Theme: Seconds - All the theme answers are clued as definitions of "Seconds".
17A. Seconds: AIDES FOR DUELERS. The attendants of duelers.
24A. Seconds: EXTRA HELPINGS. Who doesn't go for seconds?
41A. Seconds: INFERIOR GOODS. I liked this entry and 24A, as we often use the seconds in plural form.
55A. Seconds: TICKS OF THE CLOCK. A bit contrived.
Like David Cromer's ACE puzzle last Wednesday, normally all letters of the clue for this kind of definition puzzle are capitalized. I wonder why this one is an exception.
A nice 74-worder debut from Dave Eckert. You can see he put lots of time and effort on each clue, and I think Rich kept most of his originals. Very refreshing. My favorites are:
50A. They may be felt on the range: STETSONS. Felt hat.
9D. Its home is on the range: SAUCEPAN. Tricky clue. Range echo.
40D. Cinematic opening, but not ending?: SOFT C. Refers to letter C in the word Cinematic. Brilliant clue.
Across:
1. Thick piece: SLAB
5. Kelly's cohort: REGIS (Philbin).
10. __ bath: SITZ. From German verb "sitzen," meaning "to sit.". I've never heard of it before.
14. Corduroy feature: WALE. New word to me.
15. "West Side Story" role: ANITA. I just mentioned this role in my Rita Moreno comment yesterday.
16. Flowering succulent: ALOE
20. Appreciative: GRATEFUL
21. Privacy metaphor: CLOSET. Oh, in the closet.
22. Troubled insurance giant: AIG. Tragic.
23. Dry, like some Spanish wine: SECO. Our sec.
30. They have caps: KNEES. Kneecaps. I also like PEWS (60. Seats with kneelers).
31. Enjoy New York, say?: READ. New York magazine. I was stumped.
32. Hit hard: RAM
34. Isle where Saint Columba died: IONA. No idea. Don't know Saint Columba. Must be an Irish.
35. Received, as a salary: DRAWN
37. "See ya": TATA
38. Ring decision: TKO (Technical Knockout).
39. Part owner of Chrysler since 2009: FIAT. Was ignorant of this fact.
40. Nasal spray brand: SINEX. Vicks Sinex. P&G brand. New to me.
45. Env. directive: ATTN
46. Sound from Sandy: ARF. Alliteration. Sandy refers to Little Orphan Annie's dog, correct?
47. "Jeopardy!" clue, e.g. : ANSWER
57. Tribe related to the Iowa: OTOE. Always connect them with Lois' Oklahoma, not Iowa.
58. "One for My Baby" composer: ARLEN (Harold). Here is Frank Sinatra's version.
59. Samoan seaport: APIA. Alliteration.
61. Some designer dresses: DIORS. Partly alliteration.
62. Discreet attention-getter: PSST
Down:
1. Ill-gotten gains: SWAG. Slang for booty.
2. Place to hibernate: LAIR
3. "Crimes and Misdemeanors" actor: ALDA. Have never seen the movie.
4. Sugar source: BEET. Alliteration.
5. Weaver's fiber: RAFFIA. See this raffia palm. I wanted RATTAN. It's used in weaving too.
6. Once, perhaps: ENOUGH. Once is enough.
7. Madonna's "Material __": GIRL. She is too much for my taste.
8. "__ be my pleasure!": IT'D
10. Oater setting: SALOON
11. Places in la mer: ILES
12. Went like the dickens: TORE. Nice clue.
13. Citrus peel: ZEST
18. Chicago tower builder: SEARS
19. 1961 Heston role: EL CID
23. Did in: SLEW
24. Japanese mushroom: ENOKI. With thin & long stems. I use them for soup occasionally. Enoki is short for enokitake, the ending "take" means "mushroom", as in shiitake.
25. It's a gas: XENON. Noble gas.
26. Some like it hot: TEA. Saw this clue before. Still like it. I am in love with "it"/"they" type clues.
27. Troubadour's Muse: ERATO. Muse of poetry.
28. Piano type: GRAND
29. Stuffs: SATES
30. Frontiersman Carson: KIT. Was unaware of this guy. Kit is a girl's name to me.
33. "Mad __": 1979 Gibson film: MAX. No idea. What's it about?
35. Rural route: DIRT ROAD. Alliteration.
36. Showers, e.g.: RAIN
37. Uncle, in Uruguay: TIO. Alliteration.
39. Regales: FETES
42. United Kingdom's Guy __ Night: FAWKES. Bonfire Night. My lethologica moment.
43. To a certain extent: RATHER. It's like yesterday's "To the third degree", Bill G, I had difficulty understanding the exact part of speech of the clue again.
44. Salad makings: GREENS
47. Straddling: ATOP. Wait for Lois to comment.
48. Evening, informally: NITE
49. Harbor vessel: SCOW
50. WWII battle site: STLO
51. Reaction to freshness?: SLAP. I keep forgetting the slang meaning of "fresh".
52. "My bad!": OOPS
53. Mark Harmon TV series: NCIS ( Naval Criminal Investigative Service). Stymied me.
54. Game using only cards higher than six: SKAT. I only know it's a card game for three.
56. Part of T.G.I.F.: Abbr.: FRI. Called to mind Gunghy's funny WTF observation last time when we had MTWTF.
Answer grid.
