Theme: None
Total blocks: 30
Total words: 70
This grid does not look intimidating, does it? Only a bunch of triple-stacked 7's in each corner. Across & Down. But what a hard struggle for me!
Rich Norris certainly ratcheted up the cluing difficulty (ONO is a good example). Even if he did not, I doubt I would have solved this puzzle without cheating. Several of the adjacent entries are just plain unknown to me.
Across:
1. Treat for tired dogs?: FOOT RUB. Dogs here refer to feet. Wanted MASSAGE. Lots of foot massage parlors in Guangzhou.
8. Snake oil, so it's said: PANACEA. Not seen as such in China. Snake oil is just used to treat join pain.
15. Bridge bid, briefly: THREE NO. Someone please explain this term to me.
16. Fauna: ANIMALS. Flora would be PLANTS.
17. Old Meccan governors: SHARIFS. Literally "exalted" in Arabic. Maybe Omar Sharif knows. I've got no idea.
18. Swift specialties: SATIRES. Jonathan Swift.
20. "Real breakfast 24/7" restaurant chain: DENNY'S. Not familiar with the tagline at all.
22. Ventura County's __ Valley: SIMI. Home to the Regan Library. Another California reference is ANAS (9D. Santa __: West Coast winds). The hot winds.
23. Actress Swenson: INGA. Of "Benson" fame.
25. God of Spain: DIOS. The singular DIO is Italian/German for God. DIEU for the French.
27. Head lock: TRESS
31. City on the Rhine: BONN. Former capital of West Germany.
32. Shrub with clusters of blue flowers: HYSSOP. Of the mint family. New name to me.
34. Betrayals: SELLOUTS. So easy in retrospect.
36. Hotel amenity for business travelers: IN-ROOM FAX. You'd think it's IN-ROOM internet access/WiFi.
38. Delete: CROSS OFF. And REDLINE (39D. Deletion indicator).
41. Tiny white ovum: ANT EGG. Stumper. Those eggs look awfully big.
45. Musical set in Manhattan's East Village: RENT
46. Armstrong singing style: SCAT. Ella Fitzgerald singing style too.
48. Iberian river: DOURO (DOH-roo). No idea. See this map. It flows from N Spain through N Portugal to the Atlantic.
49. Stock suffix: ADE. Stockade.
50. Agcy. that conducts workplace inspections: OSHA. Belongs to the Dept. of Labor.
52. Noilly __: vermouth brand: PRAT. Completely unknown to me. Does anyone know the name origin? Why PRAT, Argyle?
57. Artist who funded Manhattan's Strawberry Fields memorial: ONO. Another unknown trivia.
58. Reminder file: TICKLER. Have never heard of tickler file.
60. Ale seller: BREWPUB. It's a bar serving beer brewed at a small microbrewery on the premises. Probably a gimme for Embien.
63. Ventilation source: AIR HOLE
64. Can't stand: DESPISE
65. Did over on a Selectric, say: RETYPED. Who the heck is still using Selectric?
Down:
Total blocks: 30
Total words: 70
This grid does not look intimidating, does it? Only a bunch of triple-stacked 7's in each corner. Across & Down. But what a hard struggle for me!
Rich Norris certainly ratcheted up the cluing difficulty (ONO is a good example). Even if he did not, I doubt I would have solved this puzzle without cheating. Several of the adjacent entries are just plain unknown to me.
Across:
1. Treat for tired dogs?: FOOT RUB. Dogs here refer to feet. Wanted MASSAGE. Lots of foot massage parlors in Guangzhou.
8. Snake oil, so it's said: PANACEA. Not seen as such in China. Snake oil is just used to treat join pain.
15. Bridge bid, briefly: THREE NO. Someone please explain this term to me.
16. Fauna: ANIMALS. Flora would be PLANTS.
17. Old Meccan governors: SHARIFS. Literally "exalted" in Arabic. Maybe Omar Sharif knows. I've got no idea.
18. Swift specialties: SATIRES. Jonathan Swift.
20. "Real breakfast 24/7" restaurant chain: DENNY'S. Not familiar with the tagline at all.
22. Ventura County's __ Valley: SIMI. Home to the Regan Library. Another California reference is ANAS (9D. Santa __: West Coast winds). The hot winds.
23. Actress Swenson: INGA. Of "Benson" fame.
25. God of Spain: DIOS. The singular DIO is Italian/German for God. DIEU for the French.
27. Head lock: TRESS
31. City on the Rhine: BONN. Former capital of West Germany.
32. Shrub with clusters of blue flowers: HYSSOP. Of the mint family. New name to me.
34. Betrayals: SELLOUTS. So easy in retrospect.
36. Hotel amenity for business travelers: IN-ROOM FAX. You'd think it's IN-ROOM internet access/WiFi.
38. Delete: CROSS OFF. And REDLINE (39D. Deletion indicator).
41. Tiny white ovum: ANT EGG. Stumper. Those eggs look awfully big.
45. Musical set in Manhattan's East Village: RENT
46. Armstrong singing style: SCAT. Ella Fitzgerald singing style too.
48. Iberian river: DOURO (DOH-roo). No idea. See this map. It flows from N Spain through N Portugal to the Atlantic.
49. Stock suffix: ADE. Stockade.
50. Agcy. that conducts workplace inspections: OSHA. Belongs to the Dept. of Labor.
52. Noilly __: vermouth brand: PRAT. Completely unknown to me. Does anyone know the name origin? Why PRAT, Argyle?
57. Artist who funded Manhattan's Strawberry Fields memorial: ONO. Another unknown trivia.
58. Reminder file: TICKLER. Have never heard of tickler file.
60. Ale seller: BREWPUB. It's a bar serving beer brewed at a small microbrewery on the premises. Probably a gimme for Embien.
