Theme: What is Love?
1A: Start of a quip: LOVE IS
21A: Part 2 of quip: A CROCODILE
41A: Part 3 of quip: ALONG
60A: Part 4 of quip: THE RIVER OF
73A: End of quip: DESIRE
Does it mean that love is dangerous?
I have never solved a puzzle where the quip starts with 1A. Was worried that this puzzle might be a “Shock and Awe”. It turns out to be just a “shock and uh”.
Mike WEIR (26A: Masters champion from Canada) might be a bit obscure to non-golf fans. But it’s easily gettable. He is probably the best known left-handed golfer in PGA, after Phil Mickelson. I've forgotten most of the 2003 Masters. Do remember the intimate embrace he gave to his wife after he sank the final putt.
Too many “Be…” clues for my taste:
71A: Be without: NEED. Why not "Can't live without"?
45D: Be worthy of: MERIT. "Worth" alone is enough, isn't it?
13D: Be vanquished: LOSE. Dennis probably wants "Take the booby prize" or "Mislay".
Across:
17A: Grasping part: PINCER. Have never seen a singular PINCER before.
18A: Shaded walkways: ALAMEDAS. New word to me. Like this? Dictionary explains that ALAMEDA is rooted in Spanish word "alamo", a poplar tree in the Southwest.
25A: Temper: ANNEAL. Temper metal.
23A: Enticed: LED ON. I often confuse inveigle with inveigh.
28A: Archie’s command to Edith: STIFLE. Easy guess. I watched one or two episodes of "All in the Family". Don't remember this rude command.
44A: Silvery European fish: BREAM. No idea. Scary eyes. It does not look "Silvery" to me. Remember last time we had SCUP (clued as "Porgy")? Now that's "Silvery".
46A: Aleppo’s country: SYRIA. Last time ALEPPO was clued as "Syria city". Wikipedia says 70% of Aleppo's inhabitants are Sunni Muslims.
49A: Flower part: STAMEN. It bears pollen. The white stuff on top is the anther.
51A: 500-mile event, briefly: INDY. I know it runs over the Memorial weekend. And Daytona 500 will be held this weekend. Other than that, I know nothing about racing. Are those two like Baseball's American League Champion Series & National League Champion Series?
69A: Singer Peerce: JAN. Not a familiar name to me. Jan, he must be of Dutch root.
Down:
3D: Having blades, as a windmill: VANED. New adjective form to me.
4D: Mortgage condition: ESCROW. What exactly is ESCROW?
5D: Tina Turner’s ex: IKE. Nice change from the stale "Presidential nickname" clue. Not sure if they were really married though.
6D: F.D.R.’s mother: SARA. Learned her name from doing Xword. F.D.R.’s dog is FALA.
8D: Manmade fiber: ORLON. Wanted NYLON. Both are synthetic fiber, right?
10D: Young plant: SEEDLING. “Ling” is a suffix for small. Duckling, underling, yearling, etc.
27D: “Sliver” author Levin: IRA. Thrillingly scary movie. I did not know Ira Levin wrote it though.
37D: First name in tenors: ENRICO. For opera fans, 20th century started with ENRICO Caruso and ended with Pavarotti.
40D: Asian evergreen: TAMARIND. Interesting, Wikipedia says TAMARIND is Arabic for "Indian date" due to its date-like fruit shape. Palm dates I suppose. Our Chinese dates are round. Some people like TAMARIND in their chutney.
42D: Southwest people: NAVAJO. The largest tribal group in the US. I really adore some of the NAVAJO turquoise silver bracelets. Very pretty.
57D: Belafonte or Lewis: SHARI. Another easy guess. SHARI Belafonte is an actress. SHARI Lewis is the original puppeteer for "Lamb Chop".
58D: Lush: TOPER. Is this a real word?
59D: Edberg or Sorenstam: SWEDE. I've got several autographs from Annika Sorenstam. Have never heard of Stefan Edberg the tennis player.
