Theme: None
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 30
Multiple word entries abound in this grid. Total 16. And 14 of them are two-word, including all of those stacks of triple 9s in the upper right and lower left corners.
I liked how WISHFUL THINKING (7D. Dreamer's activity) is centered and symmetrically flanked by AS IT IS (8D. In reality) and SO CAN I (45D. Assertion from one who won't be outdone), the only 3-word answers we have today.
How did you fare today? Were you able to mind meld with the constructor in terms of cultural references? I struggled. Mike Nothnagel (in the middle, Doug Peterson on the left & Brendan Emmett Quigley on the right) is a math teacher. He's made lots of late week puzzles for the NY Times. I think this is his LA Times debut.
Across:
1. Some pilgrims: HAJIS. Pilgrims to Mecca. I can only remember the pilgrimage hadj/hajj.
6. Contests on the road: AWAY GAMES. Road games.
15. Enjoy a victory, say: EXULT
16. Ignore, as an insult: RISE ABOVE. Nice clue/answer.
17. More or less uniform: ALIKE
18. Black Sea region: ASIAN MINOR. Turkey region.
19. Holiday pie ingredients: PECANS. I've never had pecan pie.
21. Growth chart data: Abbr.: HTS (Heights)
22. __ torch: TIKI
23. Chateau __ Michelle: world's largest Riesling producer: STE. A winery in Washington. The largest single producer of Riesling wine in the US, a la Wiki. New to me.
24. Deem appropriate: SEE FIT
26. Indifferent grade: CEE. And PLUS (29. 26-Across enhancement). Enhancement made me think of Marisa Miller's boobs, which are actually real.
27. Space balls?: ORBS. Poetically. Poets calls Sun/Moon orb.
30. "Holy Toledo!": EGADS
32. Like a ward for some new hospital patients: NEONATAL. Did not come to me readily.
34. It fits in a lock: OAR. The U-shaped oarlock. I inserted KEY immediately.
35. Chat with someone on the way out?: EXIT INTERVIEW. More familiar with the term EXIT POLL.
39. Pitcher Dwight Gooden's nickname: DOC. Gimme. He's been afflicted with drug problem.
40. Home to FDR's presidential library: HYDE PARK. FDR was born there.
42. Showbiz figure: CELEB
45. Seattle Slew, vis-à-vis Swale: SIRE. Ha ha, I actually know this trivia.
46. "The nursery of England's gentlemen": ETON. Unaware of this Eton moniker.
47. Park in NYC, e.g.: AVE. Park Avenue. Good clue, though clue/answer duplication with HYDE PARK. We also have a cross-referenced RTE (57D. 47-Across, e.g.).
48. "Oops" elicitors: BONERS. Tee-hee!
50. Like "Spring" from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons": IN E. No idea.
51. "Touch Me in the Morning" singer: ROSS (Diana). Not familiar with the song. Doesn't sound romantic as I expected.
53. "Oh no!": ACK
54. Parasite: SPONGE
56. Church rite site: ALTAR RAIL. And KNEELER (41D. Pew extension).
59. The "Demon Star": ALGOL. Arabic root. Al = The (Al Qaeda = The Base). Gol is rooted in Ghoul, the evil demon.
60. Passé reception aid: TV ANTENNA
61. Jack's partner in a 1982 #1 John Cougar song": DIANE. Here is the clip. Blank spot for me.
62. Tony award category: SET DESIGN. And SERIES (14D. Word on some Emmy awards). I liked the "award" weaving.
63. Join: ENTER. Can you give me an example of how they are interchangeable?
Down:
1. Adds in great quantities: HEAPS ON. Praise/scorn, etc.
2. Cart's wheel attachment: AXLETREE. New word to me.
3. Part of a kid's lunch from home: JUICE BOX. Scrabbly!
4. Chase on stage: ILKA. Nope. Total stranger. I was picturing a chase scene on stage.
5. WWII Mark II's: STENS. The British submachine guns used in World War II. I was ignorant of the Mark II model, or any model. Gimme, Argyle?
6. First name at Notre Dame: ARA (Parseghian). The famous football coach.
9. Baker's supply: YEAST
10. Piece of cheesecake?: GAM. Slang for leg.
11. Somewhat: A BIT
12. 1992 Wimbledon runner-up to Steffi: MONICA (Seles)
13. Called forth: EVOKED. What's the exact difference between evoke and invoke?
20. Like many a residential system: SEPTIC
25. Spark: ELAN
28. Nasty: SNIDE
30. Wasp's nest site: EAVE. I've yet to find a nest in ours.
31. Complaint: GRIPE
33. Distance covered by a first step: A TO B. No problem with parsing this time.
34. Sequences: ORDERS
36. Teacher of Adele Varens, in an 1847 novel: EYRE. Jane Eyre. I sure don't remember the little girl's name.
37. Bothering a lot: EATING AT
38. "Nope, the other thing": WRONG ONE. Another awesome clue/answer pair.
42. Stone figures: CARATS. Gem stone. Carat indicates weight, karat purity.
43. Increase in complexity, perhaps: EVOLVE
44. Vampire played by Cruise: LESTAT. Beat me. I've never seen "Interview With the Vampire".
48. Shows: BARES. Just enough. Gong Li my favorite Chinese actress.
49. Part of a deck: SPADE. Deck of card.
52. Golf hazard, often: SAND. TRAP & LAKE also have 4-letter. Ernie Els is a great bunker player. A green jacket this year definitely is not a WISHFUL THINKING to him.
55. "Enemies, A Love Story" Oscar nominee: OLIN (Lena). I peeked at the answer sheet.
58. PC-to-PC system: LAN (Local Area Network)
Answer grid.
C.C.