63. Ventilation source: AIR HOLE
64. Can't stand: DESPISE
65. Did over on a Selectric, say: RETYPED. Who the heck is still using Selectric?
Down:
1. Ark. city that began as a military post: FT SMITH. Uh-uh, nope. It's the second-largest city in Ark.
2. Candy bar with an exclamation point in its name: OH HENRY! I've yet to try this brand. Love Snickers.
3. Fruits used in making Grand Marnier: ORANGES. Another stumper. The Grand Marnier made from a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange.
4. Three times, in Rx's: TER
5. Senate Majority Leader Harry: REID. From Nevada.
6. Ravenous, probably: UNFED. Reminds me of "The Pianist".
7. Sarajevo's region: BOSNIA. Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia.
8. Lineup announcement medium, briefly: PA SYSTEM. Was thinking of police line-up.
10. Trivial point: NIT. Trivial point to pick.
11. "The Rachel Papers" novelist Martin: AMIS. Son of Kingsley Amis.
12. Arctic deer: CARIBOU. Reindeer too.
13. Nitrogen or oxygen: ELEMENT
14. Transfers, as legal rights: ASSIGNS
21. "I wouldn't do that just yet": NOT SO FAST. Placed at the very center of the grid.
24. Fielder's stat: ASSIST. Basketball/hockey stat too.
28. Boys, to men: SONS. Would be an OK clue if not for MEN (19A. Gents)
30. Italian sports car, briefly: : ALFA. Alfa Romeo.
2. Candy bar with an exclamation point in its name: OH HENRY! I've yet to try this brand. Love Snickers.
3. Fruits used in making Grand Marnier: ORANGES. Another stumper. The Grand Marnier made from a blend of true cognacs and distilled essence of bitter orange.
4. Three times, in Rx's: TER
5. Senate Majority Leader Harry: REID. From Nevada.
6. Ravenous, probably: UNFED. Reminds me of "The Pianist".
7. Sarajevo's region: BOSNIA. Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia.
8. Lineup announcement medium, briefly: PA SYSTEM. Was thinking of police line-up.
10. Trivial point: NIT. Trivial point to pick.
11. "The Rachel Papers" novelist Martin: AMIS. Son of Kingsley Amis.
12. Arctic deer: CARIBOU. Reindeer too.
13. Nitrogen or oxygen: ELEMENT
14. Transfers, as legal rights: ASSIGNS
21. "I wouldn't do that just yet": NOT SO FAST. Placed at the very center of the grid.
24. Fielder's stat: ASSIST. Basketball/hockey stat too.
28. Boys, to men: SONS. Would be an OK clue if not for MEN (19A. Gents)
30. Italian sports car, briefly: : ALFA. Alfa Romeo.
31. Old-fashioned proof of purchase: BOX TOP
33. Aces: PROS. Both mean experts.
35. Crow's nest sighting: LAND. Again, not familiar with the nautical term crow's nest.
37. "For sure!": OF COURSE
38. Skillfully made: CRAFTED
40. Plays without intermissions: ONE-ACTS. "Plays" is a noun. I fell into the verb thinking trap.
42. Ace of Base genre: EURO POP. Have never heard of Swedish band Ace of Base.
43. Bit of grit: GRANULE
44. Retire, but not permanently: GO TO BED. "Not permanently" threw me off.
47. Legal profession: THE BAR. Wrote down THE LAW first.
51. Raptor's home: AERIE
54. Cincinnati sitcom station: WKRP. "WKRP in Cincinnati".
55. Tiger's pocketful: TEES. Tiger Woods.
56. Miró Foundation architect: SERT. Got the answer from Across fill.
59. Gift for an island visitor: LEIS. Hawaiian islands.
Answer grid.
C.C.
33. Aces: PROS. Both mean experts.
35. Crow's nest sighting: LAND. Again, not familiar with the nautical term crow's nest.
37. "For sure!": OF COURSE
38. Skillfully made: CRAFTED
40. Plays without intermissions: ONE-ACTS. "Plays" is a noun. I fell into the verb thinking trap.
42. Ace of Base genre: EURO POP. Have never heard of Swedish band Ace of Base.
43. Bit of grit: GRANULE
44. Retire, but not permanently: GO TO BED. "Not permanently" threw me off.
47. Legal profession: THE BAR. Wrote down THE LAW first.
51. Raptor's home: AERIE
54. Cincinnati sitcom station: WKRP. "WKRP in Cincinnati".
55. Tiger's pocketful: TEES. Tiger Woods.
56. Miró Foundation architect: SERT. Got the answer from Across fill.
59. Gift for an island visitor: LEIS. Hawaiian islands.
Answer grid.
C.C.
