Theme: None
Total blocks: 27
Total words: 68
Again, 34 Across fill, and 34 Down fill, just like Barry's last COLE HAMELS puzzle. He seems to like this kind of balance.
No surprise. A pangram. All the 26 letters are used, at least once: 2 J's, 1Z, 1 X and several K's. (Update: Sorry. Argyle noticed that letter H is missing).
Smooth solving for me. Only peeked at the cheat sheet once for the crossing of EVANS (19A. "Macbeth" (1962) Emmy winner Maurice) and AKINS (4D. 1935 Pulitzer-winning playwright Zoë). I should have guessed with an N.
Wikipedia says Maurice Evans was an English actor noted for his interpretations of Shakesperean characters, and Marilyn Monroe's "How to Marry a Millionair" was based on Zoë Akins's play "The Greeks Had a Word for It".
Across:
1. Spears on the table: ASPARAGUS. Easy & healthy start.
10. Joplin at Woodstock: JANIS. Intersecting JIMI (10D. Hendrix at Woodstock). Nice "Woodstock" echo.
15. Basin that can result from a seismic landslide: QUAKE LAKE. New term to me.
16. Uncooperative words: I WON'T
17. Without equal: UNRIVALED. Like the Yankees' wealth, and arrogance.
18. 1980s attorney general: MEESE (Ed)
20. European ruler for 72 years: LOUIS XIV. The Sun King. He started the Haute Couture. Seed entry, Barry?
22. "I claim that!": DIBS
25. It ebbs and flows: TIDE
26. GI show gp.: USO (United Service Organizations)
27. Cotton Bowl site: DALLAS. The annual Cotton Bowl is played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.
29. Give way: COLLAPSE
31. Spartans' sch.: MSU (Michigan State University).
33. Apprentice: TRAINEE
34. Home Depot kitchen department array: FAUCETS
39. It creates an adjustable loop: SLIPKNOT
40. It may be cracked by a spy: CODE. Barry's original clue might just be "It may be cracked".
43. Essayist Francis et al.: BACONS. Kevin is another Bacon.
46. "Concord Sonata" composer: IVES (Charles). Again, the answer revealed itself. Not familiar with this composer or his piece "Concord Sonata".
47. In __: seething: A RAGE
48. Notes after fa: SO LA. Wrote down SOLS first.
49. Alter, perhaps by using unethical techniques: REJIGGER. New word to me. JIGGER seems to have the same meaning.
51. Tehran language: FARSI. Moderan Persian.
52. Nuts: CRAZY
53. When business is slow: OFF-SEASON
56. Iron-rich meat: LIVER. True, but the smell of liver is just so strong.
57. Everly Brothers hit that begins "I bless the day I found you": LET IT BE ME. Here is the clip.
58. Musical exercise: ETUDE
59. Spoke to: ADDRESSED. Typical bottom edge word, with letter D's and S's.
Down:
1. Water conduit: AQUEDUCT. Rooted in aqua (water).
2. Driver's glare blocker: SUN VISOR
3. Certain conic section, in math: PARABOLA (puh-RAB-uh-luh). Got the answer. Don't really know what a parabola is.
5. Speeds (up): REVS
8. Guitar relative: Var.: UKELELE. Oh, variant of Ukulele.
9. Spiritual Arizona resort: SEDONA. My god, snow on the ground?
11. Blown away: AWESTRUCK
12. 1944 Sartre play: NO EXIT. The famous line "Hell is other people" is from this play. Sartre's "Nausea" is 6-letter too, but it's a novel (1938).
13. Where most stay when it rains: INSIDE
14. Martin and Allen: STEVES
21. Ship in 1898 news: USS MAINE. Gimme, right? We just had MAINE clued as "Ship to remember" several days ago and Martin mentioned the phrase "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain".
23. Lunchbox alternative: PAPER BAG
27. Comic Carvey: DANA
30. Like wax museum figures: LIFE-SIZED
32. Has dinner: SUPS. And SCARFED (39D. Gobbled (down)).
34. Beat with a stick: FLOG. Verb.
35. Signs on the back: ENDORSES
36. Arduous: TOILSOME
37. Tense, as relations: STRAINED
40. Oater wagon formation: CIRCLE. Hence the idiom "circle the wagon".
41. Past the pain of breaking up, say: OVER IT. Again, the answer jumped out itself.
42. "Been there, done that" feeling: DEJA VU. Literally "already seen".
44. Biological ring of color: AREOLA. AREa + OLA. Again, like this.
48. Swedish autos: SAABS
50. "Did __ and gimble in the wabe": "Jabberwocky": GYRE. Obtained the answer from crosses also. "Jabberwocky" is pure nonsense to me.
51. Fancy party: FETE
54. Florist letters: FTD (Florists' Transworld Delivery)
55. Churchill's title: SIR. Churchill's mother was American.
Answer grid.
