Theme: None
Total blocks: 33
Total words: 64
Wow, this puzzle has no 3-letter word at all. Very low word count, only 64, our lowest since the switch.
PRESENTEES (6D: Oscar winners, e.g) and STATUETTES (27D: Oscar winners' winnings) are great anchors for the grid.
Besides the above "Oscar winners" echo, the below clues also have the "word association" Bob Klahn mentioned in his interview:
14A: Theoretical, as profits: ON PAPER
17A: Based on medical observation instead of theory: CLINICAL
24A: Chief Valhalla god: ODIN. The Norse Zeus. Dad of Thor & Tyr.
28A: God, in Guadalajara: DIOS. The Italian God is DIO, without the S.
A harder puzzle than last Saturday's. I had to look at my cheat sheet several times.
I asked Rich Norris (LA Times Crossword Editor) about the recent eased-up phase. He answered: "The easier clues will continue as we monitor feedback from solvers and local papers. Recent input suggests that the end-of-the-week puzzles are too hard for too many people. We'll be trying to find a level that brings more solvers into the mix on Friday and Saturday, yet still sufficiently challenges the more experienced solvers".
I asked Rich the question last month when I first sensed the ease, he answered immediately. I should have shared with you sooner.
Across:
1A: Speaker booster: PRE-AMP. No idea. Short for preamplifier.
2A: Overcharged illegally: GOUGED
13A: Western evergreen named for its eventual bark color: RED FIR. Oh, I was unaware of this fact.
16A: Unending, in poetry: ETERNE (i-TURN)
19A: White sale items: LINENS
20A: Like expensive fight seats: RINGSIDE. Boxing/wresting. The area immediately surrounding the ring.
21A: Bearded blossom: IRIS. See the white beard?
22A: Enthusiasm: ELAN
25A: Makes automatic: MECHANIZES
29A: "Don't move, Fido": STAY. Reminds me of the Steven Wright line Dennis quoted the other day: "I bought a dog the other day...I named him Stay. It's fun to call him...'Come here, Stay! Come here, Stay!' He went insane."
30A: Adjective for a yellow bikini, in a 1960 #1 hit: TEENIE. "Itsy Bitsy TEENIE Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".
32A: More shadowy, as evening: DUSKIER
36A: Slanders: MALIGNS
37A: Punctual: ON TIME
39A: Eddie __, New York cop involved in the actual "French Connection": EGAN. Unknown to me. I had difficulty focusing on the plot while watching "The French Connection".
40A: Winter Olympics contestants: SKI JUMPERS. Got the answer with the Down fill help.
46A: OR activity: SURG. Surgery I suppose.
47A: It might save your skin: ALOE. From sunburn.
48A: Mariner's heading: ALEE. Opposed to aweather.
49A: Shoves off: SETS SAIL. "Shove off" is a new phrase to me. I only know "Shove it". Teresa John Kerry is a very colorful character.
52A: Again and again?: THRICE. Great clue.
54A: Small and unimportant, as a town: ONE-HORSE. Learned this from John Kerry's presidential campaign also.
55A: __ powder: TALCUM. GARLIC, anyone?
56A: Garden tool: TRIMMER. Did not come to me readily.
57A: Plaza Hotel sprite: ELOISE. Learned from doing Xword. Have never read "ELOISE at the Plaza".
58A: Divers' fishing implements: SPEARS. I don't associate "divers" with fishing.
59A: Classified: SORTED. Was in ad direction.
Down:
1D: It's before the main event, briefly: PRELIM (Preliminary). My initial reaction is PRO-AM, thinking of golf tournament.
2D: Hang it up, so to speak: RETIRE
3D: Blissful: EDENIC. What's your idea of heaven?
4D: Anew: AFRESH
5D: State where the Mississippi R. originates: MINN. Gimme for me. Twins won! Twins won again last night!
7D: Have a wild time: GO CRAZY
8D: Modern way to shop: ON LINE
9D: __ arms: UP IN. Angry. A new idiom to me. I wanted OPEN.