Total words: 70
Total blocks: 30
Multiple word entries abound in this grid. Total 16. And 14 of them are two-word, including all of those stacks of triple 9s in the upper right and lower left corners.
I liked how WISHFUL THINKING (7D. Dreamer's activity) is centered and symmetrically flanked by AS IT IS (8D. In reality) and SO CAN I (45D. Assertion from one who won't be outdone), the only 3-word answers we have today.
How did you fare today? Were you able to mind meld with the constructor in terms of cultural references? I struggled. Mike Nothnagel (in the middle, Doug Peterson on the left & Brendan Emmett Quigley on the right) is a math teacher. He's made lots of late week puzzles for the NY Times. I think this is his LA Times debut.
Across:
1. Some pilgrims: HAJIS. Pilgrims to Mecca. I can only remember the pilgrimage hadj/hajj.
6. Contests on the road: AWAY GAMES. Road games.
15. Enjoy a victory, say: EXULT
16. Ignore, as an insult: RISE ABOVE. Nice clue/answer.
17. More or less uniform: ALIKE
18. Black Sea region: ASIAN MINOR. Turkey region.
19. Holiday pie ingredients: PECANS. I've never had pecan pie.
21. Growth chart data: Abbr.: HTS (Heights)
22. __ torch: TIKI
23. Chateau __ Michelle: world's largest Riesling producer: STE. A winery in Washington. The largest single producer of Riesling wine in the US, a la Wiki. New to me.
24. Deem appropriate: SEE FIT
26. Indifferent grade: CEE. And PLUS (29. 26-Across enhancement). Enhancement made me think of Marisa Miller's boobs, which are actually real.
27. Space balls?: ORBS. Poetically. Poets calls Sun/Moon orb.
30. "Holy Toledo!": EGADS
32. Like a ward for some new hospital patients: NEONATAL. Did not come to me readily.
34. It fits in a lock: OAR. The U-shaped oarlock. I inserted KEY immediately.
35. Chat with someone on the way out?: EXIT INTERVIEW. More familiar with the term EXIT POLL.
39. Pitcher Dwight Gooden's nickname: DOC. Gimme. He's been afflicted with drug problem.
40. Home to FDR's presidential library: HYDE PARK. FDR was born there.
42. Showbiz figure: CELEB
45. Seattle Slew, vis-à-vis Swale: SIRE. Ha ha, I actually know this trivia.
46. "The nursery of England's gentlemen": ETON. Unaware of this Eton moniker.
47. Park in NYC, e.g.: AVE. Park Avenue. Good clue, though clue/answer duplication with HYDE PARK. We also have a cross-referenced RTE (57D. 47-Across, e.g.).
48. "Oops" elicitors: BONERS. Tee-hee!
50. Like "Spring" from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons": IN E. No idea.
51. "Touch Me in the Morning" singer: ROSS (Diana). Not familiar with the song. Doesn't sound romantic as I expected.
53. "Oh no!": ACK
54. Parasite: SPONGE
56. Church rite site: ALTAR RAIL. And KNEELER (41D. Pew extension).
59. The "Demon Star": ALGOL. Arabic root. Al = The (Al Qaeda = The Base). Gol is rooted in Ghoul, the evil demon.
60. Passé reception aid: TV ANTENNA
61. Jack's partner in a 1982 #1 John Cougar song": DIANE. Here is the clip. Blank spot for me.
62. Tony award category: SET DESIGN. And SERIES (14D. Word on some Emmy awards). I liked the "award" weaving.
63. Join: ENTER. Can you give me an example of how they are interchangeable?
Down:
1. Adds in great quantities: HEAPS ON. Praise/scorn, etc.
2. Cart's wheel attachment: AXLETREE. New word to me.
3. Part of a kid's lunch from home: JUICE BOX. Scrabbly!
4. Chase on stage: ILKA. Nope. Total stranger. I was picturing a chase scene on stage.
5. WWII Mark II's: STENS. The British submachine guns used in World War II. I was ignorant of the Mark II model, or any model. Gimme, Argyle?
6. First name at Notre Dame: ARA (Parseghian). The famous football coach.
9. Baker's supply: YEAST
10. Piece of cheesecake?: GAM. Slang for leg.
11. Somewhat: A BIT
12. 1992 Wimbledon runner-up to Steffi: MONICA (Seles)
13. Called forth: EVOKED. What's the exact difference between evoke and invoke?
20. Like many a residential system: SEPTIC
25. Spark: ELAN
28. Nasty: SNIDE
30. Wasp's nest site: EAVE. I've yet to find a nest in ours.
31. Complaint: GRIPE
33. Distance covered by a first step: A TO B. No problem with parsing this time.
34. Sequences: ORDERS
36. Teacher of Adele Varens, in an 1847 novel: EYRE. Jane Eyre. I sure don't remember the little girl's name.
37. Bothering a lot: EATING AT
38. "Nope, the other thing": WRONG ONE. Another awesome clue/answer pair.
42. Stone figures: CARATS. Gem stone. Carat indicates weight, karat purity.
43. Increase in complexity, perhaps: EVOLVE
44. Vampire played by Cruise: LESTAT. Beat me. I've never seen "Interview With the Vampire".
48. Shows: BARES. Just enough. Gong Li my favorite Chinese actress.
49. Part of a deck: SPADE. Deck of card.
52. Golf hazard, often: SAND. TRAP & LAKE also have 4-letter. Ernie Els is a great bunker player. A green jacket this year definitely is not a WISHFUL THINKING to him.
55. "Enemies, A Love Story" Oscar nominee: OLIN (Lena). I peeked at the answer sheet.
58. PC-to-PC system: LAN (Local Area Network)
Answer grid.
C.C.
