Theme: None
Total blocks: 32
Total words: 68
I am so curious about the original clues for this puzzle. They can't be so straightforward that even I could finish without much trouble.
There are seven grid-spanning fill in the Across. The stacking did not intimidate me at all. Several just popped up to me immediately with only a few letters penned in:
14A. "This can't be true!": YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS
17A. 25-Across's WWII command: EUROPEAN THEATER. And DDE (5A. WWII general who became pres.). We often see the abbreviated ETO clued as "DDE/IKE arena", nice to see its full name
31A. Scorned notion: HARE-BRAINED IDEA. Like the Cash-for-Clunkers, no?
37A. Oil and vinegar concoction: ITALIAN DRESSING. My first thought is vinaigrette.
38A. "Back off!": DON'T GET TOO CLOSE
55A. Title guy asked to "play a song for me," in a Byrds hit: MR. TAMBOURINE MAN. I only know Bob Dylan's version.
57. Cause of many traveling delays: AIR PORT SECURITY. And VAN (46A. Terminal-to-hotel transport).
Across:
5. __ Rouge: KHMER (kuh-MAIR). The Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, just like the Han people in China (We have 56 ethnic groups in China). I am a Han. Rouge (red) is due to its communist party status.
10. Sch. support groups: PTAS (Parent Teacher Associations). No such support groups in our school.
18. Algae on the beach: SEAWEED. Nori (sushi wrapper) and kelp (dashi soup base) are probably the most popular edible seaweeds.
19. Semaphore user's output: SIGNALS. Sema is Greek for "sign". Phore is a suffix for "bearer/carrier". New word to me.
20. "__ Blu Dipinto Di Blu": 1958 hit: NEL. Italian for "in". The song title is literally "In the Blue Painted Blue" or "Volare", Italian for "To Fly". I can never remember it.
22. Nursery bed: CRIB. And COTS (50D. No-frills beds).
28. Devilish tot: IMP
39. SASE, e.g.: ENC. SASE = Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. You've got to attach a SASE if you want an autographed card from those baseball players.
41. Not much: A TAD
48. Kind of fingerprint or code: GENETIC. Genetic fingerprint = DNA testing.
51. "Is it worth the risk?": DO I DARE. Nope, I don't dare, to eat a peach.
59. Davis of "Do the Right Thing": OSSIE. Always want GEENA.
60. Words before ghost or doctor: SEE A
Down:
1. Tars' affirmatives: AYES. Tar/salt/gob, all slang for sailor.
2. Licentious sort: ROUE. Roué is pronounced as roo-EY. Did you guys want RAKE again?
3. Certain something: AURA. I like the clue.
4. High martial arts rank: BROWN BELT. Only know black belt.
5. Get ready to pray: KNEEL
6. 1950s tennis great Lew: HOAD. Nailed him this time. He's a two-time Wimbledon champion (1956-57).
7. Part of a range: Abbr: MTN
8. Inexact nos.: ESTS (Estimates)
10. Beethoven's instrument: PIANO. See, you don't see Rich Norris repeats any clue. It's "Upright, for one" yesterday.
11. Nincompoop: TOTAL IDIOT
12. "The Mammoth Hunters" author: AUEL (Jean). Also the author of "The Clan of the Cave Bear".
13. Lith. et al., once: SSRS (Soviet Socialist Republics)
15. French for "sword": EPEE. Oh, good to know.
16. __ Park: Queens area near Forest Hills: REGO. No idea. What's the name origin of this park?
22. Scold: CHIDE
23. Boca __: RATON. A city in Palm Beach, Florida.
24. Ollie North's '80s "affair": IRAN-CONTRA. Is Ollie a nickname for Oliver?
25. "Divine Comedy" writer: DANTE. A Hell of a writer.
26. Inflicted upon: DID TO
27. Collapsed company chronicled in the 2005 documentary subtitled "The Smartest Guys in the Room": ENRON. Watched it immediately after its release. Not impressed.
29. Club for smart guys and girls: MENSA. Spanish for "stupid"(feminine adjective).
30. Alerted, as a doctor: PAGED
32. Important: BIG. As in big potato, slang for an important person.
34. Want-ad abbr.: EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity). EOE = Equal-Opportunity Employer.
35. U.S. Army medal: DSC (Distinguished Service Cross). Can't be DSM (Distinguished Service Medal) because medal is in the clue.
36. Martha's Vineyard natives, e.g.: ISLANDERS. Did not come to me readily.
43. Gets as a return: REAPS. You reap what you sow.
44. Prefix with sphere: ATMO. Atmosphere.
45. Book, to Bolívar: LIBRO. Spanish for "book". New to me. Bolívar is chosen for alliterative purpose.
46. Express, as an opinion: VOICE. Can't be OPINE because of "opinion".
47. Japanese aborigine: AINU (AHY-noo). The native language for "person".
48. Exam for a Wharton Sch. hopeful: GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test). A test for MBA hopefuls. I think GRE can be a substitute.
49. Port on its own lake: ERIE
51. Eins plus zwei: DREI. 1+2=3, in German.
52. Gallic girlfriend: AMIE. Cher ami (male), Chère amie (female).
53. Interest percentage: RATE
54. Pop musician from County Donegal: ENYA. Well, who else could it be, with the "County" tip off? One name singer can only be SEAL, SADE and CHER. Did I miss anyone?
56. __ Constitution: USS. The oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world.
Answer grid.
C.C.
