Bible. I'm plodding my way through this tome-up to Maccabees. My eyes glaze over in certain areas (like the begets). I also get sidetracked reading Bible commentaries (or books like Who on Earth was Jesus?) along with my regular reading.
35A: Butterfly catcher: NET
37A: Drinks with straws: SODAS
41A: Gym goer's pride: BOD (body)
43A: Sounds of hesitation: UHS
45A: Que. Neighbor: ONT. (Ontario)
46A: National parks and forests, e.g.: PUBLIC PROPERTY. How many of our national parks have you been to? Which was your favorite? I've been to Yosemite in California, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Acadia in Maine and Buck Island in the US Virgin Islands (St. Croix). Have driven through the Smokies and Everglades but not stopped for a visit. My favorite was Yosemite. Saw it in August and would like to go back in the spring when there is actually a Yosemite Falls flowing!
51A: Prince Valiant's son: ARN. Wikipedia says the Legend of Prince Valiant is an animated television show based on the Prince Valiant comic strip by Hal Foster.
52A: Female deer: DOE
53A: It may fit all: ONE SIZE
54A: Reference storage: LIBRARY STACKS. Location of Barry's presentation.
57A: Model of perfection: IDEAL
58A: Riga resident: LETT. Wikipedia says this is an archaic word for Latvian.
59A: Object of worship: IDOL
62A: Prefix with grade: CENTI
63A: Southwestern earthenware pot: OLLA
64A: Neighbor of Senegal: MALI. The stamp collecting hobby my uncle introduced me to when I was a kid has proven useful in solving crosswords.
65A: Cosmetics maker Lauder: ESTEE
66A: Scottish negative: NAE
67A: Cry in court: OYEZ. Think they teach this in law school?
Down:
1D: "The racer's edge": STP (Scientifically Treated Petroleum)
2D: "Well, whaddya know!": OHO
3D: Extending over a wide area: FAR FLUNG
4D: Achieve: ATTAIN
5D: Kind of leather: CALFSKIN
6D: 1998 Sarah McLachlan hit: ADIA
7D: Philadelphia university: DREXEL. My Achilles heel. Did you have one?
8D: Sneak showings: PREVIEWS. Check out the upcoming movies here.
9D: Icicle site: EAVE
10D: Substance abuse support group: ALANON (Alcoholics Anonymous)
11D: Mil. assignment: KP DUTY (Kitchen Patrol)
12D: Ghost costume, basically: SHEET
14D: Uses a hose: SPRAYS (Guaranteed to make you smile.)
20D: Bank statement abbr.: INT. (Interest)
21D: __-Seltzer: ALKA
22D: Sign of healing: SCAB
23D: Top-notch: A ONE
27D: Freeze: ICE UP. Have you all thawed out yet?
28D: New beginning?: NEO (As in neocon, neolithic, neoimpressionism, neoplasm, etc.)
33D: Wane: EBB
34D: Perjured oneself: TOLD A LIE . How m a n y m o r e can you think of? I've found snopes.com and factcheck.org good places to check the veracity of dubious claims.
36D: Engine valve: THROTTLE. My knowledge of car parts is limited-VERY limited-I know how to use the dipstick to check the oil level, how to measure tire pressure and add air to the tire, and could probably change a tire if I absolutely had to. My first car was an old Chevy Nova I had my last year in college. The floor boards in front developed a hole that went all the way through. You could see the street below. My friends used to joke that I could stick my foot through to brake-kind of like driving your car Fred Flinstone style. It drove like a tank (or at least how I think a tank would drive). Memories! What was the first car you owned?
38D: Her last film was "With Six You Get Eggroll" (1968): DORIS DAY.
39D: 1998 animated bug film: ANTZ. Have we seen ANTZII in a puzzle yet? Looks like that would be a no for the NYT from Jim Horne's stats. Can't remember if it's been in a Trib puzzle-do you know C.C.?
40D: Eye trouble: STYE
42D: Stylish Christian: DIOR. Though he died in 1957 his name lives on.
44D: Beethoven's "Moonlight ___": SONATA
46D: Groups of lions: PRIDE
47D: Straight: UNBENT
48D: Sri Lanka, once: CEYLON. Also a type of tea.
49D: Chest muscle, for short: PEC (pectoralis major and pectoralis minor)
50D: Igloo dweller: ESKIMO
51D: Kramden of "The Honeymooners": ALICE
55D: Give a "G" or "PG," say: RATE
56D: Actress Ward: SELA. I actually saw a movie she was in-just didn't remember it-big surprise! (Well it was a minor role for her-but I don't watch many movies or much TV and have trouble remembering the plots, characters and titles of the ones I do see.)
60D: Bullfight cheer: OLE
61D: Taylor, familiarly: LIZ
Lot of familiar crossword words in here but still an enjoyable puzzle.
Phew-this first try at blogging took a while-gives you a new appreciation for what C.C. does (everyday) ! Thanks to C.C. for the blog and to Barry for all the fine puzzles!