10D: Turf controller: GANG. We've got Hmong GANG here in Minnesota.
11D: TV Series opener: EPISODE I
12D: Tough job for a beauty contest judge: DECIDING. Ellen Degeneres is a perfect pick for "American Idol".
15D: Contact the harbor master from one's ship: RADIO IN
23D: Inventive sort?: LIAR. Nailed it. By the way, look at the funny "Loose Parts" Dennis linked yesterday. Notice there are two number 1's in a grid? Impossible! "You lie!".
26D: "Sure __ standing ...": AS I'M
31D: Na or Cl, e.g.: ELEM (Element). Again, got the answer with Across help.
32D: Playground retort: DOES SO
33D: Salve: UNGUENT. Was this a gimme to you?
34D: Appetizers: STARTERS. Look at these Korean food STARTERS. Mostly fermented veggies. Hot and spicy!
35D: Royal office: KINGSHIP. Wow, have never heard of this word before.
36D: Magic charm: MOJO. Has Obama lost his MOJO?
38D: Tractor attachment: TILLER. Farming machine again. Hey, Windhover.
41D: Wilhelm's title in WWI Germany: KAISER. All German emperors are called KAISERS, correct?
42D: Sitting room: PARLOR
43D: Draw out: ELICIT
44D: Disqualify (oneself), as a judge: RECUSE. Used to love "Law & Order".
51D: Weapons, in Latin: ARMA. New to me. I suppose that's how we get arms.
53D: Head light?: HALO. My favorite clue today. Just heavenly.
Answer grid.
Picture of the Day: Here is a great photo of Wisconsin gang. From left to right: Kazie looks beautiful in aqua; Dot (81-year-old) is just what I've pictured in my mind, an elegant lady; Her husband Irv is 95 years old if I recall correctly. They do crossword together after dinner. And our radiant Andrea who owns Brasserie V on Monroe Street in Madison.
C.C.
Total blocks: 33
Total words: 64
Wow, this puzzle has no 3-letter word at all. Very low word count, only 64, our lowest since the switch.
PRESENTEES (6D: Oscar winners, e.g) and STATUETTES (27D: Oscar winners' winnings) are great anchors for the grid.
Besides the above "Oscar winners" echo, the below clues also have the "word association" Bob Klahn mentioned in his interview:
14A: Theoretical, as profits: ON PAPER
17A: Based on medical observation instead of theory: CLINICAL
24A: Chief Valhalla god: ODIN. The Norse Zeus. Dad of Thor & Tyr.
28A: God, in Guadalajara: DIOS. The Italian God is DIO, without the S.
A harder puzzle than last Saturday's. I had to look at my cheat sheet several times.
I asked Rich Norris (LA Times Crossword Editor) about the recent eased-up phase. He answered: "The easier clues will continue as we monitor feedback from solvers and local papers. Recent input suggests that the end-of-the-week puzzles are too hard for too many people. We'll be trying to find a level that brings more solvers into the mix on Friday and Saturday, yet still sufficiently challenges the more experienced solvers".
I asked Rich the question last month when I first sensed the ease, he answered immediately. I should have shared with you sooner.
Across:
1A: Speaker booster: PRE-AMP. No idea. Short for preamplifier.
2A: Overcharged illegally: GOUGED
13A: Western evergreen named for its eventual bark color: RED FIR. Oh, I was unaware of this fact.
16A: Unending, in poetry: ETERNE (i-TURN)
19A: White sale items: LINENS
20A: Like expensive fight seats: RINGSIDE. Boxing/wresting. The area immediately surrounding the ring.
21A: Bearded blossom: IRIS. See the white beard?
22A: Enthusiasm: ELAN
25A: Makes automatic: MECHANIZES
29A: "Don't move, Fido": STAY. Reminds me of the Steven Wright line Dennis quoted the other day: "I bought a dog the other day...I named him Stay. It's fun to call him...'Come here, Stay! Come here, Stay!' He went insane."