C.C.
17A. Seconds: AIDES FOR DUELERS. The attendants of duelers.
24A. Seconds: EXTRA HELPINGS. Who doesn't go for seconds?
41A. Seconds: INFERIOR GOODS. I liked this entry and 24A, as we often use the seconds in plural form.
55A. Seconds: TICKS OF THE CLOCK. A bit contrived.
Like David Cromer's ACE puzzle last Wednesday, normally all letters of the clue for this kind of definition puzzle are capitalized. I wonder why this one is an exception.
A nice 74-worder debut from Dave Eckert. You can see he put lots of time and effort on each clue, and I think Rich kept most of his originals. Very refreshing. My favorites are:
50A. They may be felt on the range: STETSONS. Felt hat.
9D. Its home is on the range: SAUCEPAN. Tricky clue. Range echo.
40D. Cinematic opening, but not ending?: SOFT C. Refers to letter C in the word Cinematic. Brilliant clue.
Across:
1. Thick piece: SLAB
5. Kelly's cohort: REGIS (Philbin).
10. __ bath: SITZ. From German verb "sitzen," meaning "to sit.". I've never heard of it before.
14. Corduroy feature: WALE. New word to me.
15. "West Side Story" role: ANITA. I just mentioned this role in my Rita Moreno comment yesterday.
16. Flowering succulent: ALOE
20. Appreciative: GRATEFUL
21. Privacy metaphor: CLOSET. Oh, in the closet.
22. Troubled insurance giant: AIG. Tragic.
23. Dry, like some Spanish wine: SECO. Our sec.
30. They have caps: KNEES. Kneecaps. I also like PEWS (60. Seats with kneelers).
31. Enjoy New York, say?: READ. New York magazine. I was stumped.
32. Hit hard: RAM
34. Isle where Saint Columba died: IONA. No idea. Don't know Saint Columba. Must be an Irish.
35. Received, as a salary: DRAWN
37. "See ya": TATA
38. Ring decision: TKO (Technical Knockout).
39. Part owner of Chrysler since 2009: FIAT. Was ignorant of this fact.
40. Nasal spray brand: SINEX. Vicks Sinex. P&G brand. New to me.
45. Env. directive: ATTN
46. Sound from Sandy: ARF. Alliteration. Sandy refers to Little Orphan Annie's dog, correct?
47. "Jeopardy!" clue, e.g. : ANSWER
57. Tribe related to the Iowa: OTOE. Always connect them with Lois' Oklahoma, not Iowa.
58. "One for My Baby" composer: ARLEN (Harold). Here is Frank Sinatra's version.
59. Samoan seaport: APIA. Alliteration.
61. Some designer dresses: DIORS. Partly alliteration.
62. Discreet attention-getter: PSST
Down:
1. Ill-gotten gains: SWAG. Slang for booty.
2. Place to hibernate: LAIR
3. "Crimes and Misdemeanors" actor: ALDA. Have never seen the movie.
4. Sugar source: BEET. Alliteration.
5. Weaver's fiber: RAFFIA. See this raffia palm. I wanted RATTAN. It's used in weaving too.
6. Once, perhaps: ENOUGH. Once is enough.
7. Madonna's "Material __": GIRL. She is too much for my taste.
8. "__ be my pleasure!": IT'D
10. Oater setting: SALOON
11. Places in la mer: ILES
12. Went like the dickens: TORE. Nice clue.
13. Citrus peel: ZEST
18. Chicago tower builder: SEARS
19. 1961 Heston role: EL CID
23. Did in: SLEW
24. Japanese mushroom: ENOKI. With thin & long stems. I use them for soup occasionally. Enoki is short for enokitake, the ending "take" means "mushroom", as in shiitake.
25. It's a gas: XENON. Noble gas.
26. Some like it hot: TEA. Saw this clue before. Still like it. I am in love with "it"/"they" type clues.
27. Troubadour's Muse: ERATO. Muse of poetry.
28. Piano type: GRAND
29. Stuffs: SATES
30. Frontiersman Carson: KIT. Was unaware of this guy. Kit is a girl's name to me.
33. "Mad __": 1979 Gibson film: MAX. No idea. What's it about?
35. Rural route: DIRT ROAD. Alliteration.
36. Showers, e.g.: RAIN
37. Uncle, in Uruguay: TIO. Alliteration.
39. Regales: FETES
42. United Kingdom's Guy __ Night: FAWKES. Bonfire Night. My lethologica moment.
43. To a certain extent: RATHER. It's like yesterday's "To the third degree", Bill G, I had difficulty understanding the exact part of speech of the clue again.
44. Salad makings: GREENS
47. Straddling: ATOP. Wait for Lois to comment.
48. Evening, informally: NITE
49. Harbor vessel: SCOW
50. WWII battle site: STLO
51. Reaction to freshness?: SLAP. I keep forgetting the slang meaning of "fresh".
52. "My bad!": OOPS
53. Mark Harmon TV series: NCIS ( Naval Criminal Investigative Service). Stymied me.
54. Game using only cards higher than six: SKAT. I only know it's a card game for three.
56. Part of T.G.I.F.: Abbr.: FRI. Called to mind Gunghy's funny WTF observation last time when we had MTWTF.
Answer grid.
C.C.