Total blocks: 32
Total words: 68
I am so curious about the original clues for this puzzle. They can't be so straightforward that even I could finish without much trouble.
There are seven grid-spanning fill in the Across. The stacking did not intimidate me at all. Several just popped up to me immediately with only a few letters penned in:
14A. "This can't be true!": YOU'RE NOT SERIOUS
17A. 25-Across's WWII command: EUROPEAN THEATER. And DDE (5A. WWII general who became pres.). We often see the abbreviated ETO clued as "DDE/IKE arena", nice to see its full name
31A. Scorned notion: HARE-BRAINED IDEA. Like the Cash-for-Clunkers, no?
37A. Oil and vinegar concoction: ITALIAN DRESSING. My first thought is vinaigrette.
38A. "Back off!": DON'T GET TOO CLOSE
55A. Title guy asked to "play a song for me," in a Byrds hit: MR. TAMBOURINE MAN. I only know Bob Dylan's version.
57. Cause of many traveling delays: AIR PORT SECURITY. And VAN (46A. Terminal-to-hotel transport).
Across:
5. __ Rouge: KHMER (kuh-MAIR). The Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, just like the Han people in China (We have 56 ethnic groups in China). I am a Han. Rouge (red) is due to its communist party status.
10. Sch. support groups: PTAS (Parent Teacher Associations). No such support groups in our school.
18. Algae on the beach: SEAWEED. Nori (sushi wrapper) and kelp (dashi soup base) are probably the most popular edible seaweeds.
19. Semaphore user's output: SIGNALS. Sema is Greek for "sign". Phore is a suffix for "bearer/carrier". New word to me.
20. "__ Blu Dipinto Di Blu": 1958 hit: NEL. Italian for "in". The song title is literally "In the Blue Painted Blue" or "Volare", Italian for "To Fly". I can never remember it.
22. Nursery bed: CRIB. And COTS (50D. No-frills beds).
28. Devilish tot: IMP
39. SASE, e.g.: ENC. SASE = Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. You've got to attach a SASE if you want an autographed card from those baseball players.
41. Not much: A TAD
48. Kind of fingerprint or code: GENETIC. Genetic fingerprint = DNA testing.
51. "Is it worth the risk?": DO I DARE. Nope, I don't dare, to eat a peach.
59. Davis of "Do the Right Thing": OSSIE. Always want GEENA.
60. Words before ghost or doctor: SEE A
Down:
1. Tars' affirmatives: AYES. Tar/salt/gob, all slang for sailor.
2. Licentious sort: ROUE. Roué is pronounced as roo-EY. Did you guys want RAKE again?
3. Certain something: AURA. I like the clue.
4. High martial arts rank: BROWN BELT. Only know black belt.
5. Get ready to pray: KNEEL
6. 1950s tennis great Lew: HOAD. Nailed him this time. He's a two-time Wimbledon champion (1956-57).
7. Part of a range: Abbr: MTN
8. Inexact nos.: ESTS (Estimates)
10. Beethoven's instrument: PIANO. See, you don't see Rich Norris repeats any clue. It's "Upright, for one" yesterday.
11. Nincompoop: TOTAL IDIOT
12. "The Mammoth Hunters" author: AUEL (Jean). Also the author of "The Clan of the Cave Bear".
13. Lith. et al., once: SSRS (Soviet Socialist Republics)
15. French for "sword": EPEE. Oh, good to know.
16. __ Park: Queens area near Forest Hills: REGO. No idea. What's the name origin of this park?
22. Scold: CHIDE
23. Boca __: RATON. A city in Palm Beach, Florida.
24. Ollie North's '80s "affair": IRAN-CONTRA. Is Ollie a nickname for Oliver?
25. "Divine Comedy" writer: DANTE. A Hell of a writer.
26. Inflicted upon: DID TO
27. Collapsed company chronicled in the 2005 documentary subtitled "The Smartest Guys in the Room": ENRON. Watched it immediately after its release. Not impressed.
29. Club for smart guys and girls: MENSA. Spanish for "stupid"(feminine adjective).
30. Alerted, as a doctor: PAGED
32. Important: BIG. As in big potato, slang for an important person.
34. Want-ad abbr.: EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity). EOE = Equal-Opportunity Employer.
35. U.S. Army medal: DSC (Distinguished Service Cross). Can't be DSM (Distinguished Service Medal) because medal is in the clue.
36. Martha's Vineyard natives, e.g.: ISLANDERS. Did not come to me readily.
43. Gets as a return: REAPS. You reap what you sow.
44. Prefix with sphere: ATMO. Atmosphere.
45. Book, to Bolívar: LIBRO. Spanish for "book". New to me. Bolívar is chosen for alliterative purpose.
46. Express, as an opinion: VOICE. Can't be OPINE because of "opinion".
47. Japanese aborigine: AINU (AHY-noo). The native language for "person".
48. Exam for a Wharton Sch. hopeful: GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test). A test for MBA hopefuls. I think GRE can be a substitute.
49. Port on its own lake: ERIE
51. Eins plus zwei: DREI. 1+2=3, in German.
52. Gallic girlfriend: AMIE. Cher ami (male), Chère amie (female).
53. Interest percentage: RATE
54. Pop musician from County Donegal: ENYA. Well, who else could it be, with the "County" tip off? One name singer can only be SEAL, SADE and CHER. Did I miss anyone?
56. __ Constitution: USS. The oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world.
Answer grid.
C.C.
