Theme: SILENCE IS GOLDEN (57A. Apt adage for this puzzle ) - Common phrases signaling "mum's the word" (I'll be quiet and say nothing). "Non-speaking line" means "saying a line about not speaking".
17A. Non-speaking line?: MY LIPS ARE SEALED
22A. Non-speaking line?: I'M ALL EARS
34A. Non-speaking line?: WORDS ESCAPE ME
50A. Non-speaking line?: NO COMMENT
Today's constructor Xan Vongsathorn is a student in Pomona College, CA. Xan is pronounced as “Chawn”.
This puzzle reminds me the quote "Don't talk unless you can improve the silence" Dennis or Hahtool brought to the blog a while ago.
As usual, I jumped around. Got MY LIPS ARE SEALED very quickly and filled in SILENCE IS GOLDEN immediately. Then I thought the theme is about keeping secret.
Across:
1. Thumper's buddy: BAMBI. Thumper is a young rabbit in "Bambi". Unknown to me. We often see ENA clued as "Bambi's aunt".
6. La Scala production: OPERA. And AISLED (45D. Like theaters)
11. Cap seen on a brae: TAM. Scottish cap. Brae is Scottish hillside.
15. Ad target: BUYER. Sigh! I hardly use my Jack Lalanne juicer. The TV ad was just so appealing.
16. "If you ask me," in chat room shorthand: IMO
21. Spill the beans: TATTLE. A contract to "Silence is Golden".
27. State of rest: REPOSE
28. Little women: PETITES. Good play on the novel "Little Women". And LARGE (56A. Soda size).
31. Aurora's Greek counterpart: EOS. Gimme, correct? I've been mentioning Aurora every time EOS shows up.
32. Romantic hopeful: SUITOR. Silly, but I struggled with the answer. I like to be romanced.
40. Vital anatomical passage: AIRWAY. No idea. It's a passage by which air passes from the nose or mouth to the air sacs of the lungs.
41. George Gershwin's brother: IRA. The clue is a full name, the answer is only a given name. "George's songwriter brother" is much better.
43. Blankety-blank type: SO AND SO
46. Jaime Sommers, TV's "__ Woman": BIONIC. Bionic stands for Bio(logy) + (electro)nic.
49. The Phantom of the Opera: ERIK. Oh, thought it's ERIC.
53. Magnetic inductivity units: TESLAS. Named after physicist Nikola Tesla.
63. Too trusting: NAIVE
64. Prefix with surgery: NEURO. Neurosurgery. Neuro = nerve.
66. "Li'l" guy: ABNER. Li'l Abner.
67. Bygone anesthetic: ETHER
Down:
1. Mooch, as a ride: BUM
3. Start to practice?: MAL. Malpractice. Great clue.
4. Under-the-sink brand: BRILLO. Latin for "bright". I am using the S.O.S. pad.
5. Gets moving: IMPELS
6. President with a Grammy: OBAMA. Two Grammys, for the spoken word books of "Dreams from My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope".
11. Attack à la Don Quixote: TILT AT. He tilts at the windmills (fights against an imaginary enemy). Tilt here means "joust", using a lance.
12. 2001 French film starring Audrey Tautou: AMELIE. Ah, Embien liked this film. So did I. Just lovely.
13. Cover girls, e.g.: MODELS. CoverGirl is a cosmetics brand.
18. Hook's right hand: SMEE. In "Peter Pan".
19. Worn things: ATTIRE. Might have got it quickly if the clue were "Things to wear".
23. Cat call: MEOW. Not the rude catcall. Several nicely worded clues in today's puzzle.
24. Lhasa __: Tibetan dog: APSO. Literally "bearded" in Tibetan language.
25. Like much Thai cuisine: SPICY. That's why they use coconut often, to balance out the spiciness.
29. Greek "H": ETA. See the shape.
30. High point: TOP
32. Attach, as a patch: SEW ON
33. Country where Häagen-Dazs H.Q. is: USA. Man, somehow I always thought Häagen-Dazs is based somewhere in Europe.
35. Continue to irritate: RANKLE
37. Some coll. students: SRS. Xan Vongsathorn is a senior in college. Very unusual name.
38. Diamond source: MINE. No more baseball diamond. Damned Yankees. What Lola wants, Lola finally gets! I kind of like Andy Pettitte though. Very honest handling of his steroid use. Congratulations, Danabw and Democrat in a Red State.
39. Celtic land: ERIN. Or EIRE. Hibernia is Latin for Ireland.
43. Goes after: SETS AT
44. Tater Tots maker: ORE-IDA. Portmanteau of Ore(gon) = Ida(ho).
46. Five-time Wimbledon champ: BORG (Björn)
47. "Later, bro": I'M GONE
48. Brunch staple: OMELET. I like plain one. No cheese, or meat or vegetables.
51. Source of edible oil: OLIVE
52. Crime planner: CASER. Case is a slang for "to check out a bank/house in planning of a crime".
54. "Happy tune" whistler of Broadway: ANNA. No idea. The song "I Whistle a Happy Tune", from the musical "The King and I".
55. Picketer's bane: SCAB
58. "Ich bin __ Berliner!": EIN. JFK line.
59. "How could I miss that?!": D'UH. No difference from D'OH, correct?
Answer grid.