30A: Adjective for a yellow bikini, in a 1960 #1 hit: TEENIE. "Itsy Bitsy TEENIE Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini".
32A: More shadowy, as evening: DUSKIER
36A: Slanders: MALIGNS
37A: Punctual: ON TIME
39A: Eddie __, New York cop involved in the actual "French Connection": EGAN. Unknown to me. I had difficulty focusing on the plot while watching "The French Connection".
40A: Winter Olympics contestants: SKI JUMPERS. Got the answer with the Down fill help.
46A: OR activity: SURG. Surgery I suppose.
47A: It might save your skin: ALOE. From sunburn.
48A: Mariner's heading: ALEE. Opposed to aweather.
49A: Shoves off: SETS SAIL. "Shove off" is a new phrase to me. I only know "Shove it". Teresa John Kerry is a very colorful character.
52A: Again and again?: THRICE. Great clue.
54A: Small and unimportant, as a town: ONE-HORSE. Learned this from John Kerry's presidential campaign also.
55A: __ powder: TALCUM. GARLIC, anyone?
56A: Garden tool: TRIMMER. Did not come to me readily.
57A: Plaza Hotel sprite: ELOISE. Learned from doing Xword. Have never read "ELOISE at the Plaza".
58A: Divers' fishing implements: SPEARS. I don't associate "divers" with fishing.
59A: Classified: SORTED. Was in ad direction.
Down:
1D: It's before the main event, briefly: PRELIM (Preliminary). My initial reaction is PRO-AM, thinking of golf tournament.
2D: Hang it up, so to speak: RETIRE
3D: Blissful: EDENIC. What's your idea of heaven?
4D: Anew: AFRESH
5D: State where the Mississippi R. originates: MINN. Gimme for me. Twins won! Twins won again last night!
7D: Have a wild time: GO CRAZY
8D: Modern way to shop: ON LINE
9D: __ arms: UP IN. Angry. A new idiom to me. I wanted OPEN.
10D: Turf controller: GANG. We've got Hmong GANG here in Minnesota.
11D: TV Series opener: EPISODE I
12D: Tough job for a beauty contest judge: DECIDING. Ellen Degeneres is a perfect pick for "American Idol".
15D: Contact the harbor master from one's ship: RADIO IN
23D: Inventive sort?: LIAR. Nailed it. By the way, look at the funny "Loose Parts" Dennis linked yesterday. Notice there are two number 1's in a grid? Impossible! "You lie!".
26D: "Sure __ standing ...": AS I'M
31D: Na or Cl, e.g.: ELEM (Element). Again, got the answer with Across help.
32D: Playground retort: DOES SO
33D: Salve: UNGUENT. Was this a gimme to you?
34D: Appetizers: STARTERS. Look at these Korean food STARTERS. Mostly fermented veggies. Hot and spicy!
35D: Royal office: KINGSHIP. Wow, have never heard of this word before.
36D: Magic charm: MOJO. Has Obama lost his MOJO?
38D: Tractor attachment: TILLER. Farming machine again. Hey, Windhover.
41D: Wilhelm's title in WWI Germany: KAISER. All German emperors are called KAISERS, correct?
42D: Sitting room: PARLOR
43D: Draw out: ELICIT
44D: Disqualify (oneself), as a judge: RECUSE. Used to love "Law & Order".
51D: Weapons, in Latin: ARMA. New to me. I suppose that's how we get arms.
53D: Head light?: HALO. My favorite clue today. Just heavenly.
Answer grid.
Picture of the Day: Here is a great photo of Wisconsin gang. From left to right: Kazie looks beautiful in aqua; Dot (81-year-old) is just what I've pictured in my mind, an elegant lady; Her husband Irv is 95 years old if I recall correctly. They do crossword together after dinner. And our radiant Andrea who owns Brasserie V on Monroe Street in Madison.
C.C.