C.C.
Total blocks: 27
Total words: 68
Again, 34 Across fill, and 34 Down fill, just like Barry's last COLE HAMELS puzzle. He seems to like this kind of balance.
No surprise. A pangram. All the 26 letters are used, at least once: 2 J's, 1Z, 1 X and several K's. (Update: Sorry. Argyle noticed that letter H is missing).
Smooth solving for me. Only peeked at the cheat sheet once for the crossing of EVANS (19A. "Macbeth" (1962) Emmy winner Maurice) and AKINS (4D. 1935 Pulitzer-winning playwright Zoë). I should have guessed with an N.
Wikipedia says Maurice Evans was an English actor noted for his interpretations of Shakesperean characters, and Marilyn Monroe's "How to Marry a Millionair" was based on Zoë Akins's play "The Greeks Had a Word for It".
Across:
1. Spears on the table: ASPARAGUS. Easy & healthy start.
10. Joplin at Woodstock: JANIS. Intersecting JIMI (10D. Hendrix at Woodstock). Nice "Woodstock" echo.
15. Basin that can result from a seismic landslide: QUAKE LAKE. New term to me.
16. Uncooperative words: I WON'T
17. Without equal: UNRIVALED. Like the Yankees' wealth, and arrogance.
18. 1980s attorney general: MEESE (Ed)
20. European ruler for 72 years: LOUIS XIV. The Sun King. He started the Haute Couture. Seed entry, Barry?
22. "I claim that!": DIBS
25. It ebbs and flows: TIDE
26. GI show gp.: USO (United Service Organizations)
27. Cotton Bowl site: DALLAS. The annual Cotton Bowl is played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.
29. Give way: COLLAPSE
31. Spartans' sch.: MSU (Michigan State University).
33. Apprentice: TRAINEE
34. Home Depot kitchen department array: FAUCETS
39. It creates an adjustable loop: SLIPKNOT
40. It may be cracked by a spy: CODE. Barry's original clue might just be "It may be cracked".
43. Essayist Francis et al.: BACONS. Kevin is another Bacon.
46. "Concord Sonata" composer: IVES (Charles). Again, the answer revealed itself. Not familiar with this composer or his piece "Concord Sonata".
47. In __: seething: A RAGE
48. Notes after fa: SO LA. Wrote down SOLS first.
49. Alter, perhaps by using unethical techniques: REJIGGER. New word to me. JIGGER seems to have the same meaning.
51. Tehran language: FARSI. Moderan Persian.
52. Nuts: CRAZY
53. When business is slow: OFF-SEASON
56. Iron-rich meat: LIVER. True, but the smell of liver is just so strong.
57. Everly Brothers hit that begins "I bless the day I found you": LET IT BE ME. Here is the clip.
58. Musical exercise: ETUDE
59. Spoke to: ADDRESSED. Typical bottom edge word, with letter D's and S's.
Down:
1. Water conduit: AQUEDUCT. Rooted in aqua (water).
2. Driver's glare blocker: SUN VISOR
3. Certain conic section, in math: PARABOLA (puh-RAB-uh-luh). Got the answer. Don't really know what a parabola is.
5. Speeds (up): REVS
8. Guitar relative: Var.: UKELELE. Oh, variant of Ukulele.
9. Spiritual Arizona resort: SEDONA. My god, snow on the ground?
11. Blown away: AWESTRUCK
12. 1944 Sartre play: NO EXIT. The famous line "Hell is other people" is from this play. Sartre's "Nausea" is 6-letter too, but it's a novel (1938).
13. Where most stay when it rains: INSIDE
14. Martin and Allen: STEVES
21. Ship in 1898 news: USS MAINE. Gimme, right? We just had MAINE clued as "Ship to remember" several days ago and Martin mentioned the phrase "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain".
23. Lunchbox alternative: PAPER BAG
27. Comic Carvey: DANA
30. Like wax museum figures: LIFE-SIZED
32. Has dinner: SUPS. And SCARFED (39D. Gobbled (down)).
34. Beat with a stick: FLOG. Verb.
35. Signs on the back: ENDORSES
36. Arduous: TOILSOME
37. Tense, as relations: STRAINED
40. Oater wagon formation: CIRCLE. Hence the idiom "circle the wagon".
41. Past the pain of breaking up, say: OVER IT. Again, the answer jumped out itself.
42. "Been there, done that" feeling: DEJA VU. Literally "already seen".
44. Biological ring of color: AREOLA. AREa + OLA. Again, like this.
48. Swedish autos: SAABS
50. "Did __ and gimble in the wabe": "Jabberwocky": GYRE. Obtained the answer from crosses also. "Jabberwocky" is pure nonsense to me.
51. Fancy party: FETE
54. Florist letters: FTD (Florists' Transworld Delivery)
55. Churchill's title: SIR. Churchill's mother was American.
Answer grid.
C.C.