C.C.
1A: Start of a quip: LOVE IS
21A: Part 2 of quip: A CROCODILE
41A: Part 3 of quip: ALONG
60A: Part 4 of quip: THE RIVER OF
73A: End of quip: DESIRE
Does it mean that love is dangerous?
I have never solved a puzzle where the quip starts with 1A. Was worried that this puzzle might be a “Shock and Awe”. It turns out to be just a “shock and uh”.
Mike WEIR (26A: Masters champion from Canada) might be a bit obscure to non-golf fans. But it’s easily gettable. He is probably the best known left-handed golfer in PGA, after Phil Mickelson. I've forgotten most of the 2003 Masters. Do remember the intimate embrace he gave to his wife after he sank the final putt.
Too many “Be…” clues for my taste:
71A: Be without: NEED. Why not "Can't live without"?
45D: Be worthy of: MERIT. "Worth" alone is enough, isn't it?
13D: Be vanquished: LOSE. Dennis probably wants "Take the booby prize" or "Mislay".
Across:
17A: Grasping part: PINCER. Have never seen a singular PINCER before.
18A: Shaded walkways: ALAMEDAS. New word to me. Like this? Dictionary explains that ALAMEDA is rooted in Spanish word "alamo", a poplar tree in the Southwest.
25A: Temper: ANNEAL. Temper metal.
23A: Enticed: LED ON. I often confuse inveigle with inveigh.
28A: Archie’s command to Edith: STIFLE. Easy guess. I watched one or two episodes of "All in the Family". Don't remember this rude command.
44A: Silvery European fish: BREAM. No idea. Scary eyes. It does not look "Silvery" to me. Remember last time we had SCUP (clued as "Porgy")? Now that's "Silvery".
46A: Aleppo’s country: SYRIA. Last time ALEPPO was clued as "Syria city". Wikipedia says 70% of Aleppo's inhabitants are Sunni Muslims.
49A: Flower part: STAMEN. It bears pollen. The white stuff on top is the anther.
51A: 500-mile event, briefly: INDY. I know it runs over the Memorial weekend. And Daytona 500 will be held this weekend. Other than that, I know nothing about racing. Are those two like Baseball's American League Champion Series & National League Champion Series?
69A: Singer Peerce: JAN. Not a familiar name to me. Jan, he must be of Dutch root.
Down:
3D: Having blades, as a windmill: VANED. New adjective form to me.
4D: Mortgage condition: ESCROW. What exactly is ESCROW?
5D: Tina Turner’s ex: IKE. Nice change from the stale "Presidential nickname" clue. Not sure if they were really married though.
6D: F.D.R.’s mother: SARA. Learned her name from doing Xword. F.D.R.’s dog is FALA.
8D: Manmade fiber: ORLON. Wanted NYLON. Both are synthetic fiber, right?
10D: Young plant: SEEDLING. “Ling” is a suffix for small. Duckling, underling, yearling, etc.
27D: “Sliver” author Levin: IRA. Thrillingly scary movie. I did not know Ira Levin wrote it though.
37D: First name in tenors: ENRICO. For opera fans, 20th century started with ENRICO Caruso and ended with Pavarotti.
40D: Asian evergreen: TAMARIND. Interesting, Wikipedia says TAMARIND is Arabic for "Indian date" due to its date-like fruit shape. Palm dates I suppose. Our Chinese dates are round. Some people like TAMARIND in their chutney.
42D: Southwest people: NAVAJO. The largest tribal group in the US. I really adore some of the NAVAJO turquoise silver bracelets. Very pretty.
57D: Belafonte or Lewis: SHARI. Another easy guess. SHARI Belafonte is an actress. SHARI Lewis is the original puppeteer for "Lamb Chop".
58D: Lush: TOPER. Is this a real word?
59D: Edberg or Sorenstam: SWEDE. I've got several autographs from Annika Sorenstam. Have never heard of Stefan Edberg the tennis player.
C.C.