Thanks for the newspaper information yesterday. I am so sorry some of you lost LAT puzzle. Do go to LA Times' website and join us for discussions when you have time.
C.C.
17A. Non-speaking line?: MY LIPS ARE SEALED
22A. Non-speaking line?: I'M ALL EARS
34A. Non-speaking line?: WORDS ESCAPE ME
50A. Non-speaking line?: NO COMMENT
Today's constructor Xan Vongsathorn is a student in Pomona College, CA. Xan is pronounced as “Chawn”.
This puzzle reminds me the quote "Don't talk unless you can improve the silence" Dennis or Hahtool brought to the blog a while ago.
As usual, I jumped around. Got MY LIPS ARE SEALED very quickly and filled in SILENCE IS GOLDEN immediately. Then I thought the theme is about keeping secret.
Across:
1. Thumper's buddy: BAMBI. Thumper is a young rabbit in "Bambi". Unknown to me. We often see ENA clued as "Bambi's aunt".
6. La Scala production: OPERA. And AISLED (45D. Like theaters)
11. Cap seen on a brae: TAM. Scottish cap. Brae is Scottish hillside.
15. Ad target: BUYER. Sigh! I hardly use my Jack Lalanne juicer. The TV ad was just so appealing.
16. "If you ask me," in chat room shorthand: IMO
21. Spill the beans: TATTLE. A contract to "Silence is Golden".
27. State of rest: REPOSE
28. Little women: PETITES. Good play on the novel "Little Women". And LARGE (56A. Soda size).
31. Aurora's Greek counterpart: EOS. Gimme, correct? I've been mentioning Aurora every time EOS shows up.
32. Romantic hopeful: SUITOR. Silly, but I struggled with the answer. I like to be romanced.
40. Vital anatomical passage: AIRWAY. No idea. It's a passage by which air passes from the nose or mouth to the air sacs of the lungs.
41. George Gershwin's brother: IRA. The clue is a full name, the answer is only a given name. "George's songwriter brother" is much better.
43. Blankety-blank type: SO AND SO
46. Jaime Sommers, TV's "__ Woman": BIONIC. Bionic stands for Bio(logy) + (electro)nic.
49. The Phantom of the Opera: ERIK. Oh, thought it's ERIC.
53. Magnetic inductivity units: TESLAS. Named after physicist Nikola Tesla.
63. Too trusting: NAIVE
64. Prefix with surgery: NEURO. Neurosurgery. Neuro = nerve.
66. "Li'l" guy: ABNER. Li'l Abner.
67. Bygone anesthetic: ETHER
Down:
1. Mooch, as a ride: BUM
3. Start to practice?: MAL. Malpractice. Great clue.
4. Under-the-sink brand: BRILLO. Latin for "bright". I am using the S.O.S. pad.
5. Gets moving: IMPELS
6. President with a Grammy: OBAMA. Two Grammys, for the spoken word books of "Dreams from My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope".
11. Attack à la Don Quixote: TILT AT. He tilts at the windmills (fights against an imaginary enemy). Tilt here means "joust", using a lance.
12. 2001 French film starring Audrey Tautou: AMELIE. Ah, Embien liked this film. So did I. Just lovely.
13. Cover girls, e.g.: MODELS. CoverGirl is a cosmetics brand.
18. Hook's right hand: SMEE. In "Peter Pan".
19. Worn things: ATTIRE. Might have got it quickly if the clue were "Things to wear".
23. Cat call: MEOW. Not the rude catcall. Several nicely worded clues in today's puzzle.
24. Lhasa __: Tibetan dog: APSO. Literally "bearded" in Tibetan language.
25. Like much Thai cuisine: SPICY. That's why they use coconut often, to balance out the spiciness.
29. Greek "H": ETA. See the shape.
30. High point: TOP
32. Attach, as a patch: SEW ON
33. Country where Häagen-Dazs H.Q. is: USA. Man, somehow I always thought Häagen-Dazs is based somewhere in Europe.
35. Continue to irritate: RANKLE
37. Some coll. students: SRS. Xan Vongsathorn is a senior in college. Very unusual name.
38. Diamond source: MINE. No more baseball diamond. Damned Yankees. What Lola wants, Lola finally gets! I kind of like Andy Pettitte though. Very honest handling of his steroid use. Congratulations, Danabw and Democrat in a Red State.
39. Celtic land: ERIN. Or EIRE. Hibernia is Latin for Ireland.
43. Goes after: SETS AT
44. Tater Tots maker: ORE-IDA. Portmanteau of Ore(gon) = Ida(ho).
46. Five-time Wimbledon champ: BORG (Björn)
47. "Later, bro": I'M GONE
48. Brunch staple: OMELET. I like plain one. No cheese, or meat or vegetables.
51. Source of edible oil: OLIVE
52. Crime planner: CASER. Case is a slang for "to check out a bank/house in planning of a crime".
54. "Happy tune" whistler of Broadway: ANNA. No idea. The song "I Whistle a Happy Tune", from the musical "The King and I".
55. Picketer's bane: SCAB
58. "Ich bin __ Berliner!": EIN. JFK line.
59. "How could I miss that?!": D'UH. No difference from D'OH, correct?
Answer grid.
Thanks for the newspaper information yesterday. I am so sorry some of you lost LAT puzzle. Do go to LA Times' website and join us for discussions when you have time.
C.C.
